title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine and Fentanyl with the Intent to Distribute in New Hampshire

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court for possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute in New Hampshire, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Jose Toledo, age 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro to 72 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In January 2025, Toledo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. “Those who choose to traffic drugs and arm themselves while doing so, like the defendant, are putting our communities in danger,” said Acting United States Attorney McCormack. “Today’s sentence reflects not only the severity of drug trafficking crimes involving dangerous weapons, but the continued threat that such activity poses to the community.” “DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling drug trafficking organizations and individuals like Mr. Toledo who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine to the citizens of New Hampshire,” said Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, New England Field Division. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Toldeo accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic with deadly drugs to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA’s top priority is combatting the opioid epidemic by working with our local, county, state and federal partners to bring to justice anyone who distributes this poison.” In December 2023, a confidential witness working on behalf of law enforcement ordered methamphetamine and fentanyl from Toledo. Toledo drove from Massachusetts into New Hampshire with the intention of delivering nearly a pound of methamphetamine and almost 300 grams of fentanyl to the confidential witness. Instead, law enforcement stopped Toledo in New Hampshire and seized the drugs from him. When locating the drugs, investigators found them in a hidden compartment in Toledo’s vehicle, with a loaded firearm. The DEA Manchester District Office led the investigation. The DEA Boston Strike Force from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, the New Hampshire State Police Mobile Enforcement Team, the Strafford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Newington Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Cherniske prosecuted the case. 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: Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Devontay Brian Johnson, 29, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 3, 2022, Johnson sold approximately 20 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant while in a vehicle parked along Wilson Place in Huntington. During the transaction, Johnson held what appeared to be a semiautomatic rifle. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-24. ###


title: Gang Member Sentenced for Obstructing Justice

body_text: JAMES GRAHAM, also known as “Little Cuz,” 25, formerly of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for an offense stemming from his participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang. Today’s announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo. According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Graham and 15 other 960 gang members with various offenses, including racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses. On November 22, 2017, 960 members Zaekwon McDaniel, Tahjay Love, and Malik Bayon shot at Clarence Lewis and Antonio Santos who were in a car at a restaurant in Waterbury. Lewis sped from the scene at a high-rate of speed and crashed into a house at the intersection of Wolcott Street and Dallas Avenue in Waterbury. Lewis, 22, and Santos, 20, were pronounced dead at the scene. On October 19, 2019, Graham and Love, who were incarcerated in state custody, assaulted another inmate who they believed had reported to law enforcement Love’s role in the shooting. On February 14, 2024, a jury found Graham guilty of obstruction of justice, and Love, McDaniel, Bayon guilty of offenses related to their participation in 960 and the deaths of Lewis and Santos. Graham is currently serving a 52-year state sentence for murder, robbery, and firearm offenses related to his role in the murder of an 18-year-old victim in Hamden on November 13, 2017. Judge Dooley ordered Graham’s federal sentence to run concurrently with his state sentence. Love, McDaniel, and Bayon await sentencing. This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo, who were cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn . OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . ###


title: Two Midlands Men Plead Guilty to Child Sex Trafficking

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Antonio Marquis Nicholson, 33, of West Columbia, and Terrell Counts, 33, of Columbia, have pleaded guilty to human trafficking conspiracy and aiding and abetting the coercion and enticement of a minor. According to evidence presented in court, from at least December 2022 through August 2023, Nicholson and Counts worked together with co-defendants Monesha Gary and Rebecca Perry to exploit three minor victims to engage in the commercial sex trade, despite several members of the conspiracy knowing they were minors. The investigation revealed that Nicholson was the leader of this operation. Nicholson targeted and exploited minor victims to engage in commercial sex. Nicholson recruited one minor victim who was a runaway, drove her across state lines, and introduced her to commercial sex work. Nicholson and Counts recruited two additional minor victims near a local high school and exploited the minors on days they were not in school. Nicholson provided the minor victims with lingerie, took photographs of them, posted advertisements online for commercial sex on the internet, instructed them to lie about their age, and confiscated between 50% and 100% of proceeds from commercial sex acts. The advertisements were posted advertising commercial sex in the Midlands, the Upstate, Myrtle Beach and Fayetteville, North Carolina. Evidence presented in court revealed that Nicholson used force, violence and weapons to maintain control and keep the minor victims involved. Nicholson pointed a firearm at one of the exploited victims, directed assaults, and threatened to harm the minor victims if they left. Counts facilitated the conspiracy and assisted Nicholson, including running the operation when Nicholson was not around. Counts knew how photographs were taken, and advertisements were posted, how money was transferred from customers to the conspiracy, how proceeds were divided, and how the conspiracy responded to customers. Counts was present during commercial sex acts, present when the minor victims were photographed, and collected proceeds from commercial sex acts. He provided the minor victims with condoms, transportation to and from hotels, and watched for law enforcement at hotels during commercial sex acts. Nicholson, and Counts face a penalty of up to life in prison. They also face a fine of up to $250,000 and lifetime supervision to follow a term of imprisonment and mandatory sex offender registry requirements. Pursuant to plea agreements, Nicholson and Counts agreed to pay victims restitution. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the Nicholson and Counts after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Gary and Perry pleaded guilty previously and are awaiting sentencing. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, West Columbia Police Department, Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Horry County Sheriff’s Office, Myrtle Beach Police Department, and Jefferson County, Alabama Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Middletown Man Indicted for Violent Crime Spree

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury in the District of Delaware returned a four-count indictment on April 10, 2025, charging a Middletown man with robbing a restaurant and a gas station and committing a carjacking - all at gunpoint. According to court documents, on January 25, 2025, Anthony Fields, 48, of Middletown robbed a Middletown restaurant using a distinctive sawed-off shotgun with a duct-taped handle. Five days later, Fields robbed a Middletown gas station brandishing the same distinctive sawed-off shotgun. During these robberies, Fields stole cash, lottery tickets, and a gas station employee’s cell phone. While fleeing the gas station robbery, Fields carjacked an occupied 2016 Hyundai Elantra, pointing the sawed-off shotgun at the victim driver. Despite Fields’ attempts to evade law enforcement, the Middletown Police Department and the FBI traced Fields’ movements in the days following his crime spree through witness testimony, phone and lottery ticket records, and video surveillance. The investigation revealed that Fields cashed some of the stolen lottery tickets and abandoned the stolen car at a nearby casino before traveling to Philadelphia. Fields turned himself in to authorities on February 2, 2025. He remains in federal custody. The indictment charges Fields with two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, one count of carjacking, and one count of brandishing and using a firearm in relation to a Hobbs Act Robbery. If convicted of all counts, Fields faces a mandatory minimum of seven years of incarceration for brandishing and using the firearm, in addition to any penalties for the underlying crimes, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Shannon T. Hanson, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office made the announcement. This case is being investigated by the Middletown Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin P. Pierce and Bryan C. Williamson are prosecuting the case. 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER . An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.


