title: Beverly Hills Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Cannabis and Bottling Company Cons That Caused Nearly $18 Million in Losses

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Beverly Hills man was sentenced today to 300 months in federal prison for obtaining nearly $18 million from investors for sham businesses supposedly operating in hemp related industries – all while he was completing a sentence in a prior criminal case. Mark Roy Anderson, 70, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, who scheduled a restitution hearing for June 4. At today’s hearing, Judge Aenlle-Rocha said, “The magnitude of the fraud is breathtaking…the [victims’ statements reflect] the depth of the harm. Many have lost their life savings reflecting decades of hard work.” Judge Aenlle-Rocha also described Anderson as “an accomplished and incorrigible con man” and stated that “the public must be protected from him for as long as possible.” Anderson pleaded guilty in April 2024 to two counts of wire fraud. He has been in federal custody since May 2023. Anderson engaged in two separate but related schemes that swindled victims, which he committed shortly after his release from federal prison but while serving out the rest of his prison term on home confinement and, later, while on supervised release for a previous fraud conviction. “The defendant stole more than $18 million from dozens of investors by promising quick returns on their investments into hemp farms and other exotic investments,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Today’s 25-year sentence takes him off the street so that he cannot harm other victims.” Harvest Farm Group In the first scheme, from June 2020 to April 2021, Anderson tricked investors into providing funding for his company, called Harvest Farm Group, to harvest hemp supposedly being grown on his farm and then process that hemp into medical-grade cannabidiol (CBD) isolate – a chemical found in marijuana – to be sold for a substantial profit. Anderson convinced investors to invest in Harvest Farm Group by falsely representing that, through the company, he owned and operated a hemp farm in Kern County. He also lied that had already completed successful and profitable harvests of hemp from the farm. He also falsely said he was using his own machinery and equipment to convert the hemp into CBD isolate and Delta 8, a psychoactive substance that, like CBD isolate, could be used in consumer products ranging from olive oil to body cream. Anderson attempted to maintain a veneer of trustworthiness by taking steps to assure investors Harvest Farm Group was legitimate and he was not the “Mark Roy Anderson” with multiple prior fraud convictions. Anderson concealed that he had been convicted of multiple federal and state felony crimes, including mail fraud, wire fraud, grand theft, forgery, preparing false evidence, and money laundering. He also concealed that he was still serving a criminal sentence and was on supervised release at the time he was soliciting investments. To stall victim investors from making collection efforts and reporting him to law enforcement, Anderson falsely promised victims he would pay them money from purported sales of products made to Canadian companies, that sales of products had been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that he would otherwise return their money. Bio Pharma and Verta Bottling In the second scheme, which ran from April 2021 to May 2023, Anderson deceived investors by soliciting money for Bio Pharma and Verta Bottling, two of his sham companies, by claiming that these businesses successfully manufactured, bottled, and packaged commercial products. Specifically, Anderson falsely told investors Bio Pharma purportedly manufactured and sold products infused with CBD, including products such as CBD-infused avocado oil, olive oil, pain cream, gummies, tequila, and chili oil. Anderson also claimed that Verta Bottling manufactured and sold beverages and a variety of food products. Anderson falsely stated that his bottling companies owned and possessed millions of dollars’ worth of assets, including – in Bio Pharma’s case – hemp biomass, CBD isolate, CBD oil, and – in Verta Bottling’s case – manufacturing equipment and an assignable lease for a warehouse to manufacture and sell its products. Anderson’s other lies to investors included false claims that his bottling companies had at least $10 million in purchase-order contracts from suppliers. He drafted fake legal and business documents, which included fabricated purchase order contracts purporting to show agreements with third party companies to purchase tens of millions of dollars’ worth of products manufactured by the Anderson bottling companies. Anderson also provided victims samples of products purportedly manufactured by his purported bottling companies. Instead of investing victim funds as he promised, Anderson instead used their money on personal expenses. He has agreed to forfeit his ill-gotten gains from these schemes, including 15 cars – one of them a Ferrari – and real estate in Ojai. In total, Anderson solicited more than $18.8 million from 45 victims for both schemes, causing victims to lose approximately $17,745,150. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.


title: Father-and-Son Duo from Westside Arrested on Federal  Criminal Complaints Alleging Fentanyl Trafficking and Gun Sales

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Westside father and son were arrested today on federal criminal complaints charging them with possessing narcotics – specifically, the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl – with the intent to distribute it to others. Antonio Espinoza Zarate, 55, a.k.a. “El Gato,” of the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles, and his son, Francisco Javier Espinoza Galindo, 31, of Santa Monica, were arrested this morning and are scheduled to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Both defendants are charged with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Antonio Espinoza also is charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien. According to affidavits filed with the complaints, Antonio Espinoza in July 2023 sold a pistol, a rifle, 131 rounds of ammunition, and more than 500 grams of fentanyl pills to a buyer. He is not licensed to engage in the business of dealing in firearms. In August 2023, Antonio Espinoza allegedly sold an AR-style rifle and approximately 1 kilogram of fentanyl pills to a buyer, supplied by Francisco Espinoza. In January 2025, he allegedly sold a rifle, a pistol, a revolver, and ammunition to a buyer. In February 2025, with his son present, Antonio Espinoza sold more than 500 grams of fentanyl pills to the confidential informant. Antonio Espinoza is a citizen of Mexico, who has been previously deported in 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2017 and illegally reentered the United States following his removals, according to court documents. His criminal history includes felony convictions in 2008 in Los Angeles Superior Court for possession of narcotics for sale and in 2015 in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona for illegal reentry of a removed alien. A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. The investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multi-agency task force that includes federal and state investigators who are focused on financial crimes in Southern California, with support from special agents with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California – Criminal Investigative Division; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department regarding dangers to the community from the sales of narcotics and firearms. As U.S. DOJ special agents, the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) Criminal Investigators conduct independent and joint-agency investigations to achieve successful prosecutions and adjudications of federal crimes charged in the district. USAO investigators are positioned to address the prosecution priorities of the U.S. Attorney, as well as unique or project-based matters that may arise in the district and serve to generate or support a variety of federal cases with coordination and continuity among law enforcement partners throughout an investigation and trial. Assistant United States Attorney Diane B. Roldán of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting these cases.


