title: Army Soldier Charged with Distribution of Cocaine Following DEA Operation at Illegal Nightclub

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Juan Gabriel Orona-Rodriguez, age 28, was charged by complaint with one count each of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. According to the criminal complaint, Orona-Rodriguez, while serving as an active-duty U.S. Army solider, unlawfully distributed controlled substances. During the week of April 21, 2025, Orona-Rodriguez sold cocaine to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent. Additionally, when investigators obtained a search warrant for Orona-Rodriguez’s phone, they found text messages between at least September 16, 2024, and April 9, 2025, which appear to show him repeatedly purchasing cocaine and selling it to others. Orona-Rodriguez appears to hold a leadership role in a business called Immortal Security LLC, which provides armed security at “nightclubs” – including an afterhours, unlawful nightclub called Warike – within Colorado Springs, Colorado. On numerous occasions, the Colorado Springs Police Department received 911 calls related to Warike citing a wide variety of alleged crimes, including weapons violations, assault, narcotics, and other violent crime. Warike was the site of a federal search warrant that was executed and led by the DEA on April 27, 2025. Orona-Rodriguez was one of approximately 17 active-duty U.S. Army service members present at Warike during the execution of that search warrant. The investigation is being conducted by the Denver Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and DEA’s Colorado Springs Resident Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Houlihan. 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. The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Case Number: 25-mj-00092-TPO


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison

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

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Cantrell James, 34 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Cantrell James was sentenced to 96 months in prison followed by 30 months of supervised release According to documents in the case, on November 6, 2024, law enforcement found James in possession of two firearms. James has an extensive criminal history including felony convictions for carrying a handgun without a license, failure to return to lawful detention, possession of cocaine, escape, felon carrying a handgun, and resisting law enforcement. As a convicted felon, James is prohibited from possessing the firearms in this case. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Teresa L. Ashcraft. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Sun Prairie Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearm

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Curtis White III, 21, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 4 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. White pleaded guilty to the firearm charge on February 13, 2025. On September 30, 2024, police in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, received a telephone call from a person who reported that White was in possession of a gun. Officers responded to the caller’s apartment complex in Fitchburg and immediately searched the area around the apartment complex for White. Officers found him a few blocks away. After he was arrested, White admitted that he possessed a firearm when he approached the caller’s apartment and that his fingerprints would be on the gun. White further stated that he wrapped up the firearm in a sweatshirt and falsely claimed he tossed it in the vicinity of Williamsburg Way and Whitney Way in Fitchburg. The following day, October 1, 2024, officers reviewed White’s jail calls and heard him provide a person with directions on where to find the firearm. Based on his directions, officers found a loaded black Sarsilmaz 9mm handgun wrapped in a black sweatshirt in a stairwell in the basement of an apartment building in Fitchburg. At the time of his offense, White had previously been convicted of eight felony offenses in Dane County, including burglary and bail jumping. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson stated that White was a very dangerous person who had displayed an “unrelenting pattern” of criminal behavior. Judge Peterson noted that White made his situation worse by lying to officers about the firearm’s location after he was arrested and recently assaulting two inmates while in jail awaiting sentencing. Judge Peterson concluded that a 4-year sentence was necessary to protect the public from White’s violent and unpredictable conduct. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms. The charge against White was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner prosecuted the case.


title: Former Amtrak Director of Network Planning and Engineering, Two Vendors Indicted for Extensive Bribery Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard Thompson, 57, of Falls Church, Virginia, Shaun Hanrahan, 66, of Hampton, Virginia, and Darren Hannam, 57, of Haymarket, Virginia, were charged by indictment with honest services fraud through bribery for engaging in schemes to pay off Thompson, in exchange for Thompson steering millions of dollars in Amtrak work to companies owned by Hanrahan, Hannam, and others. Thompson was the Director of Network Planning and Engineering for Amtrak and had a leadership role in designing information technology (“IT”) systems and selecting IT vendors and subcontractors to perform IT work for Amtrak. Hanrahan was the owner of Awarity, LLC, a small business providing management consulting and computer-related services. Hannam and Co-schemer #1 were the principals of Arch Technology, an IT company. The indictment alleges that, from about 2015 through 2021, Thompson engaged in bribery schemes with each of three companies who were his favored vendors in the Amtrak contracting process — Awarity, Arch Technology, and 20/20 Teknology, owned by Co-schemer #2. In each of these schemes, as alleged, Thompson repeatedly shared proprietary Amtrak bid information and other documents with his favored vendors before Amtrak contracts were awarded, giving the favored vendors advantages in the Amtrak contracting processes. The indictment further alleges that Thompson likewise collaborated with them on bid and contracting documents, manipulated bidding lists, and structured existing contractual relationships, so that his favored vendors would get lucrative subcontracting deals and bypass Amtrak’s competitive bidding process. The defendants allegedly tried to conceal their scheme from Amtrak and other authorities by communicating with Thompson on his personal email accounts rather than his Amtrak email. The Amtrak work involved in these schemes included, among other things, the design and installation of nationwide WiFi networks, IT equipment purchases, the installation of audio-visual equipment in Amtrak’s offices in Washington, DC, and a major project to improve the gates that provided access to Amtrak railroad tracks across the country. According to the indictment, for steering and attempting to steer this work to his favored vendors, Thompson received a stream of benefits from each vendor. For example, Hanrahan provided Thompson with payments of cash totaling at least $97,000; Hannam and Co-schemer #1 provided Thompson with expensive electronics valued at approximately $9,500, including Apple computers. Co-schemer #2 provided Thompson with an automobile, free hotel and condominium stays in Ocean City, Maryland, and $40,000 in cash. The defendants are all charged with multiple counts of honest services wire fraud through bribery. Hannam is also charged with falsification of records for allegedly trying to cover up the scheme after federal agents executed search warrants in this matter. If convicted, the defendants face maximum possible sentences of 20 years in prison for each count of honest services fraud in the indictment. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Amtrak Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Louis D. Lappen and Jason Grenell. 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: Inmate previously convicted for child sexual abuse material found guilty of possessing more in his cell

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted an inmate at the Petersburg Federal Correctional Institution (FCI Petersburg) yesterday for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on March 7, 2024, correctional officers at FCI Petersburg searched the cell of inmate James Skibinski, 61, and found him in possession of prison contraband photos. Skibinski’s personal property was collected from his cell and held by staff of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. On April 10, 2024, another correctional officer received information that Skibinski had a folder with hidden compartments where he kept altered images and photographs of children. The officer retrieved Skibinski’s property bags, located the folder, and found the hidden compartments. Inside these hidden compartments were envelopes containing images of young children that had been altered to depict the children engaging in sexual acts. Skibinski faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on Sept. 11. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-145.


