title: Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Role in International Human Smuggling Conspiracy that Resulted in the Death of a Family of Four

body_text: Two men were sentenced today in the District of Minnesota after being convicted at a jury trial for their roles in an international human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of four Indian nationals, including a three-year-old and 11-year-old child, in January 2022. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national formerly of Florida, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison for his role in the conspiracy. Patel will be removed from the United States following his sentence. His co-conspirator, Steve Anthony Shand, 50, of Florida, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at trial, Patel and Shand were part of a large-scale human-smuggling operation that brought Indian nationals to Canada on fraudulent student visas and then smuggled them into the United States across the northern border. Patel organized the logistics of smuggling aliens from Manitoba, Canada, into the United States, with other co-conspirators, and Shand picked up the aliens just south of the Canadian border in the United States and drove them to Chicago. Both men were paid for their roles in the conspiracy and disregarded the risks posed to the aliens by the cold weather at the northern border. According to evidence at trial, the going rate to be smuggled from India through Canada into the United States was $100,000. “Patel and Shand endangered thousands of lives for their personal enrichment and are responsible for the deaths of two small children who froze to death on their watch,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case demonstrates the grave danger associated with human smuggling operations. I thank the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners in the U.S. and in Canada who are working to secure the northern border and end the perilous smuggling of aliens into the United States.” “Every time I think about this case I think about this family—including two beautiful little children—who the defendants left to freeze to death in a blizzard,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick for the District of Minnesota. “As we’ve seen time and time again, human traffickers care nothing for humanity. I am proud of the work of our law enforcement partners in holding these defendants accountable for their unspeakable crimes.” On Jan. 18 and 19, 2022, Patel and Shand, despite repeated warnings about the dangers, organized the smuggling of 11 aliens from Canada into the United States on foot in severe winter weather conditions, including a family of four – two adults, and their 11-year-old daughter and three-year-old son. On the evening of January 18, Shand sent Patel a screenshot with a blizzard alert warning of wind gusts as high as 50 mph and wind chill temperatures below -45 degrees. The recorded wind chill temperature on the morning of Jan. 19 was -36 degrees. In the early morning hours of Jan. 19, during blizzard conditions in Minnesota, a U.S. Border Patrol agent found Shand’s van stuck in the snow and arrested Shand along with two aliens. Contrary to Shand’s statement to law enforcement that there were no other aliens out in the snow, five more aliens emerged from the fields, including one suffering hypothermia with an internal temperature below 90 degrees who was airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. Later that day, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) found the dead bodies of the family of four frozen in an isolated area on the Canadian side of the international border. The boy was wrapped in a blanket with his father’s frozen glove covering his face. As proven at trial, Patel and Shand had been paid to smuggle the family into the United States. In November 2024, a federal jury convicted both defendants of conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, conspiracy to transport aliens within the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, attempted transportation of aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, and aiding and abetting the attempted transportation of aliens. “Today’s sentencing marks a crucial moment of accountability in a case that revealed the harrowing realities of human smuggling,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul. “The callous disregard for life that led to the tragic deaths of an entire family will not be forgotten. At HSI, we remain steadfast in our mission to work with our partners across borders to dismantle criminal smuggling networks, bring justice to those responsible, and safeguard human dignity.” HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. The RCMP and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. The sentencings are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. This case was also supported by the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities. Trial Attorney Ryan Lipes of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. McBride of the District of Minnesota 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: Sajah Konateh Pleads Guilty to Illegal Entry into the United States

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 27, 2025, Sajah Konateh, 51, born in Sierra Leone and a citizen of The Gambia, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with illegally entering the United States at a time or place other than designated for entering the country by immigration authorities. According to court records, on May 19, 2025, at approximately 11:45 p.m., the United States Border Patrol received an image of three individuals, including Konateh, walking south toward the bike path on North Derby Road in Derby, Vermont. This area is less than a tenth of a mile south of the United States/Canada border. Investigators believed that the three individuals had just entered the United States illegally from Canada. Border Patrol agents responded to the area, and found the three individuals, who appeared to be the same people in the image they had received, hiding in thick vegetation. The three defendants, including Konateh, were placed under arrest. Border Patrol conducted records checks, which indicated that Konateh had no current legal status in the United States. Konateh appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on May 27, 2025, where he pleaded guilty and received a time-served sentence. The two other individuals, Belvie Ikiela Lecka, 32, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ayse Gul Sakiner, 49, a citizen of Türkiye, pleaded guilty on May 20, 2025, to the same charges. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig. Konateh is represented by Assistant Federal Defender Sara Puls. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Mexican National Allegedly Attempted to Smuggle Over 135 Pounds of Illicit Drugs Through Eagle Pass, Indicted for 12 Counts

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A federal grand jury in Del Rio returned an indictment today charging a Mexican national with 12 counts for allegedly attempting to transport more than 95 pounds of cocaine, 26 pounds of methamphetamine and 14 pounds of heroin into the United States. According to court documents, Wara America Castanon Campos, 39, attempted to enter the U.S. through the Eagle Pass Port of Entry on May 1. She was referred during a Customs and Border Protection inspection to an x-ray scan, during which officers allegedly discovered anomalies in the rear of the vehicle. Further inspection allegedly revealed a total of 56 packages concealed in hidden compartments in the rear floorboard area, the vehicle’s rear quarter panels, and the spare tire of the vehicle. The packages allegedly contained three separate substances that tested positive for heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine. Castanon Campos was arrested and initially charged with importing a controlled substance. Castanon Campos is now charged in an indictment with four counts related to cocaine trafficking, four counts related to heroin trafficking, and four counts related to meth trafficking. She made her initial court appearance May 2 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Cordova of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, she faces 10 years to life in prison for each count, a maximum fine of $10 million and at least five years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Kass 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: Illegal alien serial felon sent to prison for third unlawful reentry

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 44-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history and multiple prior removals has been sentenced once again for illegally reentering the United States without permission, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Juan Humberto Lara Molina pleaded guilty Feb. 13. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Molina to serve 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In imposing the sentence, the court noted that his criminal history raises serious concerns, stating that if he kept coming back, he would be spending much more time in prison. Molina has a lengthy drug, weapons and immigration criminal history including two other illegal reentry convictions, one in 2007 and another in 2015. He was also convicted of dealing cocaine in Indiana and unlawful sale of firearms in Illinois. He has also been previously ordered removed from the United States on multiple occasions. Authorities removed Molina most recently in November 2021. However, law enforcement discovered him at the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint Dec. 12, 2024. He was one of seven individuals being transported farther north by human smugglers in a tractor-trailer. Molina will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Young Min C. Burkett 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: Woman Indicted for Metro Bus Robbery and Stabbing

