title: Iranian Company and Two Iranian Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and for Scheme to Procure U.S. Technology for Iranian Attack Drones

body_text: A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Hossein Akbari, 63, and Reza Amidi, 62, both of Iran, and an Iranian company, Rah Roshd Company (Rah Roshd), with conspiring to procure U.S. parts for Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, also known as drones), conspiring to provide material support to the IRGC – a designated foreign terrorist organization – and conspiring to commit money laundering. Akbari is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rah Roshd. Amidi is the company’s commercial manager and was previously the commercial manager of Qods Aviation Industries (QAI), an Iranian state-owned aerospace company. They are both citizens of Iran and remain at large. “Today’s charges lay bare how U.S.-made technology ended up in the hands of the Iranian military to build attack drones,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will continue to put maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. We will relentlessly dismantle illicit supply chains funneling American technology into the hands of Iran’s military and terrorist organizations and pursue those complicit in operations that threaten our country.” “As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to obtain U.S.-origin parts needed to manufacture drones for military use in Iran and send those parts to Iran in violation of export control laws,” said U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “The charges filed today demonstrate the commitment by my office and our law enforcement partners to dismantle illicit supply chains and prosecute those who unlawfully procure U.S. technology in support of a foreign terrorist organization. The IRGC and QAI have been core players in the Iranian military regime’s production of drones, which threaten the lives of civilians, U.S. personnel and our country’s allies. These charges should serve as a warning to those who violate U.S. export control laws and who unlawfully seek to aid Iran’s drone program.” “The allegations in this case demonstrate the lengths Iranian companies take to evade U.S. sanctions, victimize U.S. businesses, and support the IRGC's production of drones,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI and our partners will use all authorities to stop those who seek to evade sanctions and engage in money laundering schemes that support terrorist activities and threaten the lives and interests of Americans and our allies.” According to court documents, Akbari and Amidi operate Rah Roshd which procures and supplies advanced electronic, electro-optical and security systems to the Government of Iran and designs, builds, and manufactures ground support systems for UAVs. Rah Roshd’s clients include the IRGC and several Iranian state-owned aerospace companies and drone manufacturers, including QAI, Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center (SAIRC) and Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group (SBIG). Between January 2020 and the present, Amidi and Akbari used Rah Roshd in furtherance of a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions and procure U.S.-origin parts for use in Iranian-manufactured UAVs, including the Mohajer-6 UAV. At least one of those parts was manufactured by a Brooklyn, New York-based company (Company-1). In September 2022, the Ukranian Air Force shot down an Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone used by the Russian military in Ukraine. The drone recovered by the Ukrainian Air Force contained parts made by several U.S. companies, including Company-1) To facilitate their scheme, Amidi and Akbari falsely purported to represent companies other than Rah Roshd, including a company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (Company-2) and a company based in Belgium (Company-3). The defendants used a “spoofed” email address, containing a misspelled version of Company-2’s name, to communicate regarding the procurement of parts, including parts manufactured by U.S. companies. The defendants also used various “front” or “shell” companies to pay for UAV parts and to obfuscate the true end destination and the true identities of the sanctioned end users, including QAI and the IRGC, which were acquiring U.S.-made parts through Rah Roshd. Amidi and Akbari also used aliases to obfuscate their true identities in furtherance of the scheme. Additionally, the defendants conspired to provide material support to the IRGC by providing goods and services, including constructing military shelters, providing cameras and drone field hangers and conspiring to procure drone parts as well as parts to operate drones, including servo motors, pneumatic masts, and engines, for the benefit of the IRGC’s military campaign. The investigation uncovered correspondence from the IRGC, signed by the head of the UAV Command for the IRGC’s Aerospace Force, thanking Rah Roshd for its work on behalf of the IRGC and praising Rah Roshd’s achievements in designing and manufacturing “servo motors” for defense equipment. The letter also included a quote from the Supreme Leader of Iran regarding the importance of self-sufficiency and domestic production to strengthen Iran’s economy and “disappoint the enemies of the Islamic Republic.” The letter also noted continued efforts of Rah Roshd “in strengthening the defensive capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Both Amidi and Akbari possessed documents indicating that they had purchased servo motors for delivery to Iran, including a servo motor contained in the Mohajer-6 drone. Akbari also emailed supplier companies located in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and noted that he was purchasing parts for drones to be shipped to Iran. Finally, Amidi and Akbari conspired to commit money laundering. They used at least three shell companies, which were all based in the UAE, to pay a PRC-based company that sent invoices to Rah Roshd for the sale of motors. Those payments were processed through U.S.-based correspondent bank accounts. The defendants also used two of these shell companies to pay a separate PRC-based company for the sale of pneumatic masts, which are a component of the operation of the Mohajer-6 drone. Concurrent with today’s criminal complaint, the Department of Treasury announced sanctions targeting a network of six entities and two individuals based in Iran, the UAE, and the PRC responsible for the procurement of UAV components on behalf of QAI — a leading manufacturer for Iran’s UAV program. According to the Treasury, this network has also facilitated procurement for other entities in Iran's military-industrial complex, including Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) and SBIG. Today’s action marks the second round of sanctions targeting Iranian weapons proliferators since the President issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 on Feb. 4, ordering a campaign of maximum pressure on Iran. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nina C. Gupta and Lindsey R. Oken for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Rebecca Roth, Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. 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: Alaska Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An Alaska man pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents, William Steadman, 35, of Juneau, a registered sex offender, enticed a young boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct, which Steadman recorded and posted on the dark web. After the CSAM was posted, law enforcement began working to determine who had created and posted the images. Even though Steadman attempted to hide his identify from law enforcement by using the dark web, a cryptocurrency payment for additional CSAM and thorough analysis of online statements tied to his alias led to his identification and arrest. A search of Steadman’s residence led to the discovery of over 4,000 images and videos of CSAM on his devices. Steadman pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on a later date and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska; Special Agent in Charge Glen Peterson of the U.S. Secret Service’s Seattle Field Office made the announcement. The Secret Service’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson for the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Ferguson Man Sentenced to 93 Months in Prison for Drug Sales

