title: McAlester Resident Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Leslie Ray Upchurch, age 36, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the McAlester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On October 29, 2024, Upchurch pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on April 28, 2023, Upchurch knowingly possessed a Ruger 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol and several rounds of 9mm Luger caliber ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. 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. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Upchurch will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.


title: Sex Offender Pleads Guilty To Failing To Register

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nicholas Hammer, age 46, formerly of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender, which is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment. The Indictment alleged that Hammer was convicted of Rape—First Degree on January 4, 2001, in the State of Oklahoma and is required to register as a sex offender. The Indictment further alleged that Hammer failed to register and update his registration from October 10, 2024, until November 4, 2024, despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Hammer will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Hammer will be sentenced by a U.S. District Court Judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.


title: Sioux City Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Terrance Payne Hayes, age 40, from Sioux City, sentenced March 25, 2025, to more than seven years in federal prison. Hayes received the prison term after an October 16, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon, drug user and person convicted of domestic violence. Hayes’ unlawful possession of a firearm and drug use were discovered by law enforcement during an investigation into a July 2023 home invasion and homicide. The investigation revealed an individual entered Hayes’ residence, armed with knives, to steal back a stolen firearm Hayes possessed. Hayes was repeatedly stabbed and repeatedly shot the invader with the stolen firearm, ultimately killing the invading individual. Hayes has a history of violence that the sentencing court described as “stunning.” He has repeatedly been convicted of domestic abuse assault and assault. He has repeatedly been convicted of a myriad of other crimes involving violent, dangerous, and freighting behavior. For example, confronting his one-time girlfriend’s father and breaking the family’s gate; throwing a brick through the window of a home; threatening people with a gun, even causing a 13-year old bystander to fear for herself and her sister; “taunt[ing]” a security guard with a broken bottle; stalking his girlfriend at her workplace; threating a witness stating: “After the court date I’m going to come kill everyone in your house;” threating to knock a victim unconscious; banging repeatedly on the windows of a victim’s home; throwing a rock through the window of a victim’s home; slapping and holding the neck of his wife; and stalking a female taxi passenger. Additionally, Hayes has been convicted of possession of controlled substances, attempted burglary, operating a motor vehicle without owner’s consent, and numerous other offenses. Hayes was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 90 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated, “Individuals like Mr. Hayes who repeatedly assault and threaten the citizens of our district will be caught, prosecuted, and punished. I compliment the Sioux City Police Department, the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the ATF for their fine work which resulted in a dangerous criminal being removed from our streets.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Hayes is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-4068. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Massachusetts Man Admits to Robbing a Rhode Island Bank

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Springfield, MA, man has admitted to a federal judge that he robbed a Smithfield, RI, bank branch of more than $2,400, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Radelle Hubbard, 47, admitted that on March 23, 2023, he entered a bank branch located inside a supermarket in Smithfield, RI, and proclaimed to bank tellers, “I have a gun, give me all the large bills from your drawer.” The tellers handed over $2,420 in cash after which Hubbard fled the bank. The tellers told police they did not see a firearm. According to information presented to the court, a private citizen followed Hubbard after he left the bank and provided law enforcement with a vehicle description and license plate number. Massachusetts State Police observed the vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, at which time the vehicle accelerated. The vehicle was ultimately stopped after spike trips, devices used to stop or impede the movement of vehicles by puncturing their tires, were deployed. Law enforcement seized $2,341 in cash and a high-capacity firearm from inside the vehicle. Appearing in U.S. District Court on Friday, Hubbard pleaded guilty to a charge of bank robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White. The matter was investigated by the FBI, Smithfield Police Department, and Massachusetts State Police. ###


title: Two illegal alien human smugglers arrested after dangerous pursuit and crash

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – Two Mexican nationals have been charged with conspiring to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jose Manuel Zamarripa-Torres, 38, and Daniel Flores-Hernandez, 19, are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nadia S. Medrano. The criminal complaint alleges that on March 20, law enforcement observed a raft cross the Rio Grande River from Mexico and make landfall in the United States. Zamarripa-Torres then allegedly picked up five illegal aliens from that raft in a Ford SUV. The charges allege one of those was Flores-Hernandez who was the brush guide. Law enforcement attempted to make a traffic stop, but Zamarripa-Torres fled the scene and subsequently failed to yield, according to the charges. The complaint alleges authorities successfully deployed vehicle immobilization devices throughout the pursuit, but Zamarripa-Torres continued driving. Zamarripa-Torres allegedly crashed into an occupied civilian vehicle, a power pole and fence and ultimately came to a stop after the 6.1-mile pursuit. If convicted, Zamarripa-Torres and Flores-Hernandez face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case. 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: Muncie Drug Trafficking Ring Dismantled, Six Sentenced to a Combined 87 Years in Federal Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— Five defendants have been sentenced to a total of 70 years in federal prison for their roles in a large methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. The defendants plead guilty and were sentenced as follows: Defendant Charge(s) Sentence Jamarr Hill, 30, Muncie Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, money laundering, and conspiracy to make a false statement in connection with purchasing a firearm 17 years’ imprisonment, 5 years supervised release. Terry Hill, 49, Muncie Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine 5 years’ imprisonment, time served, 5 years' supervised release. Lance McGee, 32, Muncie Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances 15 years’ imprisonment, 5 years supervised release. Nakevius Shannon, 33, Muncie Making a false statement in connection with purchasing a firearm 3 years’ probation According to court documents, between May and November of 2022, Jamarr Hill, Lance McGee, Terry Hill, and others conspired together to distribute controlled substances including cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Jamarr Hill acted as the ringleader for the conspiracy, obtaining large quantities of drugs from Rodolfo Silva in San Diego, California for redistribution in Muncie. Terry Hill and Lance McGee served as distributors, dealing the drugs into communities in Muncie and elsewhere in central Indiana. On November 12, 2022, Nakevius Shannon purchased two firearms from Rural King, a federally licensed firearms dealer, completing an ATF Form 4473 in connection with the purchase. At the time Shannon completed the Form 4473, he falsely stated on the form that he was the intended transferee/buyer of handguns, when in fact, he purchased the firearms for Jamar Hill in order to further Hill’s drug trafficking conspiracy. In total, the defendants obtained and distributed no less than 2,004 grams of fentanyl, 10 kilograms of cocaine, and 203 pounds of methamphetamine. As part of the investigation, two other defendants were charged and have been sentenced. Joseph Haskins, of Muncie, Indiana, was charged in August 2021 with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. After a two-day trial in December 2023, Haskins was sentenced as a career offender to 33 years’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release. Rodolfo Silva was charged in 2024 in the Southern District of California with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Silva plead guilty and was sentenced to 17 years’ and 6 months’ imprisonment. “Drug traffickers like these defendants, responsible for pushing poison from across the country into our neighborhoods, must be held accountable for the suffering they cause in search of quick profits,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. This case is an outstanding example of the impact we can have with the help of our state and local law enforcement partners. I commend the efforts of the FBI, and the Muncie and Anderson Police Departments to make our communities safer by getting drugs and drug dealers off our streets.” “This is a significant victory in the ongoing efforts to target and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that send a flow of illegal drugs into our communities and threaten public safety,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure every available resource is used to disrupt these criminal enterprises and hold those responsible accountable.” The FBI, IRS, Muncie Police Department, Anderson Police Department, and Fishers Police Department investigated this case. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsay Karwoski and Barry Glickman, who prosecuted this case. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. ###


title: River Hills Man Sentenced to 21 Months’ Imprisonment for Paying Healthcare Kickbacks

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that, on March 21, 2025, Justin Drew Hanson was sentenced to 21 months’ incarceration for paying healthcare kickbacks in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. Hanson was also ordered to pay over $2.2 million in restitution to Medicaid and Medicare as well as a $75,000 fine. According to court records, Hanson and his co-defendant, Mohammed Kazim Ali, owned a Milwaukee-area clinical laboratory called Noah Associates. Beginning in 2017, Ali and Hanson engaged in a three-year-long scheme to pay kickbacks to the owner of a Milwaukee substance use treatment clinic in exchange for referrals of Medicaid and Medicare patients for urine drug testing performed by Noah Associates. Hanson and Ali procured sham agreements that further concealed their fraud, ultimately paying over $400,000 in kickbacks to procure the tests. The tests, however, were not ordered by any physician and were not medically necessary for the treatment of patients. As a result of the scheme, Medicaid and Medicare paid Noah Associates over $2.2 million for the unnecessary tests. Hanson personally received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Noah Associates during the scheme. At sentencing, United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller emphasized the seriousness of Hanson’s crime, including Hanson’s manipulation and breach of trust of the Medicaid and Medicare programs to receive millions of dollars that were not truly earned. Judge Stadtmueller further noted that Hanson’s criminal conduct was significant and detrimental because he stole “from every taxpayer citizen in the United States.” In addition to his sentence, Hanson will also be excluded from participation in the Medicaid and Medicare programs and has shut down Noah Associates. His co-defendant, Ali, also pleaded guilty for paying healthcare kickbacks and was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment earlier this year. “Mr. Hanson’s kickbacks resulted in Medicaid and Medicare – and taxpayers – repeatedly paying for unnecessary services,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling. “Rather than bill the government for tests that patients truly needed, Hanson abused the Medicaid and Medicare programs for his own benefit. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with its law enforcement partners to hold individuals who engage in these schemes accountable for their actions.” "The FBI will relentlessly pursue individuals like Mr. Hanson whose actions defrauded the American people and wasted taxpayer money,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure those responsible for schemes to defraud the American people are brought to justice.” “HHS-OIG is dedicated to protecting the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid and to ensure taxpayer money is used as intended to serve vulnerable populations,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The kickback scheme in this case undermined the public’s trust in our nation’s health care system and can interfere with impartial medical decision-making. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who manipulate taxpayer-funded health programs to boost their profits.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Carter and Julie Stewart handled the prosecution. ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Former New Mexico House of Representatives Candidate Convicted for Shooting Spree

body_text: WASHINGTON — A former candidate for the New Mexico House of Representatives was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury for a shooting spree targeting the homes of four elected officials and a subsequent plot to murder multiple witnesses to prevent their testimony at trial. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Solomon Peña, 40, ran for District 14 of the New Mexico House of Representatives during the November 2022 mid-term elections. After his November 2022 electoral defeat, Peña pressured members of the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners to refuse to certify the results of the election, but despite Peña’s pressure, the commissioners certified the results. Peña then organized and participated in shootings on the homes of two Bernalillo County commissioners who voted to certify the election and two New Mexico state legislators. The shootings, one of which involved a machine gun, were carried out between Dec. 4, 2022, and Jan. 3, 2023, with assistance from co-conspirators Demetrio Trujillo, 41; and Jose Trujillo, 24. Jose Trujillo previously pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2024, to conspiracy, interference with federally protected activities, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, discharging said firearm, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Jose Trujillo’s sentencing is set for April 14. Demetrio Trujillo previously pleaded guilty on Feb. 1, 2024, to conspiracy, two counts of interference with federally protected activities, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and discharging said firearm. Demetrio Trujillo’s sentencing is set for May 21. After his arrest, Peña solicited several inmates in jail to coordinate the murder of multiple witnesses in order to prevent their testimony at trial. The jury convicted Peña of one count of conspiracy; four counts of intimidation and interference with federally protected activities; four counts of using or carrying a firearm in connection with a crime of violence, including a machinegun in one instance; one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm; and three counts of solicitation to commit a crime of violence. Peña faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 60 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin for the District of New Mexico, and Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated the case with the Albuquerque Police Department and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Trial Attorney Bill Gullotta of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy Peña and Patrick E. Cordova for the District of New Mexico are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from former Trial Attorney Ryan Crosswell.


title: Six Illegal Aliens Indicted For Federal Offenses, Including Illegal Reentry And Firearms Violations As Part Operation Take Back America

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that as part of Operation Take Back America, six illegal aliens were indicted in March for federal offenses above-and-beyond simply being in the country illegally such as firearms violations and reentering the country illegally after removal. The six defendants facing federal criminal charges are: Santo Antonio Barradas-Leon , a/k/a Santos Antonio Leon-Barredas, 36, of Mexico, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States by an aggravated felon. Barradas-Leon was previously removed from the United States in April 2009 and again in March 2020. Barradas-Leon was arrested on March 9, 2025, by the Union County Sheriff’s Office. Ruben Duran-Mercado , a/k/a Ruben Mercado Duran, 26, of Mexico, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States by an aggravated felon. Duran-Mercado was previously removed from the United States in August 2024. Duran-Mercado was arrested on February 8, 2025, by the Union County Sheriff’s Office. Deyvi Carlos Perez Morales , a/k/a Carlos Perez Morales, 32, of Mexico, is charged with illegally reentering into the United States. Morales was previously removed from the United States three times: in July 2010, in September 2011, and again in July 2017. He was arrested on February 8, 2025, by the Marshville Police Department. Jairo Ernesto Perry Santos , 40, of Honduras, is charged with illegally reentering into the United States. Santos was previously removed from the United States in August 2016. An arrest warrant has been issued against the defendant. Eusebio Fuentes-Soto , a/k/a Eusebio Sotos, Edgar Perez-Berillos, or Edgar Perez, 27, of Mexico, is charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien. Fuentes-Soto was previously removed from the United States in 2018. An arrest warrant has been issued against the defendant. Raul Bello Rojas , 43, of Mexico, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and illegal reentry into the United States. Rojas is currently in federal custody. The charges in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Emergency Removal Operations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their investigations that led to the charges. U.S. Attorney Ferguson also commended the local law enforcement agencies that assisted in the apprehension of the defendants, to include the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshville Police Department, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys with the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the cases. The cases are 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.


title: Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty; Forty-Fifth Conviction in the $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Abdihakim Ali Ahmed, a Minneapolis man, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering for his role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, from September 2020 through January 2022, Abdihakim Ali Ahmed, 39, claimed to be operating a child nutrition site in St. Paul, Minnesota. As part of the scheme, on or about September 4, 2020, Ahmed registered ASA Limited LLC with the Minnesota Secretary of State. Four days later, Ahmed applied for ASA Limited to operate a purported food site in the Federal Children Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future at the Gurey Deli, a small market located in a St. Paul strip mall. Ahmed submitted his application together with Aimee Bock, Feeding Our Future’s executive director. Within just three weeks of creating the ASA Limited site, Ahmed and his co-conspirators falsely claimed to be serving meals to 2,000 or 3,000 children each day, seven days a week. During the one-year period from September 2020 to September 2021, Ahmed his co-conspirators fraudulently claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals at the ASA Limited site. To accomplish his scheme, Ahmed submitted multiple fake attendance rosters that purported to identify both the names and ages of approximately 2,000 children who attended the ASA Limited site’s “after-school program” in September through December 2021. The lists of names and ages were fake, and Ahmed’s roster spreadsheets contained a formula that inserted a random number between 7 and 17 in the age column for each “child” on the list. According to court documents, rather than use fraudulently obtained money to serve meals or feed children, Ahmed and his co-conspirators misappropriated much of it. Ahmed transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to himself and other co-conspirators, which included transferring fraud proceeds to a shell company he created called 1130 Holdings Inc. He and his co-conspirators also created another shell company called Five A’s Projects LLC, where they transferred more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Ahmed used these proceeds to purchase the former location of Kelly’s 19th Hole, a bar and restaurant in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which will be now forfeited to the United States. Ahmed used more fraudulent proceeds to purchase a 2022 Mini Cooper vehicle, which has been seized and will be forfeited to the United States. According to court documents, Ahmed paid more than $49,000 in bribes and kickbacks to Abdikerm Eidleh, a Feeding Our Future employee, in exchange for sponsoring and facilitating ASA Limited’s fraudulent participation in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. In exchange, Feeding Our Future received nearly $400,000 in administrative fees for sponsoring ASA Limited’s participation in the program. In total, Ahmed and his co-conspirators caused a loss of $7.3 million to Federal Child Nutrition Programs based on fraudulent claims submitted through Feeding Our Future. “I am proud of the unrelenting efforts of our prosecution team to hold the defendants—who engaged in a massive pay-to-play fraud scheme that exploited Minnesota and the Federal Child Nutrition Program—accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. Ahmed pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.


title: Buffalo man charged with distributing fentanyl that caused the death of another individual

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Kenneth G. Shoemaker, II a/k/a Kenny, 50, of Buffalo, NY, with distribution of fentanyl causing death, distribution of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, maintaining a drug involved premises, and money laundering. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis A. Testani and Melanie J. Bailey, who are handling the case, stated that according to the superseding indictment, on September 23, 2023, Shoemaker possessed fentanyl, which resulted in the death of an individual identified as E.I. The superseding indictment also states that between August 28 and October 18, 2024, Shoemaker sold fentanyl, crack cocaine, and cocaine, using a Sweet Avenue residence in Buffalo for his drug trafficking activities. In addition, Shoemaker is accused of structuring financial transactions at area banks, to include transferring funds from one bank to another, to disguise the proceeds of his drug trafficking activities. The superseding indictment is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonse Wright. 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: Georgia Man Charged in Danbury Kidnapping Conspiracy

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour today announced that JAMES SCHWAB, 22, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, has been federally charged for his alleged involvement in a kidnapping in Danbury in August 2024. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date. The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who is suspected of participating in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. Schwab, who had an altercation with the victims’ son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024, was in regular communication with certain of the kidnappers in the days before the crime, provided funding for it, and helped arrange the participants’ transportation and lodging. Schwab was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on January 29, 2025, at Los Angeles International Airport after he returned to the U.S. from a trip to Bali. On February 25, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Schwab with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Schwab appeared in Bridgeport federal court on March 12, 2025, and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge. Schwab has been detained since his arrest. Five of the six individuals charged with offenses related to the carjacking and kidnapping have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force and the Danbury Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck. Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.


title: Second Bronx Man Pleads Guilty In Connection With Shooting Of Five-Year-Old Girl

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that AUSTIN MORRISHOW pled guilty today to illegally possessing multiple rounds of ammunition in connection with a June 30, 2023, shooting in which MORRISHOW and his co-defendant, CURTIS WHITE, fired multiple shots on a residential street in the Bronx, striking and seriously injuring a five-year-old girl. MORRISHOW pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who also presided over WHITE’s guilty plea on February 5, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “On June 30, 2023, Austin Morrishow and his co-defendant, Curtis White, engaged in a brazen act of violence by firing several shots onto a busy residential street in the Bronx. As these shots rang out, panicked bystanders rushed for cover, and one child—a five-year-old girl—was struck by a bullet and seriously injured. Morrishow then tried to evade arrest, but he was tracked down by our law enforcement partners, and now faces time in prison for endangering our city with senseless gun violence.” According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings: On June 30, 2023, MORRISHOW, WHITE, and several others were gathered on a residential sidewalk in the Bronx. After a car engine backfired, MORRISHOW took cover behind a parked vehicle, assumed a shooting stance, and fired several shots from a .40 caliber pistol at three cars idling nearby, which began fleeing from the gunfire. WHITE ran after the fleeing cars, firing shots from a .380 caliber pistol. The shots fired by MORRISHOW and WHITE left at least seven .40 caliber shell casings, two .380 caliber shell casings, and two fired bullets in the street, as well as two bullet fragments, bullet holes, and shattered windows in vehicles parked on the street. One of these shots hit the five-year-old girl sitting in the back of a car, and she was rushed to the hospital. MORRISHOW was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition because of his prior federal conviction for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a narcotics conspiracy, and WHITE was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition because of his prior state conviction for attempted first-degree assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon. * * * MORRISHOW, 27, and WHITE, 27, both of the Bronx, New York, each pled guilty to one count of possession of ammunition after a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. MORRISHOW is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2025, and WHITE is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2025. The statutory maximum penalty is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, and also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance with the investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry J. Fang is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Cuban National Sentenced To Over Five Years In $7.6 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, FL – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Fernando Espinosa Leon (60) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. Espinosa Leon was also ordered to forfeit $4,013,148.76, the proceeds of his offenses. Espinosa Leon pleaded guilty on December 6, 2024. According to court documents, Espinosa Leon engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare using his company, Global Medical Supply Inc. To carry out the scheme, stole the personally identifiable information of Medicare beneficiaries and medical practitioners. Espinosa Leon fraudulently billed Medicare for durable medical equipment that he falsely claimed had been prescribed and supplied. From June 2020 through September 2020, Espinosa Leon utilized the services of a third-party biller and fraudulently submitted for billing more than $7.6 million in claims for reimbursement. As a result, over $4 million in fraudulently obtained Medicare fraud proceeds were deposited into a bank account that Espinosa Leon managed and controlled. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.


title: Lee County Man Sentenced For Drug And Gun Offenses

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Pascual Francisco, Jr. (26, Fort Myers) to nine years and three months in federal prison for distributing a controlled substance, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a machinegun. Francisco pleaded guilty on September 16, 2024. According to court records, over the course of several transactions in late-2023 and early-2024, Francisco sold an undercover law enforcement agent cocaine, fake Percocet pills laced with p-fluorofentanyl, an illegal machinegun, and an illegal machinegun conversion device. Francisco used a social media application to facilitate his drug and gun transactions prior to his arrest in this case. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth. 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: Carson Tahoe Health System Agrees to Pay Over $8.8 Million to Settle Allegations Over Pandemic-Related Loans

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carson Tahoe Health System, which owns Carson Tahoe Physician Clinics and Carson Tahoe Continuing Care Hospital, has agreed to pay $8,876,475.45 to settle allegations that they were not eligible for the four Paycheck Protection Program loans that they obtained, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, to provide relief to small businesses experiencing economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. To qualify for a loan, businesses were required to meet certain eligibility requirements accounting for any affiliated entities. The United States contends that Carson Tahoe Health System and its affiliated entities were ineligible to receive PPP loans because they exceeded the size limitations in the Small Business Administration’s affiliation rules. In May 2020, Carson Tahoe Health System, Carson Tahoe Physician Clinics, and Carson Tahoe Continuing Care Hospital each received a PPP loan, totaling $5,077,011 in loan disbursements. After receiving their loan forgiveness applications, the Small Business Administration forgave these loans. In February 2021, Carson Tahoe Physician Clinics applied for a second PPP loan of $2 million. After Carson Tahoe Physicians Clinic requested loan forgiveness in September 2021, the SBA forgave this PPP loan. The four loans resulted in the United States paying $7,267,009 including forgiven loan principal and interest, and lenders fees. “This settlement returns millions of taxpayer dollars to the government and reflects our ongoing commitment to enforce the requirements of the Paycheck Protection Program and ensure that only eligible businesses received this critical pandemic relief,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. SBA’s General Counsel Wendell Davis stated, “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and SBA’s Office of Inspector General to pursue recovery from those who obtained essential government program funds when they were ineligible to do so.” The settlement stems from allegations originally brought in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties, known as relators, to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. In connection with the settlement, the relator will receive a percentage of the recovery. The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Amin for the Eastern District of California. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . carson_tahoe_settlement_agreement_final_v.1.pdf


title: Council Bluffs Women Sentenced to 210 Months on Methamphetamine Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Tracy Gulzow, 56, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced on March 20, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Gulzow to 210 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a five-year term of supervised release. As part of a long-term Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation, Gulzow was identified as a distributor for a Mexican-based meth drug trafficking organization (DTO). DEA first identified Gulzow as a customer of the DTO in March of 2022. In the fall of 2023, DEA became aware that Gulzow had stepped into a distributor role for the DTO. On January 24, 2023, the Omaha Police Department stopped Gulzow for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, nine pounds of meth were seized. Gulzow admitted to law enforcement that more meth was located at her residence. Gulzow also admitted to receiving more than 50 pounds of meth from the DTO since she became a distributor. Law enforcement went to her residence where they recovered two more pounds of meth, a firearm, and $19,563 which was derived from the sale of methamphetamine. This effort 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 . This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Police Department, and Bellevue Police Department.


title: Mexican National Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Jonathan Ovalle Solis, 33, of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, was sentenced on March 21, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Solis to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Solis is released from prison, he will be subject to deportation to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen. Solis was charged as a result of his involvement as a local courier with a Mexico Source of Supply (SOS) of meth who supplies the Omaha and Council Bluffs areas. On July 20, 2023, special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation utilized a cooperating witness who purchased one pound of meth from Solis at an Omaha location. During the course of the conspiracy, surveillance officers observed Solis meet with other co-conspirators and conduct suspected drug deals, including a delivery of 174 grams of meth on August 23, 2023. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned an Indictment charging six defendants with offenses related to human trafficking. The indictment was unsealed on Friday, March 21. Eduardo Jose Perdomo, Michel Martinez-Gonzalez and Alfredo Zambrano-Hurtado are all charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit human trafficking from December 16, 2024, through January 7, 2025. The same three defendants are also charged with two counts of sex trafficking minors or by force, fraud, and/or coercion. Sumit Chaudhari, Kavankumar Patel, and Vishal Goswami are all charged with two counts of sex trafficking minors or by the use of force, fraud, or coercion relating to events alleged to have occurred January 3 through January 6, 2025. All charges related to human trafficking carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, a term of supervised release of up to life, and special assessments of $100 and $5,000. Eduardo Jose Perdomo and Michel Martinez-Gonzalez are further charged with two counts of child enticement from December 16, 2024, through January 6, 2025. The maximum possible penalty for each child enticement count is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, lifetime supervised release, and special assessments of $100 and $50,000. The prosecution of major cases, such as this case, always requires collaboration with multiple agencies. The Douglas County Attorney’s Office has been a significant contributor to the team effort to move this case forward. We thank them for their assistance in furthering the investigation, and in taking swift action in bringing initial charges. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Convicted Felon Headed Back To Federal Prison For Possessing Multiple Firearms

body_text: Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Juan Gonzalez-Diaz (46, Cuba) to two years and six months in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Gonzalez-Diaz to forfeit the firearms and ammunition possessed during the offense. Gonzalez-Diaz entered a guilty plea on December 18, 2024. According to court documents, on June 19, 2024, deputies from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at an industrial park in Labelle. During the search of the property, deputies located a stolen recreational vehicle (RV) and discovered Gonzalez-Diaz, a convicted felon, inside. The RV was subsequently searched, and deputies recovered multiple firearms and ammunition. At the time, Gonzalez-Diaz had a previous federal felony conviction for conspiracy to receive, possess, conceal, store, sell, and dispose of stolen goods. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey. 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: Wayne County Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Role in Theft of Timber from Public Land

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeff Allen Parsons, 28, of Genoa, pleaded guilty today to unlawful destruction of timber and was sentenced to a 90-day term of incarceration and ordered to pay $1,465.29 in restitution. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 8, 2023, Parsons traveled with co-defendants Ronald Lee Frye and Eugene Luther Cochran onto public land at or near East Lynn with intent to cut and remove multiple trees illegally from the property. Parsons admitted that he assisted in cutting down the trees while on the property, and that they broke open a metal gate located on the property to bring their truck closer to one of the cut trees. Parsons further admitted that they attempted to leave the property after they were spotted by employees of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Charges against Frye, 33, of Wayne, and Cochran, 36, of Genoa, are pending. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District, and the West Virginia Division of Forestry. United States Magistrate Judge Joseph K. Reeder presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes and former Assistant United States Attorney Owen Reynolds prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-161. ###


title: Guatemalan National Indicted For Illegal Reentry By A Previously Deported Alien

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging David Velasquez-Lopez (34, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Velasquez-Lopez faces up to two years in federal prison. According to the indictment, Velasquez-Lopez was previously removed from the United States on January 6, 2010, January 16, 2010, and October 10, 2012. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States. On January 10, 2018, Velasquez-Lopez was found voluntarily back in the United States. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava. 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.


title: Lexington County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

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

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Terry Leslie Washington, 46, of West Columbia, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that a Columbia Police Officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for operating without a tag light. Washington was the lone occupant. Washington informed the officer that he did not have a valid driver’s license. Washington told the officer he had a gun and marijuana with him in the car. The officer conducted an inventory of the vehicle, where he found a loaded 9mm pistol along with three plastic pouches of marijuana and a clear plastic baggie containing psilocybin mushrooms. Washington was arrested. Washington was prohibited from possessing a firearm based upon prior convictions for strong-armed robbery, robbery/armed with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, robbery while armed or allegedly armed with a deadly weapon and attempted armed robbery. United States District Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Washington to 180 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. 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. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Lee County Drug Dealers Sentenced For Their Roles In Large Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Sam Austin Young (28, Fort Myers) and Bryant Eric Scharoun (35, Lehigh Acres) to 20 and 15 years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy. Young pleaded guilty on July 23, 2024, and Scharoun pleaded guilty on May 14, 2024. According to court records, Young and Scharoun held leadership roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy during which large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine were possessed and sold in Lee County between approximately June 2022 and March 2023. The investigation revealed that Young and Scharoun used an elderly, drug addicted individual to courier drugs and money for them as part of the conspiracy. During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 3 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 2 kilograms of cocaine, approximately one-half kilogram of fentanyl, and 10 firearms that were possessed in furtherance of the conspiracy. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.


title: Mexican National Living in Sacramento Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Luis Vasquez-Lopez, 47, a Mexican national residing in Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 10 years and one month in prison for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on May 22, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a stop of Vasquez-Lopez’s vehicle in Sacramento. During the stop, they located a large brick of fentanyl, a digital scale with residue on it, and a loaded 9 mm handgun. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF), and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt prosecuted the case.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Semaj Markes Leondre Figg, 33, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 9, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to reports of shots fired at an 11th Avenue residence in Huntington, encountered Figg, and arrested him on an outstanding warrant. Officers executed a search warrant at the residence and seized approximately 30 grams of crack, 54 grams of fentanyl, a Glock 22C pistol and a Ruger-5.7 pistol. Figg admitted that he intended to sell the seized controlled substances. Figg is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-180. ###


title: Goldsboro Gang Member Sentenced to 21 Years for Armed Robbery

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A Goldsboro man was sentenced today to 258 months in prison for armed robbery. Fremandeus Connell Williams, age 45, pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on December 20, 2024. According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Wilson Police Department (WPD) responded to a call of a robbery at the Hot Spot Internet Café Sweepstakes on Ward Boulevard in Wilson on December 7, 2021. The investigation revealed that Williams entered the establishment wearing a surgical mask and appeared to play a game machine. As a Hot Spot employee unlocked the office door to assist a customer in cashing out, Williams walked up behind the employee, placed the barrel of a firearm against the back of her head, and pushed her to the ground. Williams then threatened the employee and said, “where’s the money and you better not lie, or I’ll kill you.” Williams stole $7,039 in cash from the register and counter drawers while the employee remained in the back corner of the office. The incident was captured on video surveillance. Williams, a known member of the United Blood Nation gang, was arrested a few days later on December 10, 2021. The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, interagency coordination, and intelligence-led policing. Daniel Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The WPD, Goldsboro Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-87-D-RJ-1. ###


title: Man Sentenced To More Than Nine Years In Prison For Gun Possession And Courthouse Assault On Deputy U.S. Marshals

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Julian Jared Gill, 34, of Charlotte, was sentenced late Friday to 111 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for gun possession and assaulting two Deputy U.S. Marshals, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. Attorney Ferguson is joined in making the announcement by Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Terry J. Burgin, United States Marshal of the United States Marshals Service for the Western District of North Carolina (USMS), and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD). According to filed court documents and information presented at Gill’s plea and sentencing hearings, Gill was arrested in 2022 by CMPD’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team and found to be in possession of a loaded Glock pistol with a high-capacity magazine. Gill is prohibited from possessing firearms, and, in an effort to conceal the firearm, he hid it in the toilet tank of his hotel room before surrendering to police. Gill was indicted in federal court, and while in custody and appearing in court in 2023 for possession of that firearm, Gill became upset in court at a judge’s ruling. Once out of the courtroom and in the holding cell blocks of the courthouse, Gill assaulted two Deputy U.S. Marshals and refused to comply with lawful instructions. On February 28, 2024, Gill pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and felony assault, resist and impede a federal officer. The defendant has multiple criminal convictions dating back to 2007. At the sentencing hearing, District Court Judge Michael F. Urbanski sentenced Gill to 70 months in prison for the firearm conviction and 41 months in prison for the assault on law enforcement officials and ordered the sentences to be served consecutively for a total sentence of 111 months. “Attacks on our law enforcement officers cannot be tolerated, and I hope the extra time sentenced is a warning to others,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF, USMS, and CMPD for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Philadelphia Man Found Guilty Of Conspiring To Distribute Cocaine

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, man was found guilty of conspiring to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced. Marvin Murphy, 48, of Camden, New Jersey, was convicted on March 18, 2025 after a two-day bench trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb. Murphy was remanded into custody after the verdict. According to documents filed in this case and evidence at trial: From June 2021 through July 13, 2021, Murphy conspired with Carl Lee Holloway, Lavinston Lamar, and others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. On June 23, 2021, Holloway traveled to San Diego, California, to meet with an undercover agent posing as a drug dealer. Holloway and the undercover agent discussed arranging a drug deal in New Jersey during which the undercover agent would deliver at least 10 kilograms of cocaine for Holloway and his associates. During the meeting, Holloway called Murphy, and the two proceeded to communicate about the drug deal during the subsequent weeks. On July 13, 2021, Holloway, Murphy, and Lamar separately arrived at a hotel in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, each with bags containing U.S. currency collectively totaling over $340,000. They met with undercover agents inside a hotel room at the hotel. They briefly inspected one of the kilograms of cocaine previously brought into the room by undercover agents, after which agents entered the room and arrested Holloway, Lamar, and Murphy. Chief Judge Bumb previously sentenced Holloway to 120 months in prison after Holloway pleaded guilty to his involvement in the same conspiracy. Chief Judge Bumb also previously sentenced Lamar to 114 months in prison, which was later reduced to 100 months, after Lamar pleaded guilty to his involvement in the same conspiracy and to violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior conviction for conspiring to distribute cocaine. The count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2025. U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark and Special Agent in Charge Shawn S. Gibson in San Diego; and the Mount Laurel Police, under the direction of Chief Timothy Hudnall, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Waegener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.


title: Illegal alien charged in gift card fraud, identity theft scheme in Glen Carbon

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Chilean national is facing federal charges for using a stolen credit card to purchase gift cards at the Sam’s Club in Glen Carbon. Mayorie Fernandez-Ormeno, also known as Guadalupe Maldanado Salinas, 36, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud, attempted access device fraud and illegal entry after deportation and two counts of aggravated identity theft. “Individuals who enter the U.S. illegally and steal from our communities will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. According to court documents, Fernandez-Ormeno is accused of stealing a credit card out of another woman’s purse while she shopped at the Schnucks in Edwardsville. She then used the stolen credit card to purchase $2,684.24 in gift cards at the Sam’s Club in Glen Carbon on Feb. 18, 2024. Fernandez-Ormeno is also accused of using the same stolen credit card to attempt to make a $2,477.76 purchase at the same Sam’s Club. Fernandez-Ormeno was previously deported from the U.S. on Oct. 2, 2023, and she is facing a charge for reentering the country unlawfully. She was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Philadelphia. A co-conspirator is also facing charges. An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. Convictions for attempted access device fraud and access device fraud are punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment, aggravated identity theft is a mandatory two years in federal prison, conspiracy to commit access device fraud can earn five years’ imprisonment and illegal reentry after deportation is punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment. The Edwardsville Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations are contributing to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.


title: South Carolina Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Trafficking More Than Two Dozen Illegal Firearms into Boston

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Columbia, S.C. man was sentenced on March 21, 2025 in federal court in Boston for conspiring to traffic more than two dozen illegal firearms from South Carolina to Boston. Trevon Brunson, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Brunson pleaded guilty to one count of firearms trafficking and conspiracy to do so. In January 2024 , Brunson was charged along with co-conspirator Aizavier Roache. The investigation arose after a firearm recovered from a shooting in Boston was identified as having been purchased in South Carolina 15 days prior. Over a three-year period, Brunson and Roache conspired to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Massachusetts. Specifically, Roache would text Brunson photos of the firearms he wanted. The two would then meet and Roache would provide Brunson with the cash to purchