title: Former Frederick County Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Baltimore Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced William Joseph Murrow, 43, formerly of Frederick County, Maryland, to 25 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of a child. Upon his release from prison, Murrow must register as a sex offender for life and was ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Baltimore Field Office; J. Charles Smith, State’s Attorney for Frederick County; and Chief Jason Lando, Frederick Police Department. According to court documents, Murrow sexually abused and exploited a minor by soliciting images and engaging in sexual acts with her. The abuse occurred for more than 18 months, ending when the child’s mother discovered the abuse and reported it to the police. 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 Attorney’s 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc . Click the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page to learn about Internet safety education. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, Frederick Police Department, and Brunswick Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce R. King who prosecuted the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Lexington Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington man, Drequahn Smith, 19, was sentenced on Tuesday to 128 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On June 24, 2024, law enforcement officers with the FBI and the Lexington Police Department were conducting surveillance on an individual wanted on an arrest warrant. Drequahn Smith was observed with the wanted individual, and fled when the law enforcement officers approached. During the foot pursuit, Smith attempted to throw away a handgun he was carrying before he was apprehended. In a subsequent search of Smith’s backpack and a residence associated with Smith, law enforcement officers recovered 413 grams of pressed fentanyl pills. Smith admitted in his plea agreement that he possessed the fentanyl with intent to distribute it, and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. Under federal law, Smith must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by FBI and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. – END –


title: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Larry Joe Chapman, 44, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to a reported shoplifting at a MacCorkle Avenue business in South Charleston. The officers found that Chapman, the subject of the shoplifting call, had locked himself in the storage room of the business. Chapman unlocked the door for the officers, and officers found him in the storage room with a knife in his hand with the blade open. Officers disarmed and arrested Chapman, took him outside, and searched him. Officers found a Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard .380-caliber pistol and over $1,000 in merchandise belonging to the business on Chapman’s person. Officers later determined that the firearm was stolen. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Chapman knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for breaking and entering a building other than a dwelling on February 5, 2018, and conspiracy to operate and attempt to operate a clandestine drug laboratory for the purpose of manufacturing methamphetamine on November 8, 2013, both in Kanawha County Circuit Court. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-125. ###


title: Sex Trafficker Who Supplied His Prostitutes with Heroin Sentenced to 90 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: WASHINGTON D.C. – Johnny Lee Gibson, 58, whose last known residence was in Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 90 months in federal prison for sex-trafficking women who he kept under his control by supplying them with narcotics. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Gibson, aka “Preach,” pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2024, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. In addition to the 90-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Gibson to serve 10 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, Gibson recruited drug-addicted women to work as prostitutes for his commercial sex enterprise that operated in Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. The enterprise ran from 1994 until Gibson’s arrest at a motel in Brooklawn, New Jersey, on July 25, 2024. Gibson placed online advertisements offering the women’s sexual services. Some ads ran on websites that targeted the DMV. In 2019, he ran ads in the District touting one woman that stated “100% Real and always discreet, always on time, fresh, and looking my very best. I always aim to please…” When he was arrested in July 2024, Gibson gave a recorded statement in which he admitted to sex trafficking five women, acting as a pimp, procuring drugs for them, and controling the women by providing access to drugs. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Ditzler Shinskie and Rachel Forman.


title: Rhode Island Man Admits to Cyberstalking, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island man today pleaded guilty as charged by federal indictment to one count of cyberstalking and four counts of distribution of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Melvin Vidal Herrera Perez, 21, admitted to a federal judge that he befriended a minor child, encouraged her to take sexually explicit images of herself, and later used the images to threaten and harass her after she turned eighteen. Perez admitted that he used a variety of tactics to cause serious emotional distress to the victim, including opening websites to display her images, texting and emailing her images, and messaging a wide number of individuals in the victim’s personal and social circles. Perez, who has been detained since his arrest in December 2024, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 6, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Julie M. White. The matter was investigated by the FBI. ###


title: Four sentenced in $110 million-dollar kickback conspiracy

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – Multiple people have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to pay kickbacks in exchange for prescription referrals, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. John Ageudo Rodriguez, 55, Mohammad Imtiaz Chowdhury, 44, and Hector de la Cruz Jr., 54, all of Edinburg, and Alex Flores Jr., 55, McAllen, had all previously pleaded guilty. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 60 months in federal prison. De La Cruz and Flores were sentenced to 46 months while Chowdhury received a 30-month-term of imprisonment. All must also serve three years of supervised release following completion of their sentences. Rodriguez, a former licensed pharmacist, owned and operated Pharr Family Pharmacy. He conspired with several “marketers” – including Chowdhury, De La Cruz and Flores – to pay kickbacks to medical providers who referred prescriptions to his pharmacy. Rodriguez then billed various benefit programs, including the Department of Labor, TRICARE and Medicare, for millions of dollars in claims. From 2014 to 2016, his pharmacy submitted more than $110 million in claims to federal health care programs for compound drugs. “Illegal kickbacks are the engine that drives health care fraud,” said Ganjei. “Our office will aggressively pursue fraud, waste, and abuse that cost taxpayers millions, if not billions, every year.” All were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General (OIG), Department of Labor-OIG, FBI, Department of Defense-Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Veteran Affairs-OIG, Department of Health and Human Services-OIG and Texas Health and Human Services-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Swartz prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Detainee Admits to Possessing Contraband Inside Wyatt Detention Center

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A federal detainee found to be in possession of contraband while detained at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center today pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy and to a charge of providing and possessing contraband in prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Anthony Whyte, 50, admitted that on May 21, 2023, he took possession of an envelope containing documents passed to him by a visitor. Upon further inspection, Wyatt officials determined that eight of the pages had the appearance of having been contaminated with some sort of substance. One of the eight pages later analyzed by the FBI was determined to have been treated with synthetic cannabinoids. Court documents reflect that Whyte arranged for the delivery of the contaminated pages during recorded telephone conversations he made from inside the Wyatt Detention Center. The papers and the manilla envelope they were contained in were seized moments after Whyte took possession of them. At the time, Whyte was detained in an unrelated criminal matter brought in the District of Connecticut. Whyte is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the Wyatt Detention Center Professional Standards Unit. ###


title: Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse. The sentencing took place on May 1, 2025. Louis James Swallow, 22, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Swallow will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Swallow was indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual Contact by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on February 10, 2025. The case was charged after an acute disclosure of forcible sexual assault by the 13-year-old victim. She disclosed Swallow followed her while she was walking home, grabbed her, forced her to the ground, and then raped her. In sentencing Swallow to 20 years in prison, Judge Schreier condemned Swallow’s “frightening conduct,” noting he had also been charged in Pennington County for raping and strangling a girlfriend in 2020. Judge Schreier further recognized the trauma Swallow’s violence inflicted on the 13-year-old victim. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case. Swallow was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Private School Settles with Justice Department to Address Discrimination Against Children with Disabilities

