title: Justice Department Declines Prosecution Of Company That Self-Disclosed Export Control Offenses Committed By Employee

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – The Justice Department today announced that it has declined the prosecution of Universities Space Research Association (USRA) after it self-disclosed to the Department’s National Security Division (NSD) criminal violations of U.S. export control laws committed by its former employee, Jonathan Soong. Soong pleaded guilty to willfully violating the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by exporting U.S. Army-developed aviation software to a university in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that had been placed on the Commerce Department’s Entity List and was sentenced to 20 months in prison. “USRA discovered that one of its employees was funneling sensitive aeronautics software to a Beijing university in violation of export control laws and at risk to our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins for the Northern District of California. “What the company did next made all the difference in the Government’s decision not to prosecute it: the company took swift and proactive measures to disclose the employee’s wrongdoing, provide all known facts, and cooperate – and continue to cooperate – with the government’s investigation.” “If we stay vigilant, all of us — including our citizens, small businesses, and large corporations — can play a critical role in protecting our country,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “A criminal who compromised our national security was brought to justice because his employer caught him and immediately turned him in. We decline to prosecute his employer and are ready to work together with such responsible corporate actors who are committed to joining us in this fight to protect our country from foreign adversaries.” According to court documents, in April 2016, USRA contracted with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to, among other things, license and distribute for a fee aeronautics-related and U.S. Army-owned flight control software. Soong was employed by USRA as a program administrator under the contract and was responsible for performing due diligence on prospective purchasers to ensure that the sale or transfer of software licenses complied with applicable law, including by checking the Entity List. Soong willfully exported software subject to the EAR to Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, also known as Beihang University (Beihang), a university in the PRC, knowing that an export control license was required for the export to Beihang because it was on the Entity List. Beihang was on the Commerce Department’s Entity List due to its involvement in the development of military rocket systems and unmanned air vehicle systems. Soong further used an intermediary to complete the transfer and export of the software to Beihang to avoid detection, and embezzled tens of thousands of dollars in software license sales by directing purchasers to make payment to an account he personally owned and controlled. This scheme continued until NASA inquired about the sales of software licenses to PRC-based purchasers and USRA began to investigate. Soong initially lied to USRA and fabricated evidence that he had conducted due diligence on the purchasers and provided it to USRA’s counsel to provide to NASA, but after USRA’s counsel investigated further and confronted Soong with evidence that contradicted his statements, he admitted to knowing that Beihang was on the Entity List when he exported the software to Beihang and that a license had been required for the export. Within days of learning that Soong had willfully violated U.S. export control laws, and before USRA had completed its own investigation to understand the scope of the misconduct, USRA self-disclosed the crime to NSD and fully cooperated with the ensuing criminal investigation, which eventually established that Soong had acted alone at USRA. USRA’s cooperation included proactively identifying, collecting, and disclosing relevant evidence to investigators, including foreign language evidence and evidence located overseas, and providing detailed and timely responses to the government’s requests for information and evidence. USRA remediated the root cause of the misconduct by disciplining a supervisory employee who failed appropriately to supervise Soong, and by significantly improving its internal controls and compliance program. USRA also compensated the government both for the funds Soong embezzled, and for the time Soong had spent embezzling funds instead of performing his duties under USRA’s contract with NASA. The Justice Department declined USRA’s prosecution after considering the factors set forth in the Department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations and the National Security Division Enforcement Policy for Business Organizations (NSD Enforcement Policy). The NSD Enforcement Policy creates a presumption that companies that (1) voluntarily self-disclose to NSD potentially criminal violations arising out of or relating to the enforcement of export control or sanctions laws, (2) fully cooperate, and (3) timely and appropriately remediate will generally receive a non-prosecution agreement, unless aggravating factors are present. In appropriate cases, the NSD Enforcement Policy authorizes prosecutors to go further, and exercise discretion to decline a company’s prosecution. This is the second time that NSD has exercised its discretion to decline the prosecution of a company under the NSD Enforcement Policy. The case was investigated by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security; the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the FBI. The NASA Office of Inspector General; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Army Counterintelligence; and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations provided valuable assistance. Trial Attorney Rachel Craft of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Valliere for the Northern District of California prosecuted the case.


title: Honduran Woman Indicted For Illegal Re-Entry and Failure to Register

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Michael M. Simpson announced today that SOLVIN ARRIALO-ROMERO, a/k/a “ Solvin Regina Arriola-Romero, ” a/k/a “Solvin Romero,” (“ ARRIALO-ROMERO ”), age 28, was indicted on April 24, 2025 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), and failure to register, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1306(a). According to the indictment, ARRIALO-ROMERO , reentered the United States after being previously deported on December 29, 2017. If convicted, ARRIALO-ROMERO faces up to two years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, for reentry of a removed alien. ARRIALO-ROMERO faces up to 6 months imprisonment, up to $1,000 fine, up to one-year of supervised release, and a mandatory $10 special assessment fee for failure to register. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Man Sentenced for Trafficking Over 94,000 Fentanyl Pills Following Conviction in Fatal Albuquerque Shooting

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Nathen Richard Garley , recently convicted of a deadly gang-related shooting that claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy, has now been sentenced to 20 years in prison for trafficking over 94,000 fentanyl pills in a case that underscores the deadly impact of drug and violent crime in New Mexico. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on September 13, 2023, Garley , 22, was stopped by law enforcement as a passenger in a vehicle near mile marker 85 in Cibola County, New Mexico, during a return trip from Phoenix, Arizona. A search of the vehicle, prompted by the odor of marijuana and Garley ’s admission to recent use, led officers to discover a glass jar of marijuana on Garley and a duffel bag in the trunk containing approximately 10.97 kilograms of fentanyl pills-estimated to be over 94,000 pills in total. Gray duffel bag and fentanyl Fentanyl on scale Garley admitted to possessing the duffel bag and acknowledged his addiction to prescription pills. Further investigation revealed evidence on Garley ’s cell phone indicating his involvement in drug distribution. Testing confirmed the pills contained fentanyl, a synthetic opioid responsible for a significant rise in overdose deaths nationwide. This federal drug arrest came just one week after Garley was involved in a tragic shooting in Albuquerque. On September 6, 2023, Garley , along with accomplices, opened fire on a vehicle they mistakenly believed was driven by a rival gang member. The attack killed 11-year-old Froylan Villegas and left his cousin paralyzed as the family was leaving an Isotopes baseball game. Authorities later linked Garley to the shooting, and he was convicted of first-degree murder and multiple other felonies related to the incident. Following the shooting, Garley fled to Arizona, abandoning the vehicle used in the crime and evading authorities by staying at various Airbnbs and hotels. During this period, he searched for news articles about the murder, demonstrating awareness of the tragedy, yet continued his criminal activities by arranging to transport the massive fentanyl load back to New Mexico. Garley selfie taken in Arizona Garley selfie taken in Arizona Garley is scheduled for sentencing in New Mexico District Court on May 21, 2025, for the murder and related charges. Upon his release from prison, Garley will be subject to five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today. Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Trembley.


title: Jordanian National Sentenced to Six Years for Threatening to Use Explosives and Attacking an Energy Facility

