title: Naples Man Sentenced To 30 Years For Coercion And Enticement Of A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Juan Sebastian Perez (24, Naples) to 30 years in federal prison for enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and possession of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Perez was also sentenced to a life term of supervised release and ordered to register as a sex offender. Perez entered a guilty plea on December 18, 2024. According to court documents, from November 2023 through June 26, 2024, Perez was involved with child exploitation, to include the enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and the distribution and possession of CSAM. Perez sought out and chatted with at least one minor over the internet through a social media application. In June 2024, the FBI received a report concerning a 14-year-old child being persuaded by Perez to produce sexually explicit pictures to send to him. At Perez’s urging and direction, the minor sent sexually explicit pictures and videos to Perez. When the FBI executed a search warrant at Perez’s home, Perez agreed to speak with agents and admitted to using several social media applications. Perez told agents that he had come across CSAM online and admitted to soliciting nude images from users with whom he had communicated with. A subsequent forensic examination of Perez’s electronic devices revealed images and videos of CSAM. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the Lake Oswego Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Violent Level 3 Sex Offender From Harwich Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Child Pornography Offense

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Level 3 sex offender from Harwich, with prior violent convictions involving minor victims, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Jonathan Fleischmann, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Fleischmann was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $7,500. In July 2024, Fleischmann pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. “Despite his prior predatory behavior and the fact that he was already facing serious charges in state court – charges that involved ambushing and attempting to kidnap a young girl at gunpoint outside her home – this defendant continued to demonstrate a complete disregard for the safety and well-being of children by downloading hundreds of atrocious CSAM from the dark web. Each image and video he viewed or shared re-victimized the real, vulnerable children depicted in them. These crimes do not exist in a vacuum; they cause significant harm to the children and families affected,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness with which we treat these crimes and our commitment to protecting children from individuals like Mr. Fleischmann, who refuse to learn or take steps toward remediating their vile tendencies.” “Over and over, Fleischman committed deeply disturbing sex crimes aimed at children. For years, he has been a threat to the community but after today’s sentence, he will be off the streets for a decade,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “Child sexual abuse material immortalizes the abuse of a child and those who download, trade, and possess CSAM are perpetuating the trauma those children experienced. We are committed to protecting kids and seeking justice for those victimized through child exploitation.” Fleishmann is a Level 3 sex offender due to prior convictions in Barnstable District Court of Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child Under 14 in 2006, as well as Open and Gross Lewdness and Possession of Child Pornography in 2017 for masturbating to CSAM in a Honey Dew Donuts parking lot. Additionally, in September 2020, Fleischmann was charged in Barnstable Superior Court with home invasion, armed kidnapping and assault to rape for invading a Yarmouth home and forcibly taking a 16-year-old female at gunpoint into her house as she arrived home from school. That investigation also revealed that Fleishmann had accessed a dark web hidden service on his cellphone dedicated to the trafficking of child pornography. He was later released in April 2021 on conditions including cash bail and GPS monitoring. Fleischmann is prohibited from possessing digital devices due to his prior convictions. On March 18, 2023, law enforcement was notified that Fleischmann was observed downloading suspected CSAM media files onto a cell phone at his workplace in Brewster. Specifically, while the phone was left open and charging on a counter, Fleischmann’s co-workers saw that it displayed media files in the process of downloading, with file names that were consistent with CSAM. When approached by law enforcement at his residence later that day, Fleishmann initially denied owning the cell phone but eventually agreed to produce it – retrieving the device from a hidden location beneath a bathroom sink. A subsequent search of the cell phone revealed approximately 255 image files and 55 video files depicting CSAM – including files portraying child rape, sadistic or masochistic conduct and the abuse of infants or toddlers. Fleischmann has remained in federal custody since his May 2023 arrest in this case. In May 2024, Fleischmann was sentenced to 12 years in state prison in connection with the Yarmouth home invasion. Following today’s hearing, the defendant was released into state custody to serve the 12-year state sentence, which will run concurrently with the federal sentence imposed today. U.S. Attorney Foley and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office and the Brewster Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Roofing Business Owner and Payroll Administrator Sentenced for Employment Tax Conspiracy

component: Tax Division

body_text: Two Florida residents were sentenced today to three years and a year and a day in prison, respectively, for conspiring to defraud the United States by not paying employment taxes to the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, William Skaggs Jr. owned and operated Nastar Roofing, a roofing company that worked throughout the Ft. Myers area. Billie Adkison was the business’ main office administrator, whose duties included managing payroll. Between 2013 and 2023, Nastar employees — including Skaggs, Adkison, and others acting at their direction — withdrew over $21 million from the company’s bank accounts to pay employees predominantly in cash without withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from those wages. They did this to escape paying employment taxes they knew were legally required. At times, Nastar used a payroll provider to issue employees nominal paychecks, but Nastar did not inform the payroll company about the cash wages. As such, when the payroll company filed employment tax returns with the IRS, the forms were false because they did not report the cash wages. Similarly, when Nastar did not use a payroll provider and filed its own employment tax returns, it did not report the substantial cash wages paid to employees. Both Skaggs and Adkison signed some of these tax returns, knowing that they were false. In total, Skaggs and Adkison caused a tax loss to the IRS of nearly $2.5 million. In addition to their prison sentences, U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell for the Middle District of Florida ordered Skaggs and Adkison to serve three years of supervised release. The court will determine restitution at a later date. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Sara Sweeney for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Kevin Schneider of the Tax Division and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Leeman and current Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Winter for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.


title: Morgantown Construction Company Owner Admits to Harboring Illegals, Tax Fraud

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Hetzon Marroquin Reyes, owner and operator of A&M Homes, LLC, in Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to harboring illegal aliens for financial gain and tax interference. According to the court documents and statements made in court, Reyes, also known as “Hector,” age 40, hired and harbored illegal aliens to work for his construction company. Reyes created fraudulent driver’s licenses and immigration forms to provide to the West Virginia Division of Labor inspectors. Reyes also used social security numbers issued to persons other than the illegal employees for tax purposes. In some cases, the social security numbers used actually belonged to deceased individuals. “We are committed to protecting the integrity of the United States’ immigration system and preventing the exploitation of that system for any purpose, including commercial advantage and private financial gain,” stated Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard. “Those, like the defendant, who choose to violate the law for a perceived profit will do so at their peril and at the expense of a substantial fine and imprisonment.” Reyes faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the harboring charge and faces up to three years for the tax interference count. A federal district court judge would determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, and the Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided. This case is part of Operation Take Back America [link], 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: Newark Expediter Admits Conspiring To Give Bribes To Newark Officials And Other Fraud