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Tywanna Johnson, 29, of Washington, D.C., was indicted today by a grand jury on charges stemming from a stabbing aboard a Metro Bus in January 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Michael Anzallo of the Metro Transit Police Department. A Superior Court grand jury indicted Johnson on robbery while armed, assault with intent to rob while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon – knife, assault with a significant bodily injury while armed, and felony threats. This case is set for a status hearing on July 14, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Robert Salerno. According to the government’s evidence, on January 22, 2025, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Johnson was aboard Metro Bus #3303 in the vicinity of 15 th Street NE and Duncan Street NE, when she snatched the phone out of another passenger’s hands. The passenger was able to get his phone back, but then Johnson pulled a knife out of her jacket. Johnson then demanded the passenger’s phone, threatening to kill the passenger if they did not comply. While the passenger ran to the front of the bus to escape Johnson, she lunged forward and stabbed the passenger in the lower back. Johnson was arrested on scene. This case is being investigated by the Metro Transit Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmine Dohemann. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Fairfield Man Indicted for Failure to Pay Over $2 Million in Employment Taxes

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 41-count indictment against Warren Soto Delfin, 54, of Fairfield, charging him with failure to pay more than $2 million in trust fund taxes to the IRS, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, between January 2018 and December 2022, Delfin owned and operated five home health care businesses that accumulated more than $2 million in employment taxes. The employment tax liabilities stem from amounts Delfin withheld from his employee’s paychecks. Instead of paying the employee withholdings to the IRS as required under the law, Delfin retained them and made purchases of luxury items including a Lamborghini, jewelry, and real estate. This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Delfin faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charged count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Fresno Man Indicted for Possessing Fentanyl Powder and Firearms

body_text: Henry Joseph Garcia, 49, of Fresno, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on May 13, 2025, Garcia possessed more than 400 grams of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl with the intent to distribute it to another person. Garcia also possessed two loaded firearms, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Garcia faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: San Francisco Man Sentenced To Seven-And-A-Half Years In Federal Prison For Tenderloin Carjacking And Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Lafayette Davenport was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for carjacking a San Francisco AIDS Foundation vehicle in the Tenderloin in August 2023, unlawfully possessing a firearm, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup handed down the sentence. Davenport, 30, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2024, on charges of carjacking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119(1), brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1), and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Davenport pleaded guilty on Feb. 11, 2025, to all three counts. According to the plea agreement and court documents, on the morning of Aug. 24, 2023, Davenport saw an employee of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation driving in the Tenderloin neighborhood in a vehicle marked with the nonprofit organization’s logos. As the victim driver completed a pickup of discarded needles and returned to the car, Davenport, wearing a ski mask, ran up to the victim and pointed a pistol at him, saying “Don’t make me shoot you” and “I swear I’ll shoot you right here.” Davenport stole the victim’s watch and car keys and drove the San Francisco AIDS Foundation vehicle several feet before fleeing on foot to a nearby apartment building. On Feb. 22, 2024, San Francisco Police Department officers arrested Davenport in the Tenderloin neighborhood. Officers found Davenport with the ski mask and the loaded pistol that he had used during the carjacking. At the time of his arrest, Davenport was on probation and had been convicted of prior felonies, including second-degree burglary of automobiles while on parole. In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release and ordered $500 in restitution. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Henderson prosecuted the case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Alycee Lane, and Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and San Francisco Police Department.


title: Two Washington Men Sentenced to 70 Years in Prison for  Producing and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that on May 27, 2025, Tony J. Bolen, age 44, and Casey Allen Greer, age 48, were sentenced for Production of Child Pornography, Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography, and Commission of a Felony Sex Offense by an Individual Required to Register as a Sex Offender. Greer was additionally sentenced for Distribution of Child Pornography, and Bolen was sentenced for Receipt and Transportation of Child Pornography. Bolen and Greer were convicted of these crimes on November 25, 2024, following a jury trial. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced both men to 70 years in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. Judge Dimke also imposed a $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, as to both men, and ordered Greer to pay $18,500 in restitution to victims. According to court documents and information disclosed at trial and sentencing, beginning in October 2021, and continuing to December 2021, Bolen and Greer worked together to produce image and video files depicting the sexual abuse of a young child that Greer had sexually abused as early as May 2021. Bolen and Greer discussed when Greer would have access to the minor and how Greer would medicate the victim to ensure the victim’s compliance during the sexual abuse. During one such communication, Greer advised that the medication he had administered to the victim had not worked. He stated that he needed something like chloroform to keep the victim from fighting him. Nonetheless, Greer repeatedly sent images and videos of the sexual abuse to Bolen. In written text messages, Bolen directed Greer to sexually abuse the victim in a specific way, record the abuse, and send it to him. Bolen and Greer both have prior Washington State convictions for Child Molestation. Because of these convictions, Bolen and Greer were required under state and federal law to register as sex offenders at the time of the above-listed offenses. At sentencing, Judge Dimke advised both defendants that the conduct they engaged in was heinous and victimized both the child involved, the child’s family, and the community at large. She stated that the intention of the 70-year sentence imposed for each defendant is to ensure that neither man was ever released back into the community. She spoke directly to the victim and the victim’s family, thanking them for their confidence and patience with the justice system. Judge Dimke also spoke directly to the victim, stating, “You are strong. You are brave…this does not define you. You have a very bright future ahead of you.” “The defendants’ actions in this case were nothing short of horrific. They subjected a young child to unspeakable abuse, using sleep-inducing substances to control and exploit their victim,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. I am deeply grateful to Assistant United States Attorneys Ann Wick and Laurel Holland, whose tireless efforts and personal sacrifices were instrumental in bringing these offenders to justice. Trials like this one are emotionally grueling, but AUSAs Wick and Holland remained unwavering in their commitment to the victim and to the pursuit of justice. Because of this extraordinary dedication, Mr. Bolen and Mr. Greer will never again have the opportunity to harm another child.” AUSA Ann Wick, one of the lead prosecutors, added, “I am profoundly moved by the bravery of victims in cases like this one. Their courage in this case has ensured that two repeat sex offenders will no longer have the chance to harm innocent children. Justice was served because of the victim’s strength.” “These significant sentences represent a step toward justice for the immense harm these two individuals inflicted on the victim and their family,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy. “HSI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable, and we will continue to ensure that those who commit such heinous crimes are held fully accountable.” “Exceptional sentencing is appropriate for exceptionally heinous criminal acts. Certainly, those who take sexual advantage of our young and vulnerable must be removed from our streets and communities and the Washington State Patrol appreciates the many agencies involved in the successful investigation, capture, and prosecution of these dangerous individuals,” stated Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste . This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations, the Washington State Patrol, and Spokane Police Department, as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ann T. Wick and Laurel J. Holland.