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 44, a Jordanian national residing illegally in Orlando, was sentenced today to six years in federal prison for threatening to use explosives and destruction of an energy facility. A restitution hearing will be held at a future date to address the more than $450,000 in damages Hnaihen caused. “Threatening to commit mass violence against American citizens and targeting businesses or institutions for destruction will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the collective fortitude of our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who engage in acts of intimidation or violence against our communities.” “This case highlights the strength of our partnerships and the tenacity of our investigators who are determined to protect the American people from those threatening the safety and security of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor the FBI Tampa Field Office. United States v. Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, Middle District of Florida. Case # 6:24-cr-00201, Document 60, Filed 04/24/25. Restaurant damaged in attack with notes taped to the window. According to court documents, beginning around June 2024, Hnaihen targeted and attacked businesses in the Orlando area for their perceived support for Israel. Wearing a mask, under the cover of night, Hnaihen smashed the glass front doors of businesses and left behind “Warning Letters.” In his letters, which were addressed to the President of the United States and the United States government, Hnaihen laid out a series of political demands, culminating in a threat to “destroy or explode everything here in whole America. Especially the companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel.” United States v. Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, Middle District of Florida. Case # 6:24-cr-00201, Document 60, Filed 04/24/25. Solar panels with cracked glass. Hnaihen’s attacks escalated. At the end of June, as law enforcement worked to identify the masked attacker, Hnaihen broke into a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield, Florida, and spent hours systematically destroying solar panel arrays. He smashed panels, cut wires, and targeted critical electronic equipment. Hnaihen left behind two more copies of his threatening demand letter. Hnaihen’s attacks caused more than $450,000 in damage. Following a multiagency effort, law enforcement identified Hnaihen and arrested him on July 11, 2024, shortly after another “Warning Letter” threatening to “destroy or explode everything” was discovered at an industrial propane gas distribution depot in Orlando. The FBI and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Maitland Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Varadan for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Ryan White and George Kraehe of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.


title: Woman Sentenced to 41 Months for Alien Smuggling Event that Left a 71-Year-Old Cyclist Critically Injured

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Elizabeth Ugarte Rios of Vista was sentenced in federal court today to 41 months in prison for striking and critically injuring a 71-year-old cyclist while transporting undocumented immigrants in her vehicle. According to court documents, on August 4, 2024, Rios drove to Otay Lakes County Park with her minor daughter as a passenger and picked up a group of undocumented aliens who had earlier scaled a fence at the U.S.-Mexico border. The crash occurred minutes later on Wueste Road, a two-lane highway in Chula Vista. According to the government’s sentencing memo, the defendant was travelling at 67 mph – almost twice the posted speed limit - when she swerved across the double-yellow line to pass another vehicle. A uniformed Border Patrol agent was following in an unmarked vehicle. Rios hit the brakes four seconds before the collision, striking the cyclist at a speed of approximately 30 miles per hour. One witness said the cyclist flew approximately 10 feet in the air and landed on the side of the road. The cyclist, Robert Hilborn, attended today’s sentencing hearing with his wife, Sharon, and two adult sons. Sharon Hilborn read statements on behalf of the family. She said her husband was hospitalized for 68 days and suffered several strokes. He was on a ventilator for many days and suffered lacerations to his head, neck, and stomach plus orthopedic injuries and deep lacerations to his legs. Sharon Hilborn told the court her husband used to ride his bike 80-100 miles per week, and being fit and active was a major source of his joy. Their lives are now dominated by going to medical appointments and therapy sessions. Members in the court gallery were audibly crying as Sharon Hilborn spoke about how her family has been impacted by this event. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Chiang. DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr01772-RBM Elizabeth Ugarte Rios Age: 38 Vista, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Transportation of Certain Aliens During and in Relation to Which the Person Causes Serious Bodily Injury to, or Places in Jeopardy the Life of, Any Person – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and (a)(1)(B)(iii) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY United States Border Patrol


title: Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry of a Deported Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ActingU.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JESUS MALDONADO-LOPEZ (“MALDONADO-LOPEZ”) , age 38, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on April 15, 2025, for reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(b)(1). According to court documents, MALDONADO-LOPEZ , an illegal alien with a prior felony conviction for transporting illegal aliens within the United States, was found in the New Orleans area on or around July 29, 2024. MALDONADO-LOPEZ had previously been deported to Mexico on May 29, 2008. MALDONADO-LOPEZ was sentenced to one year of probation by United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution. * * *


title: Mesa Man Indicted for Torching Tesla Property

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – On April 30, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 5-count indictment against Ian William Moses, 35, of Mesa, Arizona for Maliciously Damaging Property and Vehicles in Interstate Commerce by Means of Fire. The charging documents filed in the case allege that Moses was at the Tesla dealership in Mesa shortly before 2 a.m. on Monday, April 28, 2025, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, tan ballcap, grey pants, black boots, and a black mask. He also carried a red plastic gas can and a black backpack. While in the Tesla parking lot, Moses was captured on video as he placed fire starter logs next to the dealership building. Moses then poured gasoline onto the starter logs, the building, and three Tesla vehicles. At around 1:38 a.m., Moses ignited the starter logs, causing a fire that destroyed a silver Tesla Cybertruck. Video shows Moses leaving the dealership on a dark colored bicycle shortly thereafter. Mesa police officers arrested Moses approximately a quarter mile from the Tesla dealership at around 3 a.m., still dressed in the same clothes as he was seen wearing at the scene. After his arrest, officers found a hand drawn map of the area in Moses’ pocket, which included a box with the letter “T” marking the dealership’s location. “If you engage in domestic terrorism, this Department of Justice will find you, follow the facts, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “No negotiating.” “ATF’s Special Agents and forensic investigators, working with the FBI and local partners, quickly recovered and analyzed critical evidence following this deliberate attack,” said ATF Acting Director Dan Driscoll. “This attack poses a serious threat to public safety and the ATF remains committed to aggressively pursuing anyone who endangers our communities through violence or destruction.” “There is nothing American about burning down someone else’s business because you disagree with them politically,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “These ongoing attacks against Tesla are not protests, they are acts of violence that have no place in Arizona or anywhere else. If someone targets Tesla with violence, they will be found and confronted with the full force of the law.” “I would like to recognize the dedicated work of the Mesa Police and Mesa Fire Departments on this case,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber. “Cooperation with our law enforcement partners acts as a multiplier in our efforts to remove violent criminals from the streets and make our communities safer. The professionalism and extensive investigative knowledge of the police and fire investigators within our arson taskforce cannot be overstated.” “My office will be engaged in this investigation, and I’m pleased to be able to share our expertise,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “We have a high level of success in prosecuting these types of crimes. My office stands ready to assist our federal law enforcement partners in the prosecution of this individual.” “I would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of the Superstition District Patrol officers who played a crucial role in this investigation. Their swift action in identifying and monitoring the suspicious van parked near the dealership was critical to the success of this operation. I am truly grateful for their diligent police work,” said Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost. “Special thanks also go to the Mesa Police specialty units and the partnering agencies involved. Your collaboration was instrumental in bringing this suspect to justice and enhancing the safety of our community.” Each count of conviction for Malicious Damage to Property in Interstate Commerce carries a minimum penalty of 5 years and up to a maximum of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The investigation in this case is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, Mesa Police Department, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond K. Woo, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 25-8272MJ RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-068_Moses # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Jury Finds Former Border Patrol Agent Guilty of Corruption