title: Utah Man Facing Federal Charges After Allegedly Attempting to Rob a Bank

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for a violent crime after he allegedly attempted to rob First Utah Bank. Christopher Thomas Kirby, 37, of West Valley City, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 19, 2025. According to court documents, on March 19, 2025, at approximately 1:32 p.m., a man, later identified at Kirby, passed a note to a teller at First Utah Bank in West Valley City demanding money. According to responding officers, the note read “this is a robbery I have a bomb on my [sic] that will explode I need 20,000 in bag.” While the teller went into the vault under the guise of getting the money, she hit the silent alarm button and called 911. Officers arrived and took Kirby into custody. Kirby is charged with one count of attempted bank robbery. His initial appearance on the indictment was March 26, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by an FBI Task Force Officer assigned to the Salt Lake City Violent Crimes squad and the West Valley City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican National Charged Federally with Drug & Gun Crimes

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Mexican national living in Salt Lake County, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for drug and firearm crimes after law enforcement allegedly seized heroin, and a firearm. Luis Alberto Ramirez-Gonzalez, aka Leonardo Gomez-Ahumada, 28, living in Herriman, Utah, was charged by complaint on March 17, 2025. According to court documents, beginning in December 2024, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating a drug trafficking organization. On March 13, 2025, law enforcement obtained a search warrant on a residence in Magna, Utah. During the execution of the search warrant, Ramirez-Gonzalez was inside the residence Law enforcement seized approximately 300 grams of suspected heroin, which field-tested positive for heroin. On that same day, Ramirez-Gonzalez allegedly possessed a Sig Sauer P320 handgun and ammunition, knowing he was in the United States illegally and therefore restricted from possessing a firearm. Ramirez-Gonzalez was taken into custody. Luis Alberto Ramirez-Gonzalez is charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and alien in possession of a firearm. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 28, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC). Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Avon, NY, police trainee pleads guilty to possession of child pornography and cyberstalking

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Casey Medina, 33, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca to possession of child pornography and cyberstalking, which carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that on August 22, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant on Medina’s cellular telephone. During a forensic extraction and a manual review of the phone, approximately 360 images of child pornography the defendant had received over a social media platform were recovered. At least one image involved a prepubescent child being subjected to violence. In addition, between May and August 2024, Medina disseminated and posted sexually explicit photographs that had been edited to falsely depict an individual (victim) engaged in sexually explicit activity to various social media platforms and public websites via the internet. The photographs depicted the victim’s face superimposed on pornographic images made to appear as if she was engaged in sexual intercourse. Beginning in May 2024, over the course of approximately 26 days, and again between June 2024 and July 2024, Medina sent, and recruited others via the internet to send, threatening and harassing text messages to the victim. The messages included threats to kidnap, rape, sexually abuse, and kill her, as well as including the sexually explicit images with her face superimposed on them. In many instances, Medina included identifying information while disseminating the victim’s images, including her hometown and place of work. The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Onondaga County, NY, Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Tobias Shelley, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., before Judge Vacca. # # # #


title: Former North Dakota State Senator Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Traveling to Prague to Engage in Commercial Sex with Children

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A former North Dakota state legislator for 45 years was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for traveling to Prague in the Czech Republic, where he paid to sexually exploit children. According to court documents, Raymon (Ray) Everett Holmberg, 81, of Grand Forks, traveled to Prague approximately 14 times between 2011 and 2021. During these trips, while staying at a brothel that catered to men looking to engage in commercial sex with adolescent boys, Holmberg paid for sex acts with boys. During some of the trips, Holmberg used the alias “Sean Evans.” Witnesses told law enforcement that Holmberg did not want his name on the brothel’s registry because he was a North Dakota state legislator. Witnesses also told law enforcement that Holmberg would also visit a public park in front of the main train station in Prague to procure sex from underage boys. Holmberg also used the “Evans” alias to tell friends about his trips and encourage them to travel to Prague. In these communications, Holmberg shared an image of an adolescent boy that he called “his twink,” and said that “no one is ever to [sic] young . . . remember Prague.” He emailed a different friend a link to a brothel in Prague and suggested that they go that summer, writing: “The boys rent at around $60 . . . (sex is extra).” Holmberg also wrote: “It will be decadent but oh so much fun bro. What happens in Prague—Stays in Prague.” Back in the United States, Holmberg boasted about having engaged in sexual activity with boys as young as 12- and 15-years old during his travels. According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Holmberg’s sexual exploitation of minors was not limited to his trips to Prague. Holmberg established an online relationship with a 16-year-old Canadian boy, posing as a boy of a similar age in order to manipulate the Canadian teen into taking images of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct and sending them to Holmberg. On Aug. 8, 2024, Holmberg pleaded guilty to traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl for the District of North Dakota made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations, Grand Forks, and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and law enforcement partners in the Czech Republic and Slovakia provided substantial assistance. Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl for the District of North Dakota are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Albany Felon Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Henassy McConico, age 27, of Albany, pled guilty yesterday to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement. McConico admitted to personally distributing fentanyl pills numerous times in 2024, including on October 15, 2024, when he distributed approximately 485 fentanyl pills to another individual. McConico further admitted that he possessed a loaded handgun and assorted ammunition in his home. As a result of his prior conviction for attempted robbery, McConico could not lawfully possess the handgun. At sentencing scheduled for July 23, 2025, McConico faces a minimum term of 10 years and a maximum term of life in prison, a maximum fine of $8 million, and a term of supervised release after imprisonment of at least 8 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. DEA investigated this case with the assistance of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and Hudson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa is prosecuting this case.


title: Prichard Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison  for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: According to court documents, on October 23, 2023, Mobile police went to a local residence to arrest Clarence White, 45, for multiple outstanding warrants. After speaking with White through the door, White began shooting out of a window of the home, narrowly missing one of the officers. White has multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for attempted murder, possession of a controlled substance, and assault. As a convicted felon, White is prohibited from possessing a firearm. White was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pled guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Callie V. S. Granade sentenced White to 151 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced for Reentering the United States

body_text: According to court documents, Juan Carlos Ruiz-Agustin, 33, was arrested by Foley Police Department on January 24, 2025, for drunken driving. Foley Police suspected that Ruiz-Agustin was not a United States citizen, so they contacted law enforcement personnel with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE was able to determine that Ruiz-Agustin had previously been removed from the United States in twice in 2012, once in 2013, and once in 2015. Ruiz-Agustin had also previously been convicted of Illegal Entry in 2012 and Illegal Reentry in 2015. At sentencing, Chief Judge Beaverstock imposed a time-served sentence and a 1-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Ruiz-Agustin had been in custody since his arrest on January 24, 2025. Upon his release from prison, Ruiz-Agustin is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Ruiz-Agustin was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and Foley Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 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.


