title: Romance scheme fraudsters sentenced for $3 million conspiracy

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A Houston couple have been sentenced for wire fraud and conspiracy for a romance scheme targeting citizens nationwide, many of whom were elderly, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Darlington Akporugo, 47, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud Feb 28. His wife, Jasmin Sood aka Jaslynn Washington, 37, entered her plea to the same charges Dec. 17, 2024. U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge has imposed a 188-month-term of imprisonment for Akporugo, while Sood received 121 months. Both must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences and pay full restitution of $3,123,073. At the hearing, four victims testified about the couple’s persistent lies and false promises, which led them to send large sums of money. One victim told the court how the pair coerced her into buying a luxury vehicle and renting a mansion for them. Authorities arrested the couple while they were driving the victim’s vehicle and living in her rented home. In handing down the sentence, the court described the scheme as heartless and far-reaching, noting Akporugo and Sood deliberately targeted older women, including several widows. Judge Eskridge highlighted the financial devastation left in their wake and commended the victims for their courage in coming forward. Akporugo admitted to being a central figure in a long-running romance scheme based in Houston that targeted victims from Chicago to Kentucky. He and others to lured victims through online romances and convinced them to send money to bank accounts he controlled. Sood created fake businesses and bank accounts under aliases and used disguises to deposit the funds. To carry out the scheme, Akporugo and his co-conspirators used fake names on social media to gain victims’ trust and persuade them to invest in non-existent businesses or provide funds for invented personal circumstances. Akporugo admitted to directing victims-mostly older individuals-to send money through platforms like Facebook. The funds were spent extravagantly or passed to co-defendants. He also admitted to having victims open lines of credit in his name and, in one case, purchase a luxury vehicle for his personal use. Authorities identified over 25 victims during the multi-year scheme. Losses from the fraud ring’s operation total more than $3 million. “Investigating and prosecuting those that perpetuate romance scams—particularly those who target the lonely elderly—will always be a priority for the Southern District of Texas,” said Ganjei. “We applaud those victims courageous enough to notify authorities, and we encourage others who have been victimized to similarly come forward. Together, we may stop the next fraudster.” “Romance scams and other financial schemes like this exploit our nation’s elderly and vulnerable populations out of their hard-earned retirement savings and other critical funding that they need to survive,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI). “As a result, they are often left emotionally devastated and financially ruined with limited options for recovery once the money has been laundered out of the U.S. Thanks to the courage of the victims in this case who came forward quickly to report it to law enforcement, we were able to successfully track down the two criminals responsible and hold them accountable before they could take advantage of additional victims.” Both will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. ICE-HSI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.


title: New Britain Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking Charge

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HENRY MENESES JR., 32, of New Britain, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to a fentanyl trafficking offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, a Drug Enforcement Administration Hartford Task Force investigation revealed that Meneses was selling large quantities of fentanyl in the Hartford area. On January 6, 2025, Meneses distributed 6,000 dose bags of fentanyl to an individual who had driven from Vermont to pick up the drugs. On February 25, 2025, investigators made a controlled purchase of 3,000 dose bags of fentanyl from Meneses on Franklin Avenue in Hartford. Meneses was arrested on March 25, 2025. On that date, searches of his residence and vehicle revealed two handguns, five gun magazines, ammunition, and more than $6,000 in cash. Meneses pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for September 16. Meneses is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing. The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has assisted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Leaders And Members Of YBMG Gang Sentenced For Murder For Hire Conspiracy, Attempted Murder, Racketeering, Narcotics, And Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the sentencing of SHPENDIM HAXHAJ, a/k/a “White Mike,” the last of seven defendants to be sentenced in a case involving members of a street gang known as the Young Bronx Money Getters, or “YBMG,” that operated in the Bronx, Long Island, Upstate New York, and Connecticut. HAXHAJ was sentenced to 35 years in prison for crimes relating to his membership in YBMG, including a conspiracy to commit murder for hire that resulted in the August 16, 2019, murder of Isael Lagares in the Bronx. HAXHAJ previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder for hire, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on August 7, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed today’s sentence. HAXHAJ was the last of the seven defendants in the YBMG case before Judge Failla to have been convicted and sentenced. “For more than a decade, the YBMG gang terrorized communities in the Bronx, Long Island, Upstate New York, and Connecticut with drugs, guns, and senseless violence,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Among YBMG’s many victims was Isael Lagares, who was gunned down after Haxhaj and other gang members paid a hitman to end his life. The seven members of this incredibly violent gang have now been convicted and sentenced for their crimes. The women and men of the Southern District will continue to vigorously pursue those who bring illegal drugs and violence into our communities.” According to the Superseding Indictment, public court filings, evidence introduced at the trial of Yeltsin Beltran, a/k/a “Yells,” and statements made in court: From at least in or about 2006 to in or about 2021, YBMG was a criminal enterprise centered in the Bronx. In order to make money for the gang, protect the gang’s territory, and promote the gang’s standing, members of YBMG engaged in, among other things, narcotics trafficking and violence, including murder. To that end, YBMG members sold heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, promoted their gang affiliation on social media, possessed firearms, and engaged in shootings as part of their gang membership and narcotics trafficking. On or about August 16, 2019, HAXHAJ and BORIS BELTRAN hired a man to murder a rival gang member. That same day, the hired hitman then shot and killed Lagares, who was socializing with a group of people on a residential street in the Bronx. YBMG members also participated in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics in New York and elsewhere. HAXHAJ, YELTSIN BELTRAN, BORIS BELTRAN, JEREMY CEDENO, FRANCISCO ORTEGA, and IVIS PERDOMO participated in a conspiracy with other individuals to distribute heroin, cocaine, and marijuana from at least in or about 2006 up to and including 2021 and carried, brandished, and discharged firearms that were possessed in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking. On or about December 23, 2019, PERDOMO shot two people non-fatally in a nightclub in the Bronx. On or about June 7, 2019, CEDENO shot at a member of an opposing gang in New York, New York. * * * A chart containing the names of the defendants, the charges they were convicted of, and the sentences they received is set forth below. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York City Police Department. The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit and White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Brumwell, Benjamin Gianforti, Brandon D. Harper, Frank Balsamello, and Mathew Andrews are in charge of the prosecution. Defendant Age Conviction Sentence SHPENDIM HAXHAJ, a/k/a “White Mike” 33 Murder for Hire Conspiracy; Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Narcotics Conspiracy 35 years YELTSIN BELTRAN, a/k/a “Yells” 33 Racketeering Conspiracy; Narcotics Conspiracy; Use, Brandishing, and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Narcotics Conspiracy; 380 months BORIS BELTRAN, a/k/a “Bebe” 27 Murder for Hire Conspiracy and Narcotics Conspiracy 20 years JEREMY CEDENO, a/k/a “Jerm” 39 Narcotics Conspiracy 135 Months IVIS PERDOMO, a/k/a “Lite” 43 Narcotics Conspiracy 188 Months FRANCISCO ORTEGA, a/k/a “Fresh” 36 Narcotics Conspiracy 140 Months DRILON HAXHAJ 29 Narcotics Conspiracy 32 Months


title: Armed Career Criminal On Federal Supervision For A Prior Criminal Conviction Is Sentenced To More Than 15 Years For Robbery And Possession of A Firearm By A Felon