title: Anderson County Man Sentenced for  Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lawrenceburg, Ky., man, Zachary Gage King, 24, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove to 151 months in prison for receiving a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to his plea agreement, law enforcement received information that King was attempting to access child pornography materials, and a search warrant was obtained for King’s residence. King admitted to law enforcement that he had utilized numerous online platforms to receive and distribute child sexual abuse material and that he had received child sexual abuse material as recently as the day before the search warrant. A forensic examination of King’s electronic devices found over 7,400 images and videos that included minors engaged in sexually explicit activity. Under federal law, King must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 40 years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HSI, KSP, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . – END –


title: Four-Time Federal Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of Methamphetamine, Marijuana, and a Loaded Shotgun

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Root, a four-time federal felon, was sentenced May 2, 2025, to 15 years in federal prison after a Sioux City Police traffic stop led to his conviction for methamphetamine, marijuana, and firearms charges. Caleb Root, age 45, from Concord, Michigan, received the prison term after an October 23, 2024, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance – marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance – methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Evidence in the case revealed at about 3:00 am, on May 23, 2023, a uniformed police officer, of the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, on routine patrol in a marked police car, saw a pickup truck driving toward him on Hamilton Blvd. As the officer and the truck passed, the truck behaved suspiciously: (1) the motorist changed course (by using a parking lot as a throughfare); (2) drove away from the officer; and (3) drove into a residential neighborhood. After observing the truck’s behavior, the officer positioned himself, to further observe the motorist’s travel. The truck eventually exited the neighborhood and returned to its original line of travel, thereby, confirming the odd behavior was a deliberate attempt to skirt by the officer. The officer initiated a traffic stop (for the earlier observed offense of using a parking lot as a throughfare). The driver refused to roll the window down all the way to talk to the officer, provided an odd story about how he came to be on Hamilton Blvd. or in Sioux City, Iowa, and then lied to the officer claiming he did not have an ID and could not remember his own birth date. Eventually the driver identified himself as Caleb Root, and admitted lying to the officer, and to being a convicted felon. At this time, law enforcement officers looked into the truck – from the outside – and, in plain view, saw marijuana. Root was arrested, the truck and trailer searched, and about 4 pounds of marijuana, a loaded shotgun, and more than 12 grams of pure methamphetamine were found inside. Root was released from state custody the next day, and on July 22, 2023, he was stopped for speeding in Adair County, Iowa. Root was stopped for speeding, 90 in a 70-mph, upon approach, the officer detected the odor of marijuana. Root again provided a false identification to the officer. Further investigation led the officer to locate more than 1 pound of marijuana and 1 gram of methamphetamine. Root has a length criminal history including state convictions for operating under the influence of a controlled substance, attempting to resist police officers, various drug offenses, breaking and entering, and theft. Root has four pervious federal convictions: a 2017 conviction for possession with intent to distribute – methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a felon; and a 2010 conviction for uttering counterfeit federal reserve notes, and the interstate transportation of a stolen car. Root was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 180 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax commented, “Root is an example of an individual who has repeatedly made the choice to break the law. When caught, he chose to blame the police, the prosecutor, and even the court for his predicament. His conduct endangers the law-abiding members of our community who work hard, obey the law, and do nothing to harm their fellow citizens. Thanks to the fine work of our law enforcement partners, Root is off the street for a long time, and our community is safer as a result.” Root is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case is being investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4041 Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Beecher Lee Shuler, 43, of Huntington, was sentenced today to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 21, 2023, Shuler sold approximately 3.48 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $275. Shuler admitted that he conducted the transaction at his Huntington residence and arranged the transaction beforehand with the confidential informant. On July 1, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Shuler’s residence and seized cocaine, oxycodone, at least 3,787 tablets containing protonitazene, six firearms and approximately $1,111. Protonitazene is a synthetic opioid potentially more dangerous and deadly than fentanyl, and the seized tablets weighed approximately 813 grams. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-151. ###


title: Jury Finds Maryland Man Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Killing of Man in Georgetown

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ranje Reynolds, 28, of Beltsville, Maryland, was found guilty today by a jury of first-degree murder while armed and other charges related to a shooting that took place on a January evening on M Street in Georgetown, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled sentencing for July 25, 2025. According to the government’s evidence, as of Jan. 31, 2022, the defendant and Mr. Tarek Boothe were friends who had worked together for two years at the marijuana dispensary located at 1204 Eton Court. Despite their friendship, at some point earlier that evening, the defendant and Mr. Boothe got into a fight at the dispensary. Around 6:00 p.m., Mr. Boothe left the dispensary and went to the corner of 33rd and M Street N.W., where he was waiting for his ride home. The defendant followed Mr. Boothe and sat next to Mr. Boothe as Mr. Boothe was waiting for his ride. The defendant then left briefly and returned seconds later to shoot Mr. Boothe in the eye, killing him. The defendant fled to Jamaica on Feb. 3, 2022. He was returned to the United States to face criminal charges on Sept. 15, 2022. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natalie Hynum and Jessica Keefer.


title: Dallas man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for East Texas methamphetamine trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TEXARKANA, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Emmanuel Robles, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III on May 5, 2025. According to information presented in court, between 2019 and 2021, Robles conspired with others to bring methamphetamine to East Texas for distribution. During this time, Robles distributed more than 1.5 kilograms of actual methamphetamine. Robles admitted to providing controlled substances to another co-conspirator in July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; December 2019; January 2020; February 2020; March 2020; and April 2020. Robles also agreed to a forfeiture of a money judgment in the amount of $20,000. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson. ###


title: Man Charged with Multiple Counts of Involuntary Manslaughter Following Fatal High-Speed Rollover Crash