title: Ashburn financial advisor sentenced to three years in prison for defrauding investors and losing millions of dollars through risky trading

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Ashburn man was sentenced today to three years in prison for fraud relating to his risky trading that lost millions of dollars of his clients’ funds while he provided them with false information. According to court documents, Andrew Corbman, 53, was affiliated with a national estate planning company through which he obtained access to individuals interested in estate planning and setting up trust vehicles. Corbman offered financial advice to clients and potential clients, including assisting them with long-term financial planning such as trusts, annuities, and life insurance. Over a period of years, Corbman worked with two individuals and two couples who loaned him money believing he would invest those funds and earn outsized returns. These clients did not know that in 2016 Corbman was suspended and then permanently barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) from acting as a financial advisor or that Corbman filed for bankruptcy in 2015. Corbman suggested the clients could improve their investment returns if they loaned him money or rolled over existing loans they had made to him. Through false claims of investing success, Corbman induced his Clients to loan him up to $4.2 million, promising to invest or continue investing the money in stock market options trading. Corbman promised to repay the loans at high rates of return, as much as a 30% annual interest rate, plus a share of his own trading profits. Corbman misrepresented his past trading performance to induce the clients to invest or to reinvest what he owed them when the loans came due in the form of a new loan. Corbman provided at least two of his potential clients a document he claimed showed his 2021 investment results. The document boasted “112 wins, 82% win history and a 90% average return.” In fact, Corbman’s trading history for each year from 2019 onward resulted in substantial losses. Altogether, Corbman lost over $4,000,000 of his clients’ money, and returned only $120,000 to one victim late in the scheme. Corbman, fully aware of the risks and the calamitous results he was producing, not only concealed the risks from his clients, but actively misled them in an attempt to stave off requests for funds and to attempt to obtain new funds. Corbman provided his victims with fabricated trading win histories. In late 2022 and early 2023, when Corbman’s creditors demanded repayment of their expired loans agreements, Corbman indicated to his clients that he was unable to repay the loans due to unanticipated trading losses. Corbman ultimately filed for bankruptcy, seeking to discharge over $4 million in losses he had inflicted on his clients. As a result of Corbman’s fraudulent scheme, at least one victim incurred substantial financial hardship, including having to mortgage a home, postpone retirement, and seek employment at an advanced age. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Corbman must pay $4.15 million in restitution. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff. Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell L. Carlberg prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-255.


title: Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Cyberstalking Victim He Met Online

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for cyberstalking a victim he met on an online dating platform. KEVIN CRUZ met the victim in 2021 on the dating application Grindr. While the pair communicated about a potential intimate relationship, the victim sent Cruz explicit photographs of himself. Cruz and the victim met in person on several occasions, but while Cruz expressed an interest in pursuing a romantic relationship, the victim did not. From December 2021 to mid-2023, Cruz engaged in a course of harassing and intimidating conduct toward the victim. Cruz created numerous profiles on Grindr and other dating applications in which he impersonated the victim. Cruz, pretending to be the victim, arranged for men to travel to the victim’s home for sexual encounters. In some instances, Cruz, pretending to be the victim, instructed the men to enter the victim’s residence and attempt to have sex with the victim even if he resisted, as Cruz said the resistance would be part of a role-playing scenario. Numerous men arrived at the victim’s residence seeking sex as a result of their communications with Cruz. Cruz also sent the victim’s explicit photographs to the victim’s family members, including his mother, brother, and cousins. In a text message sent by Cruz to the victim’s mother from a spoofed phone number, Cruz falsely suggested that the victim had committed suicide. Cruz, 34, of Oak Park, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal cyberstalking charge. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger on Wednesday ordered Cruz to pay $17,313.18 in restitution to the victim. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. “Defendant’s conduct shocks the conscience,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Shih argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “He created significant risks that the victim would be hurt, injured, and raped.”


title: Sapulpa Woman Sentenced for Second Degree Murder

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Sapulpa woman was sentenced today for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Christin Brianna Kelley, 35, to 240 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Shortly after 4:00 a.m. on the morning of January 9th, 2024, Kelley and the victim, Isaac Smith, were sitting in a car in the parking lot of a gas station in Sand Springs. Kelley shot Isaac Smith several times, killing him. Law enforcement recovered the loaded pistol Kelley used in a trash can near the car. Kelley is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI, the Sand Springs Police Department, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric O. Johnston and Stephen Flynn prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison for Racketeering and Firearm and Drug Trafficking Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston-area man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang. Jonathan Darosa, a/k/a “Jeezy,” 32, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 57 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Darosa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy); one count of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition; one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and oxycodone; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Over the course of a two-year investigation, Darosa was identified as a member of Cameron Street. On two separate occasions, Darosa distributed cocaine and oxycodone to a cooperating witness. Additionally, in an interaction with law enforcement, Darosa threatened officers, telling them “If I had a gun on me, I would have shot at you,” “I am not going back to jail,” and “I keep it on my hip.” In April 2021 in Dorchester, law enforcement observed Darosa wearing a “waist bag” across his chest – law enforcement had recovered firearms from similar bags in the past. During a search of Darosa’s person, a Taurus 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol containing 12 rounds of assorted 9 millimeter ammunition, including one round in the chamber, was recovered. According to court documents, Cameron Street is a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that used violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation. Darosa has been convicted on three prior occasions of unlawful possession of a firearm, including a 2016 conviction in Suffolk Superior Court for which he served a three-year prison sentence. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations. 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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Convicted Felon to Serve 52 Months in Prison for Discharging a Firearm After Calling 911

body_text: BOISE –Santiago Prieto, 65, of Nampa, was sentenced to 52 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. According to court records, in January 2024, paramedics responded to an emergency call from Prieto. When paramedics arrived, Prieto refused to open the door to his hotel room. Paramedics then heard two gunshots from inside the room. Law enforcement responded and heard another gunshot coming from the window of Prieto’s room. One officer saw a firearm pointed in the direction of other responding officers. Officers were eventually able to convince Prieto to exit his room unarmed. After officers arrested Prieto, he admitted to firing two shots out of the window. Inside the room, officers found a 9mm pistol, along with several shell casings At the time of the offense, Prieto was on parole for a felony arson conviction. Prieto was prohibited from possessing firearms due to several prior felony convictions, including aggravated battery and battery on a correctional officer. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Prieto to serve 3 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. “I commend the successful efforts of the Boise Police Department to deescalate the situation and achieve Prieto’s safe surrender.” Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott stated. “This case highlights how dangerous it is for the community when violent offenders have access to firearms.” Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott thanked the Boise Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office for their cooperative efforts that led to the charge in this case. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Manweiler, who was hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth . This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Turkish Citizen Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After Prior Removal for Aggravated Felony Conviction