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 8, 2025, Wisconsin Montessori Society, Inc., d/b/a Milwaukee Montessori School (MMS) agreed to injunctive relief and payment of $290,000 to resolve allegations that it failed to provide full and equal enjoyment of its educational services to children with disabilities, in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131-12189. MMS is a private day school that offers pre-K through grade 8 education. Private schools, day care centers, and other places of education are generally prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability under Title III of the ADA. Disabled individuals protected under Title III include both individuals with an actual disability—meaning “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual”—as well as individuals “regarded as having such an impairment.” Since at least 2018, MMS has discriminated against young children with disabilities. MMS has: (1) denied, on the basis of disability, participation in its educational services to disabled children by expelling and refusing to admit them; (2) denied disabled children equal participation in MMS’s educational services by repeatedly sending them to the office, seating them separately from other students, and sending them home early because of manifestations of their disabilities; and (3) failed to make reasonable modifications for disabled children. MMS’s discriminatory actions are evidenced by the experiences of ten children described in the Settlement Agreement. “Children with disabilities have the right to access the educational opportunities offered by private schools, including Montessori schools,” said Acting United States Richard Frohling. “This settlement is an important reminder that the ADA’s obligations extend to private schools and their treatment of students with disabilities.” Under the Settlement Agreement, MMS will pay monetary damages of $240,000 to compensate aggrieved persons as well as a civil penalty of $50,000 to the United States. It also includes injunctive relief that requires monitoring and reporting, and MMS has voluntarily taken some steps to address the government’s findings. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of covered entities. The Department of Justice is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties. Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa Yun and Nia Schmaltz represented the government in this matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; MMS does not admit liability for the allegations. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Trumbull Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Handguns, Ghost Guns, Ammunition

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JACK JAKUPS, 41, of Trumbull, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 41 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon. According to court documents and statements made in court, Jakups’ criminal history includes state felony convictions for narcotics possession, burglary, robbery, larceny, and escape offenses. In January 2019, Jakups was released from prison to Connecticut’s Special Parole program. On November 30, 2021, Jakups’ parole officer, with the assistance of ATF, conducted a search of Jakups’ residence and seized a Diamondback 9mm handgun, a Ruger 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, a privately made Glock-19-style firearm, a privately made AR-15-style firearm, and more than 300 rounds of ammunition. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. On November 14, 2022, Jakups pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon. Jakups, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on August 8. This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of Connecticut State Parole. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Member of Drug Trafficking Organization That Distributed Heart Shaped Pills Resembling Candy, Laced with Lethal Drugs, Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lynn, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In November 2023, millions of doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder, with street value estimated to be over $7 million, was seized from a stash location and clandestine laboratory used by the organization. Sebastien Bejin, a/k/a “Bash,” 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2025, Bejin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. Bejin was charged in November 2023 along with alleged co-conspirators Emilio Garcia and Deiby Felix. The defendants were later indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023. In July 2023, an investigation began into an overdose death in Salem, Mass. which led investigators to the drug trafficking organization led by Bejin, Garcia and Felix. On Nov. 1, 2023 searches were conducted at four locations frequented by Bejin and Garcia. The searches resulted in what is believed to be, one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region. The seizure included nine kilograms (20 pounds) of pink heart shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to look like candy. Additional narcotics and five firearms were also seized. During the course of the investigation over 150 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine were seized, along with multiple additional kilograms of cocaine and dozens of kilograms of cutting agents, including xylazine, that are used to adulterate controlled substances. In total, more than an estimated eight million individual doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder was seized. The street value is believed to be upwards of $8 million. Garcia and Bejin would travel to the stash location on a daily basis and then bring quantities of suspected controlled substances from the premises to supply lower-level dealers. A search of Felix’s residence resulted in the seizure of more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of pressed pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl and a firearm. A subsequent search of the basement of Felix’s residence revealed a clandestine drug laboratory that had been built into a small room. Multiple industrial pill presses, mixing equipment and other manufacturing paraphernalia and equipment were also recovered. Within multiple large storage bins located within the laboratory, over 100 pounds of suspected fentanyl powder was also discovered. Garcia pleaded guilty on Feb. 7, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2025. Felix pleaded guilty on Feb. 3, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2025. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Lynn, Lynnfield and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Participating in Violent Kidnappings in the Chicago Suburbs

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for conspiring to abduct several victims at gunpoint in the Chicago suburbs. SEDGWICK WILLIAMS participated in kidnappings in Naperville, Ill., and Westchester, Ill., in the fall of 2019. Williams and a co-conspirator also attempted a third kidnapping in South Holland, Ill., but they were unsuccessful and were arrested fleeing from the intended victim’s residence. A federal jury last year convicted Williams, 48, of Chicago, and co-defendant TAI HON LA, 35, of Beach Park, Ill., of participating in the kidnapping conspiracy and other related charges. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso sentenced Williams to 50 years in federal prison. La is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2025. Two other defendants pleaded guilty in the case. IVAN AYERS, 37, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to participating in the kidnapping conspiracy and is set to be sentenced on June 10, 2025. JONATHAN VARGAS, 38, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to kidnapping the first victim in Naperville and is set to be sentenced on June 5, 2025. Williams’s 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 Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The case was investigated with assistance from the Naperville Police Department, Westchester Police Department, South Holland Police Department, Chicago Police Department, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. According to evidence presented at trial, the first kidnapping occurred in Naperville on Oct. 17, 2019. The conspirators posed as law enforcement officers to handcuff and abduct a man at gunpoint outside of his electronics store, which they then burglarized. The conspirators forced the victim into a car and transported him to Chicago, where they assaulted him and extorted his family. The conspirators carried out the kidnapping in Westchester on Nov. 16, 2019. Posing as federal agents, the conspirators handcuffed and abducted a man at gunpoint outside of his residence. The conspirators forced the victim into his home, where they seized another victim and forced them both into the basement. Two other victims later arrived at the residence and were also forced into the basement at gunpoint. The conspirators stole cash and jewelry before fleeing. The conspirators attempted the third kidnapping in South Holland on Dec. 11, 2019, but the intended victim was able to call 911 and the South Holland Police arrived before the conspirators could gain access to the house. “Williams orchestrated a series of incredibly violent abductions and armed robberies throughout Chicago and the neighboring suburbs,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Jodrey and Kate McClelland argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Williams and his co-conspirators ruthlessly threatened, restrained, beat, robbed, kidnapped, terrorized, and tortured people for their own personal gain.”