title: Greece pawn shop owner pleads guilty for his role in retail theft ring involving hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandise

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dominic Sprague, 41, of Greece, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce. According to the plea agreement, Sprague faces up to 72 months in prison when sentenced. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that between December 2021 and October 17, 2024, Sprague, who was the owner and operator of the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop in Greece, engaged in a conspiracy with larcenists, Amanda Reeves, Shabon Banks, Chad Lewis, Jr., and pawn shop manager James Civiletti, to buy and sell stolen goods. As part of the scheme, Reeves, Banks, and Lewis stole new-in-box items from store shelves on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, both alone and in concert with one another. They then sold the stolen goods to the pawn shop, which was managed by Civiletti, for a fraction of their actual retail value. The pawn shop then resold the stolen merchandise on eBay at much higher prices, resulting in significant profits. In total, the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop purchased 37,936 stolen new-in-box items from Reeves, Banks, and Lewis on more than 670 occasions, for which they were paid $290,000.00, which was approximately 25% of the actual retail value of the stolen items. This resulted in actual losses to the victim-retailers of approximately $1,160,000.00. Banks, Reeves, Lewis and Civiletti were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis. Sentencing is scheduled for September 23, 2025, before Judge Wolford. # # # #


title: Bloods Gang Leader Convicted of Narcotics Distribution Resulting in Three Overdoses

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: A federal jury yesterday in Central Islip convicted Gary Johnson, a Bloods gang leader, on 22 counts of a second superseding indictment charging him with narcotics distribution, including distribution that resulted in three non-fatal overdoses, as well as a firearms-related crime. The verdict followed a four-week trial before United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack. When sentenced, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and up to life in prison. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the verdict. “Johnson peddled his potentially lethal drugs across Long Island while lining his pockets with profits, causing life threatening injuries to several members of our community in the process,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This Office, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to finding, arresting, and prosecuting the drug traffickers and gang members who seek to profit from the ongoing opioid crisis and stopping all of the devastating effects these narcotics have brought with them.” “For years, Gary Johnson, a Bloods gang leader, carelessly supplied potentially lethal quantities of heroin and fentanyl to turn a profit,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “By distributing highly addictive narcotics, Johnson demonstrated a disregard to communal health and endangered countless residents, even causing three individuals to overdose. With the assistance from our law enforcement partners, the FBI will never cease its mission to disrupt all criminal enterprises poisoning our communities with dangerous drugs.” “While nothing can take away the suffering of those who experienced life-threatening impacts caused by Johnson’s greed, let this sentence bring some solace that his crimes will not go unpunished,” stated SCPD Commissioner Catalina. “We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to ensure narcotics trafficking is ceased.” As proven at trial and set forth in court filings, between June 2013 and November 2020, Johnson, a leader in the G-Shine set of the Bloods based in Suffolk County, sold fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin throughout Long Island. The drugs the defendant sold resulted in multiple victims experiencing overdoses, including three overdoses in March and May 2020. The jury returned a verdict convicting Johnson of multiple counts of distributing heroin, cocaine, and/or fentanyl. In connection with the overdoses, Johnson was convicted of three counts of narcotics distribution resulting in serious bodily injury. Johnson was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. This charge arose from evidence recovered from Johnson’s residence when law enforcement executed a search warrant and recovered a semi-automatic firearm. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith A. Arfa, Stephen Petraeus and Mark E. Misorek are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Dejah Turla, Rebecca Roth, and Adam Bernard, as well as Victim Witness Specialist Stephanie Marroquin. The Defendant : GARY JOHNSON Age: 41 Bellport, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-518 (S-2) (JMA)


title: Utah Felon Indicted after Alleged Carjacking with Victim Inside

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a felon with a violent crime after he allegedly threatened a victim with a weapon and forced the victim to drive him out of a contained area where police were actively searching for him for a separate incident. Joseph Anthony Kingston, 27, of West Valley City, Utah, was charged by complaint on May 1, 2025. According to court documents, on April 30, 2025, West Valley City Police Department officers responded to a call for service requesting assistance to get Kingston to leave a West Valley City residence. During a records check, officers discovered that Kingston had an active felony warrant and was restricted from possessing a weapon. Upon officers’ arrival at the residence, they witnessed Kingston fleeing on foot. A police containment was established for several blocks, which was searched by drone and K9 officers, but Kingston was not located, and the containment area was shut down. As alleged in the complaint, approximately 20 minutes later, West Valley City Police Department receive a call from an adult male who stated he was the victim of carjacking. The victim was completing a landscaping job in the area of the police containment, and upon returning to his work truck, he found a male, later identified as Kingston, laying on the floorboard of the victim’s truck. According to the victim, Kingston produced a knife and told him to “drive” and “go,” to get Kingston out of the contained area. The victim reported that Kingston remained on the floorboards until they passed the police containment. The victim drove Kingston to a different area before Kingston then proceeded to steal medical supplies and food from the truck before leaving. Subsequently, Kingston was located that same day by West Valley City Police Officers and taken into custody following a foot pursuit. At the time of his arrest, he was allegedly in possession of medical supplies from the stolen work truck. Kingston is charged with carjacking. His initial appearance on the indictment is May 29, 2025, at 9:30 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 an FBI Task Force Officer with the West Valley City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the United States 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (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: Pharmacist Sentenced to Prison for False Medicaid Claims