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A citizen of Turkey pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to 60 days of imprisonment and removal from the United States on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Izzet Kurt, 60. According to information presented to the Court, Kurt was previously convicted of conspiracy to smuggle aliens, an aggravated felony, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and was subsequently removed from the United States on March 15, 2018, pursuant to an immigration judge’s order. In 2022, Kurt paid $12,000 to be smuggled back into the United States across the Mexican border. Approximately three years later, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received a tip that Kurt had returned to the United States and was living in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. A records check revealed that Kurt did not have permission or consent to reenter the United States. Through its investigation, HSI developed information corroborating the tip and, on February 25, 2025, while conducting surveillance, an HSI agent positively identified Kurt as a passenger in a vehicle within the Western District of Pennsylvania. Kurt has been in custody since his arrest and will be returned to immigration custody for his removal from the U.S., to which Kurt agreed as part of his plea and sentence. Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Kurt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Convicted Drug Trafficker Is Sentenced To Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Kelly Woodrow Ross, 64, of Waynesville, N.C., was sentenced today to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. According to court documents and court proceedings, in November 2023, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office learned that Ross was distributing methamphetamine in the area. At the time, Ross was on federal supervised release for a prior federal drug conviction. Court records show that during the investigation into Ross’s drug distribution activities, law enforcement utilized confidential human sources to purchase more than 5.5 grams of methamphetamine from Ross. On November 28, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Ross’s residence. During the search, investigators seized methamphetamine, digital scales, and drug paraphernalia from Ross’s residence. On September 20, 2024, Ross pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.


title: Couple Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution in Collinsville

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Among several convictions, a Collinsville couple was sentenced today for distributing methamphetamine from their home, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. After a three-day trial in August 2024, a jury found Lee Holt , 60, guilty of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes. Prior to trial, Holt’s co-defendant, Jennifer Charisa Harrington , 49, pled guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, ordered Holt to serve 180 months imprisonment, followed by eight years of supervised release. Further, Judge Heil ordered Harrington to serve 63 months imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release. In August 2023, law enforcement served a search warrant on Holt and Harrington’s home in Collinsville. Upon search of the home, agents found a firearm and ammunition, 110 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, scales, and $4,370 in drug proceeds. Laboratory testing determined the methamphetamine was 94% pure. During the trial, experts testified that 110 grams of methamphetamine could be more than 500 doses of meth with a street value of approximately $1,500. Court records show that Holt was previously convicted of several felonies over the last 40-years, including burglary, illegal sale of a machinegun, conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and unlawfully possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony. In Harrington’s plea agreement, she admitted to living with Holt and that they would distribute and use methamphetamine in their home. Harrington further admitted that they had the firearm, ammunition, scales, and cash from distributing methamphetamine. Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Collinsville Police Department, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 82 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Johnny Daniels, 44 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Daniels was sentenced to 82 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in April 2024 Daniels illegally possessed a loaded firearm while he assaulted and threatened the life of another person during the course of stealing items from a residence. Daniels’ prior convictions include numerous felony offenses, any one of which make it unlawful for him to possess the firearm in this case, including a robbery in which the victim was shot and killed. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Falvey. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Arizona Man Sentenced for COVID Loan Fraud and Tax Fraud

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Roy Lane, 44, of St. David, Arizona, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John C. Hinderaker to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for filing false tax returns and loan applications to obtain COVID-19 disaster relief. Layne previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Wire Fraud and one count of Filing a False Claim. According to court documents, and evidence presented in court, to create the appearance that he was operating several businesses, Layne filed paperwork with the IRS, applied for a business license from the City of Tucson, opened business bank accounts, and filed false employment-related tax returns. In April 2020, he filed an application with the U.S. Small Business Administration, that claimed he operated a “wholesale” business with 17 employees that had revenue of more than a half million dollars a year. In 2021, he submitted a false application for a Paycheck Protection Act loan, claiming that same “wholesale” business had 31 employees and $1.2 million in revenue. Based on these and other false applications, Layne ultimately received over $300,000 in COVID-19 related loans to which he was not entitled. Layne also used the personal identifying information and identities of other people to file false claims for refunds with the IRS. In total, Layne claimed over $7.4 million in false refunds, of which the IRS paid over $590,000. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge John C. Hinderaker ordered Layne to pay $856,692.91 in restitution to the United States. IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Matthew R. Hoffman of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, Tucson, prosecuted the case. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-04907-TUC-JCH RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-070_Layne # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Justice Department Files Complaints Against Hawaii, Michigan, New York and Vermont Over Unconstitutional State Climate Actions

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today filed complaints against the states of New York and Vermont over their “climate superfund laws.” In separate actions, the Justice Department yesterday filed lawsuits against the states of Hawaii and Michigan to prevent each state from suing fossil fuel companies in state court to seek damages for alleged climate change harms. President Trump recently directed Attorney General Pamela Bondi to take action to stop the enforcement of state laws that unreasonably burden domestic energy development so that energy will once again be reliable and affordable for all Americans. These lawsuits advance President Trump’s directive in Executive Order 14260, Protecting American Energy from State Overreach . “These burdensome and ideologically motivated laws and lawsuits threaten American energy independence and our country’s economic and national security,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice is working to ‘Unleash American Energy’ by stopping these illegitimate impediments to the production of affordable, reliable energy that Americans deserve.” “When states seek to regulate energy beyond their constitutional or statutory authority, they harm the country’s ability to produce energy and they aid our adversaries,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department’s filings seek to protect Americans from unlawful state overreach that would threaten energy independence critical to the wellbeing and security of all Americans.” According to the complaints filed yesterday in the U.S. District Courts for the District of Hawaii and the Western District of Michigan, Hawaii and Michigan intend to sue fossil fuel companies to seek damages for alleged climate change harms. The government alleges that these anticipated actions are preempted by the Clean Air Act and violate the Constitution. Such lawsuits burden energy production, force the American people to pay more for energy, and make the United States less able to defend itself from hostile foreign actors. Complaints filed today in U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York and for the District of Vermont challenge expropriative laws passed by New York and Vermont. These “climate superfund” laws would impose strict liability on energy companies for their worldwide activities extracting or refining fossil fuels. The laws assess penalties for those businesses’ purported contributions to harms that those states allegedly are experiencing from climate change. The New York law seeks $75 billion from energy companies, while the Vermont law seeks an unspecified amount. Today’s complaints allege that the New York Climate Change Superfund Act and the Vermont Climate Superfund Act are preempted by the federal Clean Air Act and by the federal foreign affairs power, and that they violate the U.S. Constitution. The Justice Department seeks a declaration that these state laws are unconstitutional and an injunction against their enforcement. Complaints: Hawaii Michigan New York Vermont