title: Five Charged with Trafficking Narcotics in the Waterbury Area

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo today announced that ZACHARY FOSTER , also known as “Lee,” 58, of Waterbury; KEVIN LUCAS , 61, of Waterbury; PHILLION HARVEY , also known as “Dawg,” 52, of New Haven; RONALD McDOWELL , 58, of Waterbury; and KENYA BROWN , 43, of Bristol; have been federally charged with conspiring to traffic narcotics in and around Waterbury. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on November 26, 2024, Foster was sentenced in New Haven federal court to approximately 35 months of imprisonment, time already served, and four years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics. In February 2025, an investigation by the DEA New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force determined that Foster had resumed his drug trafficking activity. Between February and April 2025, investigators intercepted hundreds of calls between Foster and his associates coordinating the distribution of cocaine, crack, and fentanyl. During the investigation, a search of a stash location that Foster maintained at a residence on National Avenue in Waterbury revealed approximately one kilogram of cocaine, and a search of a location he maintained on Meriden Road in Waterbury revealed approximately 600 dose bags of fentanyl. Harvey, McDowell, and Brown also were found in possession of distribution quantities of fentanyl. On April 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging each of the five defendants with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, cocaine and fentanyl. If convicted of the charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, and based on Foster’s previous conviction for a serious drug felony offense, Foster faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and Lucas, Harvey, McDowell, and Brown each faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Foster also faces additional penalties if he is found to have violated the conditions of his supervised release. Foster, Lucas, and McDowell were arrested on federal criminal complaints on April 3, 2025, and are currently detained. Brown was arrested on April 25, 2025, and is released on $100,000 bond, and Harvey was released on April 29, 2025, and is released on a $50,000 bond. Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the DEA New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The DEA Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan J. Keefe and Natasha M. Freismuth. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces ( OCDETF ) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Federal Charges Filed Against Former Local School Music Teacher and Filipino Man for Sexually Exploiting Children

body_text: BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed charges against a former local school music teacher, as well as a Filipino man living in Baltimore, Md. alleging that the two produced videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minor boys in the Philippines. Joshua DeWitte, 50, of Cambridge, Mass., and Christopher Allan Tisoy, 27, a Filipino national residing in Baltimore, Md., were charged with one count each of sexual exploitation of minors (and attempt and conspiracy). DeWitte was arrested today and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for May 12, 2025. Tisoy was arrested in Baltimore yesterday and, following an initial appearance in the District of Maryland, was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for May 14, 2025. According to the charging documents , at the time of the alleged conduct, DeWitte was a music teacher at a local school in Massachusetts. Tisoy, a citizen of the Philippines who lawfully entered the United States in September 2024 on a H-1B Visa, is employed as a medical technologist at the Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. According to the charging documents, in December 2024, DeWitte was allegedly identified as the owner of a Snapchat account that uploaded a file of suspected child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting the abuse of a boy who appears to be between approximately eight and 10 years old. Records obtained from Snapchat allegedly showed that, in September 2024, DeWitte engaged in multiple conversations that were sexual in nature with users who presented themselves as minors. In those conversations, it is alleged that DeWitte requested nude pictures from the purported minors; sent pictures of his penis to the purported minors; and discussed previous and potential in-person meetups for sexual relations with minors. Additionally, it is further alleged that DeWitte paid, and offered to pay, another Snapchat user to obtain and produce child pornography and to recruit minor boys for himself. Based on that information, state law enforcement obtained a search warrant for DeWitte’s Cambridge residence in January 2025. DeWitte was then arrested and charged in Cambridge District Court with six counts of disseminating obscene material to a child, one count of distribution of material depicting a child in a sexual act and one count of possession of child pornography. He was later released on conditions. According to the charging documents, forensic examination of DeWitte’s cell phone seized at the time of his January 2025 arrest allegedly revealed a Telegram conversation between DeWitte and another user in which DeWitte allegedly shared three video files and stated: “I was in the Philippines. Most of my vids are from there and that’s where I was with a 10 yo and 12. 16 yo in Japan and Korea;” and “I have a contact there…He only records vids of the boys or arranges for my visit.” It is alleged that a separate Telegram conversation between DeWitte and Tisoy was located on DeWitte’s phone, in which they discussed four minor boys by name and arranged for the production of videos depicting the sexual exploitation of at least two minor boys in the Philippines. Specifically, it is alleged that in the conversations, DeWitte and Tisoy negotiated the terms of creating sexually explicit videos involving minors, including which minors should be involved; which sex acts the minors should perform; who should film, including whether a third party or one of the minors themselves should film; what angles should be filmed; and how much DeWitte should pay Tisoy for each video. The negotiation allegedly incorporated the sexual preferences of both DeWitte and Tisoy, with both agreeing on what they would each find sexually gratifying. Tisoy then allegedly relayed instructions to the minor victims to create a video. DeWitte allegedly paid Tisoy for each video Tisoy produced and sent. It is alleged that, between July 3, 2023 and Dec. 27, 2024, DeWitte sent 87 PayPal payments to Tisoy, in amounts ranging from $27 to $958, to film the sexual exploitation of minors in the Philippines – totaling to approximately $23,752. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . The charge of sexual exploitation of minors (and attempt and conspiracy) provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cambridge Police Department; HSI-Baltimore; the Maryland Department of State Police; and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez and Anne Paruti of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Rock Hill Officer Convicted at Trial of Receiving, Sending Child Sexual Abuse Materials