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man from Ferguson, Missouri who sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to undercover St. Louis County police officers to 93 months in prison. Theodise Reece, 37, has been in custody since his arrest on Aug. 30, 2023, bringing the total he will likely serve for the crime to about nine years. After receiving several tips in June of 2023 that Reece was selling illegal drugs, the St. Louis County Police Department set up a series of undercover purchases, Reece’s plea agreement says. Reece sold $100 worth of fentanyl on June 14, 2023, then $150 worth of methamphetamine six days later, Reece admitted in his guilty plea. After making four more undercover purchases and witnessing Reece make another sale, investigators sought a search warrant for Reece’s home. They arrested him during an undercover buy on Aug. 30, 2023, and found a semiautomatic pistol in his car loaded with one chambered round and 18 more in an extended magazine. Inside a satchel slung across his chest, police found nearly 40 grams of fentanyl and 225 grams of meth as well as ecstasy, cocaine base and marijuana. Reece admitted that he sold drugs for a living. Investigators found an AR-style rifle in Reece’s home. Reece pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in November to three felonies: distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Drug Enforcement investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Four Real Estate Investors Sentenced in Multimillion-Dollar Loan Scheme

body_text: Four real estate investors were sentenced in an extensive, multi-year conspiracy to fraudulently obtain multimillion-dollar loans on commercial and multifamily properties. Aron Puretz, 53, of New Jersey, and his son, Chaim “Eli” Puretz, 29, of New Jersey, were sentenced to prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Aron Puretz was sentenced to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay $22,235,457 in restitution, and Eli Puretz was sentenced to 24 months in prison and ordered to pay $20,315,457 in restitution. Moshe “Mark” Silber, 34, of New York, and Fredrick Schulman, 72, of New York, were also sentenced to terms of imprisonment for their respective roles in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Silber was sentenced to 30 months in prison, and Schulman was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison, to be followed by nine months of home confinement. The restitution amounts for Silber and Schulman will be determined at a later hearing. According to court documents, Aron and Eli Puretz were owners of a commercial property, Troy Technology Park, in Troy, Michigan. In September 2020, Aron and Eli Puretz purchased Troy Technology Park for approximately $42 million, before selling or flipping the property to a co-conspirator for approximately $70 million. Aron and Eli Puretz and their co-conspirators provided the lender with falsified documents that included the inflated purchase price. Based on the fraudulent documents, the lender funded a loan for $45 million. To conceal the fraudulent nature of the transaction, Aron and Eli Puretz and co-conspirators arranged for a short-term $30 million loan, which was used to make it appear that they had the funds needed to close on the sale. On Sept. 25, 2020, a title company based in Lakewood, New Jersey, performed two simultaneous closings, one for the true sales price and another for the fraudulent sales price presented to the lender. Separately, Silber and Schulman were managing members of Rhodium Capital Advisors, an entity that was involved in the acquisition and management of Williamsburg of Cincinnati, a large apartment complex in Cincinnati, Ohio. In March 2019, Williamsburg of Cincinnati was acquired for $70 million. However, Silber, Schulman, and other co-conspirators utilized a stolen identity to present a lender and Fannie Mae with a fraudulent purchase-and-sale contract for over $95 million and other fraudulent documents. On March 8, 2019, two closings were performed, one for the true $70 million sales price and another for the fraudulent over $95 million sales price presented to the lenders. Based on the co-conspirators’ false statements, the lender and Fannie Mae funded a loan in excess of $74 million for the purchase of Williamsburg of Cincinnati. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey; Inspector General Brian M. Tomney of the FHFA-OIG; Postal Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the USPIS Criminal Investigations Group; and Acting Inspector General Stephen M. Begg of the HUD-OIG made the announcement. Trial Attorney Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha Nye for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.


title: Multi-Million Dollar Money Laundering Conspiracy Leader Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, Adanegbe Gift Osenmwenkhae (Gift), 39, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pled guilty to serving as manager and supervisor of a large, multi-member, money laundering conspiracy. The group laundered more than $20 million in fraudulent proceeds. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge George Golliday, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General (EPA-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Ken DeChellis, Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service – Cyber Field Office (DCIS). According to the plea agreement, beginning in 2021, and continuing into February 2024, Gift conspired with Yahya Sowe, aka “Cash,” Gedeon Agbeyome, Victor Killen, Areal Harris, Bright Boateng, Faizou Gnora, Emily Gil Arias, Fatoumata Boiro, Lawrence Ogunsanwo, Lakeisha Parker, Martin Ogisi, Blondel Ndjouandjouaka, Kevin Colon, Lorena Perez Herrera, and others to launder proceeds of a large-scale wire fraud. The co-conspirators engaged in various financial transactions to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the wire-fraud proceeds, while carrying out the wire-fraud schemes. Gift supervised and exercised significant managerial control over the money laundering conspiracy and facilitated the laundering of more than $20 million in stolen proceeds from at least 15 different victims. Victims included government agencies, organizations, and companies, including an environmental trust, urban redevelopment program, medical center, transportation and logistics company, school district, college, and county government, among others. According to the plea agreement, Gift used and controlled several different encrypted electronic communication accounts to supervise and manage the money laundering conspiracy. As supervisor, Gift directed and worked with members of the conspiracy to create limited liability companies to serve as shell entities; open bank accounts and/or cause bank accounts to be opened in the name of their shell entity; and receive and launder fraud proceeds. Additionally, Gift helped coordinate the flow of fraudulent proceeds through various bank accounts and determine how to split funds between each member of the conspiracy as payment for their role in the conspiracy. Gift is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox has scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2025, at 10 a.m. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HSI led Document and Benefit Fraud/Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force, IRS-CI, EPA-OIG, and DCIS for their work in the investigation and recognized the Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County Police Departments for their assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Bijon A. Mostoufi, and Jared M. Beim, who are prosecuting the federal case, and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for her assistance. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Tampa Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty To Distribution Of Fentanyl And Cocaine Causing An Overdose Death