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – On Friday, April 25, 2025, a jury found former Border Patrol Agent Jorge J. Jimenez, 54, of Rio Rico, guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud. The guilty verdict followed a 10-day trial before U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez. A conviction for this crime carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and not more than three years supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2025. “Securing the southern border requires an effective law enforcement force, held to the highest standard of integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Mr. Jimenez forgot his oath and put his community in danger for his own gain.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jimenez was employed as a United States Border Patrol Agent since 2010. Between July and October 2024, Jimenez was stationed at the Interstate 19 (I-19) Border Patrol Checkpoint where he worked the primary lanes performing inspections. At trial, the government showed that between June 2024 and October 2024, Jimenez conspired with at least two individuals in Mexico to allow “load” vehicles to pass through his assigned checkpoint lane without inspection. The individuals in Mexico handled arrangements and the receipt of payment while Jimenez provided information about activities at the checkpoint and let the “load” vehicles pass through his lane. In exchange for his help, Jimenez expected to receive half of the $40,000 that the conspirators were paid for getting five “load” vehicles through the checkpoint. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility, and the FBI conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-08599-TUC-RM RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-067_Jimenez # # # 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: Honduran Man Indicted For Re-Entry of Removed Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – JOSE MELVIN LOPEZ-LORENZO (“LOPEZ-LORENZO”) , age 29, a native of Honduras, was indicted on April 24, 2025,for re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to the indictment, LOPEZ-LORENZO was found in the United States on April 10, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on July 26, 2018. LOPEZ-LORENZO faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge, and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). * * *


title: Colorado Man Charged with Wire Fraud and Identity Theft

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Julio Melendez, age 31, was indicted by a federal grand jury on ten counts of wire fraud and aiding and abetting; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and two counts of aggravated identity theft. According to the indictment, between about March 2020 and about November 2020, Melendez created and executed a payroll fraud scheme against the company where he worked as a project manager. Melendez’s employer was a Maryland-based business that specialized in providing maintenance, custodial, janitorial, and construction services to federal government agencies. During 2020, the company held a contract with a federal agency that obliged the company to provide various services for the agency, including janitorial, grounds keeping, snow removal, and maintenance. While working as a project manager, Melendez was responsible for, among other things, supervising approximately 12 employees, managing employees’ timekeeping, ensuring timesheets were accurate, approving timesheets, ensuring that staff completed their tasks, and ensuring that the company had adequate staff on site at the federal agency. Among other things, Melendez allegedly conspired with fellow employees under his direct supervision to falsify time sheets and ultimately collect wage payments from their own company for hours and days never worked by the employees. The employees then kicked back a portion of their unearned wages to Melendez as part of the fraud scheme. As a result, the victim company paid approximately $82,000 in wages to employees for services never performed on behalf of the government agency. The investigation is being conducted by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Neff. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Case Number: 25-cr-00103-RMR


title: Anaheim Man Found Guilty of Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material of 13-Year-Old Victim

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man was found guilty by a jury today of federal child sexual exploitation crimes for befriending a 13-year-old girl, providing her with alcohol, and sexually assaulting her, taking photographs and making videos of the attack. Jonathan Gonzalez-Reyes, 38, of Anaheim, was found guilty of one count of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since June 2024. According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, in February 2021, Gonzalez-Reyes and a co-defendant, Nanci Jasmin Castillo, 32, of Anaheim, befriended the victim, a 13-year-old girl identified in court documents as “Minor Victim 1.” At Castillo’s home, Castillo and Gonzalez-Reyes sexually assaulted the victim – to whom Castillo had given an alcoholic beverage after the victim previously had taken Xanax anti-anxiety medication – while the victim was going in and out of consciousness. Gonzalez-Reyes and Castillo photographed and made videos of the attack. A search of Gonzalez-Reyes’ phone and Castillo’s iCloud account by law enforcement revealed the existence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting the victim and the defendants. Additionally, law enforcement found evidence that Gonzalez-Reyes sent copies of the CSAM to Castillo. In September 2021, Gonzalez-Reyes used a cellphone to knowingly possess and distribute images of the same victim, knowing the images showed a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. United States District Judge David O. Carter scheduled a July 28 sentencing hearing, at which time Gonzalez-Reyes will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Castillo, who also has been in federal custody since June 2024, pleaded guilty on February 5 to one count of production of child pornography. She too will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison at her sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for July 28. The FBI investigated this matter with assistance from the Anaheim Police Department, the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, and ZOE International. Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Blake Hannah of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Former Antioch Police Officer Found Guilty Of Conspiracy To Distribute Anabolic Steroids And Obstruction Of Justice

body_text: OAKLAND – A federal jury today convicted former Antioch police officer Devon Wenger of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids and one count of obstruction of justice. The jury’s verdict follows a three-day trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White. Wenger, 33, was previously employed as a police officer with the Antioch Police Department. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Wenger conspired with Daniel Harris, who was at the time also a police officer with the Antioch Police Department, to distribute anabolic steroids to a third individual, and then deleted evidence of this conspiracy from his cellular phone. “Instead of upholding the law, as he swore an oath to do, Devon Wenger conspired with a fellow officer to sell illegal anabolic steroids. When the FBI arrived at his home to investigate him, he then doubled down by destroying evidence of his crime. Crimes like these by a police officer have a corrosive effect on the public’s trust in law enforcement. Thanks to today’s jury conviction, Mr. Wenger will now face sentencing for his violations of law,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “When Devon Wenger broke the law and then tried to cover his tracks, he didn’t just commit a crime — he betrayed the trust of the community he was sworn to serve. After learning the FBI was outside his home with a search warrant, he chose to delete evidence rather than come clean. That kind of misconduct corrodes public confidence in law enforcement,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Today’s guilty verdict makes clear that the FBI will hold accountable anyone who abuses the authority and responsibility of public service.” According to the evidence presented at trial, in February 2022, Wenger set up the sale of anabolic steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance, between Harris and a third individual. Harris was also charged in this case and pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy on Sept. 17, 2024. Law enforcement officials seized the package of anabolic steroids destined for Harris before they arrived, although Wenger continued to communicate with Harris about supplying the third individual with anabolic steroids, including offering to give this individual some of Wenger’s own while they waited for the delayed package. On March 23, 2022, at 8:03 a.m., the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began calling and sending text messages to Wenger telling him that they were outside of his residence with a warrant. It was not until 9:00 a.m. that Wenger appeared for the FBI to seize Wenger’s cellular phone. Later forensic examination of that device showed that specific entries related to the anabolic steroid distribution conspiracy had been deleted: specifically, all text messages between Wenger and Harris, all text messages between Wenger and the third individual he was trying to supply with steroids, the contacts for both Harris and the third individual, and recent call log entries for Wenger’s most recent phone calls with the third individual. The jury convicted Wenger of all counts charged in this case: one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) and one count of destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations (obstruction of justice) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1519. Wenger is scheduled to appear on May 6, 2025, for a hearing on whether to remand him to custody pending sentencing. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids count and 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count. Any sentence will be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. The case is being prosecuted by the National Security & Special Prosecutions Section and the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Office of the Contra Costa County District Attorney. * * * Separately, Wenger is scheduled to appear before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White on May 6, 2025, for a status conference in United States v. Wenger, 23-cr-00269, which charges Wenger with one count of conspiracy against rights in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 241 and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242. The United States v. Wenger, 23-cr-00269 case is set for trial on July 21, 2025. These charges against Wenger were brought as part of an investigation into the Antioch and Pittsburgh police departments that resulted in multiple charges against 10 current and former officers and employees of these two police departments for various crimes ranging from the use of excessive force to fraud. The status of these cases, all of which are before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, is below: Case Name and Number Statute(s) Defendant (Bold: multiple case numbers) Status Fraud 23-cr-00264 18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; 1343 (Wire Fraud) Patrick Berhan Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 24-cr-157 on 9/5/24 Morteza Amiri Convicted at trial 8/8/24, remanded to custody pending sentencing, which is set for 6/3/25 Amanda Theodosy a/k/a Nash Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release 11/15/24 Samantha Peterson Sentenced to time served, 3 years supervised release 4/24/24 Ernesto Mejia-Orozco Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 9/19/24 Brauli Jalapa Rodriguez Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 10/25/24 Obstruction 23-cr-00267 18 U.S.C. §§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations); 1512(c)(2) (Obstruction of Official Proceedings); 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Timothy Manly Williams Pleaded guilty 11/28/23, status conference 8/19/25 Anabolic Steroid Distribution 23-cr-00268 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids), 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids) Daniel Harris Pleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 8/19/25 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids); 18 U.S.C.§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations) Devon Wenger Convicted at trial 4/30/25, sentencing pending Civil Rights 23-cr-00269 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law); § 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations) Morteza Amiri Convicted at trial 3/14/25 on counts 2 and 5, remanded to custody pending sentencing, which is set for 6/3/25 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Eric Rombough Pleaded guilty 1/14/25, status conference 8/19/25 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Devon Wenger Trial 7/21/25 Anabolic Steroid Distribution 24-cr-00157 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids) Patrick Berhan Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 9/5/24 Bank Fraud 24-cr-00502 18 U.S.C. § 1344(1), (2) (Bank fraud) Daniel Harris Pleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 8/19/25