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal jury in Columbia has convicted Daniel Paul Shealy, 36, of Rock Hill, on 18 counts of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.* The jury returned a guilty verdict following three days of testimony and an hour and a half of deliberation. According to evidence presented during trial, in 2023 investigators with the York County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that three videos depicting the sexual abuse of children were flagged on the social messaging app Kik, under the username “orgasmd0nor.” Investigators with the YCSO and FBI traced the account and IP address to Shealy, a detective and former school resource officer with the Rock Hill Police Department. Further investigation revealed that Shealy was a member of more than 40 private groups on Kik designed for users to trade child sexual abuse materials, including groups with references to minors, teens, and incest in the titles. According to testimony from a Kik representative, users in such groups often exchange images and videos of rape, sexual assault, bestiality, and other abuse of children. Investigators testified during trial that after receiving the tip, they executed a search warrant on Shealy’s phone and his Kik account. Shealy’s phone was in his patrol car and accessible through his thumbprint and a passcode, which was his badge number. Agents recovered 126 explicit videos of children from Shealy’s phone and Kik account, which Shealy had received or distributed to others on the internet. The files included recordings of prepubescent minors in bondage and constraints and child sex abuse materials represented the majority of explicit recovered from his Kik account. When Shealy testified at trial, he admitted that he operated the orgasmd0nor account and that he accessed child sex abuse material on the platform. He also admitted that he never reported the any of the videos to Kik or to law enforcement because he either did not know how to report or was concerned about his privacy related to his intimate life. Shealy taken into custody at the conclusion of the trial. “The facts alone in this case were disturbing but became even more appalling because the defendant was a police officer, an individual given immense public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We remain committed to holding those who betray public trust accountable and protecting our most vulnerable citizens, our children. We’re grateful to the FBI, York County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case and our trial attorneys that worked diligently to bring this man to justice.” “The FBI is unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding children from individuals who perpetrate physical and sexual abuse or engage in the exploitation of minors through the distribution of child sexual abuse material, as proved in this case,” said Reid Davis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “We hope this verdict represents a meaningful step toward justice for the victims and ensures that the defendant is held fully accountable under the law.” He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, lifetime supervision to follow the term of imprisonment, and sex offender registry requirements. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. presided over the trial and will sentence Shealy after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office, the York County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force at the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Founder Of Celsius Sentenced To 12 Years For Fraud And Market Manipulation

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ALEXANDER MASHINSKY, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Celsius Network LLC and their affiliated entities (collectively, “Celsius”), was sentenced to 12 years for committing commodities fraud and securities fraud at Celsius. MASHINSKY previously pled guilty on December 3, 2024, before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, who imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “Alexander Mashinsky targeted retail investors with promises that he would keep their “digital assets” safer than a bank, when in fact he used those assets to place risky bets and to line his own pockets. In the end, Mashinsky made tens of millions of dollars while his customers lost billions. America’s investors deserve better. The case for tokenization and the use of digital assets is strong but it is not a license to deceive. The rules against fraud still apply, and the SDNY will hold those who flout them accountable for their crimes.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings: Celsius, a crypto asset platform, offered customers “rewards” on deposited assets, secured loans, and custody services. Marketing itself as the “safest place for your crypto,” Celsius encouraged customers to “unbank” themselves by transferring crypto assets to its platform. Celsius’s primary offering, “Earn” program, promised to deploy customer assets to generate investment returns. Celsius also provided “Custody” and “Borrow” programs, the latter allowing customers to obtain loans by posting crypto assets as collateral. MASHINSKY, as CEO, directly marketed Celsius to retail customers globally. Throughout his tenure, he repeatedly misrepresented key aspects of Celsius’s business and finances to attract customers and retain their assets. His false claims covered the safety of Celsius’s yield-generating activities, its profitability, the sustainability of high rewards rates, and the risks associated with depositing crypto assets on the platform. As MASHINSKY portrayed Celsius as secure, the platform grew exponentially. By the fall of 2021, Celsius had become one of the largest crypto platforms in the world, holding approximately $25 billion in assets at its peak. MASHINSKY and others orchestrated a yearslong scheme to mislead customers about Celsius’s proprietary crypto token CEL. They manipulated CEL’s price by spending hundreds of millions purchasing it on the open market to artificially inflate its value. At times, they used customer deposits to fund these market purchases, without disclosing that to customers. Without aggressive manipulation, CEL’s price would have been significantly lower. As Roni Cohen-Pavon, Celsius’s Chief Revenue Officer who later pled guilty to illegally manipulating CEL’s price, privately told MASHINSKY, “the value was fake and was based on us spending millions.” To further the manipulation scheme, MASHINSKY repeatedly made false public statements about Celsius’s market activity and role in supporting and inflating CEL’s. In some instances, MASHINSKY and other executives personally purchased CEL to artificially support its value. The artificial price inflation allowed MASHINSKY to profit approximately $48 million from his own sales of CEL. He publicly claimed he was not selling CEL, while actually selling large quantities, sometimes to Celsius itself. Before Celsius halted customer withdrawals on June 12, 2022, MASHINSKY continued assuring customers of Celsius’s strong financial position and liquidity. Meanwhile, he withdrew $8 million worth of his own non-CEL assets from Celsius. When Celsius announced it was halting customer withdrawals, hundreds of thousands of Celsius customers had $4.7 billion in inaccessible assets on the platform. Celsius filed for bankruptcy on July 13, 2022. * * * In addition to the prison term, MASHINSKY, 59, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine and forfeiture of $48,393,446. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, each of which has filed a parallel civil action. The case is being overseen by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Davis, Adam S. Hobson, and Allison Nichols are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Johnson County Man Sentenced for  Producing and Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A Hagerhill, Ky., man, Jason Ryan Campbell, 46, was sentenced on Thursday to 40 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, on August 27, 2022, Campbell engaged in the production of child pornography. Specifically, upon searching his phone, law enforcement located two videos taken of Campbell and a minor victim engaging in sexual conduct. Law enforcement also found additional videos and photos of child pornography on his phone. Under federal law, Campbell must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . – END –