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Brandon Lewis Graham (43, Brandon) has pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and cocaine resulting in the death of a victim. Graham faces a minimum penalty of 20 years, and up life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, on March 31, 2022, law enforcement responded to a home in Tampa involving a deceased individual. During the investigation, law enforcement retrieved a clear plastic baggie from the victim that contained fentanyl, cocaine, and ethanol. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the victim’s cause of death was intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl, cocaine, and ethanol. A witness stated to law enforcement that the victim had purchased the narcotics from Graham on March 30, 2022, at a gas station in Riverview. The victim had fallen asleep and in the morning was unresponsive. Emergency personnel arrived at the residence, but the victim was deceased when they arrived. Law enforcement retrieved video surveillance information from the gas station that showed the victim arriving and meeting with Graham. As a result, law enforcement obtained Graham’s vehicle information and registration. Additionally, the victim’s cellphone was recovered, it contained information identifying Graham via a telephone number that was registered to him. This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Guzman.


title: Law Enforcement Arrests Man for Making Death Threats Toward Federal Official and MPD Officer

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Robert Andrew Cooper, 68, of Washington D.C., was arrested today and charged in a two-count federal indictment with repeatedly making threatening phone calls, in December 2024, during which he allegedly said he intended to kill a federal official and an officer of the Metropolitan Police Department. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Cooper is charged with two counts of interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure. He will make an initial appearance at 1:30 p.m. today. The case is being investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Horan. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Official of St. Louis County Charity Admits Stealing Nearly $700,000

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A former official of a charity that houses adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities on Tuesday admitted embezzling about $690,000 over more than a decade. Joelle Fouse, 57, pleaded guilty to three felony counts of wire fraud in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Fouse was the manager / director of finance and human resources for the charity and was responsible for payroll, expense reimbursement and maintaining the charity’s books and records. She admitted stealing from the charity in multiple ways. Fouse caused 181 unauthorized expense payments totaling $407,186 to be transferred into bank accounts she controlled by providing false expense reimbursement information to a third-party payroll processing company. She provided false payroll information that triggered 71 other unauthorized payments totaling $139,810. Her theft, and the unauthorized payments, caused the charity to overpay payroll taxes by approximately $10,694. Fouse also used her company credit card to make 184 unauthorized purchases totaling $133,210. She attempted to cover up her crimes by falsifying financial and accounting records. Fouse admitted using the money to pay for personal expenses for herself and relatives including travel, clothing, entertainment, restaurants and rent payments. Fouse’s fraud limited the charity’s ability to provide services to the disabled adults it served. Fouse worked for the charity from October 2012 through December 2023, when she was terminated and her employer contacted federal authorities. Fouse is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10. Each wire fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.


title: St. Louis Man Admits Possession of Drugs, Machine Gun

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

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday admitted being caught with a fully automatic pistol, fentanyl and cocaine base after a police chase. Mario Mitchell, 22, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. On Oct. 16, 2023, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted a silver Nissan Sentra violate the stop sign at Euclid Avenue and East Lee Avenue in the Penrose neighborhood of St. Louis. Mitchell sped off when officers activated their lights and siren. After officers used spike strips to disable the Sentra, Mitchell got out and ran, discarding a Glock 10mm fully automatic pistol with an extended magazine. When officers caught and arrested Mitchell, he had a bag holding 40 multi-colored capsules containing fentanyl and a bag with several off-white chunks of cocaine base totaling 2.97 grams, he admitted as part of his plea agreement. The pistol was equipped with a conversion device, or “switch,” making it a machine gun under federal law. Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10. Each charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: KC Area Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Machine Guns

component: USAO - Missouri, Western


title: Guatemalan national guilty of federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Guatemalan national, illegally in Port Arthur, has pleaded guilty to immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Wilmer Armando Xitumul-Godinez, 24, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry by a previously deported alien before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on March 31, 2025. According to court documents, Xitumul-Godinez was arrested in October 2024 after having been deported by immigration officials in September of 2024. Xitumul-Godinez faces up to two years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This case is being investigated as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Port Arthur Police Department and being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman with the cooperation of the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. ###


title: Caldwell County, Kentucky Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – A Caldwell County, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison for multiple child pornography charges. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement. According to court documents, William Guill, 50, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release, for four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor. Guill recorded himself engaged in sexual acts with two minor girls and used an online social media application to distribute child sexual abuse material and send nude images of himself to one of the minors. Guill was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to victims. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by HSI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Former southern Illinois police chief pleads guilty to corruption charges

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A former Wayne City police chief appeared in federal court Monday and admitted to selling forfeited items confiscated by the department for his personal benefit. Anson Fenton, 46, of Belle Rive, pleaded guilty to one count of misapplication of property from federally funded programs and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office strongly supports our police, but we must take decisive action when things like this happen,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “By taking unauthorized possession of forfeited property for his personal benefit, the defendant used his position of trust as police chief to deceive the community he was sworn to protect.” Asset forfeiture is a legal process to confiscate the means or proceeds of a crime and can apply to money, vehicles, real estate and more. Wayne City stores forfeited items at the Wayne City Police Department until city officials pass an ordinance to authorize the sale of the property. As police chief, Fenton was responsible for safeguarding, documenting and preserving property within the care, custody and control of the Wayne City Police Department. "No one is above the law, especially those charged with upholding the law, and the Illinois State Police will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement at all levels to protect the public's trust," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. According to court documents, Fenton sold two motorcycles, a 2017 Harley-Davidson and a 2000 Harley-Davidson, valued at more than $5,000 and kept the proceeds without authorization from the Wayne City Board of Trustees. He also traded one 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle for a 1991 Ford Mustang for his personal benefit. He admitted to driving the Suzuki over state lines to complete the sale from Wayne City to Alexandria, Virginia. For the charges, Fenton could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 per count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on July 30 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis. Wayne City is a village in Wayne County in the Southern District of Illinois. The Illinois State Police is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.