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury following a fatal rollover crash that killed two people and injured two others. According to court documents, on the afternoon of November 14, 2024, emergency responders were dispatched to mile marker five on Navajo Route 54 after reports of a single-vehicle rollover. Investigators determined that Marvin Wauneka , 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was driving at excessive speeds of up to 95 MPH-while consuming alcohol. The crash resulted in the deaths of two occupants and left three others, including Wauneka , hospitalized with serious injuries. A witness at the scene reported seeing Wauneka exit the vehicle after the crash, and a bottle of vodka was recovered near one of the victims. Surviving passengers confirmed Wauneka was driving and drinking at the time of the crash. Wauneka ’s blood alcohol content was measured at .298 upon arrival at the hospital. He has a prior record of multiple DWI offenses and failures to appear in state court. Wauneka is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody trial. If convicted of the current charges, Wauneka faces up to 26 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today. The Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ohkay Owingeh Man Charged with Multiple Counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Ohkay Owingeh man was federally indicted on multiple counts of aggravated sexual abuse for allegedly using force and threats to commit violent sexual acts. According to court documents, Ashkia Randy Lee Trujillo , 30, an enrolled member of the Ohkay Owingeh Tribe, is accused of unlawfully and knowingly engaging in sexual acts with the victim on August 29, 2019. The indictment alleges that Trujillo used force, threats, and placed the victim in fear of death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping during the commission of these acts. Trujillo is charged with three counts aggravated sexual abuse and will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Trujillo faces up to life years in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today. The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Ohkay Owingeh Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Hopkinsville, Kentucky Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Hopkinsville man was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking and money laundering conspiracy. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Jay Brown, 55, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and more than 400 grams of a fentanyl mixture, one count of distributing methamphetamine, two counts of attempting to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of engaging in a money laundering conspiracy. The events related to his convictions spanned from January 25, 2021, through September 20, 2023, in Christian County, Kentucky. Brown was on supervised release for a previous federal conviction at the time he committed these offenses. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty, the Hopkinsville Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the ATF Bowling Green Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Paducah, the United States Postal Investigations Service Bowling Green, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police, the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office, and the Madisonville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. This case was sentenced under 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: Franklin, Kentucky, Pharmacist and Spouse Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: Louisville, KY – Last week, a Franklin, Kentucky, pharmacist was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison and his wife was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for engaging in a conspiracy to commit theft of medical products, conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and health care fraud, among other charges. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Director Tommy Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, Warren County Sheriff Brett Hightower, and Acting Inspector General Tricia Steward of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement. According to court documents, pharmacist Joseph Huff , 46, was sentenced to 3 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit theft of medical products, one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances, twelve counts of health care fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of making a false statement. His wife, Jenifer Huff , 46, was sentenced to 2 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit theft of medical products, one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances, and two counts of health care fraud. The defendants conspired to divert oxycodone and hydrocodone from the pharmacy from May 2, 2020, to January 17, 2023, with Jenifer Huff selling or trading the controlled substances for cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. They also fraudulently billed Kentucky Medicaid for prescriptions that were not ordered by a physician or nurse practitioner. In addition, Joseph Huff fraudulently billed various insurance companies for brand name Adderall when in fact generic Adderall was issued to patients. Joseph Huff also fraudulently billed an insurance company for medication never dispensed to the patient. Additionally, Joseph Huff falsely reported a pharmacy robbery to the DEA when in fact no drugs had been stolen. Finally, Joseph Huff used another medical professional’s name and National Provider Identifier, a unique 10-digit number used to identify health care providers, to issue prescriptions without the medical professional’s knowledge or consent. There is no parole in the federal system. Joseph Huff was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $17,518.19 and Jenifer Huff was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,730.43. This case was investigated by the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force, the Kentucky State Police, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, and the DEA with the assistance of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari prosecuted the case. ###


title: The Justice Department announces First Amendment investigation into Washington State’s new anti-Catholic law, Senate Bill 5375

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department today announced it has opened a civil rights investigation into the development and passage of Washington State Senate Bill 5375, signed into law on May 2, 2025, by Governor Bob Ferguson, which appears on its face to violate the First Amendment. Washington State’s new law adds “members of the clergy” to a list of other professionals who are required to report information received in a confessional setting relating to child abuse or neglect to law enforcement or other state authorities, with no exception for the absolute seal of confidentiality that applies to Catholic Priests. Furthermore, the State of Washington’s new law singles out “members of the clergy” as the only “supervisors” who may not rely on applicable legal privileges, including religious confessions, as a defense to mandatory reporting. The Civil Rights Division will investigate the apparent conflict between Washington State’s new law with the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment, a cornerstone of the United States Constitution. “SB 5375 demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law, a violation of the Constitution and a breach of the free exercise of religion cannot stand under our Constitutional system of government,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Worse, the law appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compared to other reporting professionals. We take this matter very seriously and look forward to Washington State’s cooperation with our investigation.”


title: Duncan Man Pleads Guilty after Fatal Shooting in Indian Country

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – JESSE WAYNE JAMES KEENAN , 18, of Duncan, has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public record, on July 19, 2024, officers with the Duncan Police Department (“DPD”) responded to a Duncan apartment complex on a reported shooting. At the apartment, DPD located a male victim who had been shot and attempted to provide medical care, but the victim died on scene. Witnesses at the complex identified Keenan as the person who shot the weapon. He was located and arrested a short time later. After speaking with Keenan, FBI agents learned Keenan went to the apartment complex after an argument between Keenan and his girlfriend. After Keenan arrived, a fist fight ensued between Keenan and the victim. During the altercation, Keenan shot the victim with a pistol and fled from the scene. The pistol was later recovered by the FBI. On April 7, 2025, Keenan was charged by Superseding Information with voluntary manslaughter and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On May 1, 2025, Keenan pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information, and admitted that during a quarrel, he intentionally and unlawfully shot the victim, while intending to cause serious bodily injury, which resulted in the victim’s death. At sentencing, he faces no less than 10 years and up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $500,000. This case is in federal court because Keenan is a member of the Choctaw Nation, and the crime occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Duncan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Edgmon and Bow Bottomly are prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Midwest City Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Property Management Company