title: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced For Reentering the United States

body_text: According to court documents, Bernaldo Martinez-Chagala, 40, was arrested by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office on January 29, 2025, for a traffic violation. A Border Patrol officer responded to the traffic stop. Border Patrol was able to determine that Martinez-Chagala had previously been removed from the United States in 2010 and in 2020. At sentencing, Judge Granade imposed a time-served sentence and a 1-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Martinez-Chagala had been in custody since his arrest on January 29, 2025. Upon his release from prison, Martinez-Chagala is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Martinez-Chagala was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 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.


title: Two-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced For Possession Of Firearm

body_text: According to court documents, Antonio Eirby, 34, plead guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and received 105 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Eirby has two prior felony convictions for Domestic Violence Strangulation and Burglary 2 nd out of Mobile County Circuit Court. On October 3, 2023, the Mobile Police Department responded to a location on Highway 90. A victim reported having encountered Eirby in the parking lot. Eirby robbed him of his firearm. Police apprehended Eirby on foot a short distance away and found the firearm on Eirby’s person. The firearm was returned to its lawful owner. U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Mobile Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Sallisaw Resident Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Ammunition

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Devon Ray Gillispie, age 33, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the Sallisaw Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On October 15, 2024, Gillispie pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 31, 2022, officers discovered Gillispie was in possession of 42 rounds of ammunition despite having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. 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. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Gillispie will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Driver of Second Human Smuggling Vehicle Involved in 2021 Del Rio Incident Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Salvadoran national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 120 months in prison for his role in a deadly human smuggling operation that occurred in 2021. According to court documents, Juan Alonso Barrientos-Quintanilla, 23, was apprehended and identified as one of 12 illegal aliens who fled from one of two vehicles involved in a failed human smuggling operation on Highway 277, March 15, 2021. The other vehicle, driven by Sebastian Tovar , crashed, killing eight of its nine illegal alien passengers. Following the crash, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered the second smuggling vehicle, leading to the attempted traffic stop and, subsequently, Barrientos-Quintanilla and the other illegal aliens fleeing on foot. All 12 illegal aliens were apprehended. Barrientos-Quintanilla initially claimed to be one of the aliens being smuggled, however, he later admitted to being the load driver of the vehicle. He pleaded guilty July 23, 2023 to one count of aiding and abetting illegal alien transportation resulting in death. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations, USBP and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister prosecuted the case. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Transporting Aliens

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 97 months in prison for conspiracy to transport aliens. According to court documents, Victor Ubaldo Hernandez-Ortega, 33, of Durango, worked as a load driver for a known human smuggler. As such, he would pick up illegal aliens in El Paso and transport them to other locations in El Paso or to a predetermined location in Albuquerque, New Mexico in exchange for $100 to $500 per alien. Additionally, Hernandez-Ortega was recruited to oversee two stash houses, between which more than 200 illegal aliens were harbored. Hernandez-Ortega had previously been granted four voluntary departures, most recently on June 9, 2024, through Santa Teresa, New Mexico. He was arrested Aug. 21, 2024, and pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2024. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Dearden prosecuted the case. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Woodford County Man Sentenced for   Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Versailles, Ky., man, Austin David Stafford, 31, was sentenced on Friday to a total of 540 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for production of child pornography. The sentence is the result of two separate court cases against Stafford. According to his plea agreement from the first court case, Stafford and his co-defendant and girlfriend, Crystal Campbell, now deceased, used a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of creating visual depictions of that conduct on two occasions, once at the couple’s trailer and once in an outdoor setting. Stafford’s Facebook records contained two instances of Stafford distributing the videos. According to his plea agreement from the second court case, law enforcement was alerted to Stafford because of a minor victim’s father seeing a group message on Facebook Messenger that contained nude photos of the minor victim. An investigation revealed that Stafford was using a fake persona, “Craig Wright,” on social media to lure the minor victim into an online romance. Under this persona, he obtained intimate details and visual depictions of the minor victim. He then created additional fake personas and used the information that he had learned about the victim to extort and manipulate the minor victim. The “sextortion” scheme led the minor victim to send more sexually explicit visual depictions to Stafford and to engage in sexual acts with him. Eventually, Stafford communicated with James Campbell, 26, of Versailles, Ky., Stafford’s co-defendant, and on June 10, 2022, coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct with Campbell and film it, under the guise that one of his fake personas would hurt her family if she didn’t comply. Stafford admitted to orchestrating the sexual exchange with the victim and Campbell, and that Campbell knowingly and willingly aided and abetted the product of the June 10 th series. Campbell is scheduled to be sentenced on April 21, 2025. Under federal law, Stafford 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 30 years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, 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 FBI and KSP. Hart Megibben, Commonwealth Attorney for the 53 rd Judicial Circuit, and Assistant Commonwealth Attorney, Jon Fee, also provided significant assistance to the investigation and prosecution of Stafford’s second case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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: Former Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Medication

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky., woman, Abigail Hall, 51, was sentenced on Monday to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, for tampering with a consumer product. According to her plea agreement, between January 2023 and August 2023, Hall worked as a contract registered nurse at several facilities in Kentucky, including a health care facility in Lawrenceburg, Ky., that focused on care for the elderly and infirm. Hall admitted that on August 27, 2023, she took morphine that had been prescribed for three patients that she was treating at the healthcare facility, all of whom had significant disease and pain concerns. Hall replaced the stolen morphine with water and blue food coloring, to resemble the real medication. Ultimately, Hall took at least seven syringes of stolen morphine and administered the tampered morphine to at least one of the patients. Under federal law, Hall must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and George A. Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by FDA-OCI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Smith is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Pueblo Pintado Man Charged with Murder

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Pueblo Pintado man is facing murder charges in federal court for the fatal shooting of John Doe during an altercation. According to court records, on March 17, 2025, Thurman Curley , 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and John Doe were hanging out and drinking at a residence in Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico. Around 1:00 a.m., the men got into an argument which turned physical. Witnesses heard multiple threats, then heard a gunshot and saw Curley outside the residence with a gun. Officers from the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to a 911 call and began life-saving measures on John Doe. Despite their best efforts, officers and EMTs were unable to revive John Doe, and he died. FBI agents collected a handgun and one shell casing from the location. Curley is charged with murder and will be on conditions of release imposed by the Court pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Curley faces up to life in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mia Ulibarri-Rubin is prosecuting the case. View the Complaint (Curley).pdf A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Greenville Woman Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking 15-year-old Student