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Terry Sherwood Slade, 55, was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release today after he was convicted of Hobbs Act robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Slade was also ordered to serve an additional 12 months and a day for violating his supervised release. According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on November 20, 2023, while Slade was under federal supervision for a prior robbery conviction, he entered the House of Clouds Smoke Shop located in Charlotte and requested cigarettes from the store’s employee. When the store employee opened the register, Slade demanded money and threatened to shoot her. Slade then put his hand in his jacket pocket and gestured toward the employee. He then walked behind the counter into the employee area and took money from the register along with cigarettes and fled the scene. According to court records, on December 3, 2023, Slade entered Nick’s Arcade located in Charlotte. Upon entering the store, Slade approached a security guard and grabbed her firearm. Following a brief struggle between Slade, the security guard, and a cashier, Slade grabbed the security guard’s firearm and pointed the weapon at the two employees. While armed, Slade went to the arcade’s private office and stole cash located in a safe before fleeing the scene. On December 13, 2023, an individual contacted the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) to report he had been shot at by a man with whom he’d previously had an argument. During the investigation, the victim identified Slade as the shooter. CMPD officers arrested Slade. At the time of the arrest, Slade possessed the firearm he’d taken from security guard during the arcade store robbery. CMPD analyzed a cartridge collected at the scene of the reported shooting and determined it matched the security guard’s firearm found on Slade when he was arrested. In September 2024, Slade pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon. Court records indicate that Slade has a prior federal conviction for Hobbs Act robbery, and multiple state felony convictions in North Carolina, including for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury and Common Law Robbery. Slade was sentenced as an armed career criminal. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for the investigation of this case and thanked the U.S. Probation Office for its assistance. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Jamestown man going to prison for assisting in the burial of a murder victim

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Matthew Rudy, 43, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of accessory after the fact, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Adler and Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on May 27, 2014, Anthony Neubauer kidnapped Joseph Anthony and traveled from Jamestown to property in Pennsylvania owned by Matthew Rudy. Neubauer tricked Anthony into traveling by offering him cocaine. After arriving in Pennsylvania, Neubauer and Rudy told Anthony they did not have any cocaine, before shooting and killing him, and then burying him on Rudy’s property. Neubauer and Rudy took Anthony to Pennsylvania because they believed he was a cooperator. Anthony Neubauer was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm. Additional assistance was provided by the Warren County, PA, District Attorney’s Office. # # # #


title: Former Antioch Police Officer Sentenced To Seven Years In Prison For Civil Rights Violation, Falsification Of Records, And Wire Fraud Offenses

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Former Antioch police officer Morteza Amiri was sentenced today to 84 months in federal prison for violating the civil rights of an individual through excessive force, falsifying records related to that violation, and participating in a scheme to obtain pay raises from the Antioch Police Department for a university degree he paid someone else to obtain. The sentence was handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, who presided over two trials that resulted in Amiri’s convictions for these crimes. In August 2024, following a four-day trial, a jury found Amiri, 34, guilty of one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the fraudulently-obtained degree scheme. Thereafter, in March 2025, following eight-day trial, a jury found Amiri guilty of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of falsification of records in connection with a July 2019 arrest. Amiri was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals on March 18, 2025, and has remained in federal custody since then. “Amiri misused his police dog to inflict unnecessary and excessive force against a victim and cheated his way into a pay raise. These crimes are appalling in themselves, but even more so that they were committed by a police officer. With this sentence, Amiri is now being held to account for his multiple betrayals of the public trust,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “Amiri betrayed the public’s trust, abused his authority, and violated the civil rights of a person he was sworn to protect. His actions undermine the integrity of law enforcement and erode public confidence. Today’s sentence sends a clear message: no badge is a shield from accountability. The FBI remains steadfast in its mission to protect the civil rights of all people and to hold those who abuse their power accountable under the law,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. Amiri was previously employed as a police officer with the Antioch Police Department. According to court documents and evidence presented at the trial in March 2025, Amiri, a K-9 handler, deployed his K-9 to bite even when it was not necessary. On July 24, 2019, Amiri pulled over and stopped a bicyclist identified as A.A., who, according to Amiri, did not have his bicycle light on. Amiri approached A.A., punched and took the victim to the ground, and then called for his K-9 to bite the victim. As a result, A.A. sustained injuries. At the time, Amiri was accompanied by a police officer with a neighboring agency as a ride-along, and that officer assisted with the deployment of the K-9. Afterwards, Amiri shared pictures of the victim’s wounds with other Antioch police officers. One officer responded, “Yeah buddy good boy,” referring to the K-9, and “Lol you bit [A.A.].” In response to a question from another officer about what cut the dog’s face, Amiri responded, “that’s a piece of the suspect’s flesh lol.” Amiri later wrote to the officer who accompanied him on the ride-along, “you got to see [the K-9] in action lol,” and stated that detectives got the victim “a 45 day violation and we are gonna leave it at that so i don’t go to court for the bite. Easy,” referring to the victim going into custody for a parole/probation violation. Amiri then falsified a police report of the incident, stating that one of the reasons he deployed his K-9 was because he was alone, when instead the ride-along police officer was with him at the time and had helped Amiri deploy the K-9. Separately, the evidence presented at the trial in August 2024 showed that the City of Antioch and City of Pittsburg’s Police Departments offered reimbursements toward higher education tuition and expenses, along with pay raises and other financial incentives upon completion of a degree. Instead of completing higher education coursework on their own, Amiri and his co-conspirators hired someone to complete entire courses on their behalf at an online university to secure a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Amiri and his co-conspirators then represented they had taken those courses and earned the degrees from the university when requesting reimbursements and/or financial incentives from their police department employers. They were in turn paid additional financial incentives, calculated as percentages of their salaries, while they remained employed by their police departments. In addition to the prison term, Judge White also sentenced Amiri to three years of supervised release and ordered Amiri to pay restitution in the amount of $3,180 to victim A.A. and $10,526 to the City of Antioch. The case is being prosecuted by the National Security & Special Prosecutions Section and the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. * * * These charges against Amiri were brought as part of an investigation into the Antioch and Pittsburgh police departments that resulted in multiple charges against 10 current and former officers and employees of these two police departments for various crimes ranging from the use of excessive force to fraud. The status of these cases, all of which are before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, is below: Case Name and Number Statute(s) Defendant (Bold: multiple case numbers) Status Fraud 23-cr-00264 18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; 1343 (Wire Fraud) Patrick Berhan Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 24-cr-157 on 9/5/24 Morteza Amiri Sentenced to 84 months custody, 3 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-269 on 6/24/25 Amanda Theodosy a/k/a Nash Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release 11/15/24 Samantha Peterson Sentenced to time served, 3 years supervised release 4/24/24 Ernesto Mejia-Orozco Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 9/19/24 Brauli Jalapa Rodriguez Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 10/25/24 Obstruction 23-cr-00267 18 U.S.C. §§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations); 1512(c)(2) (Obstruction of Official Proceedings); 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Timothy Manly Williams Pleaded guilty 11/28/23, status conference 8/19/25 Anabolic Steroid Distribution 23-cr-00268 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids), 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids) Daniel Harris Pleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 8/19/25 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids); 18 U.S.C.§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations) Devon Wenger Convicted at trial 4/30/25, sentencing pending Civil Rights 23-cr-00269 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law); § 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations) Morteza Amiri Sentenced to 84 months custody, 3 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 6/24/25 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Eric Rombough Pleaded guilty 1/14/25, status conference 8/19/25 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Devon Wenger Trial 8/4/25 Anabolic Steroid Distribution 24-cr-00157 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids) Patrick Berhan Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 9/5/24 Bank Fraud 24-cr-00502 18 U.S.C. § 1344(1), (2) (Bank fraud) Daniel Harris Pleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 8/19/25