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark-based expediter today admitted to conspiring to give bribes to Newark public officials, including then-Newark Councilmember Joseph A. McCallum, Jr., in connection with real estate development and construction-related transactions and conspiring with others to create and sell falsified documents supposedly issued by the City of Newark in connection with development, construction, rental or sale of such properties in Newark. Baxter also admitted to feigning the need to pay a bribe to a Newark official to fraudulently obtain money for himself and participating in a separate scheme to fraudulently obtain federal COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced. Lamont Baxter, 49, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to seven counts in an information charging him with conspiring to give bribes to Newark officials, giving bribes to McCallum in connection with a developer’s real estate transactions, committing wire fraud in connection with a purported cash bribe payment, conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with falsifying documents purportedly issued by the City of Newark, and committing wire fraud to obtain PPP loans. According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court: As an expediter on real estate and construction matters in Newark, from 2017 through August 2022, Baxter served as a liaison between Newark officials and agencies and individuals seeking permits, Certificates of Continued Occupancy (CCO), Certificates of Code Compliance (CCC), approvals and other actions on an expedited basis. To provide these expediting services, for years, Baxter conspired with others, including developers, to pay cash bribes to various Newark officials so that these officials completed the official acts that Baxter requested on behalf of the developers and others. Baxter would often use the term “taking care of” a Newark official to indicate to a developer when additional cash or extra payment was needed to be added to official fees charged by Newark so that Baxter could use the extra money to bribe a Newark official, such as an official handling the issuance of a CCC. In addition to paying bribes to Newark officials on behalf of others, Baxter also once fraudulently obtained a $10,000 cash payment for himself by falsely indicating to his developer client that the cash was needed to pay a bribe to a Newark official. In that instance, Baxter kept the entire payment for himself and simply pretended that he had given the payment to a Newark Official. Part of Baxter’s participation in the bribery schemes included delivering cash bribes exceeding $5,000 from 2019 to 2020 to then-Councilmember McCallum on behalf of a Newark developer who sought and obtained McCallum’s official assistance in obtaining approvals for real estate projects in Newark. On March 15, 2022, before Judge William J. Martini, McCallum admitted receiving bribes while serving as a Councilmember and a director of the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation, as part of his guilty plea to wire fraud for devising a scheme to defraud Newark and of the right to McCallum’s honest services and subscribing to a false personal tax return for calendar year 2018. Part of Baxter’s expediting services from 2017 to August 2022, included conspiring with others to create and deliver falsified and fraudulent CCOs, CCCs, and certificates of approval issued by the City of Newark notifying a utility that was to provide electricity for a property that the required inspection had been conducted at the property (known as “cut-in cards”) to individuals who needed these official documents in relation to the development, construction, rental or sale of properties in Newark. Baxter and others used this scheme to fraudulently obtain payments from the individuals who required these official documents from the City of Newark. Baxter also used the various entities he incorporated to obtain payments as an expediter to facilitate a scheme to fraudulently obtain PPP loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 and 2021, Baxter participated in preparing and submitting fraudulent PPP loan applications that included false tax forms and documents and contained false information on the application forms, concerning, among other things, the companies’ gross revenue. As part of this scheme, Baxter even attempted to obtain a PPP loan for a lounge that he did not actually own and control, pretending to be its owner. As a result of his fraudulent scheme, Baxter obtained over $40,000 in PPP loan funds. The conspiracy to commit bribery charge in Count 1 of the information to which Baxter pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and the bribery charge in Count 2 to which Baxter pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges in Counts 3 through 7 to which Baxter pleaded guilty each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. All of the charges carry a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims, whichever is greater. Sentencing for Baxter is scheduled for August 12, 2025 at 11 a.m. U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge in Newark Terence G. Reilly in Newark; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea by Baxter. The government is represented by Deputy Chief Jihee G. Suh and Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division and Chief Katherine Calle of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Opioid Unit. All other co-conspirators identified in the Information are presumed innocent until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: John A. McMahon, Esq. baxter.information.pdf


title: Lehigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Crimes

component: Criminal - Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that George “Travis” Woodfield, 41, of Macungie, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., to one count of transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and one count of accessing with intent to view child pornography. Woodfield was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 5, 2024. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Woodfield drove an 11-year-old child across state lines for an overnight trip to New York City in November 2018 in order to engage in sexual activity with the child. During the trip, Woodfield sexually abused the child in their hotel room. Further, between September 2015 and July 2024, Woodfield accessed numerous depictions of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images of prepubescent children being sexually abused. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1 and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum penalty of life in prison. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov . The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and FBI Richmond with assistance from the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section’s High-Tech Investigations Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca J. Kulik, CEOS Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer T. Leonardo, and CEOS Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban.


title: Dominican National Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Possessing with Intent to Distribute Over a Kilogram of Fentanyl

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national living in Boston was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for distributing fentanyl. Santo Rafael Franco Andujar, formerly charged as “John Doe,” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 11 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Franco Andujar was convicted by a federal jury of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. In June and July of 2021, Franco Andujar sold over 100 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Lawrence which was captured on a recording device. In September 2021, Franco Andujar was arrested by law enforcement in possession of over 100 grams of fentanyl. As part of the investigation, law enforcement surveilled the defendant traveling to an apartment in Boston prior to selling fentanyl to the cooperating witness. On the day of Franco Andujar’s arrest, a search warrant was executed at the apartment where over a kilogram of fentanyl hidden inside a wall was recovered. Franco Andujar was originally charged in October 2021 under a pseudonym because he was using the stolen identity of a Puerto Rican man at the time of his arrest. After his conviction, Franco Andujar agreed to reveal his true identity to law enforcement. Franco Andujar is a Dominican national and is present in the United States illegally. Franco Andujar has agreed to provide complete and truthful information to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and that information will be used to determine Franco Andujar’s eligibility for deportation proceedings. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was proved by the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Lauren A. Graber prosecuted the case.