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – SHERRIE BILLINGS , 53, of Midwest City, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public record, in January 2017, Billings worked as a regional property manager for Manhattan Management Company, LLC (“MMC”), out of New York. MMC owned four apartment complexes in Oklahoma City. Her duties included maintaining daily upkeep, maintenance, and inspections of the properties, and she had access to an MMC bank account and credit card for such maintenance. Court documents allege that from January 2017 through July 2022, Billings defrauded MMC by issuing unauthorized checks from MMC’s bank account and utilizing the company credit card, both for her own personal use. During this time period, Billings issued approximately 385 unauthorized checks, illegally withdrawing approximately $1,660,238.00 from MMC’s account. To conceal her scheme, Billings manufactured fraudulent payment vouchers to legitimate vendors and emailed the fraudulent vouchers to MMC’s bookkeeper to be added to the company ledger. Billings also used the MMC credit card for personal expenses, which defrauded the company out of approximately $49,798.00. Public record further alleges that on April 14, 2022, Billings filled out a federal income tax return form on which she reported income that was substantially lower than the actual income she received as a result of the criminal behavior described above. On April 2, 2025, Billings was charged by Information with wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return. On May 2, 2025, Billings pleaded guilty to the two-count Information, and admitted she knowingly devised a scheme to defraud MMC, and that she knowingly filed a federal income tax return form on which she reported an income amount she knew was substantially lower than what she received for the year. At sentencing, Billings faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud charge and up to three years in prison for the tax charge, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 per count. This case is the result of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Brown is prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Monte Vista Drug Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years of Federal Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DURANGO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Blas Villa, 41, of Monte Vista, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. According to the plea agreement and information presented at sentencing, Villa is a well-known drug dealer in the San Luis Valley. Villa possessed close to a pound of pure methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills over three incidents in 2023. In August 2023, Villa and an associate were found at a home in Monte Vista with significant amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine, a handgun, five cell phones, a scale with drug residue, and $13,400 in cash. A search of Villa’s phone revealed photos of Villa posing with firearms, as well as many photos of fentanyl pills associated with a pill counting app. Villa was originally charged in state court and bonded out of custody. While on bond, Villa was arrested again for possessing heroin and methamphetamine in November 2023. Villa bonded out of state custody again. In December 2023, law enforcement pulled over a car driven by Villa and found over 2,500 fentanyl pills and distribution amounts of methamphetamine. Prior to this case, Villa had fifteen prior convictions, including several felonies. “Mr. Villa is a serial offender,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado J. Bishop Grewell. “I thank our law enforcement partners for removing him and his deadly wares from the San Luis Valley.” “Villa consistently brought harm and poison to Colorado, and with his sentencing the state is that much safer,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. “The men and women of DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to take down people and organizations causing harm to Coloradans and those around the country.” “The removal of these dangerous drugs is a testament to the tireless efforts of the Monte Vista Police Department, specifically the dedicated work of our Detective, in collaboration with key federal partners,” said Interim Monte Vista Police Chief Tyler Harford. “This operation represents a significant step forward in ensuring the safety and well-being of our community. We remain committed to addressing this issue and protecting our residents.” United States District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the sentencing in Durango, Colorado. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Monte Vista Police Department handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey K. Graves handled the prosecution. Case Number: 24-cr-00046-GPG-JMC


title: Texas Man Sentenced to Serve More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison after Traveling to Oklahoma to Engage in Sexual Acts with a Minor

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – BRYAN DEVIN CRUZ , 25, of Texas, has been sentenced to serve 210 months in federal prison for interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. Public record reflects that, in April 2024, an officer with the Moore Police Department (MPD) was dispatched to a home on reports of a stranger peeking into the window of a 13-year-old girl. MPD then deployed a thermal imaging drone to survey the area and located the suspect, later identified as Cruz, moving away from the property. Cruz was arrested shortly after. The minor’s parents consented to the search of a laptop used by the teenager. Investigators learned the teen and Cruz met online through an online application, and that Cruz told the minor he was a high school student and claimed to be 17 years old. Eventually, Cruz expressed interest in meeting the minor, and traveled from Dallas, Texas, to the minor’s residence on April 5, 2024, with the purpose of engaging in illicit activity. On May 7, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Indictment against Cruz, charging him with coercion and enticement of a minor and interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor. On September 12, 2024, Cruz pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment, and admitted he traveled from Dallas, Texas, to Moore, Oklahoma, for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. At the sentencing hearing on May 1, 2025, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Cruz to serve 210 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Wyrick noted the need to protect the public from further crime and the nature and circumstances of the offense, indicating that Cruz’s conduct was pervasive, rather than isolated. This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Moore Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: San Jose AI Solutions Company Agrees To Pay $1.5 Million To Resolve Allegations That It Improperly Obtained Federal Grant Funds

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Vimaan Robotics, Inc. (Vimaan), a San Jose-based company that develops computer vision and AI warehouse management solutions, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by improperly accepting and drawing down funds from a grant award that it was ineligible to receive. The settlement relates to a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant that Vimaan obtained from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The terms and conditions of the SBIR grant preclude companies that are majority-owned by one or more venture capital operating companies from applying for or receiving such an award. The settlement resolves allegations by the United States that at the time Vimaan received the award on April 16, 2020, Vimaan failed to disclose that it had become majority-owned by one or more venture capital companies one month earlier, making it ineligible for the award. Between June 2020 and August 2022, the United States contends, Vimaan submitted 14 separate requests to NSF for disbursement of the award funds and falsely certified its eligibility to receive the award funds in each of these payment requests. “Federal small business research grants awarded by NSF are designed to support and foster innovative research by small businesses, not to provide taxpayer funding for businesses primarily owned by venture capital firms,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “When companies evade program restrictions and obtain grants even though they are not eligible, this office will vigorously enforce the False Claims Act to ensure that federal dollars go to proper recipients.” “The SBIR program is a valuable tool in advancing NSF’s mission to promote the progress of science by increasing opportunities for small businesses to undertake cutting-edge scientific research. Entities that misrepresent their eligibility in order to obtain government funding undermine the integrity and effectiveness of the program. The NSF Office of Inspector General is committed to vigorously pursuing oversight of these taxpayer funds and I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its strong support in this effort,” said Megan E. Wallace, NSF’s Acting Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Savith Iyengar handled this matter for the government. The investigation and settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and NSF-OIG. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating fraud in federal grants. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement involving NSF can be reported to NSF’s Office of Inspector General at https://oig.nsf.gov/contact/hotline . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability . Vimaan Settlement Agreement


title: Vermilion County Man Sentenced to Five and a Half Years in Prison for Counterfeiting and Violating Supervised Release