title: 21 Armed and Violent Drug Traffickers and Gang Members from Spokane Area Facing Federal Drug and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced that 21 individuals have been charged following the return of 15 separate indictments alleging dozens of charges against these defendants. Certain of the individuals indicated are not yet in federal custody. The arrests follow a long-term joint federal investigation that began in October 2024, led by the by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This 7-month long investigation has targeted violent individuals and armed drug traffickers in Spokane as well as individuals operating in what has become nothing less than an open-air drug market on Division Street downtown.. These individuals have been problems in multiple states, impacting multiple communities during their lifetimes, in not only Washington State, but also Texas, Nevada, North Dakota, Montana, Alabama, Idaho, Oregon, and California. Upon release of the latest indictment, which was unsealed earlier today upon the arrest of several additional suspects, Acting United States Attorney Rich Barker stated, “I am grateful for the coordinated efforts of so many law enforcement agencies, who worked together to coordinate the takedown of this alleged drug trafficking operation.” Acting U.S. Attorney Barker continued, “It is an honor work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners on such important prosecutions, which help remove illegal drugs and firearms from our community. Our community and nation are safer, because of the work of our law enforcement and prosecution teams.” To date, agents seized just shy of 14-pounds of methamphetamine, over 1 kilogram of heroin, over 16,000 fentanyl pills, over 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, almost $60,000 in drug proceeds, as well as four vehicles and 36 firearms. In connection with the prosecution, the United States has filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the Eastern District of Washington against a local Spokane apartment complex located near North Central High School, which allegedly was being used to distribute illegal drugs and a place for individuals to obtain firearms. Properties such as this one are not only a community safety issue as a free for all of illicit activity, they are also a drain on public resources that could be used elsewhere. For example, in the last 2.5 years, records show there have been approximately 58 separate calls for service at the address. According to unsealed charging documents, the following individuals, many of whom have ties to various street gangs and who have a history of violence, have been charged in connection with the investigation. Additionally, the names of others indicted in connection with this investigation will be unsealed upon the arrest of those individuals. Andrew Vincent Auerbach , charged with Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking. Auerbach has a prior federal conviction for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Daryl Edward Boone , 45, charged with Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine, Possess with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine James M. Ferguson , 33, charged with Unlawful Possession of a Short-Barreled Shotgun Jonathan Jacob Inglis , 40, pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl. On January 30, 2025, he was sentenced to 151 months in prison. Nathan Carlson Johnson, 44, charged with Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine. James Lelacheur, 56, charged with Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine. Christopher Wayne O’Neal, charged with Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine. O’Neal is currently in Spokane County Jail stemming from a separate drug trafficking investigation. Gabriella Sherif Rizkalla, charged with multiple counts of Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine, and Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine Roland Dewayne Sanders , 36, charged with Distribution of Fentanyl, Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl. Sanders was on federal supervised release at the time of his offense and utilized his minor child to assist in the distribution of fentanyl. Bernie Ray Shaw Jr., 45, charged with Distribution of Fentanyl Courtney A. Wheeler, charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Andrew Lee Williams, charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Anthony Dale Williams, charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, multiple counts of Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Distribution of Cocaine. Certain of the individuals will be arraigned at the Spokane Federal Courthouse on May 9, 2025, at 10:00am. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Moses Lake Police Department, Border Patrol, and the Washington Department of Corrections. Additional assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. WILLIAMS et al - 2:25-CR-75-RLP SANDERS – 2:25-CR-15-MKD LELACHER – 2:24-CR-16-MKD FERGUSON – 2:24-CR-158-RLP JOHNSON – 2:24-CR-159-MKD AUERBACH – 2:25-CR-16-TOR INGLIS – 2:23-CR-56-TOR SHAW – 2:24-CR-163-MKD BOONE – 2:24-CR-164-RLP United States of America v. Real Property Known as 625 West Maxwell Avenue Spokane Washington et al, 2:25-cv-00148-RLP


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Traveling to the District of Columbia for Sex with Child

body_text: WASHINGTON – Nathaniel Lamar Nelson Scott, 36, of Bowie, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 96-months in federal prison in connection with traveling to sexually abuse a six-year-old girl in the District of Columbia. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Scott pleaded guilty October 16, 2024, to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Scott to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. According to the government’s evidence, in May 2024 Scott began communicating via an encrypted messaging application with a man he met on a fetish website. Scott believed the man to be a pedophile who was sexually abusing his six-year-old daughter. The man actually was an undercover officer with the MPD–FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Over the next several days, Scott engaged in graphic conversations with the undercover officer about sexually abusing the purported child. On June 5, 2024, Scott arranged to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child. He traveled from Maryland to a pre-arranged meeting place in the District where he was arrested. This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and MPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Bond and Paul V. Courtney. 24cr287


title: Athens Tax Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Filing $3.5+ Million in False Returns

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A tax preparer who admitted to filing more than $3.5 million in fraudulent tax returns tied to a multi-state investigation of a COVID-19 pandemic unemployment benefit scheme in which she received a percentage of the ill-gotten gains was sentenced to serve eight years in prison for her crime. Jessica Crawford, 34, of Athens, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 96 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III on May 8. Crawford previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aiding and assisting in preparing and presenting false income tax returns on Nov. 22, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system. “Federal law enforcement uncovered a large-scale tax return scheme during the pandemic that was costing taxpayers while benefiting fraudsters,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, federal prosecutors will continue to uphold the law and pursue justice in these cases.” “Jessica Crawford used her position as a tax preparer to defraud the U.S. government through a CARES Act program intended for those unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Atlanta Field Office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette. “In addition, she continued her theft of taxpayers’ money by fraudulently filing tax returns on behalf of her clients. The sentencing Crawford received should serve notice to unscrupulous tax preparers that IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners will continue investigating and holding them accountable for their unethical conduct.” "Jessica Crawford lied and took advantage of funds designed to help those who were truly in need during the pandemic," said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify and hold accountable anyone who defrauds taxpayers." According to court documents and statements made in court, FBI agents investigating a multi-state unemployment benefit scheme conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic discovered text messages between individuals involved in the scheme and Crawford, a tax preparer with Crawford Tax Services in Athens. Crawford filed for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits on behalf of those individuals who had created fake businesses or submitted false information to fraudulently obtain benefits. In return, Crawford received a percentage of the ill-gotten gains. Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) agents executed an undercover operation at Crawford’s business in April 2022 as part of the continuing investigation. The undercover agent (UA) met Crawford to have taxes prepared, and Crawford asked if the UA did anything on the side. At first, the UA responded no, but Crawford said that expenses could be deducted if he did, and the UA said he mowed an aunt’s lawn sometimes, which Crawford said was good enough. The UA did not provide any income or expense amounts. Still, Crawford created a Schedule C business for landscaping on the UA's federal income tax return based solely on that interaction. Crawford prepared a Form 1040 and filed electronically, including a fictitious Schedule C loss of $19,373, and claimed an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a Child Tax Credit (CTC), and a Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, which were affected by the fraudulent Schedule C loss. As a result, the UA’s return claimed a fraudulent federal income tax refund of $12,359. The IRS completed a statistical review of 1,261 total tax returns filed by Crawford in tax years 2020 and 2021. Of those, the IRS determined that Crawford fraudulently filed tax returns on behalf of clients, resulting in losses to the IRS exceeding $3 million from falsely claimed Form 7202 credits for sick leave and family leave, tax credits and dependent care credits. The case was investigated by the FBI and the IRS-CI. Criminal Chief Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Stacey Lancaster for Attempting to Sex Traffic a Minor at a Manchester Hotel