title: Tennessee man pleads guilty to fraudulent investment scheme

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Tennessee man was convicted for running a Ponzi scheme that victimized individuals across the country. According to court documents, Alcides Roman, 66, of Lebanon, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. While operating Remain in Control LLC, Roman defrauded a victim in Overland Park, Kansas, after offering investment opportunities and attractive returns. From June 2020 to October 2020, the victim made multiple wire transfers into Roman’s company bank account and subsequently received “returns” that were in reality partial amounts from the victim’s own investment funds. When the victim stopped receiving payments and inquired, Roman made excuses and sought to lull the victim into a false sense of security. Other victims of Roman’s investment fraud scheme included individuals in New York, New York, Houston, Texas, and Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. The total known loss, based on victims identified to date, is $1,977,857.88. Roman used funds from his schemes to pay for his personal living expenses, buy vehicles and land, send money to numerous foreign and domestic companies, and to make purported “returns” to other victim investors. Roman is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka is prosecuting the case. If you believe you have been victimized by this defendant, please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation by calling 816-512-8200 or visiting https://tips.fbi.gov/home . ###


title: Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking and firearms charges, agreeing to forfeit multiple weapons, vehicles, and over $64,000 in cash seized during a raid on his residence. According to court records, on March 23, 2023, the FBI SWAT team executed a search warrant at Jerry Bezie 's residence in the South Valley. During the operation, agents seized more than 16 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 11,400 grams of fentanyl pills, multiple firearms, ammunition, and other items indicative of drug trafficking activities. In his plea agreement, Bezie admitted to possessing these substances with the intent to distribute and admitted that, as a convicted felon, he was legally prohibited from possessing firearms. As part of his plea agreement, Bezie has agreed to forfeit numerous items, including: Firearms : A Glock 19 9mm pistol, a Glock 29 10mm pistol, an FN Five-seven 5.7x28 caliber pistol, a Sig Sauer P229 .357 sig caliber pistol, and a Steyr-Daimler Puch Aug/SA .223 caliber rifle. Ammunition and Accessories : Three .223 caliber magazines, approximately 308 rounds of .223 caliber cartridges, two 5.7x28 magazines, approximately 46 rounds of 5.7x28 cartridges, approximately 106 rounds of 9mm cartridges, two 9mm magazines, two 9mm casings, three 10mm magazines, and approximately ten rounds of 10mm cartridges. Vehicles and Trailers : A 2006 Hummer 4T vehicle, a 2018 Polaris Slingshot motorcycle, a 2018 Canam ATV, an Interstate Kingman Enclosed Trailer, and a 1984 Dump trailer. Cash and Jewelry : Approximately $64,333.93 in U.S. currency and certain jewelry seized on or about March 23, 2023, excluding specific items belonging to others. 2006 Hummer 4T vehicle 2018 Polaris Slingshot motorcycle 2018 Canam ATV Firearms, ammunition and jewelry The FBI's investigation linked Bezie to Julian Leyba, with both men allegedly supplying fentanyl sold along Central Avenue in Albuquerque. On March 23, 2023, the FBI raided Leyba's residence in Northeast Albuquerque as well. While no drugs were seized from Leyba's home, investigators found six firearms, including a machine gun, which he was prohibited from possessing due to prior felony convictions. Leyba pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession a machine gun on May 2, 2024, and was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervise release. At sentencing, Bezie faces a mandatory 60 months for drug trafficking and an additional 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, for a total of 120 months, and up to life in prison. This sentence will be followed by not less than four years of supervised release. Additionally, Bezie faces a fine not to exceed $5 million or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrinand Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI’s Violent Gang Task Force (VGTF) investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Mysliwiec is prosecuting the case.


title: Massachusetts Man Caught in HSI Investigation into Online Child Predators Pleads Guilty to Sending Sexually Explicit Images

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to attempting to transfer obscene materials to a minor. According to court records, in May 2023, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent in Portland began posing as a 13-year-old girl on Facebook as part of an investigation to identify potential child predators looking to travel to meet minors for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual contact. While on the platform, the undercover agent received numerous friend requests from adult men, including from Steven Tsaitsios , 60. Within the first few conversations, Tsaitsios asked “Kim” her age, and “Kim” told him she was 13. He told the undercover agent that he was 45 years old and lived in Massachusetts, providing his cell phone number so that “Kim” could communicate with him. Tsaitsios communicated with “Kim” for approximately a month during which time he sent two sexually explicit images of himself. The images were later recovered from his phone and sexually explicit conversations were recovered from his Facebook account. In an interview with investigators, Tsaitsios admitted to messaging and having conversations with “Kim” and that he believed her to be a minor. Tsaitsios faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 fine to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. HSI investigated the case. Reports of child sexual exploitation are increasing: In 2023, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline received more than 36 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. That included nearly 187,000 reports of online enticement of children for sexual acts and 36 million reports of child sexual abuse materials. Victimization can take place across every platform, including social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, etc. To make a CyberTipline Report, visit https://report.cybertip.org /. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc . ###


title: California Man Pleads Guilty To Cyber Stalking And Making Threats To Injure

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Robert B. McDougal (29, California) today pleaded guilty to one count of cyber stalking and three counts of interstate transmission of threats to injure. McDougal faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, McDougal made numerous public social media posts threatening to kill an individual and his family members. McDougal started making these threats in July 2020. For example, on August 17, 2020, McDougal posted a video on his Facebook page in which he said, “…I swear to God, [victim]… everyone at [victim’s employer], I’m gonna to f---king slaughter all of you, I am gonna fucking set your whole family on fire, I am gonna f---ing knife off the limbs of every f---ing family member, I’m gonna f---ing murder you all.” The video ended with the following statement: “I’ll get my hands on your children! I will f---in decapitate them!” On January 28, 2021, McDougal was served with an injunction and ordered to stop making these posts. He persisted in making several violent and graphic threats to kill the victim and his family until March 2024. For example, in October 2023, McDougal posted a video on his YouTube channel in which he threatened to “skin [the victim] alive, and the “hurt” the children of VICTIM 1. And in March 2024, McDougal wrote an online post in which he threatened to torture, skin, mutilate, and kill the victim. This case was investigated by the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.


title: Convicted Felon from Millinocket Sentenced for Possessing Firearm

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Millinocket man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Jeffrey Barnard , 61, to time served, approximately 22 months, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Barnard pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025. According to court records, in March 2023, an officer with the East Millinocket Police Department ran a registration check on a vehicle and discovered that it was registered to someone with a suspended driver’s permit. The officer stopped the vehicle, and a confrontation ensued between the officer and the driver, Jeffrey Barnard. Barnard was arrested with the assistance of a second officer and a private citizen. As he was searched, a .22 caliber revolver was found in his jacket pocket. Barnard is precluded from possessing a firearm due an extensive criminal history, which includes a 2017 conviction in the U.S. District Court for being a felon in possession of a firearm in a case that stemmed from an armed standoff with police in Ellsworth. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the East Millinocket Police Department. ###


title: Indictment Charges Ellington Woman with Fraud and Tax Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned a 12-count indictment charging HEATHER MURDOCK, 57, of Ellington, with fraud and tax offenses stemming from an embezzlement scheme. The indictment was returned on March 19, 2025. On March 20, Murdock appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was released on a $40,000 bond. As alleged in the indictment, Murdock was employed as the bookkeeper and office manager at a Hartford law firm, identified in court documents as “Firm A.” Between approximately 2010 and 2022, using Firm A’s bookkeeping software, Murdock generated hundreds of false checks made payable to herself and on which she forged the signature of Firm A’s owner. To conceal her embezzlement, Murdock doctored the bookkeeping system entries to make it appear that the checks had been issued to legitimate vendors. Murdock deposited the forged checks into her own bank account. Murdock stole approximately $583,953 through this scheme. The indictment also alleges that Murdock stole cash rental payment made by tenants of properties owned by Firm A’s owner. To conceal her theft, Murdock generated false checks from Firm A’s bank account payable to the account in which Firm A’s owner received rental income, making it appear that the expected deposits of rental income had been made, and doctored references in the firm’s bookkeeping system. Murdock stole approximately $251,314 through this scheme. The indictment further alleges that Murdock failed to pay federal income taxes on the embezzled funds and her wages from Firm A for the 2013 through 2022 tax years, and that she substantially underreported her income in 2011 and 2012. Murdock’s underreported tax obligations total $248,294. The indictment charges Murdock with five counts of bank fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years on each count; two counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; and five counts of tax evasion, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count. Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elena L. Coronado.