title: DRI Relays Inc. to Pay $15.7M to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving the Sale of Non-Military Grade Parts to Department of Defense

component: Civil Division

body_text: DRI Relays Inc. (DRI), a subsidiary of TE Connectivity Corporation (TEC), has agreed to pay $15.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by supplying military parts that did not meet military specifications, the Justice Department announced today. TEC acquired DRI in October 2020. DRI manufactures electrical relays and sockets for numerous military platforms and has manufacturing locations in Long Island, New York, and Bangalore, India. In January 2021*, TEC disclosed to the Department of Defense that DRI had not conducted certain required tests on MIL-PRF-83536 relays and MIL-DTL-12883 sockets, and cooperated with the government’s investigation. The United States subsequently alleged that between 2015 and 2021, under various Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and subcontracts, DRI invoiced for military grade electrical relays and sockets when it knew those parts had not met the testing requirements to be deemed military grade. “It is essential to the safety and operational readiness of our military that contractors comply with applicable military specifications,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly supply equipment to the U.S. military that fails to meet their contract obligations.” “Maintaining the integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense supply chain is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “The DoD expects its suppliers to adhere to contract specifications and perform required testing on products sold to the U.S. military. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of contractors failing to meet testing protocols and disclose product deficiencies.” “This settlement demonstrates the resolve of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID) and our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of the equipment and materiel procured or used by the United States Army,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army CID Fraud Field Office. “Failures to adhere to established standards when providing military parts can place our Soldiers at significant risk and adversely impact the Army’s warfighting capabilities.” This matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Art J. Coulter of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section. DCIS, Army CID, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency assisted in this investigation. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. * A previous version of this release stated "2011". It has now been changed to reflect the correct year.


title: Florida Woman Convicted of Embezzling from Car Dealership

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that SEHRELINA TARDO (“TARDO”) , age 36, from Tallahassee, Florida, pled guilty on March 26, 2025 to wire fraud, in connection with an embezzlement scheme. According to court documents, from November of 2018 through May of 2023, TARDO was a senior accountant at a car dealership in New Orleans, where she embezzled customer cash down payments and deposits, taking the funds for herself. TARDO hid her theft by creating fake journal entries of customer transactions on her employer’s books and records. Under the terms of the plea agreement, TARDO agreed to pay restitution of $535,750.77 to her former employer. The Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for June 25, 2025. At sentencing, TARDO faces up to twenty years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator and member of the Financial Crimes Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Father And Son Executives Charged With Defrauding Sports Park Bondholders

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging RANDY MILLER, former Chairman and President of Legacy Sports, and his son, CHAD MILLER, former CEO of Legacy Sports, with engaging in a scheme to defraud investors of more than $280 million in two municipal bond offerings. RANDY MILLER and CHAD MILLER were arrested today and will be presented tomorrow in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Randy Miller and Chad Miller swindled investors out of over a quarter of a billion dollars by selling municipal bonds they knew were backed by forgeries and lies. Municipal bonds fund critical public projects and investors rely on accurate financial disclosures to make informed decisions. This Office is committed to protecting the integrity of the public finance system. When individuals abuse that system and investors’ trust, we will hold them accountable.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Fathers and sons have found shared bonds in sports for generation. Randy and Chad Miller allegedly chose to use a planned sports complex as a means to exploit and defraud investors. The Millers allegedly executed the scheme using fraudulent documents to lie about the status of the proposed project in order to raise hundreds of millions of dollars which they used to enrich themselves. The FBI will continue to ensure a level playing field by holding fraudsters accountable in the criminal justice system.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment: [1] From November 2019 through May 2023, RANDY MILLER and CHAD MILLER engaged in a scheme to defraud investors in municipal bonds used to fund the development of a major sports complex in Mesa, Arizona called Legacy Park. The defendants worked together and with others to lie to potential bond investors about the interest sports organizations and other potential customers had in using or relocating to Legacy Park. The defendants and their associates forged and altered purported “binding” letters of intent and other documents from those potential customers to make it appear that the customers were committing to holding many events at Legacy Park, with a significant number of spectators, and agreeing to pay large fees – all far beyond what the organizations were considering, if they were considering Legacy Park at all. In some instances, RANDY MILLER and CHAD MILLER signed and directed others to sign customers’ names without the customers’ knowledge or permission. At other times the defendants copied and directed others to copy the signatures of other customers onto the fabricated letters, again without the customers’ knowledge or permission. As part of their scheme, the defendants forged documents on behalf of numerous persons and organizations, including an organization that promotes sports for disabled athletes. RANDY MILLER and CHAD MILLER presented the fraudulent documents to prospective bond investors and incorporated them into their solicitation materials by claiming that Legacy Park would be 100% occupied at opening and would generate nearly $100 million in revenue in its first year of operations, more than enough to cover the bond payments. After the Legacy Park bonds were sold to investors, RANDY MILLER and CHAD MILLER used some of the proceeds to pay for personal expenses such as a home and SUVs. The defendants also paid themselves inflated salaries and withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars in addition to their salaries. While the defendants enriched themselves, Legacy Park struggled to survive. The park opened in 2022, but within months failed to generate enough revenue to make the monthly bond payments, and by October 2022 it was in default. On May 1, 2023, the project filed for bankruptcy and was later sold for less than $26 million. Of those proceeds, less than $2.5 million went to repay the approximately $284 million owed to Legacy Park bondholders. Accordingly, because of the defendants’ fraud, bondholders were left with near total losses. * * * RANDY MILLER, 70, and CHAD MILLER, 41, both of Phoenix, Arizona, were both charged in the Indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and securities fraud, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison; one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison. The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action. The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Courtney L. Heavey and Matthew R. Shahabian are in charge of the prosecution. u.s._v._randy_and_chad_miller_indictment.pdf [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Buffalo, New York Man Charged with Transporting a Minor Victim Across State Lines with Intent to Engage in Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on January 22, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ian Blochwitz, 33, of Buffalo, New York, with transporting a minor victim from Vermont to New York with intent to engage in sexual activity for which Blochwitz could be charged with a criminal offense in New York. Blochwitz entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on March 20, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. United States Magistrate Judge Jerome Niedermeier held a detention hearing on March 26, 2025, and ordered that Blochwitz be detained during the pendency of this matter. According to court records, Blochwitz met his twelve-year-old victim on an anonymous chat platform. In February 2023, Blochwitz drove a rental car from Buffalo, New York, to Vermont to meet the minor victim. He then took the minor victim to a short-term rental location in Whitehall, New York, where he engaged in sexual activity with the minor victim. He then drove the minor victim back to Vermont before returning to Buffalo. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Blochwitz is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Blochwitz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years of imprisonment and up to a lifetime of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Joshua L. Banker. Blochwitz is represented by Attorney Robert Singer, of Williamsville, New York. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Mexican national caught transporting child sexual abuse material