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – After a 3-day trial, a Hudson man was convicted by a federal jury for attempting to sex traffic a 12-year-old in a proactive federal and local law enforcement operation on November 14, 2024, Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Stacey Lancaster, age 46, was convicted of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor. United States District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro ordered Lancaster detained pending sentencing, which is scheduled for August 18, 2025. On November 14 and November 15, 2024, in a proactive law enforcement operation, agents posted and monitored an advertisement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex. The advertisement contained images of what appeared to be two minor females, and a contact phone number. Law enforcement agents monitored the phone line and used it to communicate with potential sex buyers, including Lancaster. During a text conversation between an undercover agent and Lancaster, the agent stated that he/she had a 12-year-old girl available to perform sex acts in exchange for money. The agent then provided Lancaster with the address of a hotel in Manchester. Once at the hotel, the defendant met with an undercover agent and confirmed that he was in possession of the agreed upon $100 to pay for the commercial sex act, and that he would use a condom. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Matthew Vicinanzo are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. ###


title: El Salvadorian National Previously Deported or Removed Three Times and a Guatemalan National Indicted for Unlawful Reentry into the United States

body_text: CONCORD – An El Salvadorian national, previously deported or removed three times, and a Guatemalan national were indicted on unrelated charges of unlawful reentry into the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Juan Ruiz, 30, an El Salvadorian national unlawfully residing in Manchester, was previously deported or removed to El Salvador three times on June 10, 2016, May 18, 2017, and October 14, 2021. He was located in New Hampshire on April 22, 2025. Jorge Abelino Roque-Mejia, 36, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in the United States, was previously deported to Guatemala on May 22, 2009. He was located in New Hampshire on April 20, 2025. Both Roque-Mejia and Ruiz are currently in ICE custody. They will appear in federal court at a later date. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Immigration and Customs Enforcement led the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the cases. This effort 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 details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Providence Man Indicted for Making False Statements to Gain Veteran Benefits

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Providence man with two counts of making false statements in an alleged scheme to obtain veterans’ disability compensation and health care benefits that he is not entitled to receive, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Court documents reflect the following allegations: Nicholas M. Ash, 39, fraudulently claimed to a Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center doctor that he was had been on a combat deployment to Iraq/the Middle East and was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as the result of a blast from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) during his deployment that caused him to suffer from seizures. Defense Department records indicate that Ash did not serve on such a combat deployment in the Middle East. These records indicate that Ash served in the U.S. Army from July 2005 to September 2007, but was never stationed outside of the United States. The records show that following completion of basic training in Oklahoma, Ash was assigned to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, where he served as a motor transport operator. While stationed in Hawaii, Ash was hospitalized for an unrelated medical matter and placed on non-deployable status (not medically fit to deploy on any military operation). When confronted about his claims, Ash then claimed that his injury occurred after he was discharged from the Army as the result of an IED blast he experienced while employed overseas as a private military contractor. Court records reflect that investigators allegedly could find no record Ash ever worked for the private contractor. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Ash is scheduled to be arraigned on May 20, 2025. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron. The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, with valuable assistance from the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Services; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service. ###


title: District Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty in Unlawful Possession of Six Firearms

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Dewayne Anthony Shorter Jr., 36, a resident of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today to two felony charges related to armed drug distribution. The plea, which comes as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative, was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. 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. Shorter pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan to distribution of marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids and to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. Judge Sooknanan set the sentencing hearing for August 28, 2025. As part of his plea, Shorter admitted that he possessed with the intent to distribute 2.75 pounds of marijuana, two jars of THC wax, and 29.8 grams of suspected dimethylpentylone, a synthetic designer drug also referred to as “boot.” The drugs were recovered by MPD officers on Jan. 28, 2025, inside Shorter’s 2022 Infiniti SUV. Shorter further admitted to possessing a Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol loaded with 19 rounds of 9mm ammunition, an Aero Precision 5.56mm AR-Pistol loaded with 36 rounds, a Del Ton 5.56mm AR-Pistol loaded with 15 rounds, and a “double drum” 100-round capacity magazine containing 94 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition. All were recovered from inside the same SUV. Shorter also admitted to possessing with intent to distribute 30 grams of synthetic cannabinoids, 28 grams of suspected fentanyl, and 18 grams of suspected “boot” in his apartment which was searched by MPD officers after his arrest. In addition, he admitted to possessing a Ruger 5.7x28mm handgun loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition, an FNH 5.7x28mm semi-automatic handgun loaded with 20 rounds, two disassembled AR-15 style rifles chambered for 5.56mm ammunition, three rifle magazines loaded with a total of 57 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, and a handgun magazine loaded with 28 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Shorter is a previously convicted felon and has two prior convictions for assaulting police officers. The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson. 25cr88


title: Illegal Alien Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Over 30 Kilograms of Cocaine