title: Guatemalan Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Reentry by a Removed Alien

component: Department of Justice

body_text: JACKSON, MS – A Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty on June 5, 2025, to Unlawful Reentry into the United States by a Deported or Removed Alien. According to court documents, Juan Perez-Martin, age 31, of Guatemala was found illegally present in Madison County, Mississippi on March 19, 2025, after having been previously removed from the United States in 2019 and previously deported in 2022. Perez-Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2025 and faces a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi; and Field Office Director Mellisa B. Harper of Immigration and Customs (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) New Orleans, made the announcement. This case was investigated by ICE ERO. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber Jones prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Conehatta Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor

body_text: Jackson, MS – On June 17, 2025, a Newton County man pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor under the age of sixteen. According to court documents, in February of 2024, Javeon Deshaun Jefferson, 25, engaged in the sexual abuse of a minor in the Conehatta Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, made the announcement. The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Jefferson is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.


title: MERIDIAN MAN SENTENCED TO 188 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR POSSESSION OF FENTANYL

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Meridian, Mississippi man was sentenced on June 17 th to 188 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. According to court documents and statements made in open court, Timothy Lavelle Cole, 47, was sentenced to 188 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. In April 2024, the East Mississippi Drug Task Force conducted two controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Cole at his residence in Meridian, Mississippi. After two controlled purchases, agents executed a search warrant at Cole’s residence where the transactions occurred. During the search, agents discovered several controlled substances, items related to the distribution of controlled substances, and a firearm. Of the controlled substances recovered in the residence was 101.4 grams of fentanyl. Cole had been previously convicted of two prior controlled substance offenses and was determined to be a career offender under the sentencing guidelines. Cole pleaded guilty to the charged conduct on February 11, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson made the announcement. The ATF and the East Mississippi Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Goff prosecuted the case. This case was investigated by the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America . HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total liminateon of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Michigan Man Sentenced to 204 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: HAMMOND – Justin Jack Miller, 30 years old, of Escanaba, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to production and attempted production of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Miller was sentenced to 204 months in prison and ordered to serve life on supervised release. According to documents in the case, between August 2022 and September 2022, Miller misrepresented himself as a 14-year-old male using a the social media application to knowingly persuade and entice, and attempt to persuade and entice a minor under the age of twelve to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Valparaiso Police Department, the Indiana State Police, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Michigan State Police, and the Escanaba Department of Public Safety. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nadia D. Wardrip. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Virgin Islands Resident Sentenced for Possessing a Machine Gun

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Croix, VI – Acting United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Shabukah Bannis, 29, of St. Croix, was sentenced on Friday, June 20, 2025, for unlawfully possessing a machine gun. U.S. District Court Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Bannis to 30 months’ imprisonment. According to court documents, on November 30, 2023, officers with the Virgin Islands Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Bannis. During the stop, officers detected the odor of marijuana. Bannis admitted to having marijuana in the vehicle, prompting a search. Inside the car, officers recovered marijuana and found a loaded machine gun with an obliterated serial number concealed under the driver’s seat. In pronouncing sentence, Judge Lewis emphasized that the message must be “loud, clear, and unmistakable—the possession of these types of weapons of war cannot and will not be tolerated in this community.” This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cherrisse R. Woods. 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.


title: Maryland Man Convicted of Two Convenience Store Robberies and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who was previously convicted of robbing the Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust on Council Street in Cedar Rapids on January 3, 2024, pled guilty to additional charges today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Andrew Philip Derr, age 22, from Fredrick, Maryland, was convicted of Two Convenience Store Robberies and Money Laundering. In a plea agreement, Derr admitted that after being discharged from the military for misconduct in 2023, he moved to Iowa City and conducted a series of robberies in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area. Derr admitted that on December 27, 2023, he robbed the Casey’s General Store in Robins, Iowa, and obtained over $7,000 in cash. Derr admitted that on January 1, 2024, he robbed the Kum & Go store on Four Oaks Drive in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Derr was previously convicted and sentenced for robbing the Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust branch on Council Street in Cedar Rapids on January 3, 2024, in which he obtained over $16,000 in cash. Derr admitted that after each robbery he laundered the stolen funds by making multiple deposits into his Maryland Bank account to disguise the nature, source of ownership of the funds. Ultimately on January 3, 2024, Derr flew to Maryland, and subsequently made two deposits of robbery proceeds totaling more than $4,800. When the United States Marshals Service tried to arrest Derr at his Iowa City, Iowa, apartment, they found a note stating, “Catch me if you can.” On January 12, 2024, Derr turned himself into Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Derr remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Derr faces a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Additionally, Derr must forfeit the stolen funds from the convenience store robberies and the money that he laundered and will be required to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the United States Marshals Service’s Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Robins Police Department, Linn County Attorney’s Office, the University of Iowa Police Department and the Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-00105 Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Two Uzbek Men Charged With Smuggling Illegal Aliens Into the United States for Financial Gain