title: Inmate Pleads Guilty to Assault with a Deadly Weapon in USP Atwater

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Jarvell Kent, 30, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to assault with a deadly weapon in the U.S. Penitentiary at Atwater, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on April 28, 2024, Kent chased another inmate around a cell block at USP Atwater while holding a knife-like, jail-made weapon. Kent, along with another inmate, used his jail-made knife to stab the victim, wounding him and requiring medical attention. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case. Kent is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 23, 2025. Kent faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.


title: Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Crimes

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty today to transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to sexually abuse the child and to accessing child sexual abuse material. According to court documents, George “Travis” Woodfield, 41, of Macungie, Pennsylvania, drove an eleven-year-old child across state lines for an overnight trip to New York City in November 2018 in order to engage in sexual activity with the child. During the trip, Woodfield sexually abused the child in their hotel room. Further, between September 2015 and July 2024, Woodfield accessed numerous depictions of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images of prepubescent children being sexually abused. Woodfield pleaded guilty to one count of transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and one count of accessing with intent to view child pornography, including that of a prepubescent minor. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced by the court on July 1 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo and Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca J. Kulik for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition in Ghost Gun

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Donald Henderson, 30, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition in connection with his possession of a loaded ghost gun, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on Sept. 4, 2024, Henderson arranged to sell a rifle to an undercover police officer in Clovis while believing the undercover officer was a prostitute. When officers arrived, Henderson quickly entered a vehicle as a passenger, at which point officers engaged in a high-speed chase during which Henderson threw a rifle out the window. The rifle was a privately manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun,” with a loaded high-capacity magazine. Henderson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions in Fresno County, including for burglary and illegal possession of a firearm. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case. Henderson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 23, 2025. Henderson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Repeat Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: EL DORADO – A Smackover, Arkansas man was sentenced on March 19, 2025, to 180 months in prison without the possibility of parole for receiving child pornography. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in El Dorado. According to court documents, Eric David Ponder , age 46, used an online peer-to-peer program to download child pornography to two different electronic devices. Ponder’s crime came to light when an Ozark Police detective discovered illegal online activity from Ponder’s use of the peer-to-peer program. El Dorado Police detectives and agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation then served a search warrant at Ponder’s residence and discovered the two devices Ponder used to access and receive child pornography. In 2014, Ponder was convicted for Distributing, Possessing, or Viewing Sexually Explicit Conduct Involving a Child in Benton County, Arkansas, and was sentenced to five years in the Arkansas Department of Correction. Ponder was a registered sex offender when he committed the federal offense. Ponder was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in March of 2024 and entered a plea of guilty in September of 2024. U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, El Dorado Police Department, Ozark Police Department, and Smackover Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon Still and Trent Daniels prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – On March 19, 2025, Kevin Lewis, 38, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 96 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Lewis previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. Beginning in February 2020, Lewis, a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, encouraged his wife and brother-in-law to purchase firearms on his behalf over the course of a year and a half. Lewis then sold those firearms to other people, predominantly in California. Lewis’ wife, Karra, and brother-in-law, Isaac Godfrey, both pleaded guilty to the same crime as Lewis. Karra Lewis was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and Godfrey was sentenced to 42 months in prison. All three defendants were arrested in Houston. 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. The Department of Justice has 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Phoenix, with the assistance of ATF Houston, Mesa Police Department Major Crimes Unit, and the Police Department of Houston, conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01809-PHX-DGC RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-041_ Lewis # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Jury Finds Man Guilty of Strangulation in Southeast Washington

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Desmond Fletcher, 37, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, has been found guilty by a jury of one count of felony strangulation and two counts of misdemeanor assault for charges that took place in southeast Washington, D.C., on September 4, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. The verdict was returned on March 24, 2025, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judith Pipe scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2025. According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of September 4, 2023, Fletcher came to the home of the victim, a woman he had been seeing romantically. Once inside, the defendant confronted the victim, following her from room to room, as he strangled and assaulter her, causing her to black-out and urinate. The victim’s minor daughter was also home at the time of the assault. The victim ultimately ran to a next-door neighbor and asked her to call 911. Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of intimate partner violence. A major strangulation study in San Diego, which is frequently cited, found: “Many victims suffer internal injuries, including permanent brain damage. Signs and symptoms do exist and can be documented even without visible injury… Most abusers do not strangle to kill. They strangle to show they can kill. Victims often suffer major long-term emotional and physical impacts. Surviving victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner.” In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Trisha Jhunjhnuwala and Sarah Roessler, from the Domestic Violence Felony Unit of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section of the Superior Court Division, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Philadelphia Felon Convicted at Trial of Drug and Gun Charges

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Norman Copper, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted Friday at trial of one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of possession of firearms by a felon. The defendant was charged by superseding indictment with those offenses in June 2024. In December 2023, the Upper Merion Township Police Department had received information from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Parole Field Services that Copper, who was on state parole at the time for attempted murder, had been intercepted on recorded prison calls and video visits that suggested he might be involved in narcotics sales and/or the illegal possession of firearms. As a condition of his parole, Copper wore a GPS monitor. As proven at trial, GPS location data indicated that he spent many early morning hours at an unapproved area in King of Prussia, Pa., which investigators determined was the apartment of his then-girlfriend. Through physical and video surveillance, Upper Merion detectives saw Copper entering and exiting the apartment on many occasions, often heading in the direction of what was later learned to be a storage unit associated with his girlfriend’s apartment. In January of last year, law enforcement served search warrants on the apartment and storage unit, seizing more than a pound and a half of methamphetamine, three semiautomatic handguns, one of them equipped with a silencer, and one AK-style semiautomatic rifle, weapons that he was not permitted to possess due to his previous felony conviction. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 45 years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Upper Merion Township Police Department, the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey Mills and Justin Ashenfelter.