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old Mexican national has been indicted for transportation and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Already in custody following the filing of a criminal complaint, Raul Velasco-Leon is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos in the near future. On March 12, authorities encountered Velasco-Leon at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge as he was returning to Mexico, according to the charges. They searched his belongings and allegedly found what appeared to be a piece of youth-sized clothing with the words “Girl Power” tucked inside a jean pocket. The charges allege law enforcement also found multiple electronic devices, including 10 USB flash drives. On one of those, were five files containing child sexual abuse material. If convicted, Velasco-Leon faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page . An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Fort Collins Resident Charged in Connection With Incident at Tesla Service Center in Loveland

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Cooper Jo Frederick, of Fort Collins, Colorado, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of Malicious Destruction and Attempted Destruction of Property by Fire, and one count of Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device. The indictment was brought in connection with a fire at a Tesla Service Center in Loveland, CO, which investigators determined had been caused by an incendiary device. Frederick was arrested Friday, March 27, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The investigation is being handled by the Denver Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Loveland Police Department, with assistance from the Dallas Field Office of the ATF, the FBI Dallas Field Office, and the Frisco, Texas Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crimes and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office. 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). Case Number: 25-cr-00105-NYW


title: Woman admits to smuggling firearms into Mexico

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 38-year-old woman has entered a guilty plea to smuggling several firearms and magazines hidden in a vehicle’s gas tank, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Mirna Luna traveled from her Canton, Georgia, residence Dec. 15, 2024, and attempted to cross at the Brownsville/Matamoros port of entry into Mexico. Once there, authorities had referred her to secondary inspection where they discovered 17 firearms and 27 magazines hidden in the gas tank of the Nissan car she was driving. Luna claimed ownership of the car and admitted she is the only person who drives it. She does not have a license to export firearms and has not applied for one. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. accepted the plea and set sentencing for July 8. At that time, Luna faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine. She has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose Esquivel and Ana Cano prosecuted the case.


title: Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms After Being Intercepted with Guns on Reinhardt University Campus

body_text: ATLANTA - Joshua Timothy Rex has pleaded guilty to possession of two firearms by a convicted felon after law enforcement officers intercepted him on his way to confront a student on the campus of Reinhardt University. “Rex is a repeat violent offender who placed the citizens of Cherokee County and the Reinhardt University community at serious risk by bringing guns to campus in anticipation of an encounter with a student,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “We are relieved that local law enforcement intervened before Rex harmed anyone, and we are grateful for the collaborative efforts of our federal and local law enforcement partners who aided this successful prosecution.” “Rex posed a serious threat to the public,” said Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons. “Identifying and apprehending Rex shows that ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to utilize all resources to protect the community.” According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, Jr., the charges and other information presented in court: Joshua Rex is prohibited by law from possessing firearms due to his record of prior felony drug convictions and a prior conviction of domestic violence. But in spite of his previous criminal history, on July 20, 2024, he drove to the campus of Reinhardt University armed with two fully loaded firearms and extra magazines of ammunition. Law enforcement was alerted to Rex’s apparent violent intentions when they received a 911 call stating that Rex was en route to the school to confront and potentially harm a student. Officers of the Cherokee County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Reinhardt University Department of Public Safety prevented a potentially life-threatening incident when they intercepted Rex just as he entered the campus and arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol and bringing firearms to the campus. Rex later admitted to federal agents that he had armed himself in anticipation of an encounter with a Reinhardt University student. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before Senior United States District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with valuable assistance provided by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Reinhardt University Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wylly is 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Wayne County man arrested on child pornography charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Joseph Hudson, III, 26, of Williamson, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the receipt and possession of child pornography following a previous conviction for the sexual abuse of a minor. The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that on March 14, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from Microsoft, that an individual had uploaded nine files of suspected child pornography to a Microsoft platform. NCMEC contacted the New York State Police, who traced the upload to Hudson, a registered sex offender. He was previously convicted in New York State Court of Sexual Abuse in the First for engaging in sexual contact with a child less than 11 years old. A search warrant was executed at Hudson’s residence, during which police seized his computer. A forensic examination recovered approximately 198 images and 112 videos of child pornography depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors. Some of the images included violence against children. Hudson made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was held pending a detention hearing. The criminal complaint is the result of of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. 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: Two charged in smuggling deaths of woman and child during recent flooding event

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – An illegal alien residing in McAllen and a local resident are now in custody for alien smuggling resulting in two deaths, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Authorities have now arrested Vicente Garcia Jr., 18, Roma. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker at 9 a.m. April 2. Mexican national Jose Alexis Baeza-Combaluzier, 26, was already in custody and made his initial appearance March 31. The criminal complaint alleges that on March 28, law enforcement observed a suspected alien smuggling event in McAllen. Garcia was allegedly transporting one illegal alien and was to transfer them to Baeza-Combaluzier. Baeza-Combaluzier had four other illegal aliens in his vehicle and then departed the area with the passengers but eventually came to a stop due to a flooded road, according to the charges. The complaint alleges authorities attempted to make an approach, but Baeza-Combaluzier accelerated and drove through a flooded area. Approximately half a mile later, he allegedly drove the vehicle into a canal. Law enforcement immediately jumped into the canal and began rescue operations, but two drowned, including a 14-year-old child, according to the charges. If convicted, Baeza-Combaluzier and Garcia could up life in prison or the possibility of a death sentence as well as a $250,000 maximum fine. Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Weslaco Fire Department and sheriff’s offices in Hidalgo and Starr Counties. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood . A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Sigal Chattah Appointed Interim United States Attorney For The District Of Nevada

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Sigal Chattah was sworn in today as Interim United States Attorney for the District of Nevada. As Interim United States Attorney, Ms. Chattah supervises all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving federal interests in the District of Nevada. She leads a dedicated team of over 100 prosecutors and support professionals with offices located in Las Vegas and Reno. Prior to joining the United States Department of Justice, Ms. Chattah opened her own law practice Chattah Law Group in Las Vegas. From 2005 to 2009, Ms. Chattah taught Political Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Ms. Chattah received her J.D. from Widener University School of Law in Pennsylvania, and her B.S. in Political Science from UNLV. ###


title: Justice Department to Surge Resources to Indian Country to Investigate Unresolved Violent Crimes