component: Department of Justice

body_text: URBANA, Ill. – A Bismarck, Illinois, man, Jacob R. Kirkley, 48, was sentenced on May 2, 2025, to four years in prison for his second federal counterfeiting conviction, as well as an additional 18 months in prison for violating his federal supervised release, which was imposed following his first counterfeiting conviction. When Kirkley completes his combined five-and-a-half year sentence, he will be required to serve three years of federal supervised release. The sentences followed a trial last December in Urbana where a federal jury convicted Kirkley of manufacturing, selling, and possessing counterfeited United States currency. During two days of trial testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that, on December 7, 2023, Kirkley sold an undercover officer with the Illinois State Police $1000 of counterfeited U.S. currency that he had made for $250. On December 13, 2023, and January 8, 2024, Kirkley sold the same undercover officer another $1000 and $5000 in counterfeit U.S. currency that he had made, respectively. On January 11, 2024, agents of the U.S. States Secret Service and Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group executed a federal search warrant at Kirkley’s residence in Bismarck and recovered additional counterfeit currency, as well as various items used to counterfeit the currency. At the time Kirkley committed those offenses, he was on federal supervised release for a previous federal counterfeiting conviction. In 2022, Kirkley was convicted of one count of manufacturing U.S. currency and two counts of passing U.S. currency after a 2020 incident where a Vermilion County Sheriff’s Deputy found over $20,000 of counterfeit U.S. currency in his truck and then learned Kirkley had passed counterfeit currency at Carnaghi’s Towing and McDonald’s in Danville, Illinois, and Dollar General in Tilton, Illinois. At the time, the Deputy also found over $20,000 counterfeit U.S. currency, plus four printers, a paper cutter, and numerous counterfeit-making implements in Kirkley’s hotel room at the Budget Inn in Danville. Kirkley served 27 months in federal prison for those offenses and was serving a three-year term of federal supervised release at the time that he committed his latest counterfeiting offenses. Kirkley was released from federal prison in May 2023, six months before committing these offenses. At the time of sentencing, the government presented evidence that Kirkley violated his federal supervised release not only by committing a new counterfeiting offense, but also by testing positive for methamphetamine use on eight separate occasions. The government also presented evidence that Kirkley had told the undercover officer during a covertly recorded conversation that “my name’s a red flag for any kind of . . . counterfeit material at all,” that he learned how to use “Bible paper” to counterfeit currency when he was in federal prison the first time, and that he believed he would “be screwed” and would have “the book” thrown at him if he were caught counterfeiting again. Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce found that Kirkley had not accepted responsibility for his criminal conduct. Judge Bruce followed the government’s recommendation to impose a sentence above the range recommended by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines because Judge Bruce was troubled by Kirkley committing his offense while on federal supervised release for the same crime and so soon after being released from federal prison. The maximum statutory penalties for each of Kirkley’s five counts of conviction are up to twenty years of imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for Kirkley’s violation of his conditions of supervised release is up to two years of imprisonment. “Counterfeiting offenses undermine the integrity and stability of our financial system and leave hardworking business owners who receive these false payments in the lurch,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois Gregory M. Gilmore. “Repeat offenses are particularly problematic. We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners for their dedicated investigative work.” “Protecting the nation’s currency and financial infrastructure have long been key missions for the U.S. Secret Service, along with safeguarding our country’s leaders,” said Resident Agent in Charge Michael Kurzeja, of the U.S. Secret Service Springfield Resident Office. “The Secret Service goes to extraordinary lengths to detect, investigate, and stop those who manufacture and try to profit from counterfeit currency, and attempt to weaken the nation’s financial infrastructure. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Central District of Illinois, as well as all our local partners who helped in this case.” “The impact of counterfeiting can be widespread with the potential of hurting both businesses and individuals as false currency circulates,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at all levels to help protect the integrity of our U.S. currency and hold those who break the law accountable.” The case investigation was conducted by the Springfield Division of the United States Secret Service, Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and Illinois State Police. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government at trial.


title: St. Louis Chop Shop Operator Pleads Guilty

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man on Monday admitted running a “chop shop” that aided car thieves connected to a local gang. Jorge Alberto Luviano-Martinez, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of operating a chop shop. As part of his plea, he admitted running a chop shop in the 2900 block of Cass Avenue in St. Louis. Members of a local gang, “Big 5,” discussed obtaining electronic keys for stolen vehicles from Luviano-Martinez and switching vehicle identification numbers (VINs) on stolen vehicles. Investigators conducted a court-approved search of the shop on June 10, 2024, finding eight stolen vehicles. One vehicle had its VIN replaced with a new VIN and another vehicle had a VIN removed. Before the search warrant was served, investigators saw Luviano-Martinez leaving the property in a stolen Jeep. He refused to stop for police, instead leading officers on a chase that lasted about 15 minutes. After driving down a dead end street, Luviano-Martinez jumped out of the Jeep and over a fence, but was arrested. “Our investigation shut down two chop shops, disrupting a scheme in which gang members were able to easily profit from vehicle thefts,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “The impact should help stem the flow of rising vehicle thefts across the region.” Luviano-Martinez, also known as “Charlie Cruz,” is scheduled to be sentenced in August. The charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both prison and a fine. The FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by the St. Louis Gateway Strike Force , which is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and includes members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. The OCDETF strike forces are permanent, multi-agency, prosecutor-led teams that conduct intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Central Coast Woman Pleads Guilty to Misusing Doctors’ Credentials to Create Bogus Medical Documents for Immigration Applicants

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Luis Obispo County woman who operated a medical clinic pleaded guilty today to misusing physicians’ medical identities to create hundreds of fraudulent immigration documents to help immigrants obtain lawful status in the United States and for using a deceased doctor’s credentials to acquire and distribute controlled substances. Chantelle Lavergne Woods, 54, of Nipomo, pleaded guilty to one count of presentation of false immigration document or application and one count of possession with intent to distribute phendimetrazine. Woods is free on $10,000 bond. According to her plea agreement, Woods formerly operated and managed a clinic in Arroyo Grande that at times was known as “Medical Weight Loss and Immigration Services.” Beginning in February 2021, Woods knowingly misused the identities of three physicians to create hundreds of fraudulent documents pertaining to medical examinations of individuals seeking to register for a lawful permanent resident (LPR) card – commonly known as a “green card” – or otherwise adjust their immigration status. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires the submission of a medical examination and vaccination record that assess several physical and mental health factors to determine if an applicant is inadmissible to the United States on health-related grounds. Federal law requires licensed physicians to perform these examinations and then sign a form attesting, in part, that the physician performed the medical examination and truly and accurately completed the form based on the examination and the information provided by the applicant. Woods completed at least 328 such forms on which she falsely included the signature of medical doctors, thereby representing that the individual had been medically examined by a doctor, when in fact they had not. At times, there were no physicians present at the clinic, Woods acted without physician authorization, and the clinic did not provide legitimate medical services. Woods further admitted that – from February 2021 to June 2022 – she used the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number of a deceased physician to order more than 150,000 tablets of controlled substances, including testosterone, codeine, alprazolam (sold under the brand name Xanax), diethylpropion (an appetite suppressant), and phentermine (weight-loss medicine). In July 2022, at the clinic, Woods knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute phendimetrazine – a weight-loss drug – as well as a loaded firearm. United States District Judge Fernando M. Olguin scheduled a July 31 sentencing hearing, at which time Woods will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Ventura Resident Office Tactical Diversion Squad and USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy K. Beecher of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Firearm Violations