title: Santa Clarita Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Hacking Disney Employee’s Computer, Downloading Confidential Data from Company

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clarita man has agreed to plead guilty to hacking the personal computer of an employee of The Walt Disney Company last year, obtaining login information, and using that information to illegally download confidential data from the Burbank-based mass media and entertainment conglomerate via the employee’s Slack online communications account. Ryan Mitchell Kramer, 25, has agreed to plead guilty to an information charging him with one count of accessing a computer and obtaining information and one count of threatening to damage a protected computer. In addition to the information, prosecutors today filed a plea agreement in which Kramer agreed to plead guilty to the two felony charges, which each carry a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Kramer is expected to make his initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks. According to his plea agreement, in early 2024, Kramer posted a computer program on various online platforms, including GitHub, that purported to be computer program that could be used to create A.I.-generated art. In fact, the program contained a malicious file that enabled Kramer to gain access to victims’ computers. Sometime in April and May of 2024, a victim downloaded the malicious file Kramer posted online, giving Kramer access to the victim’s personal computer, including an online account where the victim stored login credentials and passwords for the victim’s personal and work accounts. After gaining unauthorized access to the victim’s computer and online accounts, Kramer accessed a Slack online communications account that the victim used as a Disney employee, gaining access to non-public Disney Slack channels. In May 2024, Kramer downloaded approximately 1.1 terabytes of confidential data from thousands of Disney Slack channels. In July 2024, Kramer contacted the victim via email and the online messaging platform Discord, pretending to be a member of a fake Russia-based hacktivist group called “NullBulge.” The emails and Discord message contained threats to leak the victim’s personal information and Disney’s Slack data. On July 12, 2024, after the victim did not respond to Kramer’s threats, Kramer publicly released the stolen Disney Slack files, as well as the victim’s bank, medical, and personal information on multiple online platforms. Kramer admitted in his plea agreement that, in addition to the victim, at least two other victims downloaded Kramer’s malicious file, and that Kramer was able to gain unauthorized access to their computers and accounts. The FBI is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Restrepo and Maxwell Coll, both of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case.


title: Houston man admits to million-dollar electricity fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 51-year-old Houston resident has entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Daniel Rodriguez-Martinez created a fictitious company to conceal the proceeds of an electricity theft scheme. From March 2021 to May 2024, Rodriguez-Martinez and others ran the scheme by creating a fake utility company to conceal profits. They used stolen personal information, including Social Security numbers, to open electricity accounts with real providers. The stolen identities were linked to actual service addresses, allowing customers to receive power while the billing responsibility fell on unsuspecting victims. When providers shut off service for nonpayment, the group reopened accounts under new fake identities. In exchange for uninterrupted electricity, customers paid a flat fee of $80 per month to the fraudulent company. The operation allowed participants to avoid legitimate charges while the organizers profited from the deception. Rodriguez-Martinez admitted to creating a fake electricity services company solely to conceal the theft scheme. He received payments from clients through peer-to-peer apps such as CashApp and Zelle, then transferred the funds into a business account to mask their origin. Rodriguez-Martinez received at least $1.4 million as a result of the scheme. As a part of his plea, he agreed to forfeit $456,859.76 in U.S. currency as well as his interest in multiple properties. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane accepted the plea and set sentencing for July 15. At that time, Rodriguez-Martinez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Gun Charge Filed Against Convicted Felon

body_text: WASHINGTON — Antoine Gatling, 32, of the District of Columbia, was indicted yesterday in U.S. District Court, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony, as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. A man convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in 2011was indicted yesterday on firearms and ammunition charges by a federal grand jury in Washington D.C. According to court documents, Gatling, who was previously convicted of robbery, was arrested in Southeast Washington D.C. on March 1, 2024, after a 911 caller requested police assistance regarding a burglary in progress at an apartment located at 4500 3 rd St. SE. The caller specified that an individual wearing a black jacket, black pants, and black and white shoes was armed with a handgun and appeared to be attempting to break into a first-floor apartment within the apartment complex. Within minutes, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrived at the location, identified Gatling, who matched the description of the 9-1-1 caller and was found just outside of the location of the attempted burglary, and detained him. After conducting a protective pat-down for safety, officers felt what they believed to be a firearm in a satchel strapped across Gatling’s back, and ultimately removed a Llama Especial .380. Officers later identified a round of 9mm ammunition as well as a 9mm magazine on Gatling’s person as well. Further investigation revealed that Gatling had been convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in Prince George’s County Circuit Court. As a person who had been convicted of a criminal charge carrying a sentence of at least a year, Gatling was prohibited from possessing either the firearm or ammunition. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 15 years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being investigated by the MPD and the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.


title: Gillette man found guilty of trafficking methamphetamine from Colorado

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: Wade Schear, 41, of Gillette, Wyoming, was convicted by a federal jury on April 30 for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The trial lasted nearly three days and was held before U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H Rankin. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Central Enforcement Team began an investigation into the possession, transportation, and distribution of controlled substances in Natrona County. During the investigation, Schear was identified as a person of interest. On June 22, 2024, the Platte County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop near Chugwater on a VW Bug driven by Schear. Deputies searched the vehicle after a K9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances. Deputies located approximately two pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a backpack that also contained multiple cell phones, over $800 in cash and Schear’s personal belongings. Trial evidence indicated Schear traveled several times from Wyoming to Colorado to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine for distribution in Wyoming. Sentencing is scheduled for July 17. Schear faces a minimum of 10 years up to life imprisonment, followed by at least five years to life of supervised release, a $10 million fine, and a $100 special assessment. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Central Enforcement Team and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie R. Morrison and Eric Heimann prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-CR-00136


title: Azusa Man Charged in Federal Grand Jury Indictment with Committing Abusive Sexual Contact on Florida-to-LAX Flight