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. — True Heaven Heflin, 25, of Greenville, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for trafficking a 15-year-old Greenville student. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the minor victim went to a party over Christmas break in 2022 where she met Heflin. Heflin then took the minor victim to her residence and forced the victim to engage in sexual acts for money. Heflin held the minor victim for over a week before the teen was able to escape. “If you abuse and exploit children for money, we will find you, we will charge you, and we will ensure you go to prison. Human trafficking inflicts profound and lasting damage on its victims and our community," declared Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “We, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to tirelessly investigate and prosecute these despicable acts until our children and communities are safe.” “The successful prosecution and sentencing of True Heflin exemplifies what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies collaborate to tackle the horrific crime of human trafficking. This case serves as a reminder of our unwavering commitment to seeking justice for victims and holding traffickers accountable,” said Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis. “Human trafficking has been — and will continue to be — a top priority for the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. We will persist in defending and advocating for those who cannot defend themselves, ensuring that those responsible for such heinous acts are brought to justice.” United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks sentenced Heflin to 300 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Heflin was also ordered to pay the victim $5,000 in restitution. Heflin pleaded guilty to human trafficking conspiracy in November 2024. If anyone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. For more information on reporting and to learn the signs of human trafficking, visit https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/report-human-trafficking This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced To Prison For Illegally Possessing A Pistol With A Machinegun Conversion Device

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, FL – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced De’Quan Franks (25, Jacksonville) to four years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony. Franks pleaded guilty on December 18, 2024. According to court records, in October 2023, detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) observed Franks posting a picture of a Glock firearm on Instagram. JSO detectives located Franks shortly after the social media post and saw him with a pistol with a large magazine. Franks ran from the detectives but fell before he could get away. The detectives recovered a Glock 10mm pistol, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition in an extended magazine, that Franks had in his waistband. The pistol was also equipped with a machinegun conversion device which would allow the semi-automatic pistol to fire in a fully automatic mode. At the time, Franks had a prior felony conviction that prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Taylor. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 24, 2025, to federal drug and firearm charges, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Marques Coffey, 21, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone to two counts of violating federal law: knowingly possessing with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on March 4, 2023, Coffey was found to be in possession of fentanyl and a loaded firearm upon being detained after allegedly breaking the window on the back door of a Bellevue, Pennsylvania, area residence. Judge Cercone scheduled Coffey’s sentencing for August 5, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Coffey remains detained pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Bellevue Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Coffey.


title: Two Defendants Arrested For Sledgehammer Smash-And-Grab Robbery Of Jewelry Store

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging KEVIN WILLIAMS and BYRON WILSON with the robbery of a jewelry store in Hartsdale, New York, on December 16, 2024, in which the defendants stole approximately $1.7 million of jewelry. WILLIAMS and WILSON were arrested this morning in New Jersey, and are expected to be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Kevin Williams and Byron Wilson, along with their co-conspirators, carried out the violent robbery of a jewelry store in broad daylight. Armed with sledgehammers, the defendants smashed their way in and then plundered the store of about $1.7 million in jewelry, diamonds, and luxury watches, all while innocent customers and employees hid for their safety. Today’s arrests should make clear that if you commit such brazen and dangerous crimes in this District, we will find you and hold you responsible.” As alleged in the Complaint: [1] On December 16, 2024, WILLIAMS, WILSON, and their co-conspirators drove a stolen vehicle with a stolen license plate from New Jersey to New York. At around 11:07 a.m., they arrived at a jewelry store in the Westchester Square shopping plaza in Hartsdale, New York, got out of the vehicle, and sledgehammered their way into the store. Once inside, and while innocent customers cowered in fear for their safety, the robbers smashed jewelry display cases and stole around $1.7 million in jewelry, diamonds, and luxury watches. Soon after, they returned to their vehicle with bags of stolen goods and drove back to New Jersey. Surveillance images of the robbery are below. Once they arrived in New Jersey, WILLIAMS drove to the Diamond District in New York City, while WILSON returned to their shared residence. A few hours later, WILLIAMS, WILSON, and their co-conspirators took photographs of themselves holding large stacks of cash. * * * KEVIN WILLIAMS, 26, and BYRON WILSON, 24, both of Irvington, New Jersey, are charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and Hobbs Act robbery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and Newark Field Office, as well as the Nassau County Police Major Case Squad, the Town of Greenburgh Police Department, and the Newark Police Department. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reyhan Watson is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. u.s._v._tarrytown_jewelers_complaint.pdf [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Oklahoma Man Charged with Operating Large-Scale Dog Fighting and Trafficking Venture

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma unsealed a grand jury indictment recently charging an Oklahoma man with violations of the dog fighting prohibitions of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Leshon Eugene Johnson, of Broken Arrow, made his initial appearance in court last week. He is charged with possessing 190 pit bull-type dogs for use in an animal fighting venture and for selling, transporting, and delivering a dog for use in an animal fighting venture. Federal authorities seized the 190 dogs from Johnson in October 2024 as authorized under the Animal Welfare Act. This is believed to be the largest number of dogs ever seized from a single person in a federal dog fighting case. “Animal abuse is cruel, depraved, and deserves severe punishment,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and will remain committed to protecting innocent animals from those who would do them harm.” “The FBI will not tolerate criminals that harm innocent animals for their twisted form of entertainment,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI views animal cruelty investigations as a precursor to larger, organized crime efforts, similar to trafficking and homicides. This is yet another push in the FBI's crackdown of violent offenders harming our most innocent.” “Dog fighting is illegal, and courts have upheld its prosecution time and again,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This strategic prosecution of an alleged repeat offender led to the seizure of 190 dogs destined for a cruel end. It disrupts a major source of dogs used in other dog fighting ventures.” “Dog fighting is a cruel, blood-thirsty venture, not a legitimate business or sporting activity,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “I applaud the investigative work of the FBI and the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division in detecting and dismantling breeding operations which only serve to propagate this deplorable conduct.” According to court documents, Johnson ran a dog fighting operation known as “Mal Kant Kennels” in both Broken Arrow and Haskell, Oklahoma. He previously ran “Krazyside Kennels” also out of Oklahoma, which led to his guilty plea on state animal fighting charges in 2004. Johnson selectively bred “champion” and “grand champion” fighting dogs — dogs that have respectively won three or five fights — to produce offspring with fighting traits and abilities desired by him and others for use in dog fights. Johnson marketed and sold stud rights and offspring from winning fighting dogs to other dog fighters looking to incorporate the Mal Kant Kennels “bloodline” into their own dog fighting operations. His trafficking of fighting dogs to other dog fighters across the country contributed to the growth of the dog fighting industry and allowed Johnson to profit financially. Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that effects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase, or receive dogs for fighting purposes. If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty on each count of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The FBI’s Shreveport Resident Agency office is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Sarah Brown and Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Honduras Man Charged with Multiple Firearms Charges Following Burglary of a Federal Firearms Licensee in Dickson, Tennessee