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Bekhzod Rakhmatov, 30, of Maineville, Ohio, and Munis Khojiev, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were arrested and charged by indictment with attempting to bring an alien to the United States for private financial gain and conspiring to bring aliens to the United States for private financial gain, arising from a human smuggling scheme. Both defendants are Uzbek nationals who entered the United States on the same day without legal authorization. The indictment alleges that, as part of their conspiracy, the defendants assisted in smuggling Co-Conspirator #1 into the United States, and then received referrals through Co-Conspirator #1 to smuggle additional illegal aliens into the U.S. As further alleged, from about December 2022 to about May 2025, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, Rakhmatov and Khojiev engaged with other individuals to obtain visas and passports to enable illegal aliens to travel throughout various countries with the goal of arriving at the United States-Mexico border. The defendants solicited and received funds from, and on behalf of, illegal aliens, as payment for smuggling the illegal aliens into the United States. If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of 10 years' imprisonment on each count. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Danielle Bateman and Everett Witherell. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.


title: Jimcy McGirt Pleads Guilty To Sex Offender Registry Violation

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimcy McGirt, age 76, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The Indictment alleged that on May 2, 2024, McGirt was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and that from August 25, 2024, until August 31, 2024, McGirt knowingly failed to register that he was residing in a home, either temporarily or permanently, within a two-thousand foot radius of any playground or park. The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. McGirt will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah McAmis and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.


title: Herkimer County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Intending to Distribute Cocaine and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Michael Austin, age 46, of Frankfort, New York, pleaded guilty last week to possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possessing two firearms as a felon. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Austin admitted that between April 2024 and August 2024, he sold approximately 13 ounces of cocaine to one customer over the course of 7 transactions, and on August 15, 2024, possessed an additional 78 grams of cocaine at his residence, which he intended to distribute to others. Austin further admitted that on July 26, 2024, he illicitly sold two handguns to that same customer, from Austin’s residence in Frankfort. As Austin knew when he possessed and sold the firearms, in 2010 he had been convicted in federal court of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. He was sentenced to 67 months’ imprisonment for that offense. U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated: “This conviction is a major win for public safety. The defendant was pumping deadly drugs and firearms into our streets which only fuels violence and destroys lives. Thanks to the relentless work of our law enforcement partners, we’ve shut down a serious threat to our community. Let this serve as a warning: if you traffic in drugs and guns, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will bring you to justice.” ATF Special Agent in Charge Miller said: “The illegal possession of firearms by convicted felons, especially when paired with drug trafficking, is a dangerous combination that fuels violence and puts lives at risk. Bringing guns and poison into our communities creates fear and instability—and the consequences are real. We’re proud of ATF in Syracuse, NY and to work alongside our partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York State Police (NYSP), U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of New York, and the New Hartford Police Department. At sentencing, currently scheduled for October 15, 2025, Austin faces a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment on the drug charge and 15 years’ imprisonment for the firearm offense, a fine of up to $2 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 6 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. ATF investigated the case, with assistance from DEA, NYSP Special Investigations Unit-Marcy, and the New Hartford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Man at Center of Alien Kidnapping and Smuggling Conspiracy Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Texas man, who conspired to kidnap and transport aliens and held multiple victims for ransom before instigating a deadly shootout in a quiet, Charlottesville neighborhood, pled guilty recently to federal charges as part of Operation Take Back America. Ricardo Franco Ordaz, 26, of Cedar Creek, Texas, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to kidnap and one count of transporting an alien resulting in death. At sentencing, Ordaz faces a maximum possible penalty of life in prison. “Human trafficking and human smuggling generate violence and are real threats to our community and the Justice Department will take all appropriate steps to hold accountable those who attempt to profit off of others trying to enter the country illegally,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “This case serves as an example of the deadly consequences that can occur when individuals use human beings as currency. I am grateful to the Department of Homeland Security and our state and local partners for their work to bring this case to justice.” According to court documents, in early January of 2023, Ordaz, his co-defendant Jordan Perez, and other co-conspirators, kidnapped multiple victims and held them for ransom, knowing these individuals had entered the United States illegally. As part of the scheme, Ordaz arranged to pick up two victims from an area near the United States-Mexico border and bring them to a house near Austin, Texas. Once there, Ordaz, and others, held both victims against their will and under armed guard, then called and messaged the victims’ families and friends demanding cash ransom in exchange for their release. Ordaz exchanged one of the victims in Texas for $5,000 cash, and on January 8, 2023, Perez and a co-conspirator transported another victim to Charlottesville, Virginia, where they arranged to exchange that victim for $10,000 in cash. During the exchange, when it was revealed that the full $10,000 ransom was not available, an argument and shootout ensued, during which Perez, and another coconspirator, brandished firearms that resulted in the death of one of the kidnappers. Perez is scheduled to go to trial in December 2025. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Homeland Security Investigations in Harrisonburg investigated the case with assistance from the Charlottesville Police Department, Albemarle County Police Department, and HSI Austin, Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Sullivan is prosecuting the case.


title: Ohio Men Who Robbed Postal Employee Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: TOLEDO , Ohio – Three Lima, Ohio, men who robbed a federal worker while serving on official duty as a postal carrier have been sentenced to prison by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Knepp. According to the indictment, the robbery occurred on Nov. 30, 2023, while a United States Postal Service letter carrier was on a routine delivery route in Lima. Specially suited keys which unlock postal service bags, drawers, and other authorized receptacles for the deposit of mail were stolen under threat of force and violence to the postal carrier. As a result of this robbery, U.S. mail was stolen on several occasions. The following sentences were imposed June 20, 2025: Ahmir Curtis, 24, was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States, stealing keys adopted by the post office, and theft of mail. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, and pay $650 in restitution for damage to federal property. Zenesto Martin, Jr., 26, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States, stealing keys adopted by the post office, and theft of mail. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release. Christian Proby, 26, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison after pleading guilty to robbery of mail, money, or other property of the United States and stealing keys adopted by the post office. He was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force, and the Lima Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio. The USPIS is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating crimes against postal carriers and crimes involving the U.S. Mail. Anyone having information about blue collection box thefts, or thefts or attempted thefts of mail carriers or mail, should contact USPIS at 1-877-876-2455. All information will be kept confidential.