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a San Gabriel Valley man with a federal criminal charge alleging he inappropriately slapped a flight attendant’s buttocks on a Los Angeles-bound flight last month. Dennis Wally Woodbury, 49, of Azusa, is charged with one count of abusive sexual contact within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of two years in federal prison. Woodbury, who made his initial federal court appearance last month and is free on $50,000 bond, is scheduled to be arraigned on May 12 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. According to court documents previously filed in this case, on April 13, Woodbury – a former California Highway Patrol captain who had been dismissed from state service – was a passenger on a JetBlue Airways flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Before the flight left the gate, Woodbury engaged in inappropriate conduct with two flight attendants, both of whom were male. For example, Woodbury showed one of the flight attendants a photograph of a dog. The picture contained pornographic imagery in the background. Woodbury later told one of the flight attendants that he should go on a cruise with him then made a crude hand gesture. Just after meal service and while the plane was still in the air, the second flight attendant collected passengers’ meal trays and walked past Woodbury. Woodbury, who had been drinking heavily, then used his left hand to slap the victim’s buttocks. Woodbury then yelled that he loved him. Later during the flight, the first flight attendant was in the plane’s front galley when Woodbury entered. Woodbury allegedly then pulled down his trousers and underwear, exposing his genitalia. The first flight attendant told Woodbury that his behavior was inappropriate. Soon afterward, Woodbury asked him for wine, a request that was denied. When Woodbury again pulled down his trousers and underwear, the flight attendant said, “Enough, go back to your seat.” During later interviews with law enforcement, the flight attendants confirmed that neither of them consented to Woodbury’s behavior. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The FBI and the Los Angeles Airport Police are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Larsen of the Criminal Appeals Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Federal Jury Finds Minneapolis Felon Guilty of Illegal Firearms and Machinegun Possession

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted Clenest Demon Wells, Jr. of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon and unlawful possession of a machinegun, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Clenest Demon Wells, 28, was repeatedly caught illegally carrying firearms. Because Wells has multiple prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On April 6, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to reports in Minneapolis of a passenger wearing a black vest and greyish winter hat on a Metro Transit bus threatening another passenger with a firearm. Law enforcement officers located and boarded the Metro Transit bus at the intersection of Penn and Lowry Avenue North, identified a passenger who closely fit the description, and conducted a pat-down search. The passenger was later identified as Wells, who was found in possession of a black HiPoint 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol. On May 23, 2022, Minneapolis Police Department officers on patrol observed a Pontiac G6 speeding through a residential area and conducted a traffic stop. Wells was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. Officers smelled and observed marijuana in the car, initiated a search, and found Wells in possession of a black Springfield Model XD9 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol. On July 30, 2023, law enforcement responded to calls reporting a fight and an individual with a gun in a parking lot at Hennepin Avenue and 5th Street in downtown Minneapolis. Upon arrival, bystanders reported that one of the involved individuals—later identified as Wells—had a gun. As officers approached, Wells turned to walk away, ignoring orders to stop. Wells was subsequently found to be in possession of a Glock model 17 9-millimeter handgun equipped with an auto-sear, commonly called a “switch,” which enabled the Glock pistol to operate as a fully automatic machinegun. Test firing conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation showed that the Glock pistol equipped with a switch possessed by Wells could fire ten rounds in less than one second. “Today’s conviction holds Wells accountable for the fear and violence he has inflicted on the community for far too long,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains steadfast in its commitment to prevent violent crime.” “Possession of a firearm modified to function as a machine gun in a public space could have had tragic consequences,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI Minneapolis. “Protecting our communities from violence is a top priority, and we are committed to working with our partners to stop those who put innocent lives at risk.” After a three-day trial before Judge Donovan W. Frank in U.S. District Court, Wells was convicted on three counts of illegal possession of firearms as a felon and one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Metro Transit Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Green and Syngen Kanassatega tried the case.


title: Cincinnati Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky.- A Cincinnati, Ohio, man was convicted on Thursday by a federal jury in Covington for drug trafficking charges. After one hour and twenty minutes of deliberation, following a four-day trial, the jury convicted 30-year-old Devante Garrett of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue with intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Evidence at trial showed that Garrett conspired with others to distribute more than 275 grams of a substance containing a fentanyl analogue, more than 40 grams of fentanyl, and cocaine. He was arrested in Kenton County on October 14, 2023, with these drugs hidden behind the panel of the driver’s door of the vehicle he was operating. Garrett was previously arrested in Boone County on August 17, 2023, while in possession of $6,440 in cash and a scale containing residue of fentanyl and cocaine. Additional witness testimony showed that Garrett, a Cincinnati, Ohio, resident had been regularly traveling to Lexington, Kentucky, with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine from May 2023 through August 2023. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Brian Valenti, Covington Police Department; Chief Bill Birkenhauer, Highland Heights Police Department; and Sheriff Michael Helmig, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the conviction. The investigation was conducted by DEA, KSP, Covington Police Department, Highland Heights Police Department, and Boone County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Spievack and Tony Bracke. Garrett will appear for sentencing on August 21. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence. — END —


title: Domestic Abuser Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Brandon Mitchell, 28, from Mason City, Iowa, pled guilty in federal court April 30, 2025, to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Mitchell was previously convicted twice for domestic abuse assault in the Iowa District Court for Cerro Gordo County, and as a result, was prohibited from possessing firearms. At the plea hearing, Mitchell admitted having two prior convictions for misdemeanor domestic violence and being an unlawful user of marijuana. Evidence further showed that on February 24, 2024, when Mitchell received the 9mm pistol, he was under indictment for attempted murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a domestic abuser. Mitchell also admitted that during a search warrant at his residence he discarded the 9mm pistol out of a bedroom window in an attempt to avoid being found in possession of a firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Mitchell remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Mitchell faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, and Mason City Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-3038. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Brooklyn-Based Gang Associate Convicted of Racketeering, Drug Trafficking, and Committing a July 2020 Shooting

