title: Chinese Nationals with Ties to the PRC Government and “APT27” Charged in a Computer Hacking Campaign for Profit, Targeting Numerous U.S. Companies, Institutions, and Municipalities

body_text: WASHINGTON – A federal judge in Washington, D.C., today, unsealed two separate indictments that allege Chinese nationals Yin Kecheng , 38, (尹 可成) a/k/a “YKC” (“YIN”) and Zhou Shuai , 45, ( 周帅) a/k/a “Coldface” (“ZHOU”) violated various federal statutes by participating in years-long, sophisticated computer hacking conspiracies that successfully targeted a wide variety of U.S.-based victims from 2011 to the present-day. According to the documents unsealed today, the defendants targeted a multitude of U.S. victim companies, municipalities, and organizations for profit, causing millions of dollars’ worth of damages. YIN and ZHOU, who have ties to the government of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), are alleged to have stolen and exfiltrated data from numerous U.S.-based technology companies, think tanks, defense contractors, government municipalities, and universities that they later brokered for sale. Arrest warrants have been issued for YIN and ZHOU, who both remain fugitives. The unsealing by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is part of the coordinated effort by Department of Justice (the “Department”), other U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the U.S. Department of Treasury (“Treasury”), and private sector partners that highlights the Chinese government’s unique role in intentionally promoting and protecting the wide-scale computer hacking activity by its citizens. According to court documents unsealed today, the PRC Ministry of Public Security (“MPS”) and Ministry of State Security (“MSS”) directed or financed Chinese hackers, such as the defendants, to conduct computer intrusions against high-value targets in the United States and elsewhere. Victims include U.S.-based critics and dissidents of the PRC, a large religious organization in the United States, the foreign ministries of multiple governments in Asia, and U.S. federal and state government agencies, including most recently in 2024. According to court documents, the MPS and MSS employed an extensive network of private companies and contractors in China to hack and steal information in a manner that obscured the PRC government’s direct involvement. By employing these hackers-for-hire, the PRC government further allowed these same hackers to profit by committing additional computer intrusions around the world with impunity, and then to sell stolen data through Chinese data brokers. The PRC government’s state-sponsorship and protection of these hackers resulted in the loss of sensitive, valuable and personal identification information that was a direct harm to U.S. entities and other foreign governments and victims. In conjunction with the unsealing, the Department announced the judicially authorized seizure of internet domains linked to YIN that he used in facilitating the conspiracy’s network intrusion activity. In addition, the Department announced the judicially authorized seizure of a Virtual Private Server (“VPS”) account linked to ZHOU that he used to facilitate network intrusion activity. In conjunction with these actions, the Treasury announced sanctions against ZHOU and his company Shanghai Heiying Information Technology company, Limited (“Shanghai Heiying”). YIN was previously sanctioned for his role in the recent Treasury network compromise in January 2025. “These indictments and actions show this Office’s long-standing commitment to vigorously investigate and hold accountable Chinese hackers and data brokers who endanger U.S. national security and other victims across the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. “The defendants in these cases have been hacking for the Chinese government for years, and these indictments lay out the strong evidence showing their criminal wrongdoing. We, again, demand that the Chinese government put a stop to these brazen cyber criminals who are targeting victims across the globe and then monetizing the data they have stolen by selling it across China.” “The defendants allegedly waged a yearslong hacking campaign against U.S.-based organizations to steal their data and sell it to various customers, some of whom had connections to the Chinese government,” said FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Today's indictment is the first step toward bringing these perpetrators to justice for endangering U.S. national security and causing significant financial losses for both U.S. and foreign companies. The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue these hostile cyber actors to the full extent of the law.” “The defendants’ years-long hacking conspiracy to steal data from Cleared Defense Contractors that support the U.S. military—among many other U.S.-based victims—and sell it to customers with ties to the Chinese government poses a significant threat to our national security,” said NCIS Cyber Operations Field Office Special Agent in Charge Josh Stanley. “NCIS remains committed to working with the FBI and our law enforcement partners around the world to expose malicious actors who seek to undermine the cybersecurity of the Department of the Navy.” “The Department of State appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with the Department of Treasury, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia in announcing today’s actions,” said Senior Bureau Official F. Cartwright Weiland of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). “With reward offers up to $2 million each for malicious cyber actors Zhou Shuai and Yin KeCheng under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program, we ask the public to contact the FBI with tips to help bring these cybercriminals to justice.” Overview Today’s announcement reflects nearly a decade-long effort by the Department and the FBI. The action targets actors that various security researchers have historically referred to as “APT27,” “Threat Group 3390,” “Bronze Union,” “Emissary Panda,” “Lucky Mouse,” and “Iron Tiger,” and more recently referred to as “UTA0178,” “UNC 5221,” and “Silk Typhoon.” The Department obtained a 19-count indictment against YIN on May 2, 2018 (the “2018 Indictment”) from a grand jury sitting in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The 2018 Indictment, which alleges conduct between August 2013 and December 2015, charges wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”). Another federal grand jury in the District of Columbia indicted both YIN and ZHOU on March 28, 2023 (the “2023 Indictment”), with similar offenses. Specifically, the 2023 Indictment, which alleges conduct between June 2018 and November 2020, charges conspiracy, wire fraud, various violations of the CFAA, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. On March 4, 2025, a federal magistrate judge sitting in the District of Columbia authorized FBI to seize a VPS account and multiple internet domains involved in the criminal activity. According to the unsealed affidavits in support of those warrants, ZHOU utilized the VPS account to create additional accounts used to facilitate computer intrusion activity and to discuss the sale of access to compromised computer networks. Separately, YIN utilized his own servers and stood up the seized domains to exploit victim computer networks to include networks at Treasury. Computer Hacking Scheme As alleged in the documents unsealed today, at various points between August 2013 and December 2024, YIN, ZHOU, and their unindicted co-conspirators used sophisticated hacking tools and techniques in their efforts to overcome network defenses and avoid detection of numerous hardened targets in the United States and around the world. The defendants and their co-conspirators would routinely scan victim networks for vulnerabilities, exploit those vulnerabilities with sophisticated hacking techniques, and conduct reconnaissance once inside a victim’s network. The defendants and their co-conspirators and would install malware that would allow them to maintain persistent access and enable them to communicate with malicious external servers and other hacking infrastructure. The defendants and their co-conspirators would identify and steal data from the compromised networks by exfiltrating the data to servers under their control. The stolen data was then brokered for sale and provided to various customers, some of whom had connections to the PRC government and military. Targeting of U.S. Victims According to the 2018 Indictment, YIN targeted U.S.-based defense contractors, technology firms, and think tanks, among other victims. The 2018 Indictment alleges YIN openly discussed his preference for targeting American victims. For example, on one occasion in September 2013, YIN told an associate he wanted to “mess with the American military” and “break into a big target” so that he could earn enough money to buy a car. YIN used mapping software to identify network vulnerabilities for the purpose of gaining unlawful access to victim computer and installing malware. YIN used stolen network credentials to maintain persistent access to victim networks and utilized intermediary servers or “hop points” and malicious domains to remotely access and exfiltrate victim computer data. According to the 2023 Indictment, YIN, ZHOU, and others targeted U.S.-based companies like technology and defense contractors, law firms, communication service providers, local governments, health care systems, and think tanks. The 2023 Indictment charges YIN and ZHOU with scanning victim networks for access points and also exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities. Once inside the networks, YIN other conspirators would then install malware such as web shells to maintain persistent access. YIN and other conspirators would then use hop point servers to exfiltrate stolen data to servers under YIN’s control. ZHOU then brokered access to such stolen data to interested third parties for a financial profit. The indictment further alleged that YIN, ZHOU, and other conspirators laundered cryptocurrency payments for their operational infrastructure from locations outside of the United States through the U.S. financial system. The affidavit in support of the seizure warrant for the VPS account alleges that ZHOU used servers created by the account in order to establish a virtual private network (“VPN”) that would encrypt network traffic such that the true location and IP address of the actor or actors would be obfuscated. ZHOU also used the VPS accounts to create other accounts through which he communicated with buyers who were interested in obtaining access to computer networks compromised by YIN. ZHOU also used the accounts for victim reconnaissance purposes. The affidavit in support of the seizure of the domains alleges that funds used to purchase computer network infrastructure used in numerous victim network breaches ultimately connected to an account registered in YIN’s name, from China, using an email address and phone number belonging to YIN. Of particular note, a virtual private server account controlled by YIN was associated with the compromise at Treasury. This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) who continue to investigate malicious cyber activity associated with these defendants and threat actors and continue to notify affected victims immediately once any networks intrusions are discovered. The FBI’s Cyber Division and Department of Defense’s Cyber Crimes Center provided valuable assistance to the investigation. Private partners from Microsoft, Volexity, Palo Alto Networks Unit 42, and Mandiant also provided valuable assistance with this investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack F. Korba, and Tejpal S. Chawla, and National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section Trial Attorney Tanner Kroeger. Paralegal Specialist Michael Watts and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Demian Ahn and Opher Shweiki for the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia provided assistance on this case. An indictment is merely an allegation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. f_ykc_indictment_18-cr-00126.pdf 23-cr-99_indictment.pdf