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Georgetown, Ky., man, Justin Bell, 40, was sentenced to 4 months in prison and 4 months home detention by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove, for submitting criminal false claims to Kentucky Medicaid. According to his plea agreement, Bell was a pharmacist who owned and operated Georgetown Pharmacy. The pharmacy dispensed a variety of prescription medications to retail customers, including medicated pads that manage and prevent scars from burns and other traumatic skin injuries. These scar pads were expensive: Kentucky Medicaid reimbursed pharmacies over $14,000 for a box of twelve. In March and April of 2020, Bell solicited unwitting Kentucky Medicaid patients to receive the scar pads, even though the patients did not have a medical need for them. In some instances, patients received the pads without discussing them with their providers or using the pads. Bell’s pharmacy submitted eight claims for reimbursement to Kentucky Medicaid for the scar pads and caused Medicaid to pay a total of $118,621.28 for medically unnecessary prescriptions. Bell paid restitution to Kentucky Medicaid for the offense and was ordered to pay a fine of $20,000. Under federal law, Bell 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 two years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Olivia Olson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, and Russell Coleman, Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Kentucky Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Smith and Andy Smith prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Romanian national pleads guilty to bank fraud crime related to ATM skimming

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Romanian national who was convicted in Michigan of illegally reentering the United States pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati today to a federal crime related to ATM skimming. According to court documents, Danut Valentin Urseiu, 32, conspired with others to commit bank fraud in the Southern District of Ohio in January and February 2023. Urseiu’s plea agreement, which recommends a sentence of one year and one day in prison, details that he conspired with others to place skimming devices onto a financial institution’s ATMs in the greater Cincinnati area, including in Cincinnati, Green Township and Liberty Township. Co-conspirators used the fraudulent access devices to steal information from cardholders and defraud financial institutions. The financial institution reported that multiple ATM locations were victimized during the timeframe Urseiu and his co-conspirators were operating in the Southern District of Ohio. Fingerprints on cameras placed with the skimming devices in Ohio matched Urseiu’s prints from arrests in New York in Michigan. Urseiu’s cell phones contained photos of ATM skimming devices, recording devices and large amounts of cash. The Court will determine Urseiu’s sentence at a future hearing. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Columbus woman sentenced to 23 years in prison for sexually exploiting 3-year-old victim

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Becky Gillespie, 29, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 276 months in prison for sexually assaulting a 3-year-old victim, recording the abuse and distributing it to other exploiters. Specifically, Gillespie was sentenced for sexual exploitation of a minor and distribution of child pornography. According to court documents, on numerous dates in December 2023, Gillespie sent Snapchat videos or offered to send videos to other users that depicted Gillespie engaged in sex acts or sexually explicit conduct with the 3-year-old victim. Law enforcement also discovered a photo of a second young victim, who was posed on Gillespie’s nude breasts in an image on her electronic devices. One user with whom Gillespie communicated was under investigation in Australia for numerous child pornography related offenses. Gillespie and the other Snapchat user traded sexually explicit videos including the content Gillespie created of the 3-year-old. As a result of information obtained by Australian Federal Police, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Canberra and the South Australian Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team, local HSI initiated an investigation into Gillespie. Gillespie was charged in January 2024 and pleaded guilty in December 2024. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the sentence imposed on May 27 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Illinois Woman Sentenced for Prescription Drug Diversion

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Colona, Illinois woman was sentenced today for diverting prescription drugs from nursing and senior living facilities where she was employed as an administrator. According to public court documents, Cassandra Marie Strube, 40, obtained prescription pills from at least five healthcare facilities between at least September 2021 and November 2022. Strube obtained fentanyl patches, hydrocodone, morphine, and oxycodone by stealing them from the facility’s narcotics emergency kits and locked medication carts and rooms. Strube received a three-year term of probation. Strube was also ordered to pay $1,975.61 in restitution, a fine of $5000, and a $200 special assessment. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (DIAL/MFCU) investigated this case.


title: Illinois Man Sentenced for Immigration Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Joseph Sanchez, 33, of Fairbury, Illinois, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation for participating in an immigration marriage fraud conspiracy. According to court documents and statements made in court, in or around August 2021, Sanchez was living in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. A foreign national who worked at a convenience store near Sanchez’s residence offered to pay Sanchez if he found a woman willing to marry the foreign national so he could obtain lawful permanent resident status, commonly known as a Green Card. Sanchez ultimately agreed to the request in exchange for $10,000 in cash. The understanding was that $5,000 would be paid upon the marriage being final, and another $5,000 would be paid once the foreign national received his Green Card. Sanchez arranged to have his sister-in-law marry the foreign national. Sanchez told his sister-in-law about the purpose of the arrangement and the financial benefits associated with it. The sister-in-law had only occasionally interacted with the foreign national, as a customer at his convenience store. The sister-in-law and Sanchez had no social connections to the foreign national beyond frequenting the convenience store. In September 2021, Sanchez’s sister-in-law and the foreign national were married in White Sulphur Springs. In March 2023, Sanchez traveled with the sister-in-law and the foreign national to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the trip was for the sister-in-law and the foreign national to attend an interview with U.S. immigration officials to trick those officials into believing the marriage was entered into in good faith and that the relationship between the sister-in-law and the foreign national was genuine. The scheme was unsuccessful, and the foreign national’s application was denied. The foreign national, Aakash Prakash Makwana, pleaded guilty on May 14, 2025, to aggravated identity theft. Makwana, 29, a citizen of India unlawfully residing in Ronceverte, admitted that he included the name and signature of a residential property manager without the individual’s authorization when he falsified a lease agreement as part of the marriage fraud scheme. Makwana is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2025. The sister-in-law, Kalee Ann Huff, pleaded guilty on February 20, 2025, to marriage fraud and perjury. Huff, 28, now living in Fairbury, Illinois, admitted to her role in the marriage fraud scheme and to testifying falsely before a federal grand jury about material facts relating to the government’s investigation. Huff is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2025. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-198. ###


title: Monroe County Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy and Providing Contraband to a Federal Prisoner

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Vredenburgh, Alabama woman was sentenced today to 6 months on house arrest followed by 3 years on probation for conspiring to and providing contraband to a federal inmate. According to court documents, Beverly Castophney, 38, plead guilty to conspiring with a jail guard, Reginald Thames, and federal inmate, Vincent Lambert, to introduce contraband to the Monroe County jail. Castophney was in a romantic relationship with Lambert. While Lambert was incarcerated, he and Castophney discussed leaving a package of contraband on Thames’ car in exchange for money. On January 19, 2023, Castophney was observed placing a package on a vehicle in the parking lot. Thames walked out to his vehicle and was intercepted by deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The package contained contraband cell phones, chargers, cigarettes and Adderall pills. Earlier this year, Vincent Lambert was sentenced to 12 months to serve for Conspiracy and Possessing Prison Contraband. Reginald Thames was sentenced to 6 months to serve for Conspiracy and Providing Prison Contraband to a Federal Prisoner. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama the announcement. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Mobile Woman Sentenced to a Year and a Day for Tax Fraud