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARNELL D. LEE (“LEE”) , age 26, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on April 24, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to thirty (30) months incarceration after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). LEE was also placed on supervised release for three (3) years following release from imprisonment and ordered to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Further, Judge Fallon ordered that his term of imprisonment run consecutive to the prison terms imposed by the 24 th Judicial Court, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. According to court records, on November 24, 2023, New Orleans Police Department Officers patrolling the 300 block of Bourbon Street observed LEE with what appeared to be a handgun concealed in the front waistband of his pants. When NOPD Officers approached LEE to investigate , LEE fled but was quickly apprehended. Officers recovered a Smith and Wesson Model SD9VE, nine-millimeter handgun that had fallen from his waistband. LEE was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm due to his prior felony convictions. 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. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigating this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Irene M. Gonzalez of the General Crime Unit.


title: District Felon Sentenced for Distributing ‘Boot,’ Illegal Possession of a Pistol

body_text: WASHINGTON – John Parker, 23, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 27-months in prison in connection with distributing the designer synthetic stimulant called “boot” near a school and for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the United States Park Police, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Parker pleaded guilty on March 5, 2025, to one count of unlawful possession with intent to distribute N, N-Dimethylpentylone near schools and to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 27-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Parker to serve 72 months of supervised release. According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2023, about 8:30 p.m., USPP officers saw an unidentified male approach Parker near 7th and H Streets, about 400 feet from a school, and hand Parker an unknown amount of cash. Parker then handed the male an unknown quantity of white powder. Officers followed Parker into a nearby drug store, stopped him, and arrested him. During a search, officers recovered a loaded Ruger LCP semi-automatic pistol that Parker had tucked in his pants. Parker previously was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a license. In addition, police recovered a clear-knotted plastic bag which contained a white rock-like substance weighing 54.6 grams. a plastic bag that contained 75 clear capsules filled with a white rock-like substance, six purple capsules each containing a white rock-like substance, and $211 in cash. The rock-like substance was sent to a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lab for analysis. The bag containing the 54.6 grams of a white rock-like substance tested positive for N, N-Dimethylpentylone, a Schedule I controlled substance. This case was investigated by U.S. Park Police and the Metropolitan Police Department with assistance from the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory Cole. 23cr307 ##


title: Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Stealing U.S. Mail Contents

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – SONIA MILLER (“MILLER’) , age 54, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on April 24, 2025, by United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown, after previously pleading guilty to theft of U.S. mail matter by a postal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709(a). MILLER was sentenced to three (3) years of probation. Judge Brown also ordered that MILLER pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, on or about March 14, 2023, MILLER unlawfully removed the contents of several parcels of mail entrusted to her as a postal employee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.


title: U.S. Department of Justice Announces Civil Rights Investigation into the Consideration of Race in Prosecutorial Decision making by Minnesota’s Hennepin County

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Under our Constitution, no government may distribute different burdens or benefits on the basis of race without facing strict judicial scrutiny. This is especially true in the criminal justice system. Any attempt to subject Americans to different punishments or penalties based on race violates the Constitution and a number of federal civil rights laws. Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced an investigation into the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, led by County Attorney Mary Moriarty, to determine whether the Office is depriving its residents of their federal rights to be free from race-based prosecutorial decision making. According to public reporting, the Hennepin County Attorney recently adopted a policy requiring her prosecutors to consider “racial identity” during prosecutorial decision making, including when negotiating plea agreements that influence the burdens that criminal defendants face, and the benefits that they receive, in criminal prosecutions. The investigation announced today will involve a comprehensive review of all relevant Hennepin County Attorney’s Offices policies and practices that may involve illegal consideration of race. “As a longtime prosecutor, I firmly believe in the paramount importance of a colorblind criminal justice system,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will avail itself of every tool at its disposal to protect all Americans from illegal DEI discrimination.” “It is unconstitutional and morally abhorrent to make different prosecutorial decisions based on a person’s race,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will not tolerate any attempt to do so.”


title: Mexican man arrested for illegal re-entry

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alejandro Mendez Flores, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Flores was encountered by Customs and Border Protection officers on April 30, 2025, at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. Flores was driving a vehicle with a State of Kentucky registration and inadvertently entered onto the bridge toward Canada, where he was refused admission. Flores then encountered CBP officers. A records check determined that Flores was previously arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Texas in July 2019 after having illegally entered the United States. He was physically removed from the United States. 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. Flores made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Honduran man arrested for illegal re-entry

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Marvin Jose Espana, 46, a citizen of Honduras, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on April 15, 2025, Buffalo Border Patrol Station agents responded to a request for assistance from Amherst Police officers, who had detained two individuals following a traffic stop. A records check determined that one of the two individuals, Espana, was a citizen and national of Honduras, illegally present in the United States after having been previously removed. Espana was taken into custody. He was removed from the United States in June 2007, and again in August 2014. 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. Espana made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained. The complaint is a result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Utah County Man Sentenced to Prison for Affinity Fraud Scheme that Scammed Over $5M from Alpha Influence Investors