title: Man Charged with Smuggling Protected Parakeets  Inside the Boots he was Wearing

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Naim Lajud Libien was arrested and charged with smuggling 12 protected Orange Fronted Parakeets into the U.S. stuffed inside the boots he was wearing and inside a seat compartment in his car. At least two of the birds died, and a third appeared to have a broken neck. Lajud Libien, a citizen of Mexico, attempted to cross the border in his vehicle after presenting a Border Crossing Card at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry on April 29 at 3:10 p.m. He was diverted to secondary inspection. Once he stepped outside of his 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Customs and Border Protection officer noticed bulges around his ankles. For safety reasons, the officer conducted a pat down and discovered what appeared to be birds wrapped in nylon stockings concealed inside the boots. A CBP Agricultural Specialist responded to the security office and removed six birds from the defendant’s boots – three in the right, three in the left, all tied at the feet and wrapped in panty hose. The birds were later identified by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service inspector as Orange Fronted Parakeets (Eupsittula canicularis). The birds were placed in a bird cage with food and water until they could be cared for by Veterinary Services. Some of the birds appeared to have injuries on their feet where they were tied. “Smuggling at the border takes many forms, but the tragic impact on animals forced into such perilous conditions is deeply troubling,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We are committed to holding accountable those who endanger wildlife and public health through these reckless and inhumane smuggling practices.” Lajud Libien was taken into custody on April 29, 2025. On April 30, 2025, CBP personnel could hear birds crying from his impounded vehicle. CBP officers and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Inspector began a dismantling the car in search of the birds. Six more orange parakeets were found inside the seat cushion of the passenger seat of the vehicle. The birds were wrapped in panty hose and bound. Two of the birds were dead when they were discovered. One of the birds appears to have a broken neck. Three of the birds were still alive; however, in poor health. Orange Fronted Parakeets (Eupsittula canicularis) are native to Western Mexico and Costa Rica. The Orange Fronted Parakeet is protected and has been listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) since 2005. Libien’s concealment of the parakeets would have resulted in their entering the United States without any quarantine period or process. To import many types of wildlife, the wildlife must be subject to quarantine before it can be introduced into the United States. Many animals have diseases that can be transferred to humans (zoonotic diseases) or other animals that can have disastrous health effects to human or animal populations. For example, birds can carry and spread Avian influenza (bird flu), psittacosis, and histoplasmos. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including the United States poultry farms. There are many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and have disastrous effects, that is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Allen and and Elizabet Brown. DEFENDANT Case Number 25-mj-02213 Naim Lajud Libien Age: 54 Mexico SUMMARY OF CHARGES Importation Contrary to Law – 18 U.S.C. § 545 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in custody, $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Office of Law Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations * The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a five-count indictment against Ian William Moses, 35, of Mesa, Arizona for Maliciously Damaging Property and Vehicles in Interstate Commerce by Means of Fire. The charging documents filed in the case allege that Moses was at the Tesla dealership in Mesa shortly before 2 a.m. on Monday, April 28, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, tan ballcap, grey pants, black boots, and a black mask. He also carried a red plastic gas can and a black backpack. While in the Tesla parking lot, Moses was captured on video as he placed fire starter logs next to the dealership building. Moses then poured gasoline onto the starter logs, the building, and three Tesla vehicles. At around 1:38 a.m., Moses ignited the starter logs, causing a fire that destroyed a silver Tesla Cybertruck. Video shows Moses leaving the dealership on a dark colored bicycle shortly thereafter. Mesa police officers arrested Moses approximately a quarter mile from the Tesla dealership at around 3 a.m., still dressed in the same clothes as he was seen wearing at the scene. After his arrest, officers found a hand drawn map of the area in Moses’ pocket, which included a box with the letter “T” marking the dealership’s location. “If you engage in domestic terrorism, this Department of Justice will find you, follow the facts, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “No negotiating.” “ATF’s Special Agents and forensic investigators, working with the FBI and local partners, quickly recovered and analyzed critical evidence following this deliberate attack,” said ATF Acting Director Dan Driscoll. “This attack poses a serious threat to public safety and the ATF remains committed to aggressively pursuing anyone who endangers our communities through violence or destruction.” “There is nothing American about burning down someone else’s business because you disagree with them politically,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “These ongoing attacks against Tesla are not protests, they are acts of violence that have no place in Arizona or anywhere else. If someone targets Tesla with violence, they will be found and confronted with the full force of the law.” “I would like to recognize the dedicated work of the Mesa Police and Mesa Fire Departments on this case,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber. “Cooperation with our law enforcement partners acts as a multiplier in our efforts to remove violent criminals from the streets and make our communities safer. The professionalism and extensive investigative knowledge of the police and fire investigators within our arson taskforce cannot be overstated.” “My office will be engaged in this investigation, and I’m pleased to be able to share our expertise,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “We have a high level of success in prosecuting these types of crimes. My office stands ready to assist our federal law enforcement partners in the prosecution of this individual.” “I would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of the Superstition District Patrol officers who played a crucial role in this investigation. Their swift action in identifying and monitoring the suspicious van parked near the dealership was critical to the success of this operation. I am truly grateful for their diligent police work,” said Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost. “Special thanks also go to the Mesa Police specialty units and the partnering agencies involved. Your collaboration was instrumental in bringing this suspect to justice and enhancing the safety of our community.” Each count of conviction for Malicious Damage to Property in Interstate Commerce carries a minimum penalty of five years and up to a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The investigation in this case is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, Mesa Police Department, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond K. Woo, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Hammond Man Guilty of Violating Federal Controlled Substances Act