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Kenneshia Davis of Mobile, Alabama, was sentenced today to serve a year and a day in federal prison for filing fraudulent tax returns. According to court documents, Davis, 41, operated Davis Tax Service with her cousin, Brandy Lynn Davis, at three locations in Mobile. Internal Revenue Service records show that Davis underreported her income by over $2 Million between 2015 and 2017. Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock sentenced Davis to serve a year and a day and ordered her to pay $67,975 in restitution. At the conclusion of her sentence, Davis will serve one year of supervised release. “Kenneshia Davis avoided paying her fair share of taxes by concealing income from the IRS, which is a crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are committed to fostering confidence in the tax system with the law by investigating and bringing to justice those who evade their federal income tax responsibilities.” Brandy Lynn Davis, who has also pleaded guilty to filing fraudulent tax returns, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2025. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasee Heisterhagen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Man Sentenced To Seven-And-A-Half Years In Federal Prison For Aggravated Sexual Abuse Of Victim In Marin Headlands

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Esbin Ramirez-Garcia was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for committing aggravated sexual abuse while on federal land. Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup handed down the sentence. Ramirez-Garcia, 28, a national of Mexico, pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2025, to one count of aggravated sexual abuse in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2241(a). According to the plea agreement, Ramirez-Garcia admitted that late in the evening on Aug. 2, 2024, while giving the victim, with whom he had a prior relationship, a ride from her workplace in his truck, he asked her to get back together with him. The victim refused to resume their relationship and asked to be let out of the vehicle, but Ramirez-Garcia grabbed her with his hand and continued driving, forcing her to accompany him. Ramirez-Garcia deviated from the route to the victim’s home and drove his truck to a parking lot in the Marin Headlands, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Ramirez-Garcia forcibly placed his body on top of the victim’s body while she sat in the passenger seat and sexually assaulted her. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Acting Special Agent in Charge Betsy Smith made the announcement. In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup also sentenced the defendant to a 10-year period of supervised release and ordered that he participate in a sex offense-specific treatment program, among other conditions. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Chen and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Wistar Wilson prosecuted the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery, Maureen French, and Fernanda Gonzalez. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch.


title: Selma Man Sentenced for Possession of Machinegun

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Selma man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for unlawful possession of machine gun conversion devices, commonly known as “Glock-switches.” According to court documents, Mark Anthony Wallace, 26, was sentenced today for possession of two machinegun conversion devices. On February 2, 2024, Wallace was pulled over by Dallas County Sheriff Deputies for a traffic violation and observed a firearm with a machinegun conversion device attached with a high-capacity magazine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was notified and continued the investigation leading to Wallace’s federal indictment. On October 13, 2024, Wallace was pulled over for speeding by law enforcement and a background check showed an outstanding arrest warrant from the Southern District of Alabama. When taken into custody, Wallace was found to be possession of another machinegun conversion device attached to a firearm with a high-capacity magazine. 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. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. Dallas County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew D. Arrington prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Hassan Chokr Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms after  Antisemitic Tirade Against Parents and Preschoolers at Local Synagogue

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Hassan Chokr, a convicted felon and resident of Dearborn, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm after possessing multiple firearms inside a gun store, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. Joining in the announcement was Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Chokr aggressively targeted Jewish parents and their preschool children at a local synagogue in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. After unleashing a menacing antisemitic tirade against them, he lied and attempted to buy to several firearms at a Dearborn gun store. In December 2022, Chokr, 37, drove through the parking lot of a Jewish synagogue as parents walked their preschoolers into the building, yelling profanities and attacking their support for Israel. After being asked to leave, Chokr drove to a gun store in Dearborn. While there, he possessed a Landor Arms, 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun; a Del-ton, 5.56mm rifle; and a Glock, 9mm semi-automatic pistol. He held each firearm, and at times pointed it and pulled the trigger. After deciding to purchase the three firearms, Chokr lied about his eligibility to possess firearms by indicating that he had never been convicted of a felony offense when in fact, he had been convicted of a felony several years prior. While awaiting the results of the background check, Chokr indicated that he would “even the score” and use the guns for “God’s wrath.” He ultimately was denied the purchase of the firearms after the background check. United States Attorney Gorgon stated: “The federal government must do everything in its power to stem the rising tide of antisemitism. Chokr’s attempt to purchase several deadly firearms in an apparent attempt to follow through on his menacing threats against parents and preschoolers as they walked into a place of worship represents every American’s worst nightmare. And we will not allow anyone to terrorize our Jewish neighbors. We are committed to protecting every American and their right to live and worship free of fear.” Chokr will be sentenced by United States District Court Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey on September 24, 2025. He faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years’ imprisonment. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Carlson.


title: Tahlequah Resident Sentenced For Arson Attempt

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 Sheena Grasshopper, age 41, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Attempted Arson of a Dwelling in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On January 14, 2025, Grasshopper pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 31, 2023, Grasshopper attempted to set fire to a Tahlequah home and placed the occupant’s life in jeopardy. The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Eric F. Melgren, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Grasshopper 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. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Edith A. Singer represented the United States.


title: Moore Resident Sentenced For Federal Drug And Gun Crimes

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Charles Daniel Tow, age 35, of Moore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, and 87 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. The terms were ordered to be served concurrently. The charges arose from an investigation by the District 27 Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. On December 10, 2024, Tow pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on June 6, 2024, law enforcement conducting a traffic stop discovered Tow in possession of 290 grams of fentanyl intended for distribution, a semi-automatic pistol, and eight rounds of ammunition. At the time of the stop, Tow had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. 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 Eric F. Melgren, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for Kansas, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Tow 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 Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.


title: Five Members Of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced For Federal Drug Crimes