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, a federal jury convicted Demetrius Johnson on all counts of an indictment charging him with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, and firing a gun in connection with those crimes. The defendant was an associate of a Brooklyn-based gang known as the “Bully Gang,” a violent street gang that operated in and around Bedford Stuyvesant. Today’s verdict followed a two-week trial before United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan. When sentenced, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of twenty years in prison and a maximum sentence of life. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Bryan Miller, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict. “Today’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for teaming up with a dangerous criminal enterprise that—in the defendant’s own words—was known for money and violence,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Along with other members and associates of the Brooklyn-based Bully Gang, the defendant trafficked massive quantities of deadly drugs up and down the East Coast between New York and Maine, where they were sold for substantial profit. And when conflict arose during the drug operation, the defendant resorted to near-deadly violence, firing almost a dozen shots towards a playground and injuring two victims. As a result of this investigation, more than 50 members and associates of the Bully Gang have been convicted for their crimes, showing that my Office and our law enforcement partners will not rest until violent criminal enterprises are fully dismantled.” “These convictions put an end to the reign of terror committed by this gang, shattering the myth that criminals can commit atrocious acts without consequence,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Miller. “This is the result of a multi-year investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies spanning multiple jurisdictions. I commend our law enforcement partners—NYPD, NYC Department of Investigations, and our law enforcement partners in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine, and prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office—for their relentless efforts in making our communities safer. In particular, I am proud of the men and women of ATF NY and the ATF/NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force, who fight every day to prevent violence in any form, and are committed to dismantling and disarming violent gangs that plague our streets. ATF once again reaffirms its unwavering commitment to protecting the public from violent offenders.” “These convictions represent the culmination of an extensive investigation combined with a vigorous prosecution,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The stakes could not have been higher because these gang members were responsible for an assortment of despicable crimes, including murder, robbery, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and bribery. A powerful message has been sent: Our city will not tolerate such criminal activity, and the NYPD and our law enforcement partners will keep working tirelessly to identify and investigate these enterprises and bring the individuals involved to justice.” Johnson was convicted of participating in the Bully Gang’s years-long narcotics trafficking scheme, in which large quantities of drugs, including cocaine base and heroin, were transported from New York and New Jersey to Maine. There, members and associates of the gang sold the drugs out of a rotating series of stash houses. As proven at trial, the conspiracy was responsible for trafficking thousands of kilograms of narcotics and generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. Johnson personally sold drugs in connection with this Bully Gang racket and recruited other participants to join the scheme. One of those participants was a former fellow gang member (“John Doe”), who Johnson enlisted to travel from Brooklyn to Maine to sell drugs. In 2020, after John Doe returned from Maine, a dispute arose between the two over payment owed to John Doe in connection with the drug scheme. On July 18, 2020, Johnson attempted to murder John Doe, who was seated on a bench at a Brooklyn playground with his one-year-old child. Johnson hit and injured both John Doe and a bystander. Since 2020, 53 defendants have been publicly charged with a variety of crimes in connection with this investigation. To date, 52 of those defendants have pled guilty or been convicted at trial. One remains a fugitive. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Joy Lurinsky, Victor Zapana, and Michael J. Castiglione are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Special Agent Rebecca Sidhu and NYPD Detective Brian Hilt from the Office’s Criminal Investigations Unit and Paralegal Specialists Elizabeth Reed and Amara Mayo. The Defendant: DEMETRIUS JOHNSON (also known as “Q”) Age: 29 Brooklyn, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 20-CR-239 (BMC)


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Assault on Baltimore Cruise Ship

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Jalen Thomas Kelley, 22, of Abingdon, Maryland, to 20 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. On December 12, 2024, after a two-week trial, a federal jury convicted Kelley of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and assault. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. According to the evidence presented at trial, between January 1 and January 2, 2023, Kelley forcibly raped and assaulted Victim 1 aboard the Carnival Legend. The cruise vessel was scheduled to return to Baltimore on January 2. In addition to the charged offenses, during trial, prosecutors presented testimony from six other individuals who alleged Kelley sexually assaulted them on separate occasions. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation, and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office; Harford County Sherriff’s Office; Union County, North Carolina, District Attorney’s Office; Wingate University Campus Safety; Wingate, North Carolina Police Department; and Wingate Police Department for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who prosecuted the federal case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . Click the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page to learn about Internet safety education. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Forest City Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City. Andrew Jay Frazee, 31, from Forest City, Iowa, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute over a pound of methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, Frazee admitted that in November of 2024, he and others conspired to distribute over a pound of methamphetamine in and around Hancock County, Iowa. Evidence showed that, on November 19, 2024, law enforcement observed Frazee and his vehicle in a ditch in rural Hancock County. Upon contact with law enforcement, Frazee exhibited signs of impairment and deputies noted the smell of marijuana. A search of the vehicle was conducted where deputies found approximately 325 grams of methamphetamine, a smoking device, baggies, over $1,200 cash, a scale, and marijuana. Frazee admitted recently buying large quantities of methamphetamine and distributing to others. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Frazee remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Frazee faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-03003. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Yemeni Man Charged in Federal Indictment Alleging He Sent ‘Black Kingdom’ Malware to Extort Businesses, Schools, and Medical Clinics

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Yemeni national was charged today in a three-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he deployed the so-called “Black Kingdom” ransomware against computer servers owned organizations worldwide, including businesses, schools, and hospitals in the United States, including a medical billing services company in the San Fernando Valley. Rami Khaled Ahmed, 36, a.k.a. “Black Kingdom,” of Sana’a, Yemen, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of intentional damage to a protected computer, and one count of threatening damage to a protected computer. He is believed to be residing in Yemen. According to the indictment, from March 2021 to June 2023, Ahmed and others infected computer networks of several U.S.-based victims, including a medical billing services company in Encino, a ski resort in Oregon, a school district in Pennsylvania, and a health clinic in Wisconsin. Ahmed developed and deployed Black Kingdom ransomware to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange. The ransomware either encrypted data from victims’ computer networks or claimed to take that data from the networks. When the malware was successful, the ransomware then created a ransom note on the victim’s system that directed the victim to send $10,000 worth of Bitcoin to a cryptocurrency address controlled by a co-conspirator and to send proof of this payment to a Black Kingdom email address. During the conspiracy, the Black Kingdom conspirators caused the transmission of the Black Kingdom malware to approximately 1,500 computer systems in the United States and elsewhere. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Ahmed would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count. The FBI is investigating this matter with assistance from the New Zealand Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Angela C. Makabali and Alexander Gorin of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: Priest Morris, 21, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty May 1, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Morris admitted that from January 2024, through August 2024, he used the Discord, Twitter, Telegram, and Snapchat applications to receive, distribute, and possess visual depictions of child pornography including materials involving a prepubescent minor or minor under the age of 12. The Sioux City Police Department received two CyberTips from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a Snapchat account uploading child pornography. Law enforcement connected the account back to Morris and obtained a search warrant for his electronics. During the execution of the search warrant, Morris admitted he had received and possessed child pornography, and it would be located on his phone and iPad. Forensic analysis of his electronics showed that Morris possessed over 1,500 images and 6 videos of child pornography including materials that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as infants and toddlers. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Morris remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Morris faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4086. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 130 Months in Prison for Violent St. Louis Carjacking