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KYLIN SEXTON (“SEXTON”) , age 25, a resident of Hammond, pleaded guilty on April 24, 2025 to possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, in violation of 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) and 841(b)(1)(D). SEXTON faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to a $1,000,000.00, a period of supervised release of at least 3 years up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown will sentence SEXTON on July 24, 2025. On October 10, 2024, SEXTON pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). According to court records, on May 18, 2022, the Ponchatoula Police Department received a complaint that SEXTON a co-conspirator, was in possession of a firearm. Upon arrival at the scene, the officers observed the co-conspirator and SEXTON seated inside of a vehicle. Officers approached the vehicle and ordered the co-conspirator to show his hands. The co-conspirator ignored the officers’ commands and refused to place his hands behind his back when the officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle. After eventually removing the co-conspirator from the vehicle, officers observed a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter handgun and extended magazine, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, tucked between the passenger seat and the center console. The firearm had a machine gun conversion device, a “Glock switch,” attached to it. The officers also observed a green backpack on the floorboard of the driver’s side where SEXTON was seated. Upon opening the backpack, the officers located marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Ponchatoula Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit. * * *


title: Jefferson County Man Sentenced to Prison on Gun Charge

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has been sentenced on a gun charge, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. U.S. District Court Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Jaden O’Neal Cooper, a.k.a. “Tallapoosa Jay,” 21, of Midfield, Alabama to 27 months in prison. In January, Cooper pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, on February 1, 2024, detectives with the Leeds Police Department, Birmingham Police Department East Task Force, FBI, and Jefferson County Sheriff Department’s Star One Aviation Unit were conducting surveillance in the Inglenook area. Detectives had previously interacted with an individual they saw driving a red 2021 Hyundai Sonata. A detective ran the tag number on the vehicle, and the tag returned as belonging to a white 2014 Hyundai Sonata. Detectives confirmed that the tag had been switched, and a Birmingham Police officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. As the Birmingham Police officer approached the vehicle, the officer noticed Cooper—a known member of the Hard to Kill “H2K” street gang—was a passenger in the vehicle. The officer could also see an AM-15 pistol (assault style rifle) located at Cooper’s feet. Other officers provided backup at the traffic stop, and a Leeds Police Department detective removed the firearm from the vehicle. The firearm was determined to be loaded and was equipped with plastic piece—a 3-D printed “swift link” conversion device—in the trigger assembly. This device converted the firearm to a fully automatic machine gun. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the cases along with the Leeds Police Department, Birmingham Police Department East Task Force, and the Jefferson County Sheriff Department’s Star One Aviation Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Darius C. Greene prosecuted the case.


title: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime and Violating Supervised Release

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Eddie Wayne Chapman Jr., 39, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and violating supervised release. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 18, 2024, Chapman possessed a backpack that was seized by law enforcement. Chapman admitted that the seized backpack contained a loaded Smith & Wesson SD9 VE 9mm pistol and two ammunition magazines. Chapman further admitted that the backpack contained approximately 65 grams of controlled substances containing fentanyl. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Chapman knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on October 23, 2017, and for conspiracy to operate a clandestine drug laboratory in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 30, 2010. At the time of this offense, Chapman was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his October 23, 2017, convictions. Today’s sentence includes one year and three months in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-193. ###


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 130 Months for Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Nathanial A. Lazanis, 43, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 30, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lazanis to 130 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lazanis’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. Lazanis was also ordered to pay restitution of $3,000 to each of three identified victims. On September 25, 2023, a Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) investigator conducted an online investigation on the BitTorrent network for offenders sharing child pornography. Using a computer running BitTorrent investigative software, the investigator directly connected to a device at Lazanis’s address and downloaded files Lazanis’s device made available. Two of those files contained child pornography. NSP’s investigative software identified the IP address used by Lazanis’s device and learned it came back to Lazanis’s residence in Omaha. On October 24, 2023, NSP served a search warrant at Lazanis’s residence and seized his electronic devices for forensic examination. After agreeing to speak with investigators, Lazanis admitted using the BitTorrent network to search for and download child pornography. Investigators found the BitTorrent client on Lazanis’s computer to be actively downloading child pornography when searching his home. Investigators forensically extracted and analyzed Lazanis’s electronic devices. The device extractions revealed Lazanis possessed at least 3,828 child pornography image files and 256 child pornography video files. The files included pornographic images and videos involving prepubescent children, including toddlers, adults having sex with children, and depictions of masochistic conduct. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Announces $202 Million Settlement With Gilead Sciences For Using Speaker Programs To Pay Kickbacks To Doctors To Induce Them To Prescribe Gilead’s Drugs