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Elijah Shores, 30 years old, of Irving, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl, possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Shores was sentenced to 200 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Indiana State Police and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Dominican National Indicted for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national was arraigned yesterday for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Melvin Villar, 60, of Lawrence, Mass., was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Villar was arrested by immigration authorities on Feb. 2, 2025, at the Essex County House of Correction in Middleton. Villar was previously convicted of unlawful reentry in February 2021 in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi Appoints Steven D. Weinhoeft as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed Steven D. Weinhoeft to serve as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Weinhoeft, returns to the role he held from 2018 to 2022, bringing decades of experience in federal law enforcement and complex litigation to the position. “I am honored and excited to return to this role to serve the people of the Southern District of Illinois,” said Weinhoeft. “I look forward to working with Attorney General Bondi, our talented team, and our law enforcement partners to uphold the rule of law with integrity and resolve.” Weinhoeft has served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois since February 2008, holding multiple leadership roles, including United States Attorney (2018–2022), First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Supervisor of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and Dangerous Drugs Division. Weinhoeft has built a career spanning nearly 29 years. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he spent more than a decade at the Sangamon County (Ill.) State’s Attorney’s Office, including serving as its First Assistant State’s Attorney and Chief of the Criminal Division. He has significant trial experience, and his expertise includes broad areas of state and federal law, including violent crime, multi-district and international drug conspiracies, public corruption, national security, and complex financial crimes. He has technical experience serving as the office’s criminal Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Coordinator. He also serves as the Digital Asset Coordinator with specialized expertise in cryptocurrency and blockchain issues. The Southern District of Illinois covers 38 counties in southern Illinois and serves approximately 1.2 million people. The district has offices in East St. Louis, Benton, and Fairview Heights. As U.S. Attorney, Weinhoeft will again serve as the chief federal law enforcement official representing the United States in all civil and criminal litigation. His appointment took effect on Feb. 28, 2025, and he was formally sworn into the position by Chief United States District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel at a ceremony Monday.


title: Lame Deer man sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for trafficking meth and possessing guns in large-scale investigation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man who trafficked methamphetamine and possessed guns in furtherance of that trafficking as part of large-scale, multi-state operation that was centered on the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Indian Reservations was sentenced today to 196 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Geofredo James Littlebird, Jr., 40, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that federal law enforcement, in collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, engaged in a large-scale, multiple-state narcotics trafficking investigation centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one referred to as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations. Littlebird was one of the individuals affiliated with the investigation. Littlebird distributed drugs primarily out of a house on Northern Cheyenne and also directed distribution of meth on Crow. The government further alleged that beginning in 2022, law enforcement became aware of Littlebird’s distribution activity and subsequently purchased methamphetamine from him or his associates on multiple occasions. Littlebird sold drugs out of his house, sold drugs while possessing guns, and even had his mother sell drugs for him. In August 2022, law enforcement used confidential sources to make several purchases of meth from Littlebird and his associates. During one purchase, a handgun was next to Littlebird. Following the drug buys, agents searched Littlebird’s house and seized evidence of drug distribution, multiple firearms, body armor, and meth. In October 2022, Littlebird’s house was searched again and law enforcement recovered four more guns and almost 30 grams of meth. This is Littlebird’s second federal felony drug offense – he previously served 10 years in prison following a 2010 conviction for conspiracy to distribute meth. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . XXX


title: Five-Time Deported Mexican National Arrested in New Braunfels

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national was arrested in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged illegal re-entry. According to court documents, Jose Guadalupe Deciga-Lopez was arrested during a vehicle stop in New Braunfels on March 3. Immigration records reflect Deciga-Lopez had been previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico once in 2014, twice in 2017, again in 2018 and, most recently, in 2023. If convicted, Deciga-Lopez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is investigating the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Marie Cordova is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Brentwood Man Charged with Making Interstate Threats to Bomb the Nashville Federal Courthouse