title: Minnesota Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison  for Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Minnesota man for Production of Child Pornography. Jason Honetschlager, age 45, was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 30, 2024. On June 16, 2025, Honetschlager was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. He must register as a sex offender upon release. The investigation discovered that throughout 2023, Honetschlager targeted teenagers in the Milbank, South Dakota, area for sexually explicit images and acts. He enticed minor children via Snapchat and bought them tobacco and marijuana products in exchange for the images and acts. His behavior came to law enforcement’s attention when a video surfaced of him forcing a young teenage girl to perform oral sex on him. The investigation discovered 8 minor victims. “Honetschlager’s actions are almost unspeakable,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell, “but unfortunately, this type of conduct is becoming more commonplace on social media platforms. We are fortunate to have sophisticated and dedicated law enforcement agents and prosecutors working to hold these offenders responsible, but it is imperative we all join the fight against child exploitation. Talk frequently and openly with your children about their use of social media and be on the lookout for behavior indicative of exploitation, such as abruptly deleting social media accounts or frequently creating new accounts; turning off or hiding devices in the presence of a parent or other adult; clearing web browser histories; and unexplained money or gift cards.” This case was investigated by the Milbank Police Department, the Division of Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Honetschlager was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Man Brandishing Firearm at "No Kings" Protesters Charged with Federal Firearms Violation

body_text: NASHVILLE – Elijah Millar, 19, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was federally charged on Friday, June 20, with the unlawful possession of a firearm, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. According to court documents, Millar went to a “No Kings” protest near Bicentennial Mall in downtown Nashville on June 14, 2025. Millar was dressed in all black, wearing a mask, and was, according to witnesses, carrying a firearm. Witnesses reported to law enforcement that Millar told the protestors that he had a firearm, spat at them, yelled at them, and brandished the firearm. Officers with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) then approached Millar, disarmed him, and arrested him. According to court documents, MNPD seized a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol from Millar at the time. Days later, officers of the Murfreesboro Police Department encountered Millar and recovered another loaded 9mm firearm from his waistband. According to the federal criminal complaint, in 2023, the Chancery Court in Rutherford County, Tennessee entered an Order appointing an emergency conservator for Millar finding that he was “at risk of substantial harm to his health, safety, and welfare” and prohibiting him from receiving or possessing a firearm. In September 2024, a Chancery Court Judge in Rutherford County issued an “Agreed Order of Limited Conservatorship” for Millar finding him to be a “disabled person needing care” and significantly restricting his access to firearms. “The right to peaceably protest government action is guaranteed by the First Amendment and cannot be infringed upon by armed individuals whose actions put people in danger,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “Our efforts to hold firearm offenders accountable are designed to keep all members of the public safe from potential violence.” If convicted, Millar faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and the Murfreesboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Kurtzman and Kathryn Risinger are 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: Two Men Sentenced for Multiple Drug Trafficking Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – An Aberdeen, Ohio, man, Gary Cunningham, Jr., 37, and Frederick Overly, III, 58, of Maysville, Ky., were sentenced to 268 months and 120 months, respectively, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and eight counts of distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine. Cunningham was also convicted of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute it. According to testimony at trial, law enforcement identified Frederick Overly III, as a methamphetamine supplier, and used a confidential informant to make eight controlled purchases from Overly. Each purchase was arranged by the informant calling Overly, who in turn indicated that he would need to get the methamphetamine from his own supplier, Cunningham. Each time, Cunningham sold Overly the methamphetamine that Overly subsequently sold to the informant, totaling more approximately 80 grams. Cunningham was previously convicted of three counts of first-degree trafficking of a controlled substance in Mason County Circuit Court in 2013, and second-degree robbery in Mason County Circuit Court in 2014. He was on probation for possession of methamphetamine when he committed the federal offenses. Under federal law, Cunningham and Overly must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, Cunningham will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years, and Overly will be under supervision for five years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Olivia Olson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; jointly announced the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Maysville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tony Bracke and Drew Spievack prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Fourth Defendant Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Bribe Feeding Our Future Juror

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Abdiaziz Farah, who was convicted of fraud after the first Feeding Our Future trial, has pleaded guilty to his role in providing a cash bribe to a juror in that same trial, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. On April 22, 2024, seven defendants went to trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. During the trial, Abdiaziz Farah, 36, of Savage, MN, conspired with his co-defendants, Abdimajid Nur and Said Farah, also well as with two other people, Abdulkarim Farah and Ladan Ali, to provide a cash bribe to one of the jurors in exchange for returning a not guilty verdict in the trial. “The attempted bribery of a Feeding Our Future juror sent shockwaves throughout Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Abdiaziz Farah did what few criminal defendants have ever had the audacity to do—he and his co-conspirators tried to buy a not guilty verdict. They were thwarted by Juror 52, who could not be bought, and by the excellent work of law enforcement. Farah and all involved in this despicable scheme will be held to account.” “Juror bribery is an attack on the integrity of our justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Farah’s actions directly undermined the rule of law. In partnership with our law enforcement colleagues, the FBI is unwavering in our pledge to safeguard the incorruptibility of our judicial process and ensure those who threaten that process must answer for their actions.” According to court documents, after the conspirators identified and decided to bribe Juror 52, at least one of Farah’s co-conspirators conducted surveillance of Juror 52 at Juror 52’s house. At or around the same time, Ladan Ali was recruited to deliver the bribe money to Juror 52. Farah worked with his co-conspirators to gather the funds necessary for the bribe. In the early morning of June 2, 2024, in furtherance of that effort, Farah sent a message to his brother and co-defendant Said Farah using an encrypted messaging app. Abdiaziz Farah told Said Farah to “[p]lease have the money ready by 10 please. It’s very important for everything we have.” Later on June 2, 2024, Farah instructed his co-defendant Abdimajid Nur to meet him at Said Farah’s business, Bushra Wholesalers, to pick up the bribe money. Abdimajid Nur did so. However, Farah and Said Farah did not fully trust Ladan Ali, and they remained concerned that Juror 52 would not follow through with an acquittal. As such, a co-conspirator directed Abdulkarim Farah to drive Ladan Ali to Juror 52’s house and record a video of her delivery of the bribe money. After meeting Ladan Ali not far from Juror 52’s house, Abdulkarim Farah and Ladan Ali drove to a nearby Target store where Abdulkarim Farah purchased a screwdriver to remove the license plate from Ladan Ali’s rental car prior to delivering the bribe to Juror 52 in an effort to avoid detection. At approximately 8:50 p.m. on June 2, 2024, Abdulkarim Farah drove Ladan Ali to Juror 52’s house to deliver the bribe. Abdulkarim Farah took a video recording as Ladan Ali approached Juror 52’s house with a gift bag containing the bribe money. Ladan Ali handed the gift bag to a relative of Juror 52 and explained there would be more money if Juror 52 voted to acquit the defendants. After Ladan Ali delivered the bribe, Abdulkarim Farah sent the video he had taken to his brother, Abdiaziz Farah. Abdiaziz Farah then forwarded that video to the third Farah brother, Said, in a message that said, “watch and delete.” On June 3, 2024, Farah was present in court when prosecutors announced law enforcement’s discovery of the bribe attempt. Minutes later, after being ordered by Judge Nancy Brasel to surrender his phone to law enforcement, Farah conducted a factory reset of his iPhone in order to delete the messages, video, and other evidence of the bribe attempt from his phone. Abdiaziz Farah pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025, in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty to one count of bribery of a juror. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS – Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case.