title: Rochester Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Production of  Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Kevyn Bradley Heath, a Rochester man, has been sentenced to 252 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for the production and distribution of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, between November 19, 2023, and December 31, 2023, Kevyn Bradley Heath, 28, produced child pornography and distributed it over Discord, an online social platform. Heath’s offense involved sexual contact of infant or toddler victims in his custody, care, or control. On November 7, 2024, Heath pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez. Heath was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $106,000. “Child abusers who commit horrific sex crimes and then document that abuse in pictures and videos are among the most vile offenders we prosecute. This conduct is—in a word—sickening,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “My office will continue to stand up for the victims of sexual abuse and seek only the strongest of sentences against defendants who commit these terrible crimes.” This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Rochester Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes prosecuted the case.


title: Tonawanda man charged with distributing child pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Shawn Demmick, 33, of Tonawanda, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution of child pornography, which carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in late December 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a Cybertip that someone had uploaded or shared eight files of child pornography with another user or group of users on the Kik application on December 19, 2024. A review of the files determined that they did include images and videos of child pornography. The screen/username of the suspect listed in the report was “sirbannedalot.” Subsequent investigation traced the account back to Shawn Demmick. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Honduran Man Sentenced for Knowing Possession Without Authority of Identification of Another Person in Connection with Violation of Federal Law

component: Department of Justice

body_text: GULFPORT, MS – A Honduran national sentenced to “49 months” imprisonment for the federal felony offense of Knowing Possession Without Authority of a Means of Identification of Another Person in Connection with Violation of Federal Law. According to court documents, Wilmer Alexander Montufar, age 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Taylor B. McNeel in Gulfport. Additionally, Montufar, who also is known by the name of Wilmer Montuvar-Martinez, was sentenced to three years of supervised release following completion of his prison sentence. Federal law provides for Montufar to face U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) removal proceedings. Montufar previously had been lawfully removed from the United States to his home nation of Honduras. After removal from the U.S., his supervised release period will be non-reporting while he remains outside of the United States. However, if he unlawfully returns to the U.S., Montufar could face separate, consecutive penalties in addition to further prosecution. He was convicted after pleading guilty on October 17, 2024. On May 6, 2024, a Mississippi law enforcement officer observed a vehicle driving northbound on Interstate 59. The Officer observed the vehicle traveling in the left lane and impeding traffic. The Officer conducted a traffic stop on I-59 eastbound at about Mile Marker 31 in Pearl River County. The Officer observed that there were two people inside. The driver was identified by his Honduran passport as Wilmer Alexander Montufar, a citizen of Honduras, and the defendant in this case. The front seat passenger was identified as a 16-year-old female juvenile Honduran citizen. Both Montufar and the juvenile indicated that they could not speak English. A Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office Deputy responded to the traffic stop location to provide translation. The juvenile initially said she was a friend of Montufar but did not know where they were going in Mississippi. Montufar was arrested and taken into custody for violations of Mississippi state law for driving without a driver’s license and traveling in the left lane. Montufar and the juvenile were transported to the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office and, later, the juvenile was turned over to Mississippi Child Protective Services. Pearl River County officials interviewed Montufar which was video recorded. Montufar admitted to bringing the juvenile from Honduras into the U.S. and said he and the juvenile female were in a relationship, and that he was aware that she was sixteen years old. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents arrived at the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office, and transported Montufar to the U.S. Border Patrol Station. At the Border Patrol Station in Gulfport, databases confirmed Montufar had been ordered removed from the U.S. on four occasions. Montufar was removed from the U.S. to Honduras, in or about 2009, 2012, 2013, and 2018. Databases also revealed Montufar had not received permission to apply for readmission to the US from either the Attorney General or the DHS Secretary. Montufar was read his Miranda rights in Spanish and waived his rights verbally and by signing a waiver form in Spanish. He agreed to speak with law enforcement officials in a video-recorded interview, and he admitted to unlawfully entering McAllen, Texas, from Reynosa, Mexico, in about 2022. Montufar also consented verbally and in writing to allowing HSI agents to forensically examine his cellular phone. On-site previews of data extracted from the device revealed about four images of what purported to be a Texas (TX) identification (ID) card bearing Montufar’s image and the name: J.L.T. (represented by initials) about five images of what purported to be Social Security Administration (SSA) cards – four with the name: J.L.T. and one with the name J.L.C., and two images of Montufar’s Honduran ID card bearing Montufar’s image and his official name. When asked about the purported Texas identification card and Social Security cards, Montufar said he purchased the documents for about $800.00 and had been using them for employment purposes. He acknowledged that the documents were false and that he knew they were not issued by a government agency and that he had been using them for his own employment. A lawful Social Security Card shows that the holder may lawfully work in the U.S. Illegal aliens sometimes pay higher amounts (such as $800) for unlawful identification documents with identity information of a real person so documents appear real when employers report to federal and state officials for Social Security, income tax withholding and other purposes. Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon, praised the investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Border Patrol, as well as the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Mississippi Child Protective Services and the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department Lemon and Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Adam M. Calderon, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Ramsey County Carjacker Sentenced to Over 5 Years in Prison

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Ramsey County man has been sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for a string of carjackings and illegal possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, on June 30, 2022, Ricardo Rydell Walker, Jr., 22, approached the owner of a black 2021 Toyota Highlander as they exited the car, demanded everything in the driver’s pockets, and hit them on the left side of the head with a handgun. Walker also participated in three additional armed carjackings between February 2021 and June 2022, one in Minneapolis and two in Saint Paul. In each case, Walker and others used the threat of violence and intimidated the victims with firearms. On July 6, 2022, Walker was arrested in Maplewood, MN, in a stolen car, while in possession of a Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol. On November 26, 2024, Walker pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of receipt of a firearm while under felony indictment. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the St. Paul Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Mattessich and Mary Riverso prosecuted the case.


title: San Joaquin County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison on Federal Gun and Drug Charges

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Alphonso Jimenez, 34, of Stockton, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl and for possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, in 2021, a team of local and federal law enforcement officers partnered in an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Jimenez and co-defendant Erik D. Mendoza-Contreras, 33, of Stockton. On multiple occasions during the investigation, confidential sources working with law enforcement purchased several pounds of narcotics from Mendoza and Jimenez. On Feb. 23, 2022, Jimenez delivered 28 pounds of methamphetamine to Mendoza for further distribution to a customer. A subsequent search of Jimenez’s home recovered 69.2 pounds of methamphetamine, 62.8 pounds of cocaine, 15 pounds of heroin, 9 ounces of counterfeit M-30 pills containing fentanyl, approximately $297,000 in cash, and a firearm. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case. Charges are pending against Mendoza; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Riverside County Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking 44 Kilograms of Cocaine and 10 Kilograms of Heroin

body_text: 37 kilograms of cocaine and 10 kilograms of heroin hidden in car’s roof FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Miguel Perez, 42, of Corona, pleaded guilty today to cocaine and heroin trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, Perez was pulled over by law enforcement officers while driving north on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. Deputies seized 56 kilograms of various narcotics in the car’s two hidden compartments. Seven kilograms of cocaine were hidden in the ceiling of the car, while an additional 37 kilograms of cocaine, 10 kilograms of heroin, and 2 kilograms of ketamine were seized from a hidden compartment in the car’s roof. This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case. Jose Miguel Perez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 23, 2025. Perez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. The actual sentence, however, will 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.