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced a man who committed a violent 2023 carjacking to 130 months in prison. On May 8, 2023, Ahdaejay Britton, now 20, of Bel-Ridge, and a juvenile accomplice watched the victim drive a Mazda 3 into a parking garage in the 3800 block of Lindell Boulevard and decided to steal it. Britton waited for the victim to reach the bottom of a stairwell, grabbed him from behind and then threw him to the ground before pointing a handgun in his face. Britton demanded the victim’s keys, cell phone and wallet. He then passed the keys to the juvenile, who went to the car. Both later fled in the stolen car. Police located the car in the 10000 block of New Halls Ferry Road. The juvenile was in the driver’s seat. Britton was in a nearby business. Officers found the victim’s phone and a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol in the Mazda. Britton pleaded guilty last year in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of carjacking and one count of possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Three Naples Men Indicted In A Murder-For-Hire Plot

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Jesus Pujol Hernandez (41), Miguel Marquez Romero (29), and Paulo Sabon Montero (54), all of Naples, Florida, with conspiracy to use a facility of interstate commerce to commit murder-for-hire and use of a facility of interstate commerce with intent to commit murder-for-hire. If convicted, each faces up to 10 years in federal prison. According to the indictment and evidence presented in court, between April 16 and 17, 2025, Marquez Romero and Sabon Montero discussed over the phone killing an individual that Hernandez had identified for up to $30,000. Hernandez had been hired by the intended victims’ brother to carry out the plot. Marquez Romero, Sabon Montero, and Hernandez exchanged phone calls and organized a meeting to discuss the murder. On April 17, 2025, the conspirators met in a grocery store parking lot in Naples before being apprehended by law enforcement. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Patrick L. Darcey.


title: Illegal Possession of Firearm and Distribution Quantities of PCP Net Felon a 72-Month Prison Sentence

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Timothy Eugene Taylor, 36, a previously convicted felon from the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 72-months in prison for being in illegal possession of a semiautomatic pistol and distribution quantities of PCP. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Taylor pleaded guilty on Oct. 1, 2024, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and unlawful possession with intent to distribute phencyclidine (PCP). In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered Taylor to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on August 11, 2023, members of the MPD’s Seventh District Crime Suppression Team were patrolling in a marked vehicle along the 300 block of Livingston Terrace, SE. The area is known to be a high-crime area, where crimes with firearms and gunshots are routinely reported. As the officers were driving, they passed Taylor and another male standing on the 4300 block of 3rd St., SE. Taylor was wearing a black satchel across his torso. One of the officers noticed a distinct L-shaped bulge protruding from the satchel. The officers made a U-turn to talk with him. As they pulled up, the officers noticed that Taylor had moved the satchel and turned his body to obscure their view of the bag. Officers asked Taylor if he had a gun and if he would fold his bag in half. Taylor replied, “No, I live right here” and pointed to a nearby house. Officers exited their marked car to get a better look at the satchel. Taylor immediately fled into the building. Officers followed, found Taylor standing in front of an apartment door, and cuffed him. An officer opened the satchel and found a loaded Smith and Wesson M&P 9 2.0 9mm, semiautomatic pistol with 21 rounds loaded in its extended magazine. The officer also recovered from the satchel three vials of liquid phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP. The quantity of PCP was indicative of distribution rather than personal use. Taylor has a previous felony conviction for illegal possession of a firearm. This case was investigated by the MPD’s Seventh District Crime Suppression Team and the ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand. 23cr406


title: Rockford Man Sentenced to Eleven Years in Prison for Attempting To Import More Than Half a Kilogram of Fentanyl

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was sentenced today to eleven years in federal prison for attempting to import more than half a kilogram of fentanyl into the United States from Mexico. BENIGNO SANCHEZ, 47, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of attempting to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence during a hearing in federal court in Rockford. Sanchez admitted that in March 2023 he expected a package containing controlled substances to be delivered to him at an address in Rockford via FedEx from Mexico. Law enforcement agents intercepted the package, which contained more than 500 grams of fentanyl pressed into pills (designed to imitate opioid pills) that were hidden inside a wooden tortilla press. After detecting the fentanyl inside the package, law enforcement agents removed the drugs and delivered the package to Sanchez. Once delivered, Sanchez took custody of the package, drove it to another location, and opened it to take possession of what he believed to be the drugs. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.


title: California Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Minor

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California man was sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia today to 10 years in prison and 30 years supervised release for enticing a 12-year-old child from Prince William County to engage in unlawful sexual activity. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution. Cash Taylor Dalton, 30, of Morro Bay, California, pleaded guilty on Jan. 16 to enticement of a minor. According to court documents, FBI agents began investigating Dalton after the child victim’s parents discovered communications on their daughter’s cellphone between their daughter and Dalton. The investigation revealed that Dalton and the victim had been communicating for approximately three months, and that he had sent her sexually explicit images of himself and extremely graphic sexual messages via text and email, including messages directing her to engage in sexual activity and directing her to record herself engaging in sexual activity and send those recordings to him. Dalton and the victim also discussed meeting in person in order to have sex. In November 2024, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Dalton’s home and recovered evidence of Dalton’s communications with the victim, as well as with three other children who were under the age of 16. Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Mexican national sentenced in drug trafficking conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PLANO, Texas –A Mexican national has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Willy Armando Ramirez-Garcia, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 320 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on May 1, 2025. According to information presented in court, from January 2021 to May 2021, Ramirez-Garcia was illegally in the United States, but operated as the leader of a methamphetamine trafficking organization in Texas. The group was responsible for smuggling liquid methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico by using bladders hidden within diesel tanks of commercial tractor trailers. The liquid methamphetamine would be transported to the North Texas area where it was then converted into crystal methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was stored at a stash house in Dallas where it would be retrieved by couriers for distribution in kilogram quantities. In January 2021, the investigation revealed that the drug trafficking organization included a local narcotics broker, Rosa Velasco De Ballin, her source of supply, Ivan Dejesus Suastes-Cruz, and other co-conspirators, operating from a stash house in Dallas, and a ranch in Kemp, where the methamphetamine was “cooked.” Angel Rodriguez-Campuzano was identified as a distributor working for Suastes-Cruz. It was also determined that Suastes-Cruz and co-conspirators, Juan Fuentez and German Zapata, worked at the direction of Ramirez-Garcia. They assisted in transporting and distributing the methamphetamine, finding buyers, and obtaining properties to store and manufacture the methamphetamine. As a result, a search warrant was obtained for the stash house in Dallas, where approximately 40 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 25 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine were found. The ranch in Kemp was also searched and a meth conversion lab was discovered. In all, agents seized 66 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 25 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine. For their involvement, these co-defendants were previously sentenced to the following terms of imprisonment: De Ballin - 168 months; Rodriguez-Campuzano-295 months; Suastes-Cruz - 240 months; Fuentez - 300 months; and Zapata - 270 months. 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). This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Collin County Sheriff’s Office, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, and Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wes Wynne. ###