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Kole Glen Brimhall, 27, of Orem, Utah, was sentenced today to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment after he defrauded approximately 135 investors through the sale of a fraudulent investment offered through Alpha Influence, LLC, a registered Utah company. Brimhall was also sentenced to three years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgement in the amount of $1,097,709.82 and $5,003,400 in restitution to the victims. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Sam, comes after Brimhall pleaded guilty on November 18, 2024, to fraud in the offer and sale of securities. See prior press release: Utah Sales Agent Admits to Defrauding Clients of More than $4.9M. According to court documents and statements made at the defendant’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from March 2020 to June 2022, Brimhall sold fraudulent investment security contracts for Alpha Influence. As part of the scheme, Brimhall and others aggressively promoted, primarily through social media, that purchasing the Alpha Influence investment would generate life-changing passive income for investors in a very short amount of time exclusively through the efforts of the “Alpha Influence Team.” As team lead within the Alpha Influence sales structure, Brimhall was responsible for the sale of approximately 135 Alpha investments to individual investors and received $1,097,709.82 in verified commissions for those fraudulent sales. “Brimhall’s participation in defrauding investors not only left investors in financial devastation, but with a loss of trust that can have a lifelong impact in their personal and professional life,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. “It is our hope that by prosecuting these crimes, we will deter others from participating in affinity fraud schemes in our communities.” "This $20 million fraud, driven by bold displays and false promises shared on social media, caused significant harm to over 500 Utahns," says Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce, Margaret Busse. "Today’s sentence sends a clear message: such predatory actions will not be tolerated, and we stand firmly committed to protecting Utah investors. Fraudulent activities like this erode public trust in legitimate investments and undermine the very foundations of our financial system. I'm proud of the hard work and collaboration between our Utah Division of Securities, the U.S. Attorney General's Office, and the FBI that went into bringing these individuals to justice." "Many of the victims in this case are members of the working class who have the least margin for loss. Yet the defendant shamelessly used their hard-earned money on fancy cars and extravagant vacations," said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. "While fraud schemes are not violent in nature, they can be financially and emotionally devastating. The FBI is dedicated to holding accountable those who profit through deception." The case was investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf, Jennifer E. Gully, and Brian Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


title: Mobile Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court documents, Derrick C. Busby, 34, was arrested by Mobile Police Department officers following a traffic stop on October 22, 2023. During the stop, officers saw marijuana on Busby’s lap and witnessed Busby chugging from a bottle of prescription-only promethazine syrup and swallowing marijuana. Officers searched Busby’s car, seizing, among other things, a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol, a loaded extended magazine, and a digital scale. The pistol had previously been reported stolen to the Daphne Police Department by its original owner in December 2022. Busby admitted to police that he possessed the pistol, which he heard was stolen and might have been connected to a homicide. Busby further admitted that he was a convicted felon who was not supposed to be around guns. At the time Busby possessed the pistol, he had prior felony convictions for robbery and burglary. Those felony convictions made Busby’s possession of the pistol illegal under federal law. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit justice.gov/PSN.


title: Sequoyah County Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charges

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Charles Riddle, age 35, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, each punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000.00 fine. The indictment alleged that on January 6, 2025, Riddle knowingly possessed one round of .45ACP caliber ammunition, 18 rounds of .380ACP caliber ammunition, and one round of .22 caliber ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The Indictment further alleged that between January 17, 2024, and August 2024, Riddle knowingly possessed one .22 caliber pump action rifle, one 12-gauge pump action shotgun, one 6.5 Creedmoor caliber bolt action rifle, and 15 rounds of 6.5 Creedmoor caliber ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Riddle was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: California Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Trevor Sands, 51, of Culver City, California, was sentenced on May 1, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan Bazis sentenced Sands to 57 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Sands’ release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Investigators with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force learned that Sands was helping mail packages of methamphetamine to at least two people in Nebraska. Investigators intercepted a package that was delivered to the Post Office in Ulysses, Nebraska on May 13, 2022. A cooperating witness told investigators the package contained methamphetamine that had been shipped by Sands in California. Investigators opened the package and found a half pound of methamphetamine. Investigators found a fingerprint on the package belonging to a California man working with Sands to ship packages of methamphetamine from California to Nebraska. Between May and September 2022, investigators intercepted three additional packages of meth mailed from California. Post office surveillance video captured Sands mailing at least one of the packages. The Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed the presence of methamphetamine in each of the packages, which weighed between one-quarter pound to one pound. On February 8, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Sands’ residence in Culver City, California. Investigators located methamphetamine in the residence. Sands admitted to distributing methamphetamine, and working with others to mail packages of methamphetamine to Nebraska. This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Los Angeles Police Department.


title: Florida Couple Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Jaiveer Tyee, 53, and Xanthe Tabbs, 56, both of Coral Gables, Florida, were sentenced on May 2, 2025 in federal court in for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Tyee to 9 months’ imprisonment and Tabbs to 3 years’ probation. Tyee and Tabbs were also ordered to pay $138,926.71 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system. After Tyee’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. From April 25, 2018, to July 19, 2018, Tyee and Tabbs conspired to participate in a scheme to defraud a company located in the District of Nebraska. The victim company specialized in subscription-based services for the analysis and delivery of real-time weather, agricultural, energy, and commodity market information. Using a spoofed email account, an unknown person posed as a vendor of the victim company and requested a change payment related to an invoice the victim company was in the process of paying. The fraudulent email purporting to be from the vendor contained wiring instructions and third-party bank account information, that in fact was not associated with the vendor. The victim company’s employee, thinking the wire transfer request was legitimate, complied with the wire transfer request. On May 23, 2018, the victim company was induced into making an unauthorized wire transfer totaling $280,646 from its financial institution to a third-party bank account that was jointly accessed and controlled by Tyee and Tabbs. After the unauthorized wire transfer was deposited, Tyee and Tabbs immediately conducted numerous financial transactions, which included obtaining cashier’s checks and making wire transfers to other bank accounts controlled and accessed by Tyee and Tabbs. After detection of the fraudulently induced transfer, the victim company was able to recover a portion of the proceeds resulting a loss of $138,926.71. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Queens Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Kilograms of Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Heroin

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A resident of Queens Village, New York admitted to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute a significant amount methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Donovan Elliot, 61, pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In connection with an investigation into Elliot’s drug trafficking activities, law enforcement agents with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) observed Elliot conduct narcotics sales involving significant amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and fentanyl-laced heroin. Law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at Elliot’s home and recovered a considerable quantity of methamphetamine, as well as a firearm and ammunition. In total, Elliot’s offense involved over three kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly 500 grams of fentanyl-laced heroin, and over 260 grams of fentanyl. The charge in the Information to which Elliot pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2025. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: David Holman, Esq. elliot.information.pdf