title: Bethel man, 2 California men indicted, arrested for Tramadol trafficking conspiracy

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Bethel man and two California men were arrested this month after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging them with trafficking Tramadol to Alaska. According to court documents, between at least March 2024 and continuing until at least February 2025, Ryan Greydanus, 38, of Bethel, Syed Tahir Turab Naqvi, 45, and Adil Hussain, 39, both residing in California, allegedly conspired together to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Tramadol, a Schedule IV controlled substance. According to the DEA, Tramadol is an opioid analgesic, which means it is used to relieve or reduce pain and is typically taken orally and can result in addiction. It is alleged that tramadol is especially dangerous if used in combination with other drugs or alcohol. Court documents further allege that Naqvi and Hussain are responsible for using the mail to traffic significant quantities of Tramadol from Arizona and California to Greydanus for distribution in rural Alaska. Naqvi and Hussain are allegedly responsible for shipping over 15,000 parcels suspected of containing tramadol across the U.S. from January 2024 to August 2024. The indictment alleges that on two separate occasions in July and August 2024, respectively, Greydanus allegedly attempted to possess with intent to distribute Tramadol in Alaska. The indictment also alleges that in June 2024, Naqvi attempted to distribute Tramadol in Alaska. Greydanus was arrested on March 16, 2025, in Bethel, Alaska; Naqvi was arrested on March 6, 2025, in Azusa, California; and Hussain was arrested on March 6, 2025, in Walnut, California. All three defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Greydanus is also charged with two counts of attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and Naqvi is also charged with one count of attempted distribution of controlled substances. Naqvi and Hussain made their initial court appearance on March 7, 2025, before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Greydanus made his initial court appearance on March 19, 2025, before the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, each defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge David Reames of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division and Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti of the Anchorage Domicile made the announcement. The DEA Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile and Alaska State Troopers are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Tirpak and Mac Caille Petursson are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and drug trafficking. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Mexican national caught dealing drugs and guns sentenced to 10 years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A 49-year-old Vancouver, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 10 years in prison for drug and gun trafficking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Juan Onofre Flores Carrillo, 49, and his co-defendant Jesus Daniel Valenzuela Ayala, 24, were arrested in March 2024 when law enforcement raided their stash house and seized more than seven pounds of fentanyl, 43 pounds of methamphetamine and an assault rifle equipped with a grenade launcher. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “These controlled substances create significant problems for the community. There are individuals who overdose and die from these substances and those who don’t become addicted and become a drain on everyone.” According to the criminal complaint, Flores Carrillo aka “El Cholo,” was identified in early 2023 as a significant fentanyl pill dealer in southwest Washington. For over a year, working with confidential informants, law enforcement made a series of significant drug buys from Flores Carrillo. In one instance Flores Carrillo sold an informant 3,000 fentanyl pills. On another occasion he sold the informant a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine. Twice Flores Carrillo sold the informant high-powered firearms: an AR-type rifle that was a “ghost gun” with no serial number, and a Norinco Mak-90 rifle. In January and February 2024, law enforcement worked to identify the stash house where Flores Carrillo kept his drugs. Flores Carrillo continued to make drug sales of heroin as well as fentanyl. On March 13, 2024, Flores Carrillo agreed to sell 10,000 fentanyl pills. Shortly after he turned over the drugs he was arrested. On November 13, 2024, Flores Carrillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. In asking for a ten-year sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Firearms are a tool of the drug trade, and the danger of drug trafficking comes not only from the effect of drugs on users but from the violence associated with drug trafficking. The firearms that Flores Carrillo possessed and sold to…a person he believed to be a drug trafficker, are highly dangerous and not intended to be in the hands of drug users or drug traffickers.” In imposing sentence, Judge Estudillo commented, “If there’s firearms involved [in drug trafficking], violence could occur among drug dealers and innocent people could get hurt. Codefendant Valenzuela Ayala was the only occupant of the stash house and was arrested. He was sentenced to seven years in prison. Both men are citizens of Mexico who will likely be deported following their prison terms. The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Vancouver Police Department, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Unit, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary Dillon and Max Shiner.


title: Charter fishing boat captain pleads guilty to defrauding Social Security Disability program

body_text: Tacoma – A 50-year-old resident of Westport, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to Social Security Fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Derek Gochanour admitted that he failed to tell the Social Security Administration that he was able to work, and illegally collected $126,928 in benefits. Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo scheduled sentencing for June 9, 2025. According to the plea agreement and civil settlement agreement, in April 2001, Gochanour applied for disability insurance benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) due to his diagnosis of mitochondrial myopathy – a form of muscle disease. In January 2003, a court found Gochanour was disabled, and he began collecting benefits. Just two years later, Gochanour obtained his Merchant Mariner Credential from the U.S. Coast Guard indicating that he was physically able to perform shipboard functions. In January of 2012, the Coast Guard granted Gochanour a medical waiver that required him to submit neurological evaluations regarding the stability of his condition so that he could keep his Merchant Mariner Credential. Gochanour provided the Coast Guard with several of these evaluations. In 2015, Gochanour and an associate purchased a 41-foot charter fishing boat. Gochanour served as the captain, piloting the boat and helping customers catch fish in the ocean waters off of Westport. However, no wages were ever reported for Gochanour’s work on the charter craft. In the plea agreement, Gochanour admits that since at least 2015, his medication and lifestyle allowed him to work several months per year and he should have reported that to SSA. For example, in 2015 Gochanour sent the Coast Guard a letter from his neurologist stating that he was able to work and perform duties on the job. However, he never provided that letter to SSA, even though he had received a notice that he needed to inform the agency of any relevant changes -- including if a doctor said his health had improved. In 2022, Gochanour submitted a Continuing Disability Review Report to SSA that did not disclose his improved health, his Merchant Mariner Credential, or his work as a charter ship captain. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of three months in prison followed by three months of home detention. Chief Judge Estudillo is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law. Social Security fraud is punishable by up to five years in prison. In a parallel civil investigation, Gochanour has agreed to pay the government $253,856 of which $126,928 is restitution for the benefits he wrongly received. The remaining amount owed will settle civil claims. The case was investigated by the Social Security Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS). The criminal case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Ly. The civil case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Katie Fairchild.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Columbus, Ohio, man, Jeffrey Headley, 61, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves to 22 years in prison for the production of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, law enforcement learned that the victim of a known series of child sexual abuse imagery was located in the Eastern District of Kentucky. The images were originally shared on a Russian-based image sharing website in May 2013 and then distributed worldwide. Based upon the pictures of the offender and the account information of the individual that posted the images, law enforcement identified Headley as the person responsible for creating the images. Headley admitted to producing the images of the victim at a time when the victim was in his care, custody, and control. Under federal law, Headley must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HSI and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . – END –