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that five Oklahoma residents were sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in violation of federal law. The leader of the drug trafficking organization, Christopher Adam Banschbach, age 39, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 360 months in prison for one count of Drug Conspiracy on February 22, 2024. Banschbach’s four co-defendants each pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy and one count of possession with intent to distribute and were sentenced at hearings held between July 11, 2024, and May 22, 2025. Ricky Edward Hall, age 30, of Covington, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 324 months for each count, to be served concurrently. Joshua Levi Kendrick, age 43, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 235 months for each count, to be served concurrently. Brittany Marie Cagle, age 35, of Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 168 months for each count, to be served concurrently. Christina Gail Pool, age 43, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months for each count, to be served concurrently. According to investigators, between March 2022 and November 2022, while serving time on state charges at the Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville, Oklahoma, Banschbach coordinated and directed the distribution of approximately forty-five kilograms of methamphetamine. Non-incarcerated members of the conspiracy obtained the methamphetamine from various locations and distributed it in Muskogee and other locations. The charges arose from an investigation led by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, with assistance from the Muskogee Police Department and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable Eric F. Melgren, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, sitting by designation, the Honorable Keith Starrett, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sitting by designation, and the Honorable William P. Johnson, Senior U.S. District Judge for the District of New Mexico, sitting by designation, presided over the hearings. All defendants are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.


title: Ardmore Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charge

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nezjoneil Nikkolo Marris, age 28, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by 10 years to life in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The Indictment alleged that on March 26, 2022, Marris knowingly used, carried, brandished, and discharged a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The crime occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ardmore Police Department. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Marris will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Dean Burris, T. Cameron McEwen, and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Reentry

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Victoriano Ponce-Garcia, age 53, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Coal County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Coalgate Police Department. The Indictment alleged that on April 11, 2025, Ponce-Garcia, an alien, was found in the United States after having been previously removed on two separate occasions without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Ponce-Garcia will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.


title: Latimer County Resident Pleads Guilty To Second Degree Murder In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Willard Leroy Robbins, Jr., aka Bub, age 41, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with one count of Murder in Indian Country - Second Degree, punishable by up to life in prison. The Information alleged that on April 10, 2024, Robbins unlawfully killed the victim with malice aforethought. The crime occurred in Latimer County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office, and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Robbins will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.


title: Ardmore Resident Sentenced For Felony Assault

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Richard Alan Chastain, age 53, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Ardmore Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On December 16, 2024, Chastain pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 17, 2024, Chastain attacked an individual at his encampment in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Chastain chased the victim beyond the boundaries of the encampment, striking the victim multiple times with a machete. The victim fled but sustained serious injuries, including severe cuts to his limbs and a severed thumb. Law enforcement responding to an emergency call found the victim unconscious near the railroad tracks and a trail of blood leading back to the encampment. The crime occurred in Carter County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Eric F. Melgren, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Chastain 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: Hugo Resident Sentenced For Drug Distribution

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cory Lamont Bostic, aka Cory L. Neal, age 48, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. On January 8, 2025, Bostic pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on September 7, 2023, Bostic knowingly and intentionally distributed approximately 54 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The Honorable Eric F. Melgren, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Bostic 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 Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.


title: Atoka Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Tax Charge

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Hanna Jera Davidson, age 41, of Atoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a one-count Information charging her with Failure to Collect or Pay Over Tax, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.00. The Information alleged Davidson, who exercised control over the financial affairs of Fomby & Sons Towing and Recovery, willfully failed to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over trust fund taxes of $13,273.57 due and owing to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on behalf of the employees of Fomby & Sons Towing and Recovery for the second quarter of the year ending in 2020. In addition, as part of the plea agreement and during the plea hearing, Davidson admitted that between March 2015 and December 2020, Davidson willfully chose not to pay over to the IRS $158,527.00 in taxes collected from employees and that Davidson willfully chose not to pay over to the IRS $72,665.82, which represented Fomby & Sons Towing and Recovery’s portion of the employment taxes owed. The charge arose from an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigations. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Davidson was released on bond pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kara Traster represented the United States.


title: Federal Felon Arrested in Connection with Months-Long Armed Robbery Spree

body_text: ATLANTA – Terry Lewis Burston, a multi-convicted felon who was released from prison last year, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Regina D. Cannon on May 22, 2025, following his arrest on charges of postal robbery, aggravated assault on a federal employee, Hobbs Act Robbery, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Burston was arrested on May 17, 2025, pursuant to a criminal complaint obtained by the United States Postal Inspection Service. “Burston is a violent repeat offender who allegedly terrorized the citizens of DeKalb County by assaulting federal employees and robbing local business operators at gunpoint,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners whose coordinated investigation resulted in Burston’s arrest and prevented him from committing additional violent crimes.” “This is another example of Postal Inspectors and local agencies collaborating to remove an armed and dangerous individual from our community,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting the violent and callous actions committed by this defendant against postal service employees and other businesses.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On December 14, 2024, Burston allegedly robbed an auto parts store in Decatur, Georgia. During the robbery, Burston allegedly brandished a black handgun, tapped it on the store counter, and demanded money from an employee. Burston fled after confiscating the cash. Six days later, on December 20, 2024, Burston allegedly waited outside a Scottdale, Georgia, post office. He forced his way inside after the last customer departed, pointed a gun at a postal employee, demanded money, obtained cash from the register, and fled. Later, on January 17, 2025, Burston allegedly attempted to rob a gas station in Decatur when he pointed a black handgun at an employee and demanded money. Four months later, on May 17, 2025, Burston allegedly attempted to rob a Lithonia, Georgia, Post Office but fled after postal employees began alerting their co-workers. Postal inspectors who responded to the attempted robbery found Burston changing his clothes behind a nearby restaurant. They recovered a firearm lying at Burston’s feet and arrested him after a brief chase. At the time of these alleged offenses, Burston was subject to federal supervision following his 2013 conviction for armed bank robbery. In a separate case, Burston was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment for robbing an Atlanta bank and post office in 1995. Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with valuable assistance from the DeKalb County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Schechtman is prosecuting this 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). For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking

body_text: ATLANTA – Edson Aregullin has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for unlawfully purchasing firearms for transport from Georgia to Mexico. “Illegal firearms trafficking wreaks havoc in communities within and outside our district,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are proud to stand alongside our federal law enforcement partners in helping to stem the unlawful flow of firearms to criminals.” “Every illegal firearm that crosses our border becomes a weapon of destruction in the wrong hands,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “ATF is committed to shutting down these criminal pipelines with precision and force. Our communities – here and abroad – deserve nothing less.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Edson Aregullin conspired with several individuals in Mexico to purchase more than 150 firearms from various firearms dealers in the Northern District of Georgia. Those firearms included 9mm pistols and AR-style rifles. Aregullin’s contacts in Mexico sent him detailed instructions concerning the makes and models of the firearms to buy. Aregullin bought the firearms with funds received from the actual buyer in Mexico and then facilitated transportation of the weapons to Mexico. The guns Areguillin purchased illegally were used to commit violent crimes. For example, on April 21, 2022, Aregullin bought a .223 caliber rifle that law enforcement officers in Guanajuato, Mexico recovered just a few months later after a deadly encounter between municipal police and armed combatants. During the ensuing melee, eight people were killed, and four were injured. On May 22, 2025, United States District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Edson Aregullin, 47, a Mexican national previously residing in Atlanta, Georgia, to 71 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On November 19, 2024, Aregullin pled guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic in Firearms, three counts of Trafficking in Firearms, and three counts of False Statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Gabay-Smith prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: St. Louis Nonprofit Executive Admits $2.3 Million Dollar Student Meal Fraud

body_text: ST. LOUIS – The owner of a nonprofit on Tuesday admitted fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in funds intended to feed low-income Missouri children, both before and during the coronavirus pandemic. Cymone McClellan, 32, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She admitted that she and Terra Davis, 43, submitted $2.3 million worth of false and fraudulent meal reimbursement claims to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services from about January 2019 to June 2022, on behalf of their nonprofit, Sister of Lavender Rose (S.O.L.R.). Davis was McClellan’s second-in-command at S.O.L.R. McClellan and Davis submitted false reimbursement claims for a total of 860,876 meals that they purportedly supplied to Missouri children. But McClellan actually only purchased enough food and milk to serve fewer than a quarter of those meals, her plea agreement says. McClellan provided bogus sign-in sheets to DHSS falsely claiming to have taken the attendance of meal recipients at certain food distribution locations. S.O.L.R. submitted management plans to DHSS falsely asserting that state meal reimbursement dollars were spent only in connection with the provision of meals to low-income children, and that the nonprofit did not use meal money to make purchases over $5,000. McClellan’s management plans also falsely claimed that all checks were signed by her finance director, who was not a signor on S.O.L.R.’s account. McClellan admitted spending $60,000 of the money that was to be used for feeding children for the down payment on a house in Collinsville, Illinois. She spent another $86,172 on a house in Florissant, Missouri, and almost $135,000 more to buy five vehicles: a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, a 2012 Chevrolet Express G3500 van, a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Metris van, a 2012 Ford E350 box truck and a 2018 Lexus RX SUV. As part of her plea, McClellan has agreed to forfeit the vehicles and houses. At her sentencing, now set for August 26, she will be ordered to repay the rest of the money. Davis pleaded guilty in December to the same wire fraud conspiracy charge. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5. This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case. Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: St. Louis Tax Preparer Sentenced for Preparing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Tuesday sentenced a St. Louis tax preparer to five years of probation and ordered her to pay restitution of $230,000 for preparing fraudulent tax returns. Shasherese M. Reed prepared at least 41 false tax returns for 13 different taxpayers, costing the IRS at least $312,192. Reed “made up businesses out of thin air and claimed tens of thousands of dollars in false business expenses, false medical and dental expenses, mortgage interest, state and local taxes, and deductible employee expenses, all for the purpose of inflating the refunds her clients would receive from the IRS, often by thousands of dollars per return,” a sentencing memorandum filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow says. Reed falsely identified her daughter as the paid tax preparer on the returns and filed the returns under her daughter’s tax preparation business, Majac Money. She did so because the IRS had revoked the Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) assigned to Reed and her business, Sha-Sha Taxes, in 2015 after the IRS determined Reed had submitted false tax returns. “(R)ather than be deterred by the previous IRS investigation, Defendant doubled down on her illegal acts,” the sentencing memo says. During the investigation, Reed prepared a fraudulent tax return for an undercover agent with IRS Criminal Investigation. Without ever asking if the agent had a business, Reed prepared a return that included a false Schedule C showing $26,242 in business expenses, Reed’s plea agreement says. Reed charged clients hundreds of dollars for preparing returns, making about $378,026 in fees for the 2017-2021 tax years. Reed, 53, pleaded guilty in February to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced To Two Years In Federal Prison For Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Dodi Garcia Flores (45, Guatemala) to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Garcia Flores pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025. According to court documents, Garcia Flores is a native and citizen of Guatemala. He was previously removed from the United States on three occasions—October 15, 2008, May 15, 2009, and February 5, 2020. Prior to these removals, Garcia Flores was convicted of two felony offenses: (1) resisting an officer with violence and assault in the second degree, and (2) intent to cause physical injury with a weapon. This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt.


title: Minnesota Man Indicted For Attempted Arson Of Memorial U.S. Army Tank With A Molotov Cocktail

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Trang Johnny Nha Phan (25, Minnesota) with attempted arson of federal property, possessing a Molotov cocktail as a convicted felon, and using a Molotov cocktail in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted on all counts, Phan faces a minimum penalty of 35 years, up to 65, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Phan that the United States intends to forfeit assets that are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. According to the indictment, on February 14, 2025, Phan attempted to set fire using a Molotov cocktail to a M-60 A-3 tank owned by the U.S. Army. At the time, Phan had been convicted for threats of violence and possessing three grams or more of heroin. 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 a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns for Failing to Report Business Earnings