body_text: NASHVILLE – Manuel De Jesus Guirola-Amaya, 20, a citizen of Honduras without legal status in the United States, has been indicted by a federal grand jury with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, possession of a stolen firearm, and stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. According to court documents, on December 5, 2024, a burglary occurred at Golden Eagle Pawn, a Federal Firearms Licensee, in Dickson, Tennessee. Surveillance video showed two stolen cars arrive at the shop, one of which rammed the front door. Four people got out of the cars and went into the store, targeting several firearms displays. About two minutes after crashing into the store, the four subjects left in one of the stolen cars. More than 40 firearms were stolen during the burglary. Later that day, a La Vergne Police Department officer stopped a car with an expired registration. The sole occupant of the car was Guirola-Amaya. Inside the trunk of the car, officers discovered a backpack containing five pistols that had been stolen in the Golden Eagle Pawn burglary and still had the price tags attached. Officers also found another backpack in the backseat with two pistols which were also reported stolen from Golden Eagle Pawn, one of which still had a price tag attached. The backpack also held suspected marijuana, and a set of digital scales. Agents later executed a federal search warrant at a residence tied to Guirola-Amaya. They discovered, among other things, a high-capacity magazine, ammunition, and price tags consistent with the Golden Eagle Pawn price tags. Agents also executed several search warrants on cell phones found on Guirola-Amaya or in the car the day of his arrest. The data extraction results from the phones provided further ties to the burglary including photographs and videos of firearms, location data, and search queries. Guirola-Amaya entered the United States illegally in March 2022, and has no lawful status. If convicted, Guirola-Amaya faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison on Count One, which charges possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and 10 years each on the other two counts. Guirola-Amaya also faces a $250,000 fine on each count. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the La Vergne Police Department and the Dickson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Hinkle is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # # #


title: Jessamine County Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Wilmore, Ky., man, Jason Horton, 43, was sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to 35 years in prison, for production of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, in October 2023, law enforcement received a tip that Horton, a previously convicted sex offender, was using online platforms to engage in the sexual exploitation of minors. Law enforcement obtained search warrants for Horton’s residence and electronic devices. On Horton’s phone, it was revealed that he engaged in online conversations with minors in which he solicited them to produce sexually explicit images. Horton specifically admitted to engaging in an online relationship with a 16-year-old victim, conducted primarily via Snapchat, and persuading her to create sexually explicit images which were transmitted to him via the internet. Horton also admitted that he was required to register as a sex offender at the time of this offense, due to a 2004 Kentucky conviction for rape and sodomy in the second degree. Under federal law, Horton must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Horton’s 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; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sherriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HIS, Kentucky State Police, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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: Colombian Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced To 24 Years In Prison For Conspiring To Send More Than A Ton Of Cocaine To The United States

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Louis A. D’Ambrosio, the Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced that OSCAR HENAO-MONTOYA, a Colombian national, was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. HENAO-MONTOYA was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni, before whom he previously pled guilty to one count of cocaine importation conspiracy. Two of HENAO-MONTOYA’s charged co-conspirators, REHINNER MONTOYA-GARCIA and JUAN FELIPE SANTIBANEZ-CARDONA, also previously pled guilty to one count of cocaine importation conspiracy and were sentenced by Judge Caproni to 20 years and 15 years in prison, respectively. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Oscar Henao-Montoya and his co-conspirators sought to send a staggering quantity of cocaine from Colombia to the United States. Today’s sentence, and those previously imposed in this case, send a clear message that those who seek to traffic cocaine into the United States will pay a steep price for their actions. This Office, through its longstanding partnership with the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, will hold accountable those who seek to break our narcotics laws and harm our communities, regardless of where in the world they may hide.” As reflected in the Indictment, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and statements made in open court: HENAO-MONTOYA is a Colombian drug trafficker with longstanding familial connections to international cocaine distribution. HENAO-MONTOYA is the younger brother of Orlando Henao-Montoya, a/k/a “El Hombre Overol,” the former leader of the Norte del Valle Cartel, the notorious drug cartel which operated principally in the Valle del Cauca region of Colombia and rose to prominence in the late 1990s after the Cali and Medellin cartels fragmented. HENAO-MONTOYA’s siblings also include Arcángel Henao Montoya, a/k/a “El Mocho,” Fernando Henao-Montoya, and Lorena Henao-Montoya, a/k/a “La Viuda De La Mafia.” Together, the Henao-Montoya siblings ran the Norte del Valle Cartel, until Orlando and Lorena were murdered, and Arcángel Henao Montoya was deported from Panama to the U.S. Between October 2020 and August 2021, HENAO-MONTOYA and co-conspirators who worked for HENAO-MONTOYA, including MONTOYA-GARCIA and SANTIBANEZ-CARDONA, participated in a series of meetings in Colombia with DEA confidential sources (the “CSes”), who were acting at the direction of the DEA, to discuss their plans to import tons of cocaine into the U.S. During those meetings, many of which were recorded, HENAO-MONTOYA discussed, among other things, his ability to export large quantities of cocaine from Colombia via control of airstrips (clandestine and overt) and ports in Colombia, as well as his relationships with corrupt members of the Colombian Air Force. HENAO-MONTOYA and his co-conspirators also discussed various shipping routes to transport cocaine out of Colombia to the U.S. and, specifically, New York. During certain of the meetings described above, HENAO-MONTOYA and individuals working for HENAO-MONTOYA were armed with firearms. During meetings with the CSes, HENAO-MONTOYA also discussed his access to and control of cocaine laboratories that could produce over one ton of cocaine, including a laboratory that HENAO-MONTOYA said could produce 2,000 to 3,000 kilograms of cocaine at a time. On one occasion, MONTOYA-GARCIA brought one of the CSes to territory controlled by the Revolution Armed Forces of Colombia (“FARC”), which MONTOYA-GARCIA said was where HENAO-MONTOYA had drug laboratories, and that these laboratories were guarded by FARC members. To ensure that their plan to import cocaine into the U.S. would be successful, HENAO-MONTOYA and his co-conspirators tested and provided cocaine samples for the CSes. For example, in October 2020, MONTOYA-GARCIA and SANTIBANEZ-CARDONA provided a one-kilogram sample of cocaine to one of the CSes to test its quality. After expressing satisfaction with the quality of the cocaine, the CS told MONTOYA-GARCIA and SANTIBANEZ-CARDONA that “the Americans will go crazy in the United States” for the cocaine. In addition, in April 2021, at HENAO-MONTOYA’s direction, MONTOYA-GARCIA provided an eight-kilogram sample of cocaine to undercover agents working for the Colombian National Police in exchange for approximately $16,000, which was intended to serve as a sample for the contemplated ton-quantity cocaine shipments that HENAO-MONTOYA and his co-conspirators sought to send to the U.S. * * * In addition to the prison term, HENAO-MONTOYA, 58, of Colombia, was sentenced to four years of supervised release. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota and the Colombian National Police for their assistance. This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Matthew J.C. Hellman, David J. Robles, and Chelsea L. Scism are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Eddington Man Arrested, Charged with Making Online Threat