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”); Christopher M. Silvestro, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General (“DOD-OIG”); and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that the U.S. has settled a civil fraud lawsuit against GILEAD SCIENCES, INC (“GILEAD”), a large pharmaceutical manufacturer, that, among other things, develops, manufactures, and sells drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS. The settlement resolves claims that GILEAD offered and paid kickbacks in the form of honoraria payments, meals, and travel expenses to healthcare practitioners who spoke at or attended Gilead speaker events to induce them to prescribe Stribild ® , Genvoya ® , Complera ® , Odefsey ® , Descovy ® , and Biktarvy ® (the “Gilead HIV Drugs”) in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”) and thereby caused false claims for the Gilead HIV Drugs to be submitted to and paid by federal healthcare programs in violation of the False Claims Act. Under the settlement, which was approved yesterday by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, GILEAD agreed to pay a total sum of $202 million, of which $176,927,889.28 will be paid to the U.S. and the remainder will be paid to various states. As part of the settlement, GILEAD also made extensive factual admissions regarding its conduct. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “For years, Gilead unlawfully sought to increase sales of its HIV drugs, by using its speaker programs to funnel kickbacks to doctors. As alleged, Gilead spent tens of millions of dollars on these programs, including over $20 million in speaking fees and millions more in exorbitant meals, alcohol and travel, all in an effort to induce doctors to prescribe Gilead’s HIV drugs and drive up sales. With this settlement, Gilead has taken responsibility for its conduct and agreed to pay a significant financial penalty. The message is clear, companies that illegally drain taxpayer dollars from federal healthcare programs will be held accountable.” HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “This impactful settlement is the result of collaborative work by law enforcement partners, revealing Gilead’s unlawful practice of providing kickbacks to physicians under the guise of its HIV educational speaker programs. Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, which in this case involved expensive HIV medications, can inappropriately influence physicians’ decision-making and divert the monies of taxpayer-funded federal healthcare programs.” DCIS Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Silvestro: “This settlement is the result of the partnership among law enforcement and the Department of Justice to aggressively investigate and hold accountable companies and their employees who value greed over healthcare. Protecting TRICARE, the healthcare system for Service members and their families, and investigating kickback schemes are priorities for DCIS.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “This settlement ensures Gilead is held accountable for their illicit use of perks and kickbacks to entice doctors to prescribe the company’s medicine. These types of schemes are not victimless - illegal kickbacks directly affect taxpayer funded healthcare programs. The FBI will continue to investigate and stop healthcare companies attempting to benefit from deceitful and illegal practices.” As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court: The Gilead HIV Drugs are antiretroviral drugs ( i.e. , drugs that act against retroviruses such as HIV) used for the treatment of HIV. These drugs are very expensive—Medicare typically paid well in excess of a thousand dollars for a one-month supply of Complera ® , and significantly more for many of the other Gilead HIV Drugs. As part of its marketing efforts and to increase sales, Gilead conducted events known as “HIV Speaker Programs” at which a healthcare provider involved in the treatment of HIV was engaged to present a slide deck (prepared by Gilead) and facilitate discussion about one of the drugs or a topic concerning HIV (an “HIV Disease State Topic”) to other healthcare providers involved in the treatment of HIV (“Attendees”). Gilead’s HIV Speaker Programs were often held in the evening at restaurants (“HIV Dinner Programs”). From January 2011 to November 2017 (the “Relevant Time Period”), Gilead conducted HIV Speaker Programs in order to promote and increase the sales of the Gilead HIV Drugs. The HIV Speaker Programs were supposed to be educational in nature and the cost of any meals provided was supposed to be modest. But in practice, during the Relevant Time Period, Gilead’s HIV Speaker Programs provided kickbacks to healthcare providers by: holding HIV Dinner Programs at high-end restaurants that were wholly inappropriate for educational events; allowing Attendees to attend HIV Dinner Programs on the exact same topic again and again and, thereby, obtain free lavish meals for events that held minimal educational value for them; and paying for HIV Speakers to travel to speak at desirable destinations—at times at the HIV Speaker’s request. Further, Gilead’s compliance program failed to prevent these improper practices, even though Gilead knew that it had to comply with the AKS and the company’s own data should have put Gilead on notice of many of these abuses. Many healthcare providers who received these improper kickbacks then prescribed the Gilead HIV Drugs. As a result, federal healthcare programs paid millions of dollars in reimbursements for tainted prescriptions. As part of the settlement, GILEAD admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct alleged by the U.S., including the following: Gilead paid many high-volume prescribers of HIV drugs tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in honoraria to prepare and present as HIV Speakers. For instance, one HIV Speaker, who received over $300,000 in total honorarium payments, wrote prescriptions for Gilead HIV Drugs that resulted in over $6 million in Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE payments. On many occasions, Gilead covered the travel costs of HIV Speakers who traveled long distances to speak at HIV Speaker Programs at desirable travel destinations, such as Hawaii, Miami, and New Orleans. This was sometimes in response to an HIV Speaker’s request to be booked for an HIV Speaker Program in that city. Sales representatives in Gilead’s HIV therapeutic area (“Sales Representatives”) organized HIV Speaker Programs at high-end restaurants across the country. For instance, a significant percentage of the HIV Speaker Programs held in New York City were held at expensive restaurants, such as the James Beard House, Del Posto, Asiate, Palma, Vaucluse, Ilili, and Limani. In particular, Gilead held 157 HIV Speaker Programs at the James Beard House, making it one of Gilead’s most used venues for HIV Speaker Programs. A dinner at the James Beard House typically included approximately six courses with alcoholic beverage pairings. Sales Representatives repeatedly invited numerous doctors and other healthcare providers to attend the same HIV program over and over. Many repeatedly attended HIV Speaker Programs covering the exact same topic, often within a short period of time. Over 250 prescribers of the Gilead HIV Drugs attended HIV Dinner Programs on the same topic three times or more within a six-month period. And over 80 of them attended five or more HIV Dinner Programs on the same topic within a six-month period. Further, many healthcare providers who were paid to be HIV Speakers on a particular topic also attended HIV Dinner Programs on exactly the same topic, often within less than six months after speaking. In certain instances, the same group of doctors repeatedly attended the same HIV Speaker Programs together at various restaurants. In many instances, they attended a HIV Dinner Program less than two weeks after speaking on the same topic. During the Relevant Time Period, Gilead’s policies and procedures failed to prevent Sales Representatives and Regional Directors in its HIV therapeutic area from improperly providing honoraria payments, meals, and travel expenses to healthcare providers who spoke at or attended HIV Speaker Programs to induce them to prescribe the Gilead HIV Drugs. In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act. * * * Mr. Clayton thanked the New York Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their extensive collaboration in the investigation and resolution of this case, and also praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, HHS-OIG and DCIS. The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob M. Bergman, Allison M. Rovner, Rebecca S. Tinio, and Lucas Issacharoff are in charge of the case. u.s._v._gilead_stipulation_and_dismissal.pdf u.s._v._gilead_complaint_in_intervention.pdf


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

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Jonny Dagoberto Zelaya-Torres (39, Honduras) to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. Zelaya-Torres pleaded guilty on January 16, 2025. According to court documents, Zelaya-Torres is a citizen and national of Honduras. He has previously been removed from the United States on four occasions: June 18, 2018, November 26, 2019, January 31, 2020, and March 10, 2023. Prior to his March 2023 removal, Zelaya-Torres was convicted of conspiring to transport illegal aliens. On July 11, 2024, Zelaya-Torres was found to be voluntarily back in the United States when he was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for attempted burglary of a vehicle. He was subsequently convicted of that offense. This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro and Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.


title: Foreign National Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Submit Over 100 Fraudulent Voter Registrations

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Sanjar Jamilov (32, Uzbekistan) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit fraudulent voter registrations. Jamilov faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Dmitry Shushlebin (45, Russia) hired Jamilov and others to submit more than 100 fraudulent voter registration applications to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections in February and March 2023. These applications were submitted in names other than their own, in envelopes with return and address labels that were identically formatted, including containing the same typographical error, and bore various indicia of fraud including, among other things, repeating dates of birth and addresses and nearly sequential Social Security numbers. Change of address forms were also submitted to the U.S. Postal Service to route mail to the names and addresses on the fraudulent applications to three locations that Shushlebin and Jamilov allegedly controlled. The Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections was able to detect the fraud and rejected the fraudulent applications. Dmitry Shushlebin has been charged for his alleged role in this case. The case is currently pending. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Marcet and Trial Attorney Leo Wise from the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section.


title: Arkansas Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison on Child Exploitation Charges

body_text: NASHVILLE – Jared James Dabbs, 41, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced last week to 40 years in federal prison on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and three counts of receipt of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. A federal grand jury indicted the defendant in December 2022. On August 19, 2024, he pled guilty to all counts in the indictment. On March 8, 2022, Dabbs pawned his laptop at Big Boss Pawn and Gun in Giles County, Tennessee. When the pawn shop owner inspected the laptop to confirm it was operable, he found child sexual abuse material on the laptop and contacted law enforcement. Dabbs was identified as the person who pawned the laptop. The next day, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the defendant’s laptop and located images of child sexual abuse material including images the defendant produced of the minor victim. That same day, the Giles County Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and FBI executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, where they seized multiple electronic devices. Following his arrest, Dabbs was interviewed by law enforcement officers, and he admitted creating sexual abuse material of the minor victim, that he engaged in sexual contact with the minor victim on multiple occasions, and that he downloaded and viewed child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices. “The protection of children in our communities from sexual predators is among the highest priorities of the Department of Justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “Thanks to the efforts of our prosecutors and our law enforcement partners, Jared Dabbs will never hurt another child again and justice has been done.” “This case underscores the critical role that everyday citizens can play in combating child sexual exploitation,” said a Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “Because of the vigilance of a sharp-eyed pawn shop employee, law enforcement was alerted, responded swiftly, and a child predator was removed from the streets.” "Children are among the most vulnerable in our communities," said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI is committed to finding and arresting those who prey on children, and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure these predators are off the streets and held accountable for their heinous crimes." Following his sentence of incarceration, Dabbs will be on supervised release for 10 years and he is required to register as a sex offender. The Court also ordered Dabbs to pay $69,600 in restitution. Homeland Security Investigations, FBI Nashville Field Office, and the Giles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica R. Morrison and Robert E. McGuire prosecuted 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 the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . # # # # #


title: Former Army Soldier Convicted of Sexually Abusing a Child and Requesting a Sexually Explicit Photograph of a Different Child