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio − Sidney L. Glover, Jr., 36, of Warren, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to failing to report three years’ worth of business earnings to the IRS. According to court documents, Glover was the sole owner of Teaching Excellence, LLC, a business dedicated to providing home healthcare services for individuals with disabilities. Because it specialized in serving clients with special needs, most of the company’s income was generated from the Ohio Department of Disabilities, which receives its funding through Ohio Medicaid. IRS records analysis confirmed that the defendant did not file income tax returns for calendar years 2015 and 2016, but he eventually prepared and filed those documents two years later in April 2018. At that time, he also submitted the filing for the 2017 tax year. During the investigation, authorities learned that Glover’s Teaching Excellence business, had in fact, generated more than $1 million in gross receipts for 2015, 2016, and 2017 combined, and that he did not report those earnings in his tax filings for those years. Investigators also found that Glover had spent some of the unreported business earnings on various personal expenses. In total, the defendant’s failure to report business income resulted in a loss of approximately $155,000 in unpaid taxes owed to the United States Treasury. On May 21, 2025, Glover pleaded guilty to making and subscribing false tax returns for which he faces a maximum of up to three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is yet to be scheduled. The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a 90% federal conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S. and 14 attaché posts abroad. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Brenna L. Fasko prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Gang Member Sentenced to 14 Years for Involvement in Cross-Country Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh gang member was sentenced on Thursday to 14 years in prison for conspiring to traffic fentanyl pills in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Shakeim Weeks, age 30, pled guilty on February 27, 2025, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Four Hundred Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement determined that Weeks, a validated member of the United Blood Nation gang, was part of a drug trafficking organization that was obtaining fentanyl pills in California and Arizona and transporting them to the Raleigh area for distribution. On June 7, 2024, Weeks was arrested when law enforcement found approximately 100,000 fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 11 kilograms, in Weeks' suitcase when he returned to North Carolina from a resupply trip to Arizona. The fentanyl pills Weeks brought to North Carolina were packaged in Lego boxes, consistent with other seizures of fentanyl pills from this drug trafficking organization. This investigation was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Raleigh Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Durham Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-200-D-006. ###


title: Former President of Local Oilfield Consulting Service Business Sentenced in Federal Court for Money Laundering

component: Criminal - Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Brian T. Owen , 52, of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, has been sentenced for money laundering. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Owen to 30 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, $100,000 fine, and ordered him to pay $1,157,154.39 in restitution. Owen pleaded guilty in October 2024 to a Bill of Information charging him with one count of money laundering in connection with his unlawful activities as president of an oilfield consulting service business headquartered in Bossier City. According to information introduced in court, in June 2020, the company filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana. In January 2021, as part of the company’s bankruptcy plan of reorganization, a Distribution Trust was established to pay back creditors, and Owen executed a Distribution Trust Agreement in his role as president of the company. According to this plan, if Owen received any additional compensation from the company, he was required to pay 30% of that directly to the Distribution Trust. In 2021, the company began applying for Employee Retention Credits (“ERCs”), which are a refundable tax credit for certain eligible businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Owen then devised a scheme to defraud the Distribution Trust by intercepting the physical U.S. Department of Treasury Checks before they were deposited into the company’s working accounts. Unbeknownst to other senior leadership at the company, Owen had opened a bank account in the name of the company while it was still in bankruptcy. As part of the scheme, he deposited a total of $3.8 million in ERC funds for himself as additional compensation. Owen did not pay the Distribution Trust the 30% as he had agreed, but instead used the money for his own personal expenses, including to pay off gambling debts. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg. # # #


title: Elizabeth City Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for  Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Fentanyl

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – An Elizabeth City man was sentenced Thursday to 6.5 years in prison after he ran from law enforcement during a traffic stop and was found in possession of 29.66 grams of fentanyl. Rashawn M. Baum, 29, pled guilty to Possession With the Intent to Distribute a Quantity of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl on February 27, 2025. According to court records, officers with the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement and Elizabeth City Police Department observed Baum driving erratically at a high rate of speed. When officers tried to initiate a traffic stop, Baum sped off. After a short pursuit, Baum collided with two separate cars before coming to a stop near a local family restaurant. Baum and one of the passengers in the car attempted to flee on foot but were caught quickly. In Baum’s vehicle, law enforcement found a green Crown Royal bag on the driver’s side floorboard. It contained a plastic bag and ten bindles containing various quantities of a white substance. Tests of that substance confirmed it to be approximately an ounce of fentanyl. Law enforcement also recovered a .357 semi-automatic pistol from the scene. U.S. District Court Judge James C. Dever, III, imposed the sentence and stated that “fentanyl is destroying thousands of lives.” Judge Dever explained the sentence was, in part, because the defendant would rather poison members of his community than seek legitimate employment. The 78-month sentence will commence after Baum finishes an unrelated state sentence in 2031. Elizabeth City Chief of Police Eddie Graham echoed the District Court and stated that “drugs ruin people’s lives, break up families, and have a disastrous effect on our community.” Chief Graham asserted that such conduct “will no longer be tolerated.” “Communities across North Carolina have been ravaged by the spread of fentanyl and other opioids, which can lead to overdose deaths,” Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar said today. “When individuals bring this poison into our communities, this United States Attorney’s Office, along with our partners in law enforcement, will act to prosecute those offenders in order to protect the community.” Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, and Elizabeth City Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Logan Liles prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:24-CR-182. ###


title: Federal Jury Finds St. Paul Man Guilty of Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found Noel Hall of St. Paul guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to evidence presented at trial, Noel Debra Hall, 47 , drunkenly brandished a firearm inside a St. Paul apartment at approximately 5:30 a.m. on July 7, 2024. The St. Paul Police Department responded to the apartment complex and engaged in a multi-hour standoff with Hall, who was barricaded inside. Hall surrendered to police after the St. Paul SWAT team deployed a drone inside the apartment. Law enforcement ultimately discovered a semiautomatic pistol and a loaded magazine concealed in a box spring within the apartment. According to court documents, Hall is a former federal defendant convicted in 2019 of possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. He was on supervised release for that conviction when he committed this offense of unlawfully possessing a firearm. “As a convicted felon, Noel Hall was prohibited from possessing a firearm, and his conduct underlying his conviction in this case shows precisely why that was—he was a clear and present danger to the public. St. Paul is a safer place as a result of the jury’s verdict,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the St. Paul Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn tried the case.


title: Juniata County Woman Sentenced To Six Months’ Home Confinement For Social Security And Housing Choice Voucher Program Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Doris Santana, age 54, of Thompsontown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 22, 2025, to six months’ home confinement by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for social security fraud and theft of public money related to her theft of social security and federal housing funds. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between February 2008 and December 2021, Santana was a participant in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), which provided rental assistance to eligible recipients. Between May 2018 and September 2024, Santana also received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the Social Security Administration (SSA). In April 2011, Santana married Individual 1. However, Santana concealed the marriage from the SSA and HUD. Santana’s marriage to, cohabitation with, and receipt of income from Individual 1 rendered Santana ineligible to receive SSI and Housing Choice Voucher Program funds. Judge Wilson also ordered Santana to pay $141,055.10 in restitution. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General and Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney David C. Williams prosecuted the case. # # #