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department today announced that it will surge FBI assets across the country to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons. FBI will send 60 personnel, rotating in 90-day temporary duty assignments over a six-month period. This operation is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland, Oreg.; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. The FBI will work in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions. FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and they will use the latest forensic evidence processing tools to solve cases and hold perpetrators accountable. U.S. Attorney’s Offices will aggressively prosecute case referrals. “Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with U.S. Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve.” “The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations. Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints. Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.


title: Iranian Company and Two Iranian Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and for Scheme to Procure U.S. Technology for Iranian Drones

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Iranian nationals Hossein Akbari and Reza Amidi, and an Iran-based Rah Roshd Company (“Rah Roshd”), with conspiring to procure U.S. parts for Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (“UAVs”), also known as drones, conspiring to provide material support to the IRGC, a designated foreign terrorist organization, and conspiring to commit money laundering. Akbari is the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of Rah Roshd. Amidi is the company’s commercial manager and was previously the commercial manager of Qods Aviation Industries (“QAI”), an Iranian state-owned aerospace company. They are both citizens of Iran and remain at large. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges. “As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to obtain U.S.-origin parts needed to manufacture drones for military use in Iran and send those parts to Iran in violation of export control laws,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “The charges filed today demonstrate the commitment by my Office and our law enforcement partners to dismantle illicit supply chains and prosecute those who unlawfully procure U.S. technology in support of a foreign terrorist organization. The IRGC and Qods Aviation Industries have been core players in the Iranian military regime’s production of drones, which threaten the lives of civilians, U.S. personnel, and our country’s allies. These charges should serve as a warning to those who violate U.S. export control laws and who unlawfully seek to aid Iran’s drone program.” Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the FBI and the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) for their work on the case. Today, OFAC sanctioned Akbari, Rah Roshd, and other companies and individuals for their roles in the sanctions-evasion scheme described in the complaint. OFAC previously sanctioned Amidi. “Today’s charges lay bare how U.S.-made technology ended up in the hands of the Iranian military to build attack drones,” stated Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will continue to put maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. We will relentlessly dismantle illicit supply chains funneling American technology into the hands of Iran’s military and terrorist organizations and pursue those complicit in operations that threaten our country.” “Hossein Akbari and Reza Amidi allegedly engaged in a multi-year conspiracy to obtain U.S. technology for use in Iranian made drones in violation of export laws and to provide material support to the IRGC—a designated terrorist organization,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The Iranian government has repeatedly demonstrated they are willing to violate the laws of our nation—this time utilizing dishonest businessmen who deliberately misrepresented themselves—in order to further their treacherous goals. The FBI will continue to protect the national security and interests of the United States through vigorous enforcement of export control laws put in place to prevent sensitive U.S. technology from being obtained by hostile foreign governments.” As set forth in the complaint, Akbari and Amidi operate Rah Roshd, which procures and supplies advanced electronic, electro-optical, and security systems to the Government of Iran and designs, builds, and manufactures ground support systems for UAVs. Akbari serves as the CEO and Managing Director of Rah Roshd, and Amidi serves as the Commercial Manager. Rah Roshd’s clients include the IRGC and several Iranian state-owned aerospace companies and drone manufacturers, including QAI, Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (“MODAFL”), Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center (“SAIRC”), and Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group (SBIG). Between January 2020 and the present, Amidi and Akbari used Rah Roshd in furtherance of a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions and procure U.S.-origin parts for use in Iranian-manufactured UAVs, including the Mohajer-6 UAV. At least one of those parts was manufactured by a Brooklyn, New York-based company (“Company-1”). In September 2022, the Ukrainian Air Force shot down an Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone used by the Russian military in Ukraine. The drone recovered by the Ukrainian Air Force contained parts made by several U.S. companies, including Company-1. To facilitate their scheme, Amidi and Akbari falsely purported to represent companies other than Rah Roshd, including a company based in the United Arab Emirates (“Company-2”) and a company based in Belgium (“Company-3”). The defendants used a “spoofed” email address with a misspelled version of Company-2’s name to communicate regarding the procurement of parts, including parts manufactured by U.S. companies. The defendants also used various “front” or “shell” companies to pay for UAV parts and to obfuscate the true end destination and the true identities of the sanctioned end users, including QAI and the IRGC, which were acquiring U.S.-made parts through Rah Roshd. Amidi and Akbari also used aliases to obfuscate their true identities in furtherance of the scheme. Additionally, the defendants conspired to provide material support to the IRGC by providing goods and services for the benefit of the IRGC’s military campaign. This included constructing military shelters, providing cameras and drone field hangers, and conspiring to procure drone parts as well as parts to operate drones, including “servo motors,” “pneumatic masts,” which are a component of the operation of the Mohajer-6 drone, and engines. The investigation uncovered correspondence from the IRGC, signed by the head of the UAV Command for the IRGC’s Aerospace Force, thanking Rah Roshd for its work on behalf of the IRGC and praising Rah Roshd’s achievements in designing and manufacturing servo motors for defense equipment. The letter included a quote from the Supreme Leader of Iran regarding the importance of self-sufficiency and domestic production to strengthen Iran’s economy and “disappoint the enemies of the Islamic Republic.” The letter also noted continued efforts of Rah Roshd “in strengthening the defensive capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Both Amidi and Akbari possessed documents indicating that they had purchased servo motors for delivery to Iran, including a servo motor contained in the Mohajer-6 drone. Akbari also emailed supply companies located in China and noted that he was purchasing parts for drones to be shipped to Iran. Finally, Amidi and Akbari conspired to commit money laundering. They used at least three shell companies, all based in the United Arab Emirates, to pay a China-based company that sent invoices to Rah Roshd for the sale of motors. Those payments were processed through U.S.-based correspondent bank accounts. The defendants also used two of these shell companies to pay a separate China-based company for the sale of pneumatic masts. Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nina C. Gupta and Lindsey R. Oken are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Rebecca Roth, along with Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The Defendants : HOSSEIN AKBARI (also known as “Danial Yousef” and “Danial White”) Age: 63 Iran REZA AMIDI (also known as “Ali Rahmani”) Age: 62 Iran RAH ROSHD COMPANY Tehran, Iran E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-114 u.s._v._akbari_et_al._complaint.pdf


title: Butler County man pleads guilty to sexually exploiting toddler on Snapchat, faces 25 to 30 years in prison