body_text: NASHVILLE – Alexander Thompson, 35, of Brentwood, Tennessee, was arrested by federal agents and charged by criminal complaint with making threats in interstate commerce and making a threat in interstate commerce to damage or destroy a building or property by means of fire or an explosive, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We take dangerous threats to public spaces and public servants extremely seriously and will always act swiftly to hold those responsible accountable for their actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “People who work in courthouses, and citizens who attend proceedings there, should be free from threatening behavior.” According to the complaint, on March 2, 2025, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (“MNPD”) received a notification from a representative of the Tucker Carlson Network (“TCN”), stating that TCN had received an email from Email Address 1 that contained the following verbiage : “I wanted to update you. Within 1-2 weeks, I will firebomb the Fred D Thompson Federal building and Courthouse in downtown Nashville. Beyond this singular act of violence, I bear no hostility towards America itself, and would be calm and peaceful to arrest prior to this act (and afterwards). I do not wish to shoot or kill law enforcement, I am rational, nonsuicidal, and would like to live a long life, but the attacks, harassment, torture against myself at the hands of a bunch of criminals has become unbearable. But, the current American Government is no longer lawful and legitimate and must therefore be exposed and overthrown pursuant to Founding documents of the United States. Despite informing thousands of politicians, local and federal law-enforcement, and various other parties, the nightly torture via targeted dream incubation, attacks, harassment, etc. continue. There is a surveillance&control backdoor present on every device in the Country, likely the It is my duty as both a person and as an American to not only stop horrendous physical and digital attacks against myself, but also inform my nation that it is on the brink of totalitarianism. I view my actions through the lens of necessity as I have tried every other available means to cease the torture, attacks, and to inform my Country that it is in the midst of a coup against it(but not by me). Thank you, Alex” TCN provided a possible X (formerly Twitter) account bearing username @cryptokeeper434, with a display name of “Alex.” This account is believed to be utilized by Thompson due to recent posts made showing the production and testing of a device which resembled a “Molotov cocktail.” A review of the publicly available X account for @cryptokeeper434 showed the following posts and photos of concern: X: @cryptokeeper434 X: @cryptokeeper434 X: @cryptokeeper434 A review of the publicly available X page for @cryptokeeper434, revealed photos of the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse, which is located at 719 Church Street, in Nashville. The Thompson Courthouse houses numerous employees, including employees of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, the Office of Probation and Pretrial Services for the Middle District of Tennessee, the United States Marshals Service, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee. On March 3, 2025, MNPD officers arrested Thompson at his place of work in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. An MNPD officer and a mental health co-op crisis intervention team member spoke with Thompson, after which he stated to another law enforcement officer words to the effect of: You read the email, I was going to bomb the building, I couldn’t change the system from the outside and I need to be arrested to effect change from the inside. On March 3, 2025, MNPD officers obtained a search warrant for Thompson’s residence to look for bomb making materials and other evidence of criminal conduct. During the execution of this warrant, investigators found multiple empty jars, wicks, and wax, consistent with the items depicted in the X posts above. Investigators also located a Molotov cocktail that was assembled and just missing a fuel source. If convicted, Thompson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Nashville Field Office is investigating the case. Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # # #


title: Kyle Man Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Beating, Striking, or Wounding. The sentencing took place on February 28, 2025. Patrick Garrett, age 30, was sentenced to one year in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Garrett was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on December 13, 2024. On April 9, 2024, Garrett was with his girlfriend, and their two young children. An argument took place inside a car between Garrett and his girlfriend. Once the car stopped, his girlfriend exited the vehicle and attempted to remove their children from the car. Garrett did not want her and their children to leave. Garrett exited the vehicle, restrained her, pushed her to the ground, and got on top of her. Garrett then forced her into the backseat of the car. She attempted to call 911 and Garrett took the phone and threw it out of the window of the car. During the drive, Garrett struck her on the legs with his fist and yelled at her. When the vehicle stopped again, the girlfriend was able to run for help and was transported to the hospital for bodily injuries from the assault. An individual in the area of the altercation called 911 and reported to dispatch that she observed a woman shouting for help from the rear of the vehicle. This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case. Garrett was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Prior Convicted Felon Who Led Distribution Network That Had Access to and Distributed Kilograms of Drugs During the Height Of The COVD-19 Pandemic is Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Joseph Twilley, 65 years old, of Detroit, was sentenced to just over 13 years in prison. United States District Judge Laurie J. Michelson sentenced the Detroit-based leader for overseeing a drug trafficking network that distributed kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin; laundering his drug money; and possessing firearms despite being a convicted felon, announced Acting United States Attorney Julie Beck. Beck was joined in the announcement by Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration, Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Charles E. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Detroit Field Division. Twilley was able to obtain kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when drug prices skyrocketed as supplies dwindled. DEA and FBI’s investigation culminated in the seizure of 15 kilograms of cocaine shipped from California in a hidden compartment in a vehicle. Agents then searched Twilley’s residence and recovered heroin, fentanyl, multiple firearms, and bulk currency. IRS CI uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars that Twilley laundered through various bank accounts for businesses he set up to hide his drug proceeds from law enforcement. “Our office works collaboratively with our federal law enforcement partners to hold drug traffickers accountable for distributing opioids and other illegal drugs into our communities while profiting handsomely and trying to hide and launder their drug proceeds. We have to stop not only the drug trafficking, but we have to remove the financial incentive to truly take down an organization like Twilley’s,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beck. “Illegal drug distribution operations like the one Mr. Twilley was overseeing, ravages the very foundation of our communities. Every time we take deadly drugs like fentanyl, heroin and cocaine off the streets, lives are saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our federal law enforcement partners here in Michigan,” said Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA. "The sentencing of Joseph Twilley sends a clear and powerful message: those who orchestrate the distribution of illegal drugs, engage in money laundering, and illegally possess firearms will be held fully accountable under the law," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office. "Through our collaboration with the DEA and IRS, we have successfully dismantled a significant drug trafficking network. The FBI remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to combat violent and white-collar crime, ensuring our communities' continued safety and security in Michigan." “This sentencing signals an important victory for the American public. The role of IRS Criminal Investigations in narcotics investigations is to follow the money so we can financially disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations,” said Charles Miller, IRS Criminal Investigations, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office. “We are proud to work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to hold criminals accountable and make our communities safer.” The investigation of the case was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement (OCDETF) Southeast Regional Strike Force, an Initiative that provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Hutting and Rajesh Prasad prosecuted the case for the United States.


title: Convicted Crescent City Murderer Sentenced To More Than Five Years In Federal Prison For Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger today sentenced Francisco Javier Arroyo (31, Crescent City) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Arroyo pleaded guilty on September 25, 2024. According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from February through July 2021, Arroyo distributed methamphetamine and cocaine along with a number of conspirators, including Alejandro Alvarado (30, Crescent City), Miguel Angel Perez (29, Deland), Jose Martinez (43, Crescent City), Jonathan Arroyo Ontiveros (25, Crescent City), Noel Bueno Jr. (27, Crescent City) and others – all of whom lived in close proximity to one another in Crescent City. Miguel Angel Ortiz (29, Crescent City) also served as a courier to deliver multi-kilogram shipments of methamphetamine from Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia to the Crescent City neighborhood in which Arroyo and others operated. Arroyo delivered ounces of methamphetamine and cocaine primarily to Robert Wayne Watson (59, Seville), who operated out of his home in Seville. Watson then redistributed ounces of methamphetamine to mid-level dealers located throughout central Florida, including George Edward Sykes (46, Bunnell), Danny Wayne Holmes (61, Kathleen), Dina Dynnette Kempher (38, Satsuma), and David John Doerr (56, Astor). On July 16, 2021, the FBI arrested multiple individuals in Crescent City and Seville as part of this drug conspiracy. Around the same time, Arroyo was arrested in Missouri in connection with a triple homicide on July 13, 2021, in Crescent City. Arroyo was later convicted of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder for the surviving victims. He was sentenced to 22 years in Florida state prison. After his murder conviction in April 2024, Arroyo was transported to federal court to face charges for drug distribution occurring in 2021. Upon completing his state sentence, he will serve an additional 5 years and 10 months in federal prison. To date, 12 individuals have pleaded guilty and were sentenced to federal prison terms in connection with this conspiracy. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Massachusetts State Employee and Prison Inmate Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle K2-Laced Paper into Federal Prison