title: Founder of Lender Service Provider Convicted for Role in Multimillion-Dollar PPP Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted Stephanie Hockridge, a founder of the lender service provider Blueacorn, on Friday in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief money guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications, including by fabricating documents that falsified income and payroll in order to receive loan funds for which they were not eligible. “This defendant exploited a national emergency to personally profit from a taxpayer-funded program intended to support vulnerable individuals and small businesses,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This conviction demonstrates the Department’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for defrauding the government and wasting taxpayer money.” “During a time of crisis in our country, this defendant abused the generosity of the American people by stealing money dedicated to the survival of small businesses to fraudulently enrich herself,” said Acting U. S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson for the Northern District of Texas. “We are proud of the diligent work of our law enforcement partners to hold her accountable and bring her to justice. Make no mistake, our efforts to bring such fraudsters to justice are ongoing.” “Hockridge’s conviction demonstrates the FBI's continued commitment to protecting taxpayer-funded programs from fraud and abuse,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This program was designed to provide critical funds to those struggling during a national crisis, not line the pockets of people seeking to exploit government assistance. The FBI remains committed to pursuing anyone who abuses the public trust for personal gain.” “Ms. Hockridge defrauded the federal government of millions of dollars in pandemic relief funds for her own personal gain and has been brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Jon Ellwanger of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Western Region. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners to hold Ms. Hockridge accountable.” “Exploiting the Small Business Administration’s pandemic relief programs for personal gain is an egregious theft of taxpayer funds,” said Deputy Inspector General Sheldon Shoemaker of the SBA Office of Inspector General. “SBA OIG will aggressively root out fraud to protect the integrity of SBA’s programs, which are intended to provide vital assistance to the nation’s small businesses. I want to thank the U. S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.” “This verdict is a victory for justice, accountability, and the American public,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office. “In a time of crisis, the Paycheck Protection Program was created as a lifeline to keep small businesses afloat and families fed. Ms. Hockridge saw it as an opportunity to enrich herself. Driven by greed, she used her business to steal millions of dollars intended for those in need. The women and men of IRS-CI will continue to protect what’s right and stand firmly with the honest business owners who play by the rules.” As proven at trial, Hockridge co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. To get larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Hockridge and her co-conspirators fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation, and bank statements. Hockridge and her co-conspirators charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received. As part of the scheme, Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to their clients called “VIPPP” to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Hockridge recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. To get more kickbacks from borrowers and a higher percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Hockridge and her co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information. In total, Hockridge and her coconspirators processed tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent PPP loans. Hockridge was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and acquitted of four counts of wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison. The FBI, IRS-CI, the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, and SBA OIG investigated the case. Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Assistant U. S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www. justice. gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/cares-act-fraud MLARS’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers, and employees, whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www. justice. gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Jacksonville Property Management Company to Pay Compensation and Penalties for Imposing Unlawful Charges on U.S. Military Servicemembers

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department resolved an enforcement matter against JWB Real Estate Management for violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) when it imposed illegal early termination charges on military servicemembers who terminated their leases after receiving military relocation orders. JWB Property Management, a property management company based in Jacksonville, Florida, imposed early termination fees on at least six members of the U.S. military after they attempted to terminate their leases in accordance with the SCRA. As a result of the Department’s enforcement, JWB will be required to pay over $39,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers, as well as a $25,000 civil penalty. The company will also make changes to its policies and training to ensure that it complies with the SCRA in the future. “Our military families already shoulder the burden of military-ordered moves and deployments,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will not allow them to be penalized by landlords for answering the call of duty for service.” “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is committed to protecting the rights of all our servicemembers,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Our servicemembers make tremendous sacrifices to protect the rights and freedoms of our citizens and we will combat all forms of discrimination against them to help ensure that they are able to fulfill their military obligations.” The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $483 million in monetary relief for over 148,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov . Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil .


title: Greer Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison, Ordered to Pay $2M in Restitution

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. — Jennifer L. Bengston Cook, 56, of Greer, was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. She was also ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution. According to statements made in court, Cook was a part-time bookkeeper for a small business in Duncan for more than a decade. During her employment she wrote checks to herself from the company’s bank accounts without permission and deposited them into her personal bank account. To disguise her theft, in the business’ ledger she listed the checks as void, and in QuickBooks she listed the checks as either void, paid to other employees, or paid to vendors. On the memo line of some of the checks, she wrote it was for payroll and listed the payroll dates. In some instances, she paid herself three payroll checks for the same pay period. On some checks, she wrote on the memo line that it was a reimbursement. Cook also used the company's bank account to pay her personal credit card bills. The criminal conduct was discovered when Cook was on vacation and her supervisor needed to find a record of a vendor payment. After the discovery, Cook's employment was terminated, and law enforcement was notified. She was charged with multiple counts of wire fraud in federal court. U.S. District Judge Jacquelin D. Austin presided over the case and sentenced Cook to 36 months in federal prison and ordered her to pay $2,276,830.09 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins handled this prosecution. ###