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Colombian citizen has been charged with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine in Miami. According to the complaint affidavit, officers of the South Florida Crimes Strike Force observed Giovanni Cardona Parra, 44, driving a black BMW erratically before parking in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant. When officers approached Parra and asked him for identification, Parra allegedly showed them a New York State learners permit that stated it was “not for federal purposes.” Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents later determined that Parra was residing illegally in the United States. A canine alerted to the presence of a controlled substance in the vehicle. It is further alleged, that during a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers discovered over 30 kilograms of cocaine in the trunk. HSI agents arrested Parra on federal drug trafficking charges and placed an immigration detainer on him. Parra made his initial appearance on May 6. A bond hearing is set for May 12 at 10:00 a.m. in Miami. If convicted, Parra faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of HSI, Miami Field Division, made the announcement. HSI Miami and the South Florida Financial Crimes Strike Force are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Fugate is prosecuting the case. This matter is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-mj-02945. ###


title: Large-Scale Drug Trafficker in Little Rock Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Theotis Thornton, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 20 years in federal prison for his significant role in a criminal organization that was responsible for distribution of methamphetamine and phencyclidine (PCP) in the Little Rock area and being a felon in possession of firearms. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down recently by United States District Judge D. P. Marshall, Jr. A federal grand jury indicted Thornton, 42, of Little Rock, in a superseding indictment on November 6, 2024. Thornton was charged with possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one kilogram or more of PCP, and being a felon in possession of firearms. On December 4, 2024, Thornton plead guilty to all charges in the superseding indictment. On January 8, 2021, officers with the United States Marshal’s Service went to a residence in Little Rock, Arkansas, to execute a federal arrest warrant on the defendant’s brother, Thomas Thornton. Upon arrival, officers determined that Thomas Thornton was not home, but Theotis Thornton was in the residence. Theotis Thornton came to the door and advised officers that his brother was not at the house. Both Thomas Thornton and Theotis Thornton were on active parole, and both had active search waivers on file. Due to concerns for safety, officers detained Theotis Thornton and conducted a safety sweep of the residence. During the safety sweep, officers observed a loaded firearm in plain view as well as drug paraphernalia inside the residence. Officers searched the vehicle belonging to Theotis Thornton that was parked at the residence and found more than 4.5 kilograms methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a magazine consistent with the firearm found in the bedroom. During the safety sweep, officers also observed surveillance equipment and a safe. Typical with the distribution of narcotics, the back room of the home had paraphernalia such as empty pill bottles and glass bottles. Upon further investigation, detectives obtained a search warrant to search the safe. Upon opening the safe, officers located inside the safe multiple bags of multi-colored pills and tablets. Also discovered inside the safe were 8,826 grams of PCP in six bottles and over $27,000 in cash. The safe also contained documents belonging the brothers. Additionally, officers located in the safe and inside the residence six firearms: three Springfield Hellcat 9mm firearms; two Bushmaster, .223 caliber rifles, and a Glock, model 27, .40 caliber firearm. In addition to the 20-year federal sentence, Judge Marshall also sentenced defendant to five years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Defendant has prior convictions for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and aggravated residential burglary. This case was investigated by the Little Rock Police Department with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, and ATF. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bart Dickinson. # # # This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available on-line at http://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Dominican National Deported in 2014 Following Convictions on Drug Trafficking and Other Crimes Indicted for Illegal Reentry

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national, deported in 2014 after being convicted for drug trafficking, identity fraud, and forgery, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of illegal reentry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Noel Ignacio Moronta, 43, deported in May 2014, again came to the attention of law enforcement in April 2023, when he was arrested on various Rhode Island state charges for drug trafficking and related crimes. He was convicted on those charges in November 2023. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The matter was investigated by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. 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). ###


title: Career Offender Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Bralyn Wadlington, who has numerous prior convictions for drug-related offense as well as other crimes, will spend the next 240 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller. On January 22, 2025, Wadlington, 28, of Little Rock, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Judge Miller also sentenced Wadlington to five years’ supervised release. On June 4, 2024, Wadlington was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of possession with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. On May 29, 2024, an Arkansas State Police (ASP) trooper conducted a traffic stop on a black Kia Optima for speeding. The trooper made contact with the driver, Wadlington, however, Wadlington then fled the scene in his vehicle at a high rate of speed. The trooper then engaged in a vehicle pursuit of Wadlington. During the pursuit, Wadlington evaded police until running the red light at the intersection of Asher Avenue and University Avenue, colliding with a civilian in a white truck. After the collision, Wadlington continued to disobey the trooper’s commands to comply and exited the passenger side of his vehicle and fled on foot. A second ASP trooper arrived on scene to assist and deployed his taser to subdue Wadlington and take him into custody. Troopers conducted a search of Wadlington’s Kia Optima and in located in the backseat approximately 446.6 grams of methamphetamine, one FN Herstal, model Five-Seven, 5.7x28 mm caliber firearm, multiple rounds of various ammunitions, multiple bags, and a digital scale used in drug distribution. Wadlington received enhanced penalties for the drug conviction at sentencing due to his status as a career offender because of his criminal history that includes residential burglary, two convictions for theft by receiving, possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance, two convictions for possession of a Schedule I/II controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession with purpose to deliver a controlled substance, two convictions for fleeing, fraud/deceit to procure narcotics, two convictions for possession of a firearm by certain persons. There is no parole in the federal system. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Arkansas State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katie Hinojosa. # # # This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at http://www.justice.gov/edar Twitter: @USAO_EDAR


title: 18-Year-Old Philadelphia Man Charged With Possession of Child Pornography, Including Videos He Recorded While Sexually Abusing Two Young Children

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Isaiah Smith, 18, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with one count of possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Smith possessed visual depictions of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. As detailed in court filings, these visual depictions included videos that the defendant recorded as he sexually abused two different child victims, a six-year-old girl, and a nonverbal three-year-old boy, on multiple occasions, over more than a year. The child sexual abuse material was discovered after a friend of the defendant walked in on Smith orally raping one of the child victims. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of five years up to lifetime supervised release, mandatory financial penalties, and mandatory registration as a sex offender under SORNA and Megan’s Law. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov . The case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.