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A jury convicted a local man previously stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, at trial for victimizing two children. Cedrick Demon Robinson, 42, Oxford, MS, was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Attempted Production of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaging in Sexually Explicit Conduct following jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker presided over the two-day trial. “Protecting children from those who would abuse them and seeking justice for sexual predators remains one of our District’s highest priorities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “We will continue to seek justice for those who would victimize our most vulnerable citizens.” As described in courtroom testimony, in December of 2013, Robinson sexually abused a minor by fondling the child’s genitals when the child was merely nine years old. Later, in 2017, Robinson requested that another child text him a sexually explicit photograph when the child was fifteen years old. Robinson awaits sentencing upon the U.S. Probation Services completing a presentence investigation. "Mr. Robinson's conviction is a testament to the diligent work of our special agents and prosecutorial partners at the United States Attorney's Office," said Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Southeast Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Steven Ausfeldt. "Army CID will aggressively pursue anyone who would abuse or exploit our children." The case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fort Stewart Office and prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Z. Spitulnik and Darron J. Hubbard.


title: Former Chief Operating Officer Sentenced for Stealing from Morgantown Medical Practice

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Francisco Ortiz, age 50, the former chief operating officer of a Morgantown medical practice, was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison for bank fraud. According to court documents and statements made in court, Ortiz, of Vacaville, California, defrauded Wedgewood Physicians, Inc. by diverting more than $650,000 for his own benefit. Ortiz used the funds to pay for personal items such as travel, home improvements, and online purchases. Ortiz also diverted some of the money for the benefit of co-defendant, James Mersing, a physician formerly employed by the practice. Mersing pled guilty to his role and was sentenced in October 2024. Ortiz was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $692,176.19. Ortiz will serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Mexican Resident Sentenced for Illegal Reentry Following Seven Previous Removals from U.S.

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Mexico who had been previously removed from the United States seven times between 2013 and 2017 pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Dario Fortunato-Torres, 38, on April 28, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, on October 8, 2024, Fortunato-Torres was arrested by the Moon Township Police Department and charged with several traffic violations, which, according to the public docket, have since been withdrawn. Following this encounter, immigration officials determined that Fortunato-Torres was illegally present in the United States and arrested him on November 19, 2024. Fortunato-Torres had been removed from the United States on seven prior occasions between 2013 and 2017. Fortunato-Torres has been in custody since his November arrest and will be returned to immigration custody. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Fortunato-Torres.


title: Mexican Man Sentenced for Fifth Illegal Entry into U.S.

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Mexico pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to 60 days of imprisonment on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Juan Antonio Lopez-Mauricio, 34, on April 28, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, on January 30, 2025, immigration officials encountered Lopez-Mauricio and determined that he was illegally present in the United States. Lopez-Mauricio was previously removed from the United States four times between 2012 and 2015 following convictions in federal courts in the Southern District of Texas and the District of Arizona for illegally entering the United States. Lopez-Mauricio has been in custody since his January arrest and will remain detained pending his deportation from the United States. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lopez-Mauricio. 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: Three Charged in Conspiracy to Steal and Sell Catalytic Converters

body_text: PROVIDENCE – Three Rhode Island men have been charged in federal court in Providence for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to steal and sell hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of catalytic converters, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Kuron Mitchell, 25, of Newport, Alberto Rivera, 25, of Cranston, and Luis Aceituno, 27, of Providence, are each charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with interstate transportation of stolen property in excess of $5,000 and conspiracy to commit the same. Additionally, Aceituno is charged with filing false tax returns. According to charging documents , in January 2022, the Cranston Police Department began tracking patterns surrounding the thefts of catalytic converters. A criminal group was later identified as allegedly being responsible for more than 7,000 stolen catalytic converters in Southern New England and in the greater Boston area, valued at more than $2.4 million. It is alleged that many of the stolen catalytic converters were sold to a Providence company (identified in court documents as Company 1) that recycles catalytic converters. Depending on the model and type of precious metal component, the average scrap price for catalytic converters ranged from $300 to $1,500. Charging documents reflect that from at least January 2021 until November 2022, Rivera, Aceituno, Mitchell, and others canvassed neighborhoods and parking lots in search of unoccupied vehicles from which they could steal catalytic converters. Working in groups, they allegedly targeted vehicles in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, cut off the catalytic converters, and sold many of them to Company 1. An FBI analysis of Company 1’s databases seized during a court-authorized search of the business in February 2023, and a review of a database maintained by Rhode Island Attorney General Bureau of Criminal Identification, revealed that from 2021 to 2022, Rivera allegedly sold 19 catalytic converters and received $7,100; and Aceituno allegedly sold 2128 catalytic converters to Company 1 and received $699,735. In addition to his alleged participation in the conspiracy to steal and sell catalytic converters, it is further alleged that Luis Aceituno failed to disclose to the IRS income derived from the sale of catalytic converters in tax years 2021 and 2022. It is alleged that for tax years 2021 and 2022, Aceituno failed to report a total of $699,735 in income and failed to pay a total of $199,908 due to the IRS. Luis Aceituno appeared in U.S. District Court on Monday and was released on unsecured bond; Kuron Mitchell appeared in U.S. District on April 25, 2024, and was ordered released to home detention with GPS monitoring; Alberto Rivera is currently detained on charges unrelated to this matter. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr., and Julie M. White. The matter was investigated by the FBI, Cranston Police Department, Providence Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigations, United States Marshal Service, National Insurance Crime Bureau, Newport Police Department, Fitchburg State University Police, Watertown Police Department, Canton Police Department, Attleboro Police Department, Fall River Police Department, and Department of Veterans Affairs- Office of Inspector General-Criminal Investigations Division. ### criminal_complaint_affidavit.pdf


title: Former Employee of Telecommunications Company Admits to Wire Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A former telecommunications company employee admitted to wire fraud conspiracy for his role in a scheme to fraudulently unlock the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards of thousands of mobile phones, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Richard Forrest Sherman, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court, to an information charging him with wire fraud conspiracy. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Sherman worked at a multinational telecommunications company. While there, he managed an account for a customer that received an exemption to unlock the SIM cards of mobile devices. Sherman exploited this exemption by creating a series of customer accounts within the carrier’s system to make the accounts look like an affiliate company of the customer that actually received the exemption. Sherman and others then submitted bulk unlocking requests through these fake affiliate accounts that Sherman set up before leaving the telecommunications company. Sherman, through his entities, received payment from others in exchange for causing the fake affiliate accounts to successfully send International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers in bulk to the carrier. The carrier, believing that the fake affiliate company was entitled to the unlocking exception, unlocked these IMEIs in bulk. Unlocking these IMEIs permitted others involved in the scheme to resell the phones for profit – the phones would have otherwise remained locked or required payment of a fee to be unlocked. Sherman set up the fake affiliate accounts in or around 2013; he and his conspirators exploited the fraud scheme until it was discovered in August 2020. The wire fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service’s Seattle Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Glen Peterson, with the investigation leading to the charge. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Nadel of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark. ### Defense Counsel: Henry Klingeman, Esq. and Robert Westinghouse, Esq. sherman.information.pdf