body_text: BOSTON – A Bridgewater, Mass. woman and an inmate at the federal prison FMC Devens have been charged with conspiring to distribute a synthetic cannabinoid, also known as “K2,” into FMC Devens. The inmate had been granted clemency on Jan. 17, 2025 reducing his 2022 federal prison sentence for drug distribution. Tasha Hammock, 43, an employee with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and Raymond Gaines, 45, an inmate at FMC Devens, are charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance analogue. Hammock was arrested yesterday and made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. Gaines will make an initial appearance at a later date. On Jan. 25, 2022, Gaines was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court in Boston to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. At the time he committed the offenses, he was on federal judicial supervised release after serving a prison sentence resulting from a 2017 conviction for distributing cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school. According to court records, in both prior cases Gaines was alleged to be an associate of the Orchard Park Trailblazers, a street gang in Boston. On Jan. 17, 2025, Gaines received an Executive Grant of Clemency, reducing his current federal sentence to five years in prison. According to the charging document, on Aug. 18, 2024, Hammock, while visiting Gaines in the prison, surreptitiously passed K2-laced papers to Gaines, which he pocketed. In addition, Hammock allegedly previously handled money connected with the distribution of K2 to Gaines in FMC Devens, and she allegedly received K2 at her residence for distribution into the prison. The criminal complaint describes how law enforcement became interested in Hammock’s visits to Gaines after obtaining a cellphone that had allegedly been smuggled to an inmate in the prison (“Inmate A”). In September 2023, Inmate A allegedly sent messages on the cell phone to another person (“Person 1”), discussing obtaining K2 in prison. Inmate A allegedly told Person 1 that the drugs could be delivered to a particular address in Bridgewater – later determined to be Hammock’s residence - and that Inmate A’s “co” would arrange for the drugs to be brought into the prison from there. As described in the charging document, K2 presents a health problem at FMC Devens, where inmates have become sick from smoking paper believed to contain K2, as well as prison staff who have been exposed to the secondary smoke. The charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance analogue carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.


title: United States Attorney Durham Launches the Eastern District of New York’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York John J. Durham announced today the creation and launch of the Eastern District of New York’s Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) Strike Force. Capitalizing on the Office’s preeminence in this area, the Strike Force will focus on investigating, prosecuting and dismantling cartels and TCOs, and their senior leadership by bringing charges that include terrorism, racketeering and operating a continuing criminal enterprise. “I am establishing this Strike Force with immense pride in what this Office has already accomplished, as well as the knowledge that there is much more work to be done in the fight against TCOs,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Because of my Office’s significant experience and expertise in this area, we have a responsibility to our community and our country to dismantle these ruthless organizations from the top down in order to stop the violence, flow of drugs, and dangers they unleash in our District and across the nation.” For more than two decades, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has been a nationwide leader in prosecuting many of the most significant TCOs in the country and the world, including innovative indictments of the highest-ranking international leaders of the La Mara Salvatrucha ( MS-13 ), Sinaloa Cartel , Guadalajara Cartel, Juarez Cartel , H-2 Drug Cartel , Clan de Golfo and others. In addition, this Office has investigated and prosecuted numerous other TCOs that have a significant operating presence in our district, including the Trinitarios , 18th Street and, more recently, Tren de Aragua (TdA). Notably, United States Attorney Durham has been at the forefront of these prosecutions, leading and serving on the Attorney General’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force Subcommittee for MS-13 and directing Joint Task Force Vulcan , while other AUSAs in the Office have served on the subcommittees for Sinaloa, Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) Cartel, Hezbollah and Clan de Golfo. Consistent with the Attorney General’s memorandum titled “TOTAL ELIMINATION OF CARTELS AND TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS” issued on February 5, 2025, which provided further guidance regarding President Trump’s January 20, 2025 Executive Order regarding TCOs such as TdA and MS-13, the Strike Force’s mission is as follows: Investigating, prosecuting and dismantling cartels and TCOs, with a particular focus on their senior leadership and management, including without limitation: Mexican drug cartels such as the Sinaloa, H-2, Juarez, CJNG and Clan de Golfo cartels, and TCOs that have a significant operating presence in the District, such as MS-13, the Trinitarios, the 18th Street gang and TdA. Disrupting the criminal activities of TCOs, particularly those operating in the United States and/or that impact United States victims at home or abroad, including TCOs engaged in criminal activity involving terrorism; racketeering; drug trafficking, particularly with respect to fentanyl and fentanyl precursors; violent crime; human trafficking and smuggling; corruption of foreign officials; money laundering; immigration crimes; and fraud and cybercrime schemes. Identifying the sources and methods of illicit funds related to TCO financing and profits, and seizing and forfeiting bank accounts, digital assets, real property and other assets that are criminally derived, commingled with criminal proceeds, or otherwise involved in money laundering by or in support of TCOs. Coordinating the investigative efforts of the Office’s federal law enforcement partners in the Eastern District and beyond, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service, as well as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA), state and local police departments and district attorneys’ offices. Strengthening the Office’s partnerships and coordination with other Department of Justice components, including the National Security Division, Criminal Division, Joint Task Force Vulcan, Joint Task Force 10-7, Joint Task Force Alpha, OCDETF, MLARS, NDDS, OIA and other United States Attorney’s Offices. The Chief of the International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section Francisco J. Navarro has been selected to serve as Director of the EDNY TCO Strike Force, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan E. Farrell and Gabriel Park have been selected as Deputy Directors. In addition, the Strike Force will have at least one representative from each section of the Office’s Criminal Division to capitalize on existing experience, coordinate strategic focus and maximize resources to make an even more significant impact combatting TCOs. The Strike Force will also include OCDETF-designated AUSAs, Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) coordinators, as well as a designated representative from the Civil Division to ensure the Strike Force leverages civil remedies as appropriate. The Strike Force will also coordinate closely with the Office’s Immigration Enforcement Working Group. Francisco J. Navarro AUSA Navarro joined the Department in 2013 and the Office in 2018 after serving as an AUSA in the District of New Jersey. He has been in charge of INML since April 2023. He received his B.A. from Boston University and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. AUSA Navarro has prosecuted several significant narcotics, national security and material support cases. He has also prosecuted significant white collar cases involving sanctions evasion, money laundering and the Bank Secrecy Act. For example, AUSA Navarro is part of the team prosecuting Rafael Caro Quintero for leading a continuing criminal enterprise, including his role in the kidnapping, torture and murder of DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. He is also leading the team prosecuting Ismael Zambada Garcia (aka “El Mayo”) for his founding and two-decade leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel—a continuing criminal enterprise—and one of the most violent and powerful drug cartels in the world. In United States v. Usuga David, et al., he led the team that obtained a 45-year prison sentence against Dairo Usuga David (aka “Otoniel”) who was the supreme leader of the Clan del Golfo and was considered the most dangerous narco-terrorist in Colombia since Pablo Escobar. AUSA Navarro also led the team that obtained the first indictments in the nation against Chinese chemical manufacturing companies and employees for importing fentanyl precursors into the United States and working with Mexican cartels to manufacture and distribute fentanyl in the United States. In addition, AUSA Navarro is also leading the prosecution of Mohammad Bazzi, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and financier for Hizballah , a foreign terrorist organization on sanctions evasion and money laundering charges. AUSA Navarro has been involved in multiple prosecutions of individuals and institutions for failing to follow United States laws regarding maintaining effective anti-money laundering programs, the prohibition on the provision of material support to designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, or other financial regulations. Megan E. Farrell AUSA Farrell joined the Office in 2018, and currently serves in the Office’s Long Island Criminal Section. She is one of the Office’s Human Trafficking Coordinators and previously served as an Acting Deputy Chief in the Office’s General Crimes Section. She received her B.A. from Boston College and her J.D. from St. John’s University. AUSA Farrell has prosecuted significant organized crime, gang and sex trafficking cases during her time in the Office. In United States v. Canales-Rivera et al. and United States v. Arevalo-Chavez et al., she is part of the team prosecuting the highest-ranking members of MS-13’s international command and control structure, including the body known as the Ranfla Nacional , with charges that include conspiracy to provide and conceal material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, conspiracy to finance terrorism and narco-terrorism conspiracy. In United States v. Alexi Saenz et al., AUSA Farrell was part of a team that secured the convictions of two MS-13 defendants to racketeering and other charges in connection with eight murders. In United States v. Blanco et al., she was a member of the team that secured the convictions of three high-ranking MS-13 gang members to racketeering charges in connection with nine murders. In United States v. Escobar , AUSA Farrell was part of the team that secured a sentence of 50 years after the defendant was convicted on April 8, 2022, following a four-week trial, of racketeering, including predicate acts of murder, conspiracy to murder rival gang members, and obstruction of justice and murder in aid-of racketeering, in relation to the deaths of four young men who were hacked to death with machetes and other sharp objects by more than a dozen MS-13 members and associates after Escobar lured them to a local park in 2017. In United States v. Lampley-Reid , AUSA Farrell was part of the team leading to a Bloods gang member being sentenced to 23 years in prison for sex trafficking of minors. Additionally, AUSA Farrell is part of the team charging former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch and two other individuals with sex trafficking and interstate prostitution. Gabriel Park AUSA Park joined the Office in 2022 after serving in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He received his B.A. from Wake Forest University and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and clerked for the Honorable Dora L. Irizarry. He currently serves in the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. AUSA Park has prosecuted significant violent organized crime and gang cases. In United States v. Yu , he was part of the prosecution team that convicted two defendants who were subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder-for-hire scheme of a perceived business rival, and in the related case United States v. Abreu , AUSA Park was on the prosecution team that convicted a third defendant for his role in the murder-for-hire scheme. In United States v. Thompson , AUSA Park was on the prosecution team that convicted a Long Island man who was later sentenced to 30 years in prison for drug trafficking, distribution of fentanyl that resulted in a death and illegal possession of firearms.