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: An Eddington man, Thadius Wind , was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with transmitting an interstate threat. As alleged in the criminal complaint, in 2024, the FBI received information from Meta about a Facebook user who had discussed committing violence against police and military. The FBI also received online tips from members of the public about threatening statements made on X (previously known as Twitter). After further investigation, in November 2024 the FBI obtained and executed a search warrant relating to the X account. The recovered posts contained threats to Jews, political figures, the Supreme Court, and others. Details associated with the account were traced to Thadius Wind. The FBI and Secret Service are investigating the case with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office. A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Lynchburg Man Sentenced to 106 Months on Gun and Drug Charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: LYNCHBURG, Va. – A local man who trafficked pressed fentanyl pills and oxycodone while possessing a firearm was sentenced last week to 106 months in federal prison. Shytrez Robey, 25, pled guilty in November 2024 to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, after repeatedly making controlled purchases of pressed fentanyl pills from Robey’s roommate, Elijah Pollard, police obtained and executed a search warrant for the two-bedroom apartment Robey and Pollard shared in Lynchburg. Pollard pled guilty to separate federal charges and was sentenced to 12 years in July 2024. In Robey’s bedroom, police found pressed blue fentanyl pills and two loaded handguns – a Glock 19 9 mm and a Smith & Wesson 9 mm. Police also found a money counter, medical gloves, and empty vacuum-sealed bags. Robey was not home at the time the search warrant was executed. Approximately two months later, law enforcement arrested Robey at his girlfriend’s apartment in Lynchburg. Police subsequently obtained and executed a search warrant for that apartment, and, in the bedroom occupied by Robey, his girlfriend, and a toddler, they found a large quantity of marijuana, 60-70 pills of assorted colors, which were predominantly oxycodone, and a loaded Romarm Micro Draco AK-pattern pistol. Police also seized Robey’s cell phone which contained text messages related to the sale of pills. Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Lynchburg Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Brett prosecuted the case.


title: Fayette County woman accused of committing identity theft, money laundering in scam conspiracy

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A southern Illinois grand jury returned a 19-count indictment charging a Fayette County woman for working as a “money mule” within a conspiracy to defraud victims and use their stolen identities. Elizabeth Conrad, 54, of Ramsey, is facing one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, two counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, one count of access device fraud, seven counts of money laundering and seven counts of aggravated identity theft. “Criminal conspiracies are as varied as the creative minds behind them, limited only by the ingenuity of the con artists orchestrating the scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Be extremely cautious anytime someone you have never met offers investments, employment, or asks for money, electronics, or your personal information—it’s likely a scam.” According to court documents, Conrad is accused of serving as a “money mule” for other scammers in a conspiracy to defraud victims from at least June 2020 until September 2022. Money mules are people who, at someone else’s direction, receive and move money or valuables obtained from victims of fraud. Money mules add layers of distance between crime victims and criminals, which makes it harder for law enforcement to accurately trace funds that are fraudulently obtained from victims. The indictment alleges Conrad accepted packages at her home sent through the mail from victims containing cash, checks, gift cards and electronics. Knowing the goods were fraudulently acquired, Conrad would then repackage the items and send off to her co-conspirators. Conrad is also accused of attempting to deposit the checks and wiring funds to her co-conspirators in cryptocurrency. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims, including the multiple individual consumer and business victims in this investigation,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. In addition to the mail fraud, Conrad’s charges for access device fraud, identity theft and money laundering stem from accusations of her and co-conspirators using victims’ names to acquire debit cards that were sent to Conrad. Conrad is accused of using those debit cards for bank withdrawals and purchases to benefit the conspiracy. The indictment outlines ten fraudulent transactions that Conrad is accused of making at ATMs and gas stations in southern Illinois from March through June 2022, and alleges that she received thousands of dollars from these transactions to benefit the conspiracy. An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. Convictions for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, money laundering and mail fraud are punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Access device fraud is punishable up to 10 years’ imprisonment and conspiracy to commit access device fraud is punishable up to five years’ imprisonment. Aggravated identity theft is a mandatory two years’ imprisonment consecutive to the imposed sentence. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service St. Louis Field Office is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross is prosecuting the case.


title: Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Steven Christopher Kelban, age 50, of Catonsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Kelban was identified as a suspect in the trafficking of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also called child pornography, during Baltimore County Police Department’s online investigation of the BitTorrent network. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Kelly O. Hayes, along with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Baltimore Field Office, Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger, and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD). According to his guilty plea, Kelban has two prior convictions for child pornography. In 2015, Kelban was convicted of possession of obscene matter of persons under 17 in Shelby County, Alabama, and in 2016, he was convicted of distribution of child pornography in Baltimore County, Maryland. As detailed in the plea agreement, on November 20, 2023, Kelban was released from imprisonment in Alabama and returned to Maryland. He registered as a sex offender in Maryland on November 21, 2023, listing an address in Baltimore County, Maryland. On November 28, 2023, the Baltimore County Police Department conducted an online investigation of the BitTorrent network to find offenders sharing child pornography. His IP address was associated with a torrent that contained over 2000 files, including at least one file of suspected child pornography. Between 12:33 am and 1:38 am on November 28, 2023, investigators directly connected to the device and downloaded the torrent, and therefore each file was downloaded directly from the IP address. The IP address for the device was connected to Kelban’s residence in Baltimore County, the same address that Kelban used when he registered as a sex offender a week prior. Kelban faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025, at 11 a.m. 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended FBI and the BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood, who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information on 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: GRENADA COUNTY MAN SENTENCED IN OCDETF DRUG TRAFFICKING CASE

body_text: Oxford, MS – A Grenada County man was sentenced today to over twelve years in prison for selling methamphetamine. According to court documents, Billy Wayne Winters, of Grenada County, Mississippi pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to distribution of methamphetamine. Winters was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson on Tuesday to 151 months in prison for drug trafficking. He was further sentenced to three years supervised release following his release from prison. “The defendant, a meth dealer, was willing to destroy lives in return for a profit,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Our office will continue our outstanding partnership with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics to get dangerous narcotics, and the people who sell them, off of our streets.” “Great job to everyone involved in this case,” said Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “Another drug dealer taken off the streets, preventing further harm to the livelihood of our citizens." The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case. 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 .