title: Transnational Narcotics Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Saipan, MP – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Ye Fang, aka “BATU”, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was sentenced by Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona in District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands to 25 years imprisonment, after being convicted of Conspiracy to Possess over 500 Grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). The court also ordered 5 years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee. He was also ordered to report to immigration officials for deportation proceedings upon release from prison. Ye Fang arrived in the CNMI from China in 2016 under a tourist visa waiver program. After his waiver term elapsed, he remained on Saipan where he ran a birth tourism business for three years. Ye Fang hosted at least 200 women and their families from China so that pregnant women could give birth on island. He later began trafficking methamphetamine. In November 2022, CNMI police executed a search warrant at Ye Fang’s home. They seized more than one kilogram of methamphetamine. A CNMI arrest warrant was issued, but Ye Fang remained a fugitive, escaping from Saipan by boat and traveling to Guam in the summer of 2023. From Guam, Ye Fang continued to organize methamphetamine trafficking in the CNMI. In September 2023, he arranged the shipment of methamphetamine hidden inside lava lamps, which were sent to Saipan from California. The packages were intercepted by CNMI Customs, who coordinated with the DEA to conduct a controlled delivery. That resulted in the arrest of co-conspirator Liang Yang, another out of status PRC national. A total of eight pounds of liquid methamphetamine was seized. Ye Fang eventually fled Guam in November 2023 via commercial airline using the identification of another person. He then traveled to Palau, where he organized the murder of another PRC citizen. In January 2024, Ye Fang and three others were arrested in Palau for that crime. Ye Fang pled guilty to manslaughter in March 2024 and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. In May 2024, he was extradited to the CNMI where he pled guilty to the lava lamp drug scheme. “Law enforcement has brought Ye Fang’s Indo-Pacific crime spree to an end,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “He will now serve many years in a United States prison with other high-risk offenders. Every day of his sentence is a day made safer for the people of the CNMI. We will continue to use our resources to combat transnational criminals and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime.” “Methamphetamine is potent and highly addictive. This synthetic stimulant has contributed to the overdose crisis facing America. DEA, along with federal and international partners, are in lockstep in our commitment to combat drug networks,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Saipan. “We will vehemently pursue all criminals who flood our communities with this poison.” “Today’s sentencing is the direct result of sustained commitment and collaboration between the FBI and our law enforcement partners,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “Mr. Fang led a violent, transnational narcotics trafficking organization; his crimes significantly contributed to the ongoing drug epidemic facing America and plaguing our island communities. The FBI—standing in resolve with our local, state, and federal partners—is prepared to confront and disrupt these dangerous criminal organizations, wherever they may operate.” “The conviction of Mr. Fang is a testament to HSI’s enduring commitment to keep harmful substances out of Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Island,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “Understanding the damage that illegal narcotics do to our communities, we will stop at nothing to hold those accountable for their contributions to drug trafficking within our islands.” “As the law enforcement and security arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the safety of postal employees and the public is our top priority,” said Inspector in Charge Stephen Sherwood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Anyone who misuses the U.S. Postal Service will be held accountable for their actions. I would like to thank our federal and local law enforcement partners, including our task force partners from the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Guam Police Department, and Army National Guard Counterdrug Program.” This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshal Service for extradition, CNMI Customs, CNMI Department of Public Safety, Republic of Palau Bureau of Public Safety, and in collaboration with the CNMI Attorney General’s Office, the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, and the Republic of Palau. Assistant United States Attorney Albert S. Flores, Jr., and former Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Kost prosecuted this case in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands. 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: MARIANNA MAN FOUND GUILTY OF CONSPIRACY TO POSSESS WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Lorenzo Heatrice, 70, was found guilty by a federal jury of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one involving five grams of methamphetamine and the other involving 50 grams. The guilty verdict was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. In 2023, Heatrice was identified by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office as a methamphetamine distributor. According to evidence presented at trial and court records, between June 2023 and April 2024, Heatrice conspired with other known drug traffickers in the Marianna, Florida area to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine into the community. On two separate occasions in September 2023, Heatrice also sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. The conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Eric Welch. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2025, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Mark E. Walker. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: San Antonio Man Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling Meth and Fentanyl from Mexico

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man who had resided in Coahuila, Mexico was sentenced in a federal court Thursday to 135 months in prison for smuggling more than 10 kgs of fentanyl and nearly 35 kgs of methamphetamine into the United States. According to court documents, Ruben Martinez Martinez, 22, was stopped by a Guadalupe County Sheriff’s deputy on Sept. 15, 2023 for traffic violations on Interstate 10. A return on the vehicle’s license plate indicated that the vehicle had crossed into Mexico on Aug. 11, 2023 and returned into the U.S. the morning of Sept. 15. When questioned by the deputy, Martinez provided responses that were inconsistent and became visibly nervous. A K9 search of the vehicle revealed a container of methamphetamine hidden in the fold of a collapsed center seat in the front of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle’s camper shell led to the discovery of a compartment inside the roof. After the vehicle was relocated for further inspection, an X-ray revealed the outlines of bundles inside the roof that contained a white substance and other white and blue pills. Approximately 39 packages were removed from the roof, and subsequent laboratory testing confirmed the white substance to be 34.9 kgs of methamphetamine and that there were 95,417 pills containing fentanyl. Martinez stated that he had followed directions to pick up the camper shell near Piedras Negras, Mexico the day prior to the traffic stop. He said he was transporting the narcotics to a location in Houston, where arrangements would be made for him to transfer the camper shell to someone else. "Fentanyl and methamphetamine have been poisoning our communities and even causing the deaths of friends, neighbors, and loved ones throughout this district and across the nation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Working with our law enforcement partners to stop the illicit trafficking of these incredibly dangerous drugs is a top priority." “DEA, along with its local partner, the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office, successfully halted Ruben Martinez Martinez from funneling over 95,000 fentanyl pills into our communities, which could have resulted in a tragic number of deaths,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell for the Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Division. “These deadly doses could have shattered the lives of many families in the San Antonio area, but fortunately lives were saved, and it’s all due to our collaborations with our state, local, and federal partners that have always shown to be a true force multiplier.” The DEA investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office and Guadalupe County Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case. ###


title: Ohio County Reptile Dealer Admits to Wildlife Trafficking

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Michael Kandis, age 64, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to wildlife trafficking in violation of the Lacey Act. According to court documents and statements made in court, Kandis is reptile dealer and operates a reptile house in Wheeling. During a covert investigation of reptile shows in the Midwest, Kandis illegally purchased snakes, dozens of which were bullsnakes. Bullsnakes are native to Indiana, where their sale is illegal under state law. Kandis then transported the snakes to West Virginia and sold them. The Lacey Act prohibits the importation, exportation, transportation, sale, receipt, acquisition, or purchase of any fish or wildlife or plant taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any law, treaty, or regulation of the United States. Kandis faces up to one year in prison and a fine of $100,000 or twice the gain or loss of the crime. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maximillian Nogay and Trial Attorney Lauren D. Steele, Environmental Crimes Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice, are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.