title: Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Cockfighting Charges

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – Onill Vazquez Lozada of Providence, Rhode Island, pleaded guilty today to two counts of possessing, sponsoring, and exhibiting birds in an animal fighting venture in violation of the Animal Welfare Act. As part of his plea, Lozada admitted that on April 27, 2021, he possessed roosters for the purpose of having them fight. Lozada also admitted that on March 6, 2022, he sponsored and exhibited, and aided and abetted sponsoring and exhibiting, at least one rooster in a fight against another rooster. Cockfighting is a contest in which a person attaches a knife, gaff or other sharp instrument to the leg of a “gamecock” or rooster and then places the bird a few inches away from a similarly armed rooster. This results in a fight during which the roosters flap their wings and jump while stabbing each other with the weapons that are fastened to their legs. A cockfight ends when one rooster is dead or refuses to continue to fight. Commonly, one or both roosters die after a fight. Lozada faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge to which he pleaded guilty. U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose for the District of Rhode Island accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Lozada after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Acting U.S. Attorney Sara M. Bloom for the District of Rhode Island made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, the Postal Inspection Service, and the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Rhode Island State Police, Massachusetts State Police, Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division, Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal,s and Providence, Woonsocket, and Attleboro Police Departments. Senior Trial Attorney Gary Donner and Assistant Chief Stephen Da Ponte of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John McAdams for the District of Rhode Island are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Harlingen couple guilty in multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The operators of a durable medical equipment (DME) company have pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jeremiah Yzaguirre, 46, and his wife, Maria Luisa Yzaguirre, 45, both of Harlingen, operated a business called Southwest Medical Homepatient. The business was enrolled in the Medicare program as a provider of DME and services. It claimed to provide parts and repairs for power wheelchairs among other services. As part of their pleas, the couple admitted they received millions of dollars for parts and repairs that were never performed or provided. They both acknowledged billing Medicare approximately $736,072 for parts and repairs for one specific beneficiary, falsely claiming to have replaced expensive parts hundreds of times. They also admitted to using the proceeds from the fraud to purchase cryptocurrency, a vehicle, electronics, miscellaneous collectibles and purses. Medicare was billed approximately $14 million for power wheelchairs, parts and repairs for just 37 Medicare beneficiaries between 2019 and 2023 as a result of their scheme. “Medicare fraud is ultimately fraud against the taxpayer,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will aggressively prosecute those who steal from their fellow citizens by defrauding public services.” U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. will impose sentencing Aug. 4. At that time, the Yzaguirres face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Both were permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing. The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (OIG), Texas Health and Human Services - OIG, Texas Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Texas Department of Insurance conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Ana Cano are prosecuting the case.


title: York County Men Sentenced to 30 Years in Fentanyl Distribution Scheme

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Timario Gayton, 33 and Quonzy Hope, 36, both of Rock Hill, were each sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Evidence presented to the court showed that in August 2022, Hope sold approximately 5,000 pills to a confidential informant. Following the purchase and further investigation, agents focused on a property in York County, which they suspected was being used to manufacture illicit fentanyl pills. On Oct. 19, 2022, agents executed a search warrant at a trailer on the property and found Gayton, Hope and two codefendants inside the trailer. Law enforcement immediately determined the trailer was being used as a clandestine lab. After clearing the trailer and rendering it safe to search, agents found multiple bags of powder and multiple containers containing approximately 160,000 pills, totaling over 29 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 1,890 grams of cocaine, 690 grams of methamphetamine, and 1,500 grams of heroin. In addition to the drugs, agents found several pill press machines, a large amount of cash, various drug paraphernalia. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Gayton and Hope to 180 months imprisonment each to be followed by a term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Leader Of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced To Life In Prison

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Heath Lloyd Taylor, age 46, of LeFlore County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison for Drug Conspiracy. Taylor’s co-defendants were sentenced at hearings held between October 16, 2024, and April 25, 2025. Seven members of the drug trafficking organization were sentenced for Drug Conspiracy: Aaron Guy Key, age 47, of Poteau, Oklahoma (240 months); Travis Austin Powers, age 38, of Anderson, South Carolina (168 months); Mallory Nicole Laird, age 37, of Poteau, Oklahoma (130 months); Terri Angela Stroud, age 53, of Spiro, Oklahoma (70 months); Kandi Anne Hankins, age 43, of Idabel, Oklahoma (57 months); Tracie Ann Sells, age 55, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma (41 months); and Jeremy Paul Newman, age 47, of Poteau, Oklahoma (24 months). Five additional members of the drug trafficking organization were sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances: Taylor Dain Parnell Caldwell, age 35, of Poteau, Oklahoma (151 months); Cody Wade Reece, age 34, of Poteau, Oklahoma (151 months); Heather Leigh Brown, age 35, of McAlester, Oklahoma (87 months); Whitney Marie Granite, age 37, of Spiro, Oklahoma (58 months); and Randi Shawn Gann, age 35, of Heavener, Oklahoma (57 months). According to investigators, between August 2022 and November 2023, Heath Lloyd Taylor, who was serving time in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, led a drug trafficking organization operating in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. As part of that conspiracy, non-incarcerated members obtained, stored, and distributed over 25 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately 465 grams of fentanyl from a base of stash houses. The stash houses also served as a base of operations where the defendants funneled drug proceeds, stored drug trafficking assets, and obtained and stored firearms. This joint investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, working in cooperation with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and IRS Criminal Investigation. Additionally, several law enforcement agencies contributed at various stages of the investigation, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the District 18 Drug and Violent Crime Taskforce, the Poteau Police Department, the Spiro Police Department, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Seminole Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service. “There should never be any doubt that there are countless victims of drug trafficking, and the violence associated with it,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chavez, who oversees DEA operations in Oklahoma. “Defendant Taylor and his associates took advantage of individuals and showed no concern for those who stood in their path of destruction. Sentences of this nature are a win for our victims and a warning to drug traffickers.” “Drug trafficking and the illegal activity associated with it continues to threaten the safety of the general public throughout our communities. Life in a federal prison should serve as a reminder to those who think they fly under the radar that they are and will continue to be our target. ATF remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to keep illegal substances out of our communities and investigating those responsible,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “This was an outstanding joint investigation with our state and federal partners to dismantle and prosecute a complex criminal organization,” said OBN Director Donnie Anderson. “We want this to send a strong message that we will aggressively pursue those who think they can safely run their criminal network while behind bars.” “The sentencings announced today conclude a months-long investigation and prosecution of a nefarious group that distributed large quantities of dangerous narcotics in and around the Poteau area,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Thanks to the cooperative work of federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement, Taylor and his co-defendants are off the streets and their drug operation has ended.” The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and the Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by designation, presided over the hearings. Defendants are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jordan Howanitz represented the United States. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.