title: Justice Department Statement on Juliana Case

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Today, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition for certiorari by plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States , a case the Justice Department has consistently defended across three presidential administrations. The case, filed in 2015, sought to have courts force the government to implement more stringent, remedial measures related to climate change. The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon agreed to hear the case. The Justice Department moved to dismiss and sought an interlocutory appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Ninth Circuit remanded the case to the district court with instructions to dismiss. The district court accepted an amended complaint, and the circuit court again instructed for the case to be dismissed. The plaintiffs then filed a petition for certiorari in the Supreme Court. “For nearly a decade, lawyers for the plaintiffs in the Juliana case have tied up the United States in litigation, persisting even after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals twice instructed the case to be dismissed because the plaintiffs lack Article III standing,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The U.S. Supreme Court’s cert denial brings this long saga to a conclusion. Through ENRD’s work, the Justice Department is enforcing our nation’s environmental laws and safeguarding America’s air, water, and natural resources. Cases like Juliana distract from those enforcement efforts.”


title: Jury Convicts San Diego Attorney of Securities Fraud

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – After a weeklong trial, San Diego-based securities attorney Andrew Coldicutt was convicted by a federal jury today on all 17 counts of securities fraud, false securities registration statements, and wire fraud in connection with two pump-and-dump market-manipulation schemes. The jury deliberated for less than four hours and determined that Coldicutt used his expertise as an experienced securities lawyer to help clients – who were actually undercover FBI agents – create companies, take them public, release false information about the companies, manipulate the stock for a windfall and conceal their affiliation with those companies. In the first scheme, Coldicutt worked with others from 2017 through 2019 to prepare and execute a pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme. Coldicutt created a business plan for a fake backyard fruit harvesting company. He prepared and filed securities registration statements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of the company’s stock. The securities registration statements contained false and misleading information about the company, its business plans, and the people who owned and controlled the company. In the second scheme, in 2019, one of Coldicutt’s corporate clients needed to raise money fast. Rather than raise money legally, Coldicutt presented the undercover FBI agents with another pump-and-dump stock fraud scheme. Coldicutt wrote a false attorney opinion letter to facilitate the sale of stock for the pump-and-dump scheme. During the trial, the government presented multiple recordings connecting Coldicutt to the crimes, including inventing the business plan in the middle of a meeting with undercover FBI agents. Coldicutt was also recorded accepting $2,500 in cash as an advance on successfully completing the pump-and-dump scheme. Jurors were also presented with encrypted messages where Coldicutt coordinated the plans for the pump-and-dump with a cooperating source. According to testimony during the trial, the expected profit of the first pump-and-dump scheme was approximately $4.85 million, and Coldicutt’s share would be about $240,000. Since Coldicutt was actually working with undercover FBI agents and sources gathering evidence against him, no investors were injured. A “pump and dump” scheme is a type of fraud where manipulators gain control over a company’s stock and boost a company's stock price by spreading false information or trading in a way that creates fake demand. Once the stock price is inflated, they sell off their shares (the “dump”), causing the price to drop and leaving investors with losses. “Securities attorneys and other professionals in the securities industry hold a critical position of trust and responsibility,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden. “When these individuals misuse their legal credentials to commit fraud, it is innocent investors who often bear the brunt of the harm. Thanks to the diligent work of FBI investigators and our prosecution team, we were able to expose the wrongdoing and deliver justice without any investors suffering financial loss. This outcome reflects the extraordinary efforts of all involved.” “Andrew Coldicutt engaged in a deliberate, unlawful and years long securities fraud scheme,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Attorneys are held to a higher standard of conduct and this case proves when an individual in a position of trust abuses their authority for unjust personal gain, the FBI will hold them accountable.” The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta. The Securities and Exchange Commission has also taken civil action against Coldicutt. DEFENDANT Case Number 22cr1881 Andrew Coldicutt Age: 44 San Diego, California SUMMARY OF CHARGES Title 15, U.S.C., Sec. 77q, 77x – Securities Fraud Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison Title 15, U.S.C., Sec. 77g, 77x – False Securities Registration Statements Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 1343 – Wire Fraud Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison INVESTIGATING AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation


title: Syracuse Man Sentenced for Federal Robbery Offense

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Quashawn Pettiford, age 34, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to 71 months in federal prison for Interference With Commerce Through Robbery. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of his prior plea agreement, Pettiford admitted that on January 11, 2022, he and two others entered a gas station in Salina, New York, wearing masks. The other two individuals carried BB guns that appeared to be real firearms. Those individuals pointed the BB guns at the store clerk and one of them pressed a gun into the clerk’s neck while directing the clerk to open the cash register. Pettiford further admitted that he and the other robbers took approximately $1,200 in merchandise from the store shelves, approximately $1,495 from the cash register, and $513 from the clerk’s wallet. Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release to begin after Pettiford is released from prison. Pettiford was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims of the offense and to forfeit the $3,208 proceeds of the offense. FBI investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police, Syracuse Police Department, DeWitt Police Department, and Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie and Thomas R. Sutcliffe prosecuted the case.


title: St. Lawrence County Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving and Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Robert LaVair, age 19, of Louisville, New York, pled guilty today to receipt and possession of child pornography announced United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). As part of his guilty plea, LaVair admitted that in January of 2024, he received numerous images and videos of child pornography by downloading them from the dark web. In addition to child pornography obtained from the internet, LaVair also admitted that he possessed sexually explicit images and videos of a nine-year-old child that he produced while the child was sleeping. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the United States Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. However, if Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes accepts the parties’ agreed-upon disposition at sentencing, scheduled for July 18, 2025, LaVair will receive a federal prison term of between 14 and 15 years to be followed by 15 years of post-release supervision. LaVair will also be required to pay restitution to the children whose images he received and possessed, and will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The case was investigated by HSI and the New York State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adrian S. LaRochelle and Benjamin Gillis as a part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 .


title: Albany Man Pleads Guilty to Pandemic Fraud, Identity Theft, and Falsely Endorsing Stolen Treasury Checks