title: Illegal alien cartel member sent to prison for possessing nearly 5,000 rounds of ammunition

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 20-year-old Mexican national affiliated with Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) unlawfully residing in Laredo has been sentenced for illegally possessing ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Charbel Garza Macias pleaded guilty Oct. 8, 2024. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Macias to serve 63 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described Macias as member of the CDN. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Macias was providing tools of war to a brutal criminal organization. “This defendant’s goal was to get this ammunition to Mexico and, if he had succeeded, would have contributed to the cartels’ ongoing campaign of brutality,” said Ganjei. “Those who work to arm, supply, fund, or otherwise aid these organizations take notice; you are going to be found and prosecuted.” “The conviction and sentence of this individual highlights the serious consequences of smuggling ammunition across international borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI). ICE-HSI remains committed to disrupting cross-border criminal operations and ensuring that individuals who engage in these illegal activities face the full weight of the law.” Macias had made several bulk purchases of ammunition in Laredo with the intention of transporting them to Mexico for profit. On July 16, 2024, authorities were conducting surveillance when they observed a vehicle previously suspected of transporting large amounts of high caliber ammunition. Macias was driving and had loaded ammunition into the trunk of the vehicle. Macias attempted to elude law enforcement as they followed him after departing the parking lot. Following a traffic stop, a search resulted in the discovery of approximately 4,800 rounds of .223/5.56 caliber ammunition in the vehicle. At the time of his arrest, Macias admitted he was hired to purchase approximately 20,000 rounds of ammunition to be smuggled into Mexico. He claimed the ammunition was for the CDN operating in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Macias did not have a license to export ammunition or firearms and knew it was illegal to smuggle ammunition into Mexico. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. ICE-HSI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan L. Oliver prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: Former Business Office Coordinator at Two Area Senior Living Facilities Indicted on Eight Counts of Wire Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Mia Hardy, 58, of Chester, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with eight counts of wire fraud, arising from an alleged scheme to defraud the residents of two senior living facilities, residents’ heirs, and the facilities themselves. As detailed in the indictment, Hardy was employed first at Senior Living Facility #1 and later at Senior Living Facility #2, which both used a resident fund management service (“RFMS”) to help manage resident funds. The residents in these facilities often required substantial medical assistance and were extremely vulnerable members of the community. RFMS was a financial service platform that provided a central resident trust account that allowed residents to easily access their funds. Each resident had an individual, interest-bearing sub-account within the resident trust account. Those funds were then available to the resident for personal spending or bill paying. Residents could obtain funds from the RFMS through checks made payable to payees at the direction of the resident (directly or through the resident’s representative) or through cash withdrawals that the resident needed for minor expenses. The indictment alleges that, from in or about March 2020 through in or about August 2023, while the defendant was employed as a business office coordinator at Senior Living Facility #1, she exploited the RFMS for her personal benefit on a recurring basis, improperly accessing the RFMS system and issuing checks on resident accounts, making them payable to various family members and associates of hers. Those individual payees were not known to the residents on whose accounts the checks were written, and Hardy allegedly engaged in this activity fraudulently without the knowledge or permission of Senior Living Facility #1 and the affected residents. At times, Hardy forged the authorized signature on the checks and at other times she improperly, and through misrepresentations to the authorized signer, obtained an authorized signature on the checks. The indictment alleges that in this aspect of the scheme, Hardy generated approximately 49 checks totaling approximately $122,941. The indictment also alleges that the defendant exploited the RFMS system and the resident accounts in Senior Living Facility #1 to generate petty cash payments for herself, generating additional losses for the residents. The indictment further alleges that, from in or about April 2024 through in or about July 2024, while Hardy was a business office coordinator for Senior Living Facility #2, she exploited the RFMS for her personal benefit using the same method described above, improperly generating checks on Senior Living Facility #2 resident accounts through the RFMS, and making the checks payable to her family members and associates, who then negotiated the checks for their and Hardy’s benefit. The defendant also improperly obtained a blank personal check on a resident’s personal Capital One bank account and issued it to one of her associates. The notice of forfeiture included in the indictment seeks forfeiture of up to $366,000 from the defendant for these offenses. If convicted, on each count of wire fraud, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Principals of Fire Alarm Repair Company Plead Guilty to Decade-Long Scheme to Defraud New York City Agencies

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Walter Stanzione and William Neogra, the principals of a fire alarm maintenance company, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Both defendants were charged with a decade-long scheme to defraud the City of New York by seeking payment on millions of dollars of grossly inflated fraudulent bills. The proceedings were held before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo. When sentenced, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York) announced the charges. “For over a decade, the City of New York relied on the defendants to ensure that the fire safety systems in hundreds of city buildings were in safe, working order,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “The defendants abused this position of trust so that they could scheme and steal, defrauding New York City out of millions of dollars. The guilty pleas announced today make clear that reprehensible conduct like this will be uncovered and prosecuted.” “Millions of dollars went up in smoke as Walter Stanzione and William Neogra fraudulently inflated the cost of their company’s products to finance personal luxurious purchases,” stated Acting FBI Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “For more than ten years, the defendants charged various New York City clients exaggerated pricing for fire alarm systems and obfuscated this misconduct through doctored invoices. The FBI remains determined to protect our city’s citizens and infrastructure from criminals seeking to unlawfully profit with little concern for safety.” “Stanzione and Neogra orchestrated a scheme to defraud the City of New York. They created shell companies to pass-through supplies sold to NYC agencies at inflated prices with false invoices. Millions of dollars were billed over a decade, and the excessive profit left these fraudsters living large. Today’s plea means the defendants’ lifestyle will go from extravagant in size to a reduction in square feet,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis. “These defendants systematically inflated costs billed to multiple City agencies—including the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the Department of Education, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of Sanitation, for more than a decade,” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber. “When vendors exploit their contractual relationship with the City by overbilling, they steal public funds from City taxpayers. I thank our federal law enforcement partners for their commitment to protect the City’s resources and to ensure vendors who commit fraud are held responsible.” As set forth in various public court filings and in today’s proceedings, the defendants exercised control over Fire Alarm Electrical Corp., a company that held numerous contracts with New York City agencies to repair and maintain fire alarm systems. For more than a decade, the defendants overbilled those agencies by submitting fraudulent invoices with dramatically inflated prices. They accomplished this scheme in several ways: The defendants created numerous shell companies that were secretly owned by defendant Stanzione. After purchasing supplies from legitimate retailers, the defendants would re-invoice the parts through the shell companies for roughly three to five times the real purchase price, ultimately passing along those “costs” to the City. The defendants took advantage of pre-existing shell companies that were being used in other ongoing frauds. For example, the defendants used shell companies created by convicted EDNY defendant David Motovich, which Motovich had used in an entirely separate fraud scheme that was also investigated and prosecuted by EDNY, FBI, DOI and IRS (21-CR-497). When city auditors became suspicious of the shell companies, the defendants fraudulently modified the documents of legitimate retailers, passing off the altered invoices from these companies as if they were genuine. These methods enabled the defendants to submit millions of dollars of fictitious payment requests to four separate city agencies over an eleven-year period. Defendant Stanzione, the leader of the fraud, then siphoned off much of the ill-gotten gains and used the stolen money to fund his family’s lavish spending habits. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik Paulsen, Michael Gibaldi and Eric Silverberg are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kavya Kannan. The Defendants : WALTER STANZIONE Age: 66 East Meadow, Long Island WILLIAM NEOGRA Age: 65 Millsboro, Delaware E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-482 (RPK)