title: Raleigh Basketball Scout and Life Coach Sentenced to Prison for Obtaining Nearly $300,000 in Fraudulent COVID-19 Relief Loans in Nationwide Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Earl Lamont Taylor, 52, was sentenced to six years in prison Monday and will be ordered to pay over half a million dollars in restitution to the Small Business Administration. Taylor went to trial in November and ultimately pled guilty to one count each of bank fraud and wire fraud while the jury was deliberating. He received almost $300,000 in fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) COVID-19 loans. This fraud was part of a multimillion-dollar national scheme, and, to date, more than 30 defendants have pled guilty and 29 have been sentenced. “The Paycheck Protection Program required a degree of trust in American businesspeople,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “Thankfully, most were worthy of that trust, but Earl Taylor and his co-defendants were not. This sentence sends a message that those who take advantage of programs like PPP will receive serious consequences for their crimes.” “The defendant conspired to take advantage of critical aid programs intended to provide relief for businesses affected during the pandemic by fraudulently applying for and obtaining COVID-19 program funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Our special agents will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to pursue individuals who try to exploit federal relief programs for their personal gain.” According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Taylor worked with Quentin Jackson and Edward Whitaker to obtain fraudulent PPP loans. Taylor was referred to Whitaker by Jackson, and, with Whitaker’s assistance, Taylor applied for and received loans for two businesses, Get Me Recruited, LLC (a basketball scouting and tournament staging business) and Changing the Game Life Coach (purportedly a life coaching service for young athletes). The total received for both loans was $291,665.50, and Taylor paid Whitaker $72,917.24 for his assistance. In addition to the fraudulent loans, the trial evidence showed that Taylor also cashed alleged “payroll” checks for Jackson on Jackson’s PPP loans. Information presented at the trial showed that Get Me Recruited, LLC did have business in 2019 and 2020, but employees listed on the loan application testified that they never made more than $2,000 per year and were not regularly salaried employees. The loan application submitted by Taylor listed their annual salaries as being between $110,145 and $128,416. In contrast, Changing the Game Life Coach did not appear to have any meaningful business during the relevant period and employees testified that they had never done any work for the company, and the bank account associated with the business was only open to receive the loan disbursement. Jackson pled guilty in November 2022 and Whitaker pled guilty in January 2023. Jackson was sentenced to seven years in prison in December. Other defendants that have been sentenced in the broader “Loanstarters” PPP scheme include: Albert Eugene Miller, Jr. [Case No. 5-22-CR-00290-D] Jonathan Fleming [Case No. 5-22-CR-00337-D] Nekita Hooks [Case No. 5-23-CR-00025-D] Denise Coit Alston [Case No. 5-23-CR-00077-D] Monica Faye Barnes [Case No. 5:23-CR-00094-D] Dontrell Barnes [Case No. 5-23-CR-00094-D] Isaac Lamont Dawson [Case No. 5:23-CR-0097-D] Irene Edwards [Case No. 5-23-CR-00098-D] Natosia Jerome Jenkins [Case No. 5:23-CR-00167-D] Ronald L. Jones [Case No. 5:23-CR-00339-D] Delvin Dashavone Felder [Case No. 5:23-CR-00198] Shun Lamont Gibbs [Case No. 5:23-CR-00346-D] Teresa Ann McRae [Case No. 5:23-CR-00313-D] Dontae Antonio Murphy [Case No. 5:24-CR-00072] Jackson Ndoyo [Case No. 5-23-CR-00118-D] Terron Cortez Parker [Case No. 5-23-CR-00081-D] Ayyub Abdur Rasheed [Case No. 5:23-CR-00314-D] Karim Aziz Razzak [Case No. 5:23-CR-00324] Toni A. Smith [Case No. 5:23-CR-00312-D] Darian Casteele Tyler [Case No. 5:23-CR-00338-D] Shakeerah Kaneisha Yvette Vinson [Case No. 5-23-CR-00027-D] Anthony S. Whitaker [Case No. 5:23-CR-00311-D] James Elton Watson Case No. 5:23-CR-00323-D] Shara Monique Wells [Case No. 5:23-CR-00323-D] Kami D. Woodard [Case No. 5-23-CR-00095-D] Lenille Woodard [Case No. 5-23-CR-00138-D] Quentin Jackson [Case No. 5-22-CR-180-D] Everett M. McBride [Case No. 5:24-CR-00036-D] Hanif Abdul-Hakim [Case No. 5:24-CR-00109-D] Schunda Coleman [Case No. 5-22-CR-00257-D] Edward Whitaker [Case No. 5-22-CR-00257-D] Defendants awaiting sentencing include: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were economically suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the plea. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William M. Gilmore and David Beraka prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00335-D.


title: Hillsborough County High School Teacher Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Provide Firearms To Trinidad-Based Transnational Criminal Organization

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Shannon Lee Samlalsingh (46, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to making false statements to a firearms dealer on June 20, 2025. Samlalsingh faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, in 2020 and 2021, Samlalsingh purchased several firearms and firearms components from federally licensed firearms dealers in Hillsborough County and Miami-Dade County where she falsely stated on ATF 4473 forms that she was the actual transferee or buyer of said firearms. In reality, Samlalsingh had received money via international wire transfers from members of a Trinidadian transnational criminal organization with instructions to purchase specific model firearms and firearms components, then transfer them to other members of the transnational criminal organization already in Florida, to smuggle them back to Trinidad. Samlalsingh kept a percentage of the wire transfer funds as compensation. The firearms were smuggled back to Trinidad and Tobago by concealing them in a large wireless speaker and punching bags. On or about April 21, 2021, authorities at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and Tobago seized a shipment from the United States containing two punching bags and other goods. Concealed within the two punching bags were approximately eleven 9mm pistols, two .38 caliber special revolvers, a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, three AR-15 barrel foregrips, 19 lower pistol grip assemblies, 11 forearm bolt assemblies, three AR-15-style barrels with forearm grips, 32 AR-15 magazines, one AR-15 drum magazine, 470 rounds of AR-15 ammunition, 34 9mm magazines, three 9mm drum magazines, 284 9mm rounds, fifteen .38 caliber rounds, 36 shells, six magazine couplers, and two shotgun chokes. Specifically, Samlalsingh purchased a SAR-9 9mm pistol, a Ruger-9 9mm pistol, a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol which were all traced to the April 21, 2021, seizure in Trinidad and Tobago. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security (Transnational Organized Crime Unit) and Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Special Investigations Unit), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Adam W. McCall. This case is 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: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Deangelo Lamont Tell, also known as “Lil D,” 36, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 31, 2023, Tell sold approximately 27.34 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant near the 1800 block of Marshall Avenue in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Tell admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand. Tell further admitted to selling approximately 48.85 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on February 3, 2023, and to arranging for another individual to sell approximately 55.75 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant on February 6, 2023, with both transactions occurring in Huntington. Tell is scheduled to be sentenced on October 6, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting 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. 3:25-cr-16. ###


title: Indianapolis Man Sentenced After Being Caught with Three Firearms and Two Machine Gun Conversion Devices While Out on Bond

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

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— Q’Tez Laquan Ginn, 19, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 61 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a machine gun. Machine gun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears,” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. Machine gun conversion devices are themselves considered machine guns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal for individuals to possess or sell. According to court documents, in August of 2024, Ginn was seen carrying an AR style pistol in a parking lot where suspected narcotics trafficking was taking place. Later that day, IMPD officers found Ginn in a vehicle with marijuana and a pistol. Ginn was charged with felony dealing marijuana and taken into custody. At the time of this arrest, Ginn was out on bond for a felony Resisting Law Enforcement charge in Marion County. While in custody, Ginn made phone calls to family members, directing them to move and store his firearms and controlled substances at a home known to the family. Ginn continued to exert control over the items while he was incarcerated. In September of 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a judicially authorized search at the home and located a black duffel bag that contained a Glock handgun, two AR-style pistols, and multiple magazines, including two loaded high-capacity drum-style magazines. The Glock handgun and one of the AR-style pistols were found with machine gun conversion devices installed on them. “Machine gun conversion devices only exacerbate the already dire situation of individuals using firearms for violent purposes. In a city already overwhelmed by gun violence, these devices contribute to further instability for community members and law enforcement,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the IMPD and ATF for their steadfast dedication to addressing gun violence in our community." The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Domash, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Justice Department Sues Washington State Over its new anti-Catholic law, Senate Bill 5375