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK –Collins Bozil, age 26, of Albany, pled guilty today to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and forging endorsements on Treasury checks, for fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and purchasing stolen tax refund checks issued by the United States Treasury. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, Northeast Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG); Jeffrey Burr, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of the United States Secret Service (USSS); and Michael Carpenter, Special Agent in Charge, Northeast Field Division, Department of the Treasury, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), made the announcement. Bozil admitted that from about April 2020 through April 2021, he fraudulently obtained over $143,000 in unemployment insurance benefits. Bozil admitted that he used cryptocurrency to purchase the personal identifying information (PII) of five people. Bozil used the stolen PII to file for unemployment insurance benefits with the New York State Department of Labor. Bozil also admitted to purchasing five stolen tax refund checks worth more than $9,000, which he falsely endorsed before depositing into bank accounts he owned and controlled. Bozil agreed to pay $143,178 to the State of New York, $3,225 to the United States Department of Treasury, and $6,075 to the victims whose identity he stole. Bozil faces at least 2 years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The case was investigated by USDOL-OIG, USSS, and TIGTA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Paulbeck and Joseph S. Hartunian are prosecuting the case.


title: Ames Nurse Practitioner and Business Owner Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Abusing and Trafficking Dozens of Children and Adults

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – An Ames man was sentenced today to life in federal prison on each of fifteen counts of sex trafficking by fraud and coercion. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Carl Dale Markley, 45, from at least 2001 to April 2023, used fraud and coercion to cause dozens of teenage boys and young men, and a few young women, to engage in sex acts in exchange for money or some other benefit. Markley was a nurse practitioner in Ames and owned several businesses. Over a course of years, Markley used his professions and position in the community to befriend and gain the trust of victims, and then groom and repeatedly sexually abuse them. For a number of victims, Markley placed hidden cameras in locations to record this abuse. Markley exploited the trust his victims placed in him. He lied to victims that sex acts and sexual contact were needed because, among other things, he was conducting research for various research institutions or sexual-health companies, his insurance company required victims to undergo physicals which he could perform, or he was obtaining advanced degrees. None of Markley’s justifications were true. The criminal investigation into Markley’s activities began in December 2022, when the Ames Police Department received a complaint that Markley had been conducting physicals on minor male children without parental consent. Ultimately, the Ames Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses, completed roughly thirty-five search warrants, and obtained documents and other materials from various research institutions and sexual-health-related entities. They also seized and searched dozens of electronic devices, including seven cellphones and ten computers determined to be Markley’s and on which they located the hidden-camera materials Markley had created, internet-based child pornography, including images depicting children under the age of twelve, and other evidence of Markley’s crimes. At sentencing, Markley continued to provide false justifications for his behavior. Chief District Judge Stephanie M. Rose described Markley’s claims as “delusional.” In November 2023 , Markley was charged with 17 federal crimes, including 15 counts of sex trafficking by fraud and coercion, one count of sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of possession of child pornography. In November 2024 , Markley pleaded guilty to the 15 sex-trafficking counts. “This case is a stark reminder that those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain will be held accountable,” said Ames Police Department Police Chief Geoff Huff. “We commend the bravery of the victims who came forward and the relentlessness of our officers and partner agencies in bringing this perpetrator to justice.” FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Carl Markley used trust and manipulation to exert control over his victims and fulfill his criminal sexual fantasies. His young victims suffered reprehensible abuse. The FBI and our local, state, and federal partners are committed to bringing sexual predators to justice, holding them accountable for their crimes and helping to provide a path towards healing for survivors.” DCI Assistant Director Don Schnitker said, “Today marks a significant victory in Iowa’s ongoing fight against human trafficking. The survivors in this case showed immense bravery in coming forward, and today’s outcome ensures that Markley will never harm another person again.” “Markley’s life sentence was absolutely warranted and necessary to permanently prevent anyone from being victimized by him again,” said United States Attorney Richard Westphal. “His defiance and failure to accept responsibility only exemplifies what a monstrous sexual predator he is. Our gratitude to the courage of the victims in this investigation and the dedication of the law enforcement personnel who identified and proved Markley’s horrendous acts of sex trafficking and abuse.” United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This criminal case was investigated jointly by the Ames Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Essley and Amy L. Jennings prosecuted the case with the assistance of Victim Witness Specialist Charlotte Kovacs. Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely. Victims particularly susceptible to being trafficked include those with criminal histories, a history of physical or sexual abuse, uncertain legal status, and dependency on controlled substances. Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. If anyone has information about this case, they are urged to call the Ames Police Department, FBI, or Iowa’s Division of Criminal Investigation, or call the National Human Trafficking Hotline.


title: Kidnapper Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: According to court documents, Tony Scott, Jr., 28, pleaded guilty to kidnapping a woman in Mobile, Alabama, in December 2019. Court records show that Scott forced her at gunpoint to drive him across state lines into Georgia where she was able to escape. Law enforcement utilized a K-9 unit to track Scott, and he was ultimately captured in possession of a handgun. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Scott was ordered to serve five years of supervised release following the conclusion of his sentence. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasee S. Heisterhagen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Two Sylacauga Residents Sentenced in Fake Gold Scheme

body_text: According to court documents and testimony, Rossie Windham, age 42, and Dylan Jemison, age 21, both of Sylacauga, conspired with a third individual who, due to his age at the time of the conspiracy, is identified only as Minor-1, to fraudulently sell counterfeit precious metals to victims in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Starting around April 2023, the minor began advertising gold and silver coins and bars for sale on Facebook Marketplace. According to the minor, he inherited these items from a relative and was selling them below market value because he wanted to buy a truck and put money towards college. Between April and August 2023, Windham helped the minor sell these items by communicating with some of the victims to arrange sales and sometimes accompanying the minor to the location where the victim would pay cash for what the victim believed to be genuine precious metals. On at least one occasion, Windham handled the fraudulent transaction himself. Around August 2023, Windham stopped operating with the minor, who then recruited then-19-year-old Dylan Jemison into the scheme. In October 2023, a victim in Foley, Alabama purchased counterfeit gold bars from Jemison and the minor. After the victim determined that the gold bars were counterfeit and notified police, the Foley Police Department set up a sting operation to purchase more gold. Jemison was arrested when he attempted to sell more counterfeit gold to the victim, and a search of Jemison’s phone revealed the scale of the fraud scheme and the involvement of both the minor and Windham. In total, Windham, Jemison, and the minor fraudulently obtained over $120,000 from victims. Some of the victims were reimbursed by Windham during the course of the conspiracy. However, the court ordered both Windham and Jemison to pay $87,000.00 in restitution to seven victims who had not been reimbursed. In addition to restitution, Windham and Jemison both agreed to forfeit their illicit proceeds to the United States. The Foley Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with special assistance from the Foley Coin Shop. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bodnar prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.