title: Fraud Conspiracy Leader Sentenced

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Johnston man, identified in court documents as the leader of a conspiracy that used stolen personal identifications of unsuspecting individuals to gain financing for the purchase of Land Rovers from dealerships in Rhode Island and New Hampshire, has been sentenced to two-and-one-half years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Dennis Odoom, 27, previously admitted to a federal judge that he enlisted others to join the conspiracy. Odoom admitted that he provided a co-conspirator with a fraudulent ID and that he drove that person to a dealership in New Hampshire to pick up a Land Rover valued at $96,256 purchased with fraudulently obtained credit. The person accompanying him was expecting to be paid $2,000 by Odoom. Additionally, court documents allege that fraudulently obtained financing was used by co-conspirators to purchase a Land Rover from a Rhode Island dealership. The final sales price for the vehicle and financing was $111,183. Odoom was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. Dubose to a term of 30 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000. Restitution will be determined by the court at a later date. Odoom pleaded guilty on December 12, 2024, to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. A co-defendant in this matter, Roy Sweets, 27, of Pawtucket, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2025, to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2025. A third defendant, Adalberto Mauricio Romero, 28, of Providence, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by Warwick, RI, and Bedford, NH, Police Departments, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. ###


title: Sioux City Felon Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Jamiah Burton, age 30, from Sioux City, was sentenced March 21, 2025, to five years in federal prison, after an August 8, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. Evidence in the case revealed on January 19, 2024, Burton entered a Sioux City, Iowa bar with a female companion. The couple argued, the female left, and Burton turned his attention to the sole remaining person in the bar: the female bartender. For the next hour and half or so, Burton who had been drinking, refused to leave, repeatedly came behind the bar, simulated a sex act on his victim, manhandled her, at various points become emotional, brandished a loaded handgun -- claiming he had a bullet for his victim and one for himself -- and stole a bottle of alcohol all before being tricked out of the bar by his victim’s promise to leave with him. A video of the event shows the victim’s attempts to navigate an impossible situation: she laughs and drinks and plays along with Burton all while secretly texting for help and trying to escape. The moment she tricks him out of the bar, she locked the doors, hid in the bathroom, and called 911. Approximately 16 minutes after Burton left the bar, law enforcement in South Sioux City, Nebraska located the vehicle he was using which was high centered and stranded in the snow. Law enforcement located several open containers and a bottle of tequila (consistent with the one he stole from the bar) in the vehicle. Burton has a serious criminal history. Among numerous convictions, Burton has twice committed violent home invasions, and driven drunk while attempting to elude police. Burton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Burton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the South Sioux City, Nebraska and the Sioux City, Iowa Police Departments and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4015. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Central American Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally  Reentering the United States After Being Deported Two Times

body_text: A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced March 24, 2025, to more than a month in federal prison. Humberto Leonidas-Suarez, age 61, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Dubuque County, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 4, 2025, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported. At the guilty plea, Leonidas-Suarez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Leonidas-Suarez was previously deported in 2010 and 2024. On February 6, 2025, immigration officials learned Leonidas-Suarez had illegally returned to the United States and found him at the Dubuque County Jail following his arrest on state charges for failure to appear. Leonidas-Suarez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. He was sentenced to 39 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Leonidas-Suarez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-1007. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Camden County Company Settles Matter Alleging Receipt Of Improper Cares Act Loans

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: Newark, N.J. – A furniture rental company based in Pennsauken, New Jersey entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by taking a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to which it was not entitled, United States Attorney John Giordano announced today. According to the allegations in the complaint and the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreement: In January 2021, American Furniture Rentals, Inc. (AFR) applied for and received a $2 million PPP loan. Under the eligibility rules in effect at that time, a company was required to have 300 employees or less to qualify for a PPP loan. Despite the fact that AFR had more than 300 employees at the time, AFR certified in its loan application that it was eligible to participate in the PPP program. After receiving the PPP loan, AFR sought and received forgiveness of the total amount of the loan, plus interest that had accrued. AFR fully cooperated in the investigation and resolution of this matter. In accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement, AFR will pay the United States $2,907,703. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. American Furniture Rentals, Inc. , 24-7540 (D.N.J.). 25-086 ### Counsel for American Furniture Rentals, Inc.: Brian K. Kidd, Esq., Washington, D.C. Counsel for Relator Verity Investigations, LLC: Steven Shepard, Esq., New York, NY american_furniture.agreement.pdf


title: Boston Man Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Minors

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for child exploitation offenses. Jalen Latimer, 26, of Roxbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 28 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date. In December 2024, Latimer pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Latimer is currently serving a state prison sentence on related offenses. The defendant was previously charged by criminal complaint with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor on Feb. 16, 2024. In July 2022, Latimer and another adult recorded themselves raping a ten year old. The minor victim’s five year old sibling was used to create the recording of the sexual assault. Over a year later, in July 2023, Latimer conspired with that same adult to arrange the sexual assault of another child. Latimer was asked to pay $50 for the child, however, Latimer offered $20 and marijuana. Latimer was arrested in January 2024. He was subsequently convicted by state authorities in Worcester Superior Court of three counts of aggravated rape of a child, four counts of aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child and human trafficking of a minor. On March 17, 2024, he was sentenced to 15 years in state prison which will run concurrent with the federal sentence. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier; and Oxford Police Chief Michael K. Daniels made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Rhode Island State Police and Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office 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 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 .