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Middletown man pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati today to sexually exploiting a toddler in Snapchat videos. Daveion Wright, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. His plea agreement includes a sentencing recommendation of 25 to 30 years in prison. According to court documents, on at least five instances in January 2024, Wright sexually exploited a 2-year-old victim, uploaded videos of the explicit conduct, and shared one video on Snapchat. For example, one 54-second video depicted Wright and an adult female having vaginal intercourse as the toddler victim pushed on Wright’s hips. The other videos showed Wright exposing the toddler’s anus and vagina while Wright had intercourse with the adult female. He will be sentenced at a future court hearing. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division and Middletown Police Chief Earl Nelson announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Foreign Nationals With Prior Convictions Charged For Illegally Reentering The United States

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Mexican and Salvadorian nationals residing in Las Vegas made their initial court appearances Monday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country. Wilmer Alexander Cortez-Cruz, 56, and Sergio Ivan Morelos-Torres, 52, are both charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings for both defendants are scheduled for April 14, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah. According to allegations contained in the criminal complaints and statements made during court proceedings, Cortez-Cruz, a citizen and national of El Salvador, and Morelos-Torres, a citizen and national of Mexico, were both previously deported and removed from the United States and reentered the United States illegally. On March 19, 2025, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Cortez-Cruz to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), based on an ICE detainer. Cortez-Cruz had previously been deported on or about October 16, 2019. Cortez-Cruz has multiple DUI convictions, to include one felony DUI conviction. On March 18, 2025, ICE arrested Morelos-Torres who had previously been deported to Mexico on eight prior occasions. Prior to his first removal from the United States, Morelos-Torres was convicted of felony Burglary, 2nd degree, in violation of California Penal Code 459. Morelos-Torres also has two prior felony convictions for illegally reentering the United States, one in federal court in the District of Colorado, and another in the Central District of California. If convicted, Morelos-Torres faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. If convicted, Cortez-Cruz faces a maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement. The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case. Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form . A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Rhode Island Woman Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Nationwide Controlled Substance Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Rhode Island woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for her involvement in a conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Denise Guyette, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 11 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In September 2025, Guyette pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. In February 2023, Guyette was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-conspirators Gerardo Garza and Nathan Boddie. Guyette conspired with Garza, Boddie and others to traffic various controlled substances – including methamphetamine, fentanyl pills and cocaine – in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and elsewhere. The drug trafficking organization routinely used the mail to ship drugs from Arizona to Massachusetts, often hiding the drugs in packages containing children’s items such as toy trucks, Halloween decorations and Disney items. Between May and October 2022, investigators seized seven packages containing a total of over 900 grams of methamphetamine, thousands of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, as well as suspected Dimethyltryptamine, a very strong psychedelic. At the time of Guyette’s arrest on Feb. 8, 2023, approximately 6.5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine and over 2,700 counterfeit fentanyl pills weighing over 300 grams were located in a safe in her bedroom. A digital scale as well as multiple Rhode Island and Massachusetts driver’s licenses, Social Security cards and credit cards in the names of other individuals were also found during a search of Guyette’s residence. Boddie and Garza have both pleaded guilty. On Sept. 19, 2023, Boddie was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Garza is awaiting a sentencing date. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Interim Commissioner Shawn Jenkins of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Hudson Police Chief Richard DiPersio made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Imperial County Resident Agency and Yuma Resident Agency; United States Postal Service; Massachusetts State Police; and the Woonsocket (R.I.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Charles Dell’Anno of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Entering the US After a Prior Removal

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Honduran national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal. According to court records, earlier this month, Jose Luis Matute-Duarte , 35, was outside a Brownville convenience store when he was approached by a U.S. Border Patrol agent who thought he was acting suspiciously. Matute-Duarte told the agent he was from New Jersey and produced a New Jersey driver’s license. When asked if he was in the country illegally, Matute-Duarte initially declined to answer before acknowledging that he was. Immigration records showed that he was arrested in 2015 for illegally entering the U.S. in Texas and was removed from the country. Matute-Duarte did not obtain the express consent of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. Matute-Duarte faces a maximum prison term of two years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case. Operation Take Back America: 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: Bemidji Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison  for Trafficking Fentanyl, Illegal Possession of a Machinegun

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Patrick Burton Strong, a Bemidji man, has been sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to fentanyl trafficking and illegal possession of a machinegun, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, between March 31, 2024, and April 20, 2024, Patrick Burton Strong, 29, conspired to distribute fentanyl and illegally possessed a machinegun. On March 31, 2024, Strong traveled with co-defendants Danielle Diane Goodman, 27, and Leticia Jean Sumner, 24, from Bemidji to Minneapolis, where Strong purchased $10,000 worth of fentanyl. The next day, Strong, Goodman, and Sumner were driving back toward Bemidji when a Minnesota State Patrol trooper stopped their vehicle for traffic violations, then came to suspect Strong, Goodman, and Sumner were trafficking drugs. The trooper searched the SUV and found a backpack belonging to Strong. In Strong’s backpack, the trooper found approximately 100 grams of fentanyl powder; a ghost gun with a switch—that is, a privately manufactured 9mm pistol bearing no serial number, equipped with a conversion device enabling the pistol to be fired as a fully automatic weapon; and a large-capacity magazine filled with more than 30 rounds of ammunition. Law enforcement obtained a warrant and searched Strong and Sumner’s apartment in Bemidji. Officers found a 12-gauge Radikal Turkey P3 shotgun next to Strong’s clothing, and 23 grams of methamphetamine. Later, while Strong and Sumner were in custody in the Morrison County Jail, law enforcement officers found them in possession of approximately 30 grams of fentanyl. “Strong possessed a gun equipped with a switch, an item with no purpose other than killing people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “He trafficked in fentanyl—the deadliest illegal drug commonly sold today. And he intended to sell that deadly fentanyl into Native communities in the Bemidji area, communities that experience the highest overdose rates in Minnesota. He is well-deserving of a 72- month federal sentence. Minnesota is safer with Strong off the streets.” Strong pleaded guilty on November 7, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of illegal possession of a machinegun. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez. Goodman and Sumner each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Their sentencing hearings will be scheduled at later dates. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrison County Community Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes is prosecuting the case.


title: Orange, Texas man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for fatal fentanyl overdose