title: Baldwinsville Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kenneth Koegel, Jr., 40, of Baldwinsville, New York was sentenced today to 45 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release following his conviction by guilty plea to seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of commission of a felony offense involving a minor by a registered sex offender, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of receipt of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon 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 guilty plea, Koegel admitted that he was convicted in 2004 in Monroe County Court of sexual abuse in the first degree for exposing his penis to a 6-year-old girl in a public park and touching her vagina with his hand and that he was required to register as a sex offender because of that conviction. He then admitted that, starting in or about 2014 and continuing until October 2022, he sexually abused a girl from the time she was approximately 2 years old until she was approximately 9 years old. During that time, Koegel created numerous sexually explicit images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of his victim, including Koegel subjecting her to multiple sex acts. He also used a social messaging application to distribute the material he produced to someone else, with whom he also traded thousands of other child pornography files. In addition to the 45-year imprisonment term and lifetime supervision, the district court also ordered Koegel to pay $12,000 in restitution and a $1,000 special assessment. Koegel will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force – comprised of FBI Special Agents and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and 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: Addiction Treatment Center Supervisor Sentenced in Scheme to Defraud Federal, State, and Private Health Care Insurers

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A clinical social worker nicknamed by her co-workers as the “Five Minute Queen” who, at times, substituted a one or two sentence conversation for a billed 45-minute therapy session for her addicted patients has been sentenced to three years of supervised release, the first three months to be served in home detention with electronic monitoring, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. In pleading guilty in November 2023 to a charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, Mi Ok Song Bruining, 64, admitted that, while employed as a supervisor at Recovery Connections Centers of America, Inc. (RCCA) in Providence, she helped devise and execute a scheme that shortchanged Rhode Island and Massachusetts substance abuse disorder patients out of counseling and treatment services while, at the same time, defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurers out of more than $3.5 million dollars. Bruining, and others working at her direction, routinely submitted false and fraudulent claims for psychotherapy and counseling services that did not occur for the length of time billed, consistently billing for far more patients than was possible for RCCA staff to have seen during office hours. Bruining, known at RCCA as the “Five Minute Queen” for her speed in seeing patients for so-called counseling sessions, billed for 45-minute sessions when she actually saw patients for no more than 5-10 minutes, at times asking patients only one question before she ended a session. According to information presented to the court, to facilitate this fraud, Ms. Bruining directed counselors and others at RCCA to record in their notes that they were providing counseling in 45-minute intervals, but without listing AM or PM for the start time. Ms. Bruining gave this instruction so that it was not clear that they were seeing more patients than possible within a single hour. She also instructed other counselors to copy and paste the last visit’s note into each entry to make the bill look complete. As a result, many of the patient notes for patients billed by RCCA were simply identical cut-and paste copies of the same note. Bruining was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Mary S. McElroy to three years of supervised release, the first three months to be served in home detention with electronic monitoring, 100 hours of community service, and to pay restitution in the amount of $100,000. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Miron Bloom and Kevin Love Hubbard. The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. United States Attorney Cunha thanks the IRS, Customs and Border Protection, and the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General for their assistance in the investigation. ###


title: Former Executive of Chicago-Area Non-Profit Pleads Guilty in $1.8 Million Fraud Scheme

body_text: CHICAGO — A former executive of a Chicago-area non-profit organization has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge for her role in misappropriating $1.8 million intended to support the charity’s work with underprivileged youth. BARBARA HARRIS served as the Executive Director of the Center for Community Academic Success Partnerships (CCASP), which received government grants and other funds to provide after-school programs to schools in the Chicago area. The grants included funds from the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, a federal program offering financial support for academic enrichment opportunities. The 21st Century program issued grants to its local administrator, the Illinois State Board of Education, which in turn disbursed the funds to CCASP. Harris stated in a plea agreement that from 2012 to 2017, she schemed with another CCASP executive, TONY BELL, to submit grant applications that inflated CCASP’s projected annual expenses and falsely claimed that the organization would receive services from five subcontractors. In reality, Harris knew that the subcontractors, two of which were other non-profit groups run by Harris and Bell, provided no actual services to CCASP. The fraud scheme resulted in approximately $1.8 million in actual loss to the Illinois Department of Education. Harris further admitted in the plea agreement that from 2021 to 2023, she participated in a separate fraud scheme that bilked the federally funded AmeriCorps VISTA program, which awarded grants to non-profit organizations working to bring communities out of poverty. Harris, who at the time of this scheme was serving as Co-Executive Director of the non-profit South Suburban Community Services, submitted grant applications falsely representing that VISTA members would work for SSCS developing programs aimed at bringing economic opportunities to the south suburbs of Chicago. Harris knew that the VISTA members would actually be used at SSCS to support already-funded job training and afterschool violence prevention programs. Harris fraudulently obtained approval for eleven VISTA members to work at SSCS, none of whom performed services in accordance with their VISTA assignment descriptions, causing a loss to the VISTA program of $98,699. Harris, 55, of South Holland, Ill., pleaded guilty on Feb. 27, 2025, to a wire fraud charge. U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood set sentencing for July 11, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. Harris’s guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, John F. Woolley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Midwestern Regional Office, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Ramsey Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, and Stephen Ravas, Acting Inspector General of the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General. The Illinois Office of Executive Inspector General provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen Totten and Caitlin Walgamuth. Bell, 64, of Matteson, Ill., has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, money laundering, and wire fraud. He is awaiting trial. The public is reminded that the indictment against Bell is not evidence of guilt. Bell is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. harris_plea_agreement.pdf


title: U.S. Justice Department Launches Investigation of University of California Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced that the Justice Department has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into the University of California (UC) under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The investigation will assess whether UC has engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, religion and national origin against its professors, staff and other employees by allowing an Antisemitic hostile work environment to exist on its campuses. “This Department of Justice will always defend Jewish Americans, protect civil rights, and leverage our resources to eradicate institutional Antisemitism in our nation’s universities,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Our country has witnessed a disturbing rise of Antisemitism at educational institutions in California and nationwide,” said Acting Associate Attorney General and Department of Justice Chief of Staff Chad Mizelle. “The Department of Justice is committed to upholding Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and protecting Jewish Americans as we investigate this potential pattern of discrimination.” Leading Task Force member and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Leo Terrell said, “Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attacks in Israel, there has been an outbreak of antisemitic incidents at leading institutions of higher education in America, including at my own alma mater at the UCLA campus of UC. The impact upon UC’s students has been the subject of considerable media attention and multiple federal investigations. But these campuses are also workplaces, and the Jewish faculty and staff employed there deserve a working environment free of antisemitic hostility and hate. The President, the Attorney General and this Task Force are committed to combatting antisemitism for all Jewish Americans.” The employment discrimination investigation will be conducted pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. Under Title VII, the Justice Department has the authority to initiate investigations against state and local government employers where it has reason to believe that a “pattern or practice” of employment discrimination exists. Collaboration between the Justice Department and other federal agencies plays an important role in combating antisemitism in schools and college campuses. The Department coordinates with other federal agencies as part of the multi-agency Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, as well as when sharing enforcement jurisdiction with other agencies. For state and local governments and related entities like public universities, the Department of Justice shares enforcement authority under Title VII with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC receives, investigates, and conciliates EEOC charges against state- and local-government employers, before referring those charges to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice for potential litigation. “The EEOC is committed to partnering with the Department of Justice to stamp out the scourge of anti-Semitism on campus workplaces,” said EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas. If you have been discriminated against, you can file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division, at Contact the Civil Rights Division | Department of Justice ( https://civilrights.justice.gov ). If you work for an university or college and have experienced anti-Semitic harassment at work, you can file a charge with the EEOC, at How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( https://www.eeoc.gov/how-file-charge-employment-discrimination ). Learn more about addressing anti-Semitism at work here: What To Do If You Face Antisemitism at Work . President Trump’s Executive Order can be found here: Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism – The White House .


title: Colombian National Pleads Guilty To Trafficking Cocaine

body_text: Tampa, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Ciro Ivan Preciado-Marquinez (37, Colombia) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on the high seas on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Preciado faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, in 2018, Preciado hired, paid, and provided logistical support to mariners on two separate maritime vessels that the United States Coast Guard interdicted in the Pacific Ocean. Law enforcement recovered 941 kilograms of cocaine from these vessels. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.


title: Federal Indictment Charges Thomson Prison Correctional Officer With Engaging in Sexual Acts With Two Inmates

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: ROCKFORD — A correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institution in Thomson, Ill., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rockford for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with two inmates. DANNY L. SPYKER, 40, of Lanark, Ill., knowingly engaged in sexual acts with the inmates in December 2023 and March 2024, according to an indictment returned in the Northern District of Illinois on Feb. 25, 2025, and unsealed today. Spyker has been on administrative leave from his position as a correctional officer since June 2024. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and William J. Hannah, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Regional Office of the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The maximum sentence for each count in the indictment is 15 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. spyker_indictment.pdf


title: John Giordano Sworn In As 64th U.S. Attorney For District Of New Jersey

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: John Giordano was appointed by Attorney General Pamela Bondi as the 64 th United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey. Mr. Giordano was officially sworn in on March 3. “I thank President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi for their trust and confidence in me. Serving President Trump and the citizens of my home state of New Jersey is the honor of a lifetime and a privilege I do not take lightly. Together with the dedicated and highly skilled men and women of the U.S. Attorney's Office, I am committed to tirelessly protecting our citizens and ensuring swift justice for those who violate the laws of the United States of America. Our immediate focus will be to aggressively confront violent gang activity, dismantle human trafficking networks, and eliminate the ability of cartels to flood our streets with fentanyl and other deadly drugs.” U.S. Attorney John Giordano A native of Burlington County, Mr. Giordano brings a depth of high-level experience from both the public and private sectors. His career includes extensive work within the Department of Justice as Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division, and as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where he handled complex federal felony matters, including national security violations, narcotics trafficking, violent crimes, and government theft. Mr. Giordano also served as Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. In addition, Mr. Giordano was previously appointed by President Trump to serve as Representative of the United States to the 74 th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he focused on issues directly impacting the national security of the United States, including human trafficking and counterterrorism. He has also shared his extensive knowledge of federal law as an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University School of Law and as a Lecturer in Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Villanova University in 1998, Mr. Giordano earned his law degree from Villanova University School of Law in 2002. Following law school, he clerked for United States District Judge Joseph E. Irenas in the District of New Jersey before entering private practice. As the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Mr. Giordano oversees all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving federal interests in the State. With offices in Newark, Camden, and Trenton, he supervises a dedicated staff of approximately 153 federal prosecutors and 104 support personnel. ###


title: Six Defendants Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy Related to 2022 Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking in Chittenden County and Elsewhere

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that last month the final defendants convicted in connection with a Chittenden County drug distribution conspiracy, were sentenced in United States District Court for the District of Vermont. According to court records, from October 2022 through December 30, 2022, Christopher Purvis was the manager of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl in Burlington, and elsewhere around Chittenden County. The conspiracy used a residence belonging to Tyler Orvis in Milton, Vermont to store drug packaging materials. As part of the investigation into the operation, on December 6, 2022, in Jericho, Vermont, law enforcement seized fentanyl, cocaine, and a firearm from Russell Mitchell, Alexis Sutton, and Dorothy Wilde. Records also indicate Sierra Fuentes sold drugs and transported proceeds in furtherance of the conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss imposed the following sentences, which were advised by the United States Sentencing Guidelines: Christopher Purvis – 72 months followed by 5 years of supervised release; Russell Mitchell – 54 months followed by 3 years of supervised release (later commuted to 20 months by executive order); Tyler Orvis – Time Served (approximately 24 months) followed by 6 years of supervised release; Dorothy Wilde – Time Served (approximately 8 months) followed by 3 years of supervised release; and Alexis Sutton – 6 months followed by 6 years of supervised release. United States District Judge Mae D’Agostino imposed the following sentence, which was advised by the United States Sentencing Guidelines: Sierra Fuentes – Time Served (approximately 14 months) followed by 3 years of supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher thanked the DEA Burlington, Vermont Office, and acknowledged significant assistance from the Milton Police Department, the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department, the Morristown Police Department, the DEA Hartford, Connecticut Office, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig handled the case for the Government. Mark Kaplan, Esq. represented Tyler Orvis, Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels represented Christopher Purvis, Richard Bothfeld, Esq. represented Alexis Sutton, John Mabie, Esq. represented Dorothy Wilde, and William A. Vasiliou, II, Esq. represented Sierra Fuentes. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Huntington County Man Sentenced To 200 Months In Prison On Production Of Child Pornography Charge

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 27, 2025, Gage Wagner, age 32, previously of Shade Gap, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 200 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, for producing child pornography. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Wagner previously pleaded guilty to producing child pornography. Wagner engaged in sexual contact with a 15-year-old minor over 100 times and used the minor to create images and videos of child pornography in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . # # #


title: Cincinnati man sentenced to 10 years in prison for cocaine & fentanyl crimes

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – Vernon Powell, 44, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 120 months in prison for committing new narcotics crimes while on supervised release. According to court documents, investigators determined that Powell had mailed a kilogram of cocaine from Houston to Cincinnati in June 2023. In October 2023, during subsequent searches at properties that Powell used on Compton Road and Bassett Road, law enforcement officials discovered cocaine, fentanyl, multiple firearms and more than $28,000 in cash. At the time, Powell was on supervised release for drug and firearm offenses for which he had been previously sentenced to 15 years in prison. Powell had petitioned the Court in September 2023, one month prior to the execution of search warrants in this case and asked the Court for early termination of his supervised release, noting that the “barriers of supervision” don’t allow him to “excel as he knows he is capable.” Powell pleaded guilty in October 2024 to possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey and other members of the Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Timothy D. Oakley are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: West Virginia Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax Crimes

component: Tax Division

body_text: A West Virginia man pleaded guilty today to one count of willful failure to pay over employment taxes on behalf of his business. According to court documents and statements made in court, Dean E. Dawson operated RPC Group LLC, a Hurricane, West Virginia, real estate appraisal business. Dawson was responsible for withholding employment taxes from RPC Group’s employees and paying over those funds to the IRS. Between 2015 and 2022, however, Dawson willfully failed to pay over to the IRS the employment taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks. He also used the RPC Group’s business accounts to pay for personal expenses, including personal credit cards and his wife’s home mortgage, and issued checks to his wife from RPC Group even though she was not an employee of the business. In addition, from 2018 to 2023, Dawson did not file personal tax returns or pay income taxes. In total, Dawson caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $250,000. Dawson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Brian E. Flanagan and Rebecca A. Caruso of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan T. Storage for the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.


title: Nigerian Man Extradited to the United States to Face Computer Intrusion and Theft Charges

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Nigerian national living in Mexico has been extradited to the United States for his role in a scheme to break into Massachusetts tax preparation firms’ computer networks and to file fraudulent tax returns. Matthew A. Akande, 36, was arrested in October 2024 at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom at the request of the United States and extradited to the United States on March 5, 2025. He appeared in federal court in Boston today. Akande was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 with one count of conspiracy to obtain unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud and to commit theft of government money and money laundering; one count of wire fraud; four counts of unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud; 13 counts of theft of government money; and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft. Co-conspirator, Kehinde H. Oyetunji, 33, a Nigerian national living in North Dakota, pleaded guilty in December 2022 to one count of conspiracy to obtain unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud and to commit theft of government money and money laundering. Oyetunji’s sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. Between in or about June 2016 and June 2021, Akande, Oyetunji and others are alleged to have worked together to steal money from the United States government using taxpayers’ personally identifiable information (PII) to file fraudulent tax returns in the taxpayers’ names. In addition, between in or about February 2020, the scheme involved stealing taxpayers’ PII from Massachusetts tax preparation firms via phishing attacks and computer intrusions. To carry out the scheme, Akande is alleged to have caused fraudulent phishing emails to be sent to five Massachusetts tax preparation firms. The emails purported to be from a prospective client seeking the tax preparation firms’ services but in truth were used to trick the firms into downloading remote access trojan malicious software (RAT malware), including malware known as Warzone RAT. Akande allegedly used the RAT malware to obtain the PII and prior year tax information of the tax preparation firms’ clients, which Akande then used to cause fraudulent tax returns to be filed seeking refunds. The tax returns directed that the fraudulent tax refunds be deposited in bank accounts allegedly opened by Oyetunji and others. Once the refunds were issued, Oyetunji and others withdrew the stolen money in cash in the United States and then transferred a portion to third parties in Mexico, allegedly at Akande’s direction, while keeping a portion for themselves. In total, Akande and his coconspirators are alleged to have filed more than 1,000 fraudulent tax returns seeking over $8.1 million in fraudulent tax refunds over approximately five years. They are alleged to have successfully obtained over $1.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds. Federal authorities encourage all businesses that suspect they have been the target and/or victim of a cyberattack to file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov . Taxpayers and tax preparation firms that suspect they have been the target and/or victim of a phishing attack can also forward phishing email(s) to phishing@irs.gov . The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs coordinated with authorities in the United Kingdom to secure the extradition of Akande. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: New Jersey Man Admits to Concealing Material Support and Resources to ISIS

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Kyse S. Abushanab, 27, of Budd Lake, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today to a one-count information charging him with concealing material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. According to court documents, between in or around March 2021 and in or around January 2022, Abushanab compiled resources, including information pertaining to the manufacture and use of weapons of mass destruction, with the aim of providing members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or the Islamic State), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and its supporters with a repository of information and resources to help carry out ISIS’s mission. This material included, among other things, videos and documents showing step-by-step instructions on how to make suicide belts or vests, detonators and timers, improvised bombs, and other explosives and incendiary devices. In an effort to evade detection by law enforcement, Abushanab took steps to conceal his efforts to assist ISIS by, among other things, using encrypted applications, untraceable email accounts, and a secured cloud storage space to gather and store information on how to make a variety of weapons of mass destruction. The charge of concealment of provision of material support carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 24. Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey; Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Newark Field Office made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Ryan White of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Repeat Gun Offender Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Aggravated Assault While Armed

body_text: WASHINGTON - Traquon Demonte McCalip, 21, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 114 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a Canik T9SF Elite 9mm handgun and using it to shoot a victim in the middle of the day at a busy fast-food restaurant parking lot on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue NE. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). McCalip pleaded guilty on August 23, 2024, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and to aggravated assault while armed. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered McCalip to serve five years of supervised release. According to court documents, on March 20, 2024, McCalip approached an individual standing in a fast-food parking lot on the 3900-block of Minnesota Avenue NE, and claimed that he wanted to buy cigarettes from him. After discussing cigarette prices, McCalip attempted to take the individual’s bag. McCalip then drew his loaded, concealed handgun and shot the individual in the abdomen. As a struggle ensued between McCalip and the victim, McCalip spotted a marked police vehicle that had arrived on scene. McCalip took his firearm’s magazine that had fallen out of his gun, and fled in a vehicle that he had parked in the lot with his firearm’s magazine but left behind his firearm. Police chased McCalip and ultimately arrested him near 1805 Bladensburg Road NE. Officers recovered the firearm magazine and ammunition on the driver’s seat of the car McCalip was driving. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor of the Department of Justice. 24cr161


title: Ninedee Gang Member Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Murder of Former Federal Witness