title: False disaster relief applications and other fraud lands former Houstonian in federal prison

body_text: HOUSTON – A 35-year-old woman has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit wire fraud which resulted in approximately $620,000 in losses, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Cora Chantail Custard, who had resided in both Houston and San Antonio over course of the conspiracy, pleaded guilty Sept. 17, 2024. U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Custard to serve 57 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $621,388 in restitution. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the sophisticated means in which Custard used social media to advertise her services and defrauded the U.S. government and seven different state agencies. From March 2020 until March 2021, Custard conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent loan applications for financial assistance both personally and on behalf of others. At the time of the plea, Custard admitted to using her Facebook account to advertise her services to file fraudulent disaster relief applications. Her posts repeatedly described the scheme to her followers as “doing apps,” with the ability to obtain between $6,000 and $8,000 for an application within four to seven days of filing. Custard submitted or caused the submission of over 100 fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications, at least 36 of which resulted in advance payments totaling $345,000. She also filed at least 30 fraudulent Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster benefit applications related to Hurricane Laura in August 2020 and Hurricane Sally in September 2020. At least 16 of those fraudulent applications resulted payouts totaling approximately $75,000. Additionally, Custard committed several other fraudulent acts like filing over 100 false unemployment insurance applications in Michigan, Illinois and several other states for her own and others’ benefits. At least 20 of those fraudulent applications resulted in payments totaling approximately $200,000. She was remanded into custody at sentencing. The Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS Criminal Investigation, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Social Security Administration-OIG, Small Business Administration-OIG and Department of Labor-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen M. Lansden prosecuted the case.


title: Marathon County Woman Sentenced to 2 ½ Years for Conspiring to Traffic Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jessica L. Colby, 29, Stratford, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 30 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Colby pleaded guilty to this charge on January 31, 2025. In early 2024, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a group of individuals who were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Marathon County area. Colby was identified as a facilitator for the group. Following a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine involving other co-defendants in March and April 2024, task force officers executed a search warrant a residence that Colby shared with co-defendant Joshua Lake. Officers found approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of cocaine, 2 rifles, over $24,000 in cash, drug ledgers, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia during the search. Further investigation revealed that between January 22, 2024, and April 15, 2024, Colby assisted in the distribution of approximately 23 kilograms of methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine. Colby assisted by picking up and delivering bulk shipments of drugs – at times on her own, as well as making payments to the cartel-connected sources of supply. In addition, Colby admitted to having her own drug customers. At sentencing, Judge Conley weighed the severity of Colby’s conduct, including the large quantities of drugs involved and her active role in the conspiracy, against her lack of a prior criminal record and her extraordinary conduct while on pretrial release. Three others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking conspiracy. Mercadys Perkins was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 6 years in federal prison on April 17, 2025. Dustin Brunker was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 7 years in federal prison on April 24, 2025. Joshua Lake has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2025. The charge against Colby was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.


title: The Department of Justice Files Complaint Against Illinois for Encroaching on Federal Immigration Authority

body_text: The United States has filed a complaint against the state of Illinois, the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL), Jane Flanagan, Director of IDOL, and Kwame Raoul, the Attorney General for the state of Illinois, alleging that the implementation of SB0508, which amended Illinois’s “Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act,” infringes on federal immigration authority. By imposing confusing rules during the employment verification process and threatening employers with penalties if they do not comply, SB0508 discourages and complicates the use of E-Verify and Form I-9 inspection requirements. E-Verify allows any U.S. employer to electronically confirm the employment eligibility of newly hired employees and Form I-9 is used to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals. “This Department of Justice is committed to protecting American workers, employers, and enforcing federal immigration law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Any state that incentivizes illegal immigration and makes it harder for federal authorities to do their job will face legal consequences from this Administration.” On day one, President Trump declared a “national emergency” at the southern border from the unprecedented illegal entry of aliens into the country. To stop this illegal immigration crisis, President Trump instructed the federal government to ensure “that employment authorization is not provided to any unauthorized alien in the United States.” In the wake of this national crisis, “[e]nforcing our Nation’s immigration laws” is paramount. Based on its enumerated constitutional and sovereign powers to conduct relations with foreign nations, the Federal Government has broad authority to establish immigration laws, the execution of which States cannot obstruct or take discriminatory actions against. Despite these prohibitions, the employment of unauthorized aliens by United States employers remains a substantial problem and encourages illegal entry into the country. Indeed, employment is one of the primary reasons aliens choose to enter the country illegally. The United States’ complaint alleges SB0508 violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, along with laws enacted by Congress to combat the employment of illegal aliens, including the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which prohibits employers from knowingly hiring, recruiting, referring, or employing aliens without appropriate work authorization. Moreover, SB0508 imposes additional notification requirements on employers (at times delineating the time, place, and manner in which notification must be provided) and prohibitions that go beyond federal law. SB0508 also imposes sanctions on employers for failure to adhere to those requirements with civil fines as high as $10,000. Not only are these fines inconsistent with federal law, but such advance notice requirements could prompt an alien employee to not show up to work on the day of inspection or avoid detection by immigration authorities. The case is United States v. State of Illinois et al., No. 1:25-cv-04811 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The claims asserted by the United States are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.