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – An Orange, Texas man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his role in a fatal fentanyl overdose in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Lawrence Duguett Hardin, Jr., 39, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on April 1, 2025. According to information presented in court, on August 17, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to an overdose death in Humble, Texas. Autopsy results determined the victim died due to the toxic effects of fentanyl. An investigation determined Hardin to be responsible for supplying the fentanyl that led to the individual’s death. A search warrant was executed at Hardin’s residence in Orange and a substance containing fentanyl and weighing 365.2 grams was discovered. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a Public Safety Alert warning Americans of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. The Public Safety Alert coincides with the launch of DEA’s One Pill Can Kill Public Awareness Campaign to educate the public of the dangers of counterfeit pills and urges all Americans to take only medications prescribed by a medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. The campaign aims to raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge in fake pills that are mass-produced by criminal drug networks in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate prescription pills, and are killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate. For more information, please visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI; Orange Police Department; Houston Police Department; West Orange Police Department; Bridge City Police Department; Harris County Constable’s Office Precinct 4; Jefferson County Crime Laboratory; and Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Lee and Rachel Grove. ###


title: Bemidji Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for  Advertising, Distributing Images of Child Sexual Abuse Over the Dark Web

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – Craig James Myran, a Bemidji man, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for his involvement with a site on the dark web dedicated to the advertisement and distribution of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse and his possession of similar material in his apartment. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Craig James Myran, 47, of Bemidji, Minnesota, was an active participant on a site on the dark web that was dedicated to discussing and trafficking in child sexual abuse material. For years, he used an account with a unique username to make over a thousand posts in which he shared images of child sexual abuse on the site. In at least one post, Myran requested specific files of known child sexual abuse material from other users. And in another post, he advertised over 100 images depicting the sadomasochistic sexual abuse of two prepubescent minors. FBI special agents executed a search warrant on Myran’s apartment in Bemidji on Dec. 8, 2022, where they found numerous hard drives and a cell phone. Forensic analysis of these devices uncovered evidence establishing that Myran was the user of this unique account on the dark web site — including files of the child sexual abuse material that he shared and requested on the website, as well as a message directed to his unique alias — and thousands of other images of child sexual abuse material. According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Myran’s sexual exploitation of minors was not limited to his activity on this particular dark-web site. He was simultaneously an active participant on multiple other dark-web sites dedicated to trafficking in child sexual abuse material and reported that he previously produced his own child sexual abuse material by screen-recording minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct during online webcam interactions. On Nov. 20, 2024, a federal jury convicted Myran for advertising, distributing, and possessing material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud. In handing down the sentence, Judge Tostrud remarked, “The defendant’s crimes reflected disregard for the victims’ humanity. He treated society’s most vulnerable victims, young children, as sex objects and nothing more.” Judge Tostrud added that Myran’s “crimes were far from impulsive. He did not stumble onto the dark web by accident. He used it in an effort to conceal his activities, because he knew what he was doing was very wrong.” Judge Tostrud concluded that Myran’s “depraved mind” and his “refusal to accept any responsibility” for his crimes created a “serious need to protect the public.” “Crimes involving the sexual abuse of children are incalculably serious,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “For decades, believing he was protected by the dark web’s cloak of anonymity, Myran proudly trafficked in child sexual abuse material. He was deeply enmeshed in dark-web communities —sprawling criminal enterprises and flourishing online communities where offenders from around the world gather to normalize and encourage their sexual interest in children. This depraved behavior is sick, it is wrong, and it is not acceptable in Minnesota.” “Myran’s actions represent a calculated and deliberate effort to abuse and victimize society’s most vulnerable while hiding behind the dark web,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Today’s sentencing proves there is no refuge for those who prey on children. The FBI and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to unmask predators who believe the dark web can shield them from justice.” The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Assistant U.S. Attorney David Green for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) prosecuted the case.


title: Minneapolis Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearms

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Norman Wesley Parker of Minneapolis pleaded guilty to illegal possession of firearms as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, on March 10, 2023, Minneapolis Police Department officers attempted to stop a vehicle in which Norman Wesley Parker, 37, was a passenger. The driver fled from police and ultimately crashed the vehicle. Officers discovered Parker in possession of a loaded .40 caliber Smith and Wesson SD40VE semi-automatic pistol at the scene of the crash. Because Parker has multiple prior felony convictions for domestic assault, aggravated robbery, substance and firearm offenses, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. In his plea agreement, Parker also admitted to possessing a Keltec Model PMR-30 .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol as well as a Glock 21 .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol in 2024. Parker pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon before Judge Michael J. Davis. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Minneapolis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the case.


title: Dallas Man Convicted of Selling Machinegun Conversion Devices

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

body_text: On Thursday, March 27, 2025, Corey Wilson, 20, was convicted by Senior United States District Judge Barabara M. G. Lynn for possession of an unregistered machinegun on May 30, 2023 and June 6, 2023, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. According to evidence presented at trial, Wilson advertised machinegun conversion devices—which can be installed in an AR-platform to allow the firearm to fire fully automatic—for sale on his Instagram account. Although these devices can be made quickly from a few dollars’ worth of material, Wilson asked for $150 apiece. Testimony at trial revealed that undercover ATF agents contacted Wilson to purchase the devices. During the first purchase of six devices, Wilson explained that the devices had to be “activated” and demonstrated how to adjust and place them in a rifle to get them to fire “fully,” meaning fully automatic. He sold six to the agents on May 30, 2023 and twenty on June 6, 2023, all within the Project Safe Neighborhood area of Northeast Dallas. Wilson is facing up to ten years in federal prison on each count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Withers, Walt Junker, and Elise Aldendifer are prosecuting the case. This case is part of “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative taking aim at machinegun conversion devices, also known as “switches,” which transform commercially available semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade machineguns. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Possessing Methamphetamine and Firearms

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National, residing in Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing more than a kilogram of methamphetamine and firearms. Roberto Rosales Gonzales, 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, to one count of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On Thursday, March 21, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Gonzales’s residence. During the search of the residence, officers found 59 firearms of various calibers, including two suspected machine guns, assorted ammunition, a firearm silencer, and an inert hand grenade. Officers also found approximately 114.1 grams of suspected fentanyl pills, approximately 1.3 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately 31.4 grams of suspected heroin, and more than $22,000 in cash. Under federal statutes, Gonzales is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.