title: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Demarius Chamon Johnson, a felon who possessed a firearm located next to a three-year old child, will spend the next 17 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the 204-month sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller. A federal grand jury indicted Johnson, 35, of Jacksonville, in a superseding indictment on May 3, 2023. On January 24, 2025, Johnson pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On September 17, 2021, officers with the North Little Rock Police Department located a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of El Dorado parked at the Fairview Inn in North Little Rock. The hotel’s surveillance footage showed that an individual had parked the stolen vehicle and entered one of the rooms on the second floor. Officers went to the room, noted the door was open, and saw Johnson by the doorway. When officers entered the room, they noticed a firearm next to a three-year old child who was lying on one of the beds. Johnson was initially detained in relation to the stolen car. While being placed in handcuffs, Johnson stated, “that gun’s mine, it belongs to me.” The Colt Commander, .45 caliber pistol that was located on the bed had one round in the chamber and six rounds in the magazine. The firearm had been reported stolen out of Little Rock. Johnson has at least three prior convictions for a violent felony or serious drug offense and is therefore classified as an armed career criminal. His criminal history includes residential burglary, attempted residential burglary, and felony drug possession and distribution. Judge Miller also sentenced Johnson to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by ATF with assistance from the North Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Jegley. # # # This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available on-line at http://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Chicago residents sentenced to prison for stealing over $100,000 from North Pole business through wire fraud, money laundering scheme

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Two Chicago residents were sentenced to prison today for their roles in defrauding a North Pole restaurant of over $128,000 from July to August 2022. Jacob Centeno, 40, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and will serve three years on supervised release, while his co-defendant Amber Davila, 36, was sentenced to two years in prison and will serve three years on supervised release. According to court documents, in August 2022, the owner of the North Pole restaurant noticed funds missing from a business bank account. The victim discovered that between Aug. 4-9, 2022, all of the funds intended for deposit into the restaurant’s account had been diverted to an unrecognized bank account. The total amount of funds diverted was $128,246.05. An investigation revealed that, Centeno and Davila opened and used two shell companies in Chicago to steal the restaurant’s funds. In July 2021, they registered EROS LLC and opened a business bank account for the company. In July 2022, the defendants used stolen personal information to register ORODMEDLINE LLC and opened another business bank account for that company. On July 29, 2022, an unknown co-conspirator surreptitiously changed the business bank account information connected to the restaurant to the fraudulent ORODMEDLINE LLC bank account so that the funds could be diverted. An email confirming the account change was sent to the restaurant, but Centeno, Davila and their co-conspirator unlawfully accessed the victim’s email, filled out the confirmation form and returned it to the sender. They then deleted all the email traffic to conceal their actions. Centeno and Davila used the stolen funds from the ORODMEDLINE LLC account to purchase over $41,000 in money orders in Chicago. Centeno and Davila deposited the money orders into various personal and business accounts in amounts of less than $10,000 to avoid Bank Secrecy Act reporting requirements, and then moved the money to other accounts to further conceal their scheme. Centeno and Davila were indicted in June 2024 and pleaded guilty on Jan. 31, 2025. Centeno and Davila both pleaded guilty to all 16 counts of the indictment. In handing down the sentence, the Court emphasized the lasting impact the defendant’s conduct will have on the victims in this case. “Mr. Centeno and Ms. Davila orchestrated an elaborate fraud scheme from Chicago to steal over $100,000 from a small business in North Pole, Alaska - 3,300 miles away,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “This sentence sends a clear message—we will aggressively pursue and hold accountable criminals in any state who exploit innocent Alaskans for personal gain. I want to thank the FBI and North Pole Police Department for uncovering the truth and delivering justice to the victim.” “To fund their own fraudulent lifestyle, the defendants’ complex and interstate fraud scheme involved stealing funds from a local business in North Pole, Alaska, affecting innocent victims along the way,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Today’s sentencings demonstrate that distance and complexity are no barriers to justice for the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners in Alaska.” The FBI Anchorage Field Office, Fairbanks Resident Agency, FBI Chicago Field Office and North Pole Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case, with significant legal support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois. ###


title: Recidivist Sex Offender Is Sentenced To Prison For Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A recidivist sex offender was sentenced to 120 months in prison yesterday for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Registered sex offender Ricky Grover Aaron, 62, of Charlotte, a was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and pay restitution to his victims. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement. According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, the FBI was conducting an undercover online investigation to identify individuals sharing CSAM using peer-to-peer file sharing networks. Investigators determined that Aaron was utilizing a BitTorrent application to make CSAM available for others, and on multiple occasions, were able to download CSAM files from one or more of Aaron’s electronic devices. In November 2022, a search warrant was executed at Aaron’s residence. Several electronic devices were seized and forensically examined. In total, investigators found that Aaron possessed the equivalent (when taking videos into account) of more than 300,000 CSAM images that depicted, among other things, minors including infants, toddlers, and children under the age of 12, being sexually abused and exploited, having violence inflicted upon them, appearing in bondage, and otherwise subjected to sado-masochistic conduct. At the sentencing hearing, the Court also heard that Aaron failed to register as a sex offender in Mecklenburg County after he moved to North Carolina, as he was required to do because he had two convictions prior to this one, a federal conviction for receipt and possession of CSAM, and a state conviction for false imprisonment and aggravated exploitation of a minor in Tennessee. Under the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) convicted sex offenders are required to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board in any state or jurisdiction where they work or reside. On October 29, 2024, Aaron pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained age 12. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI for their investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Armstrong of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Operation Restore Justice This week, the FBI in North Carolina announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, following a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrest of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The enforcement action was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country. Among those arrested as part of Operation Restore Justice was a former Charlotte resident, Terrell Shawn Anderson, 30, who is charged in the Western District of North Carolina with distributing child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. Anderson was arrested in Atlanta and faces at least five years in federal prison and up to twenty years on each distribution count and up to twenty years on the possession count. “We will aggressively prosecute these cases, as we do all cases against those who seek to exploit and abuse children,” said Russ Ferguson in the joint announcement made with the FBI. “The individuals charged and arrested in this operation are accused of engaging in conduct that harms children and perpetuates their abuse. I commend the FBI in North Carolina and the entire law enforcement community for their ongoing efforts to identify these perpetrators and bring them to justice so they cannot hurt another child.” You can find additional information about the national Operation Restore Justice initiative here . The charges against Anderson are allegations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.