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it filed legal action for a complaint in intervention against the State of Washington over its a new state law, Senate Bill 5375, which violates the free exercise of religion for all Catholics, and requires Catholic priests to violate the confidentiality seal of Confession. Senate Bill 5375 requires Catholic priests to violate their vows to uphold the confidentiality seal that accompanies the sacred rite of Confession, subjecting them to immediate excommunication from the Catholic Church. As the Justice Department’s lawsuit explains, the violations imposed by this new law on all practicing members of the Catholic Church, including Catholic priests administering the sacrament and Catholic penitents participating in the rite, include deprivations of the Free Exercise of Religion under the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. “Laws that explicitly target religious practices such as the Sacrament of Confession in the Catholic Church have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Senate Bill 5375 unconstitutionally forces Catholic priests in Washington to choose between their obligations to the Catholic Church and their penitents or face criminal consequences, while treating the priest-penitent privilege differently than other well-settled privileges. The Justice Department will not sit idly by when States mount attacks on the free exercise of religion.” The Department’s motion to intervene in Etienne v. Ferguson is pending before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt .


title: Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Cocaine Following a Wiretap Investigation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Travis Sentell Howell, 46, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to distributing 80 kilograms of cocaine. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division. According to the guilty plea, beginning in fall 2022, the FBI and DEA investigated a drug trafficking conspiracy involving several individuals distributing cocaine in the Baltimore area, including Howell. During the investigation, investigators obtained court-authorized wiretaps for Howell’s phones. Investigators intercepted telephone calls during which Howell and co-conspirators used coded language to discuss distributing cocaine, arranging meetings, and obtaining cash proceeds from the conspiracy. Based on wiretaps and surveillance work, law enforcement observed Howell and co-conspirators conducting suspected drug transactions in various locations in Baltimore. Investigators learned that, during the conspiracy, Howell obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine from the west coast. After the cocaine arrived, Howell redistributed it to customers in the Baltimore area. He paid for the cocaine by, among other things, traveling to the west coast and providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to couriers. On June 4, 2024, investigators executed federal search warrants on several residences associated with suspected members of the drug trafficking organization, including a residence associated with Howell. During the search, investigators recovered approximately $13,182 in cash, a money counter, gold Rolex watch, and other jewelry. At the locations associated with other members of the conspiracy, investigators recovered more than five kilograms of cocaine, a pill press and pill press parts, empty glassine wrappers, gas mask, Narcan, cutting agents, digital scales, and cash. After the execution of the search warrant, Howell acknowledged that for multiple years he received multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine and redistributed it to other individuals in the Baltimore area. Howell stated that during the time of the investigation, he obtained approximately 80 kilograms of cocaine and redistributed it to other individuals. He also explained that during a trip to Los Angeles, the week before the search warrant, Howell transported $180,000 of U.S. Currency, which he provided as payment for cocaine to transport back to Baltimore for distribution. Howell admitted that he made multiple short trips to Los Angeles, which he explained was to provide payment for cocaine and that all payments were for at least $100,000 or more. The parties agree that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Howell will be sentenced to nine years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 18. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and DEA for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins who is prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: June Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments Announced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Alejandro Aldave. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 1 and 2); Possession of 3,4-Dichloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]-N-methylbenzamide (U47700”) with Intent to Distribute (Count 3); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 4); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 5) (superseding). Aldave, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with two counts of possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine and one count of possessing 3,4-Dichloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]-N-methylbenzamide (U47700”) with intent to distribute. He is additionally charged with maintaining a residence to distribute cocaine and 3,4-Dichloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]-N-methylbenzamide (U47700”) . Lastly, Aldave knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-173 Roman Ramos Chacon. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Chacon, 27, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Oct. 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Scaife is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-206 Jesus Reyes Chi. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms. Reyes Chi, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing firearms knowing he was an alien unlawfully living in the United States. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-207 Jose Guadalupe Peralez Diaz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Peralez Diaz, 43, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2022. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Whipple is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-208 Brandon Eugene Fanning. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Fanning, 47, of Wyandotte, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-219 Cruz De Jesus Garcia-Dimas. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia-Dimas, 34, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2012. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-209 Jason Dewayne Glass; Justin Monrow Wilson. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Count 1); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 2 through 4); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 5); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 6); Carrying and Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 7) Maintaining a Durg-Involved Premises (Count 8) Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition (Counts 9 & 10). Glass, 41, of Locust Grove, is charged with engaging in a sexual act by force and threat. He is charged with intentionally assaulting a victim with a firearm, a propane torch, a knife, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Wilson, 49, of Locust Grove, and Glass are jointly charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking, and maintaining a drug house. Additionally, Glass and Willson are charged with possessing numerous firearms and ammunition, knowing they had previously been convicted of several felonies. The FBI, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-220 Kiaona Richelle Hill. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Hill, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing she was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Heign and Eric O. Johnston are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-211 Bradley Justin Kelley. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Eluding Police Officers in Indian Country. Kelley, 35, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies, and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Kelley is further charged with maintaining a residence for drug distribution and possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Additionally, Kelley is charged with failing to bring his vehicle to a stop after being directed by a peace officer in an official vehicle with a red light and siren. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-203 Jorge Luis Garcia-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia-Lopez, 27, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2021. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-210 Arturo Hidalgo Luna. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Luna, 59, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2003. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-212 Jason Allen Lynn. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Lynn, 31, a transient and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is charged with intending to kill Alan Underwood without premeditation and deliberation, but with intent to do serious bodily harm. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-204 Cale Michael Mitchell Persinger. Assault of a Spouse by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Persinger, 25, of Tulsa and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with assaulting his spouse by strangling her. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-221 Austin Dewayne Nation. Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony; Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Felon in Possession of Firearms; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Nation, 29, of Kellyville, is charged with attempting to possess and distribute methamphetamine received through the mail. He is further charged with attempting to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Additionally, Nation is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies and possessing a firearm while attempting to traffic drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the USPS-OIG are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-213 Bryan Omar Orozxo-Cahuex. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Orozxo-Cahuex, 30, a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2017. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-214 Jose Pacheco-Quezada. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Pacheco-Quezada, 24, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2019. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-215 Silvia Nicole Ramos-Ramos. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramos-Ramos, 23, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-216 Marissa Ayde Ruiz. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Carrying a Firearm in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Ruiz, 33, of Amarillo, Texas, is charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute and carrying a firearm while drug trafficking. The Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-205 Allan Segovia. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Segovia, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-222