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Quintin Green, also known as “Wild Child,” was sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to 35 years’ imprisonment for the murder of former federal witness Shatavia Walls in July 2020. Green, a member of the Ninedee Gang, a violent criminal enterprise operating out of the Louis H. Pink Houses in East New York, pleaded guilty in April 2024 to causing Walls’ death through use of firearms. Green also pleaded guilty to attempted Hobbs Act robbery for attempting to steal televisions from a Target store in Staten Island in November 2020 and was sentenced to a concurrent term of five years in prison. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence. “The calculated murder of Shatavia Walls by members and associates of the Ninedee Gang arose from a twisted desire to murder her in retaliation for her federal testimony and perceived disrespect of the gang,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Quintin Green shot an unarmed woman in cold blood to make a name for himself in the gang, but he should be called out for what he truly is, a cowardly killer. He deservedly will spend decades in a federal prison. I commend the FBI special agents, the NYPD detectives and the prosecutors in my Office who worked tirelessly to dismantle this gang, achieve justice for Ms. Walls and make the Pink Houses and the surrounding area in East New York a safer place for the law-abiding residents of that community.” “Along with other Ninedee members, Quintin Green targeted and callously killed Shatavia Walls and then bragged across social media about his abhorrent crimes in an effort to bolster the gang’s dangerous reputation,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “This premeditated ambush was an unjust retributive attack against a former government witness trying to protect her community from further gang violence. May today’s sentencing reflect the FBI’s continued refusal to tolerate any attempts to intimidate those who speak out against gang violence.” “Today, we are bringing a cold-blooded murderer to justice,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Quintin Green and the Ninedee Gang terrorized their neighborhood, put children in danger, and viciously killed an unarmed woman. Let this serve as a clear message that we will go after violent gangs that break the law and cause widespread harm and fear. I thank the NYPD detectives and the prosecutors in this case for their tireless work to hold these perpetrators accountable.” As set forth in [the government’s sentencing memorandum and other court filings], Green and other members of the Ninedee Gang targeted Walls for murder because she testified against a Ninedee Gang member in federal court in Brooklyn in 2019, had a confrontation with Ninedee Gang members who were setting fireworks off near children on July 4, 2020 and her affiliation with the rival “7” and “8” Pink House apartment buildings. For those reasons, she was considered by the gang to be a high-value target. The defendant became known as “Wild Child” due to his reputation for violence and, in order to earn status in the gang, boasted about his willingness to shoot rivals. He was one of two shooters who gunned Walls down on July 7, 2020. Further, as proven at the trial of Green’s co-defendant, Ninedee Gang leader Maliek Miller, Ninedee Gang members were affiliated with the “5” and “6” Pink Houses apartment buildings and engaged in ongoing gang-related violence within and outside of the New York City Housing Authority complex. Ninedee Gang protected its turf through violence and sought to silence anyone who they perceived to be working with law enforcement. The murder of Walls was coordinated by Ninedee Gang members, including Green. Prior to her court testimony, fliers had been posted around the Pink Houses stating, “Shatavia Been a Rat And She Still Ratting.” On July 4, 2020, Walls and others were involved in a physical altercation with members of Ninedee for lighting fireworks around young children. Miller went to the scene of the altercation, called Walls a “snitch,” fought with her and fired a gunshot. Following the altercation, Miller planned with other Ninedee Gang members, including Green, to kill Walls. On July 7, 2020, Walls was spotted by Green and his co-defendant Joe Santana. Green and Santana began shooting at her. Green then chased Walls down a path at the Pink Houses, continuing to shoot her. Walls suffered numerous gunshot wounds and died of her injuries 10 days later. Co-defendant Shakur Bey destroyed the clothing that Green and Santana wore during the shooting by throwing the items down an incinerator chute. Co-defendant Kevin Wint, who was not present at the murder, rented a hotel room at a Best Western Hotel near John F. Kennedy International Airport to provide a place where Green and others could hide out overnight. In the days after the murder, Green and Wint posted to social media claiming credit to the Ninedee Gang for the killing. Miller was convicted in June 2024 of murder in-aid of racketeering and faces a mandatory term of life in prison when he is sentenced. Santana and Fernandez pleaded guilty to their roles in the murder. Santana was sentenced to 22 years in prison and Fernandez is awaiting sentencing. Wint pleaded guilty in March 2023 and was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment. Bey pleaded guilty in December 2023 and was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. Ninedee leader Raquel Dunton is charged with acting as an accessory after-the-fact to Walls’ murder and obstruction of justice for assisting fellow gang members in concealing evidence of the crime. Dunton is also charged with trafficking cocaine and is awaiting trial. In addition to the murder, Green pleaded guilty to attempting to commit a November 3, 2020 robbery of a Staten Island Target store. Green attempted to steal two flat- screen televisions and was stopped by a security guard. Green punched the security guard causing her to fall and attempted to flee with one of the two televisions. He was arrested by police after fleeing the scene. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gang Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily J. Dean, Margi Schierberl and Irisa Chen are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Elizabeth Reed and Intelligence Analysts Eungee Hwang and Ashley Hinkson. The Defendant: QUINTIN GREEN (also known as “Wild Child”) Age: 24 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-331 (LDH) Defendant Convicted at Trial: MALIEK MILLER Age: 31 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-331 (LDH) Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty : JOE SANTANA (also known as “Baby Joe”) Age: 20 Brooklyn, New York CHAYANNE FERNANDEZ (also known as “White Boy”) Age: 24 Brooklyn, New York KEVIN WINT (also known as “Kev G”) Age: 31 Brooklyn, New York SHAKUR BEY (also known as “Speedy”) Age: 27 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-331 (LDH) Defendant Awaiting Trial : RAQUEL DUNTON (also known as “Rah”) Age: 38 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-344 (LDH)


title: Ohio Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Emariel Kanay Tyler, 20, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 29, 2023, Tyler traveled by rideshare from a Charleston apartment to a residence in Wyoming County with quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Tyler admitted that she used her cell phone to arrange the sale of the fentanyl to someone at the residence, discussing the meeting location and the prices to be charged for the fentanyl. Tyler exchanged the fentanyl for payment at the meeting location, but further admitted that she returned to Charleston with both the money and the fentanyl. The rideshare dropped Tyler off at the Charleston apartment upon their return from Wyoming County. Tyler found that law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at the apartment, where her boyfriend, Terric Zaire Williams, was staying. Officers saw the outline of a firearm in Tyler’s pants and a large amount of cash and a baggie of suspected drugs hanging out of the pockets of her jacket. Officers arrested Tyler. Officers also seized three-quarters of a pound of methamphetamine from a dining room trash can and a living room closet during the search of the apartment. Williams, 25, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced on February 27, 2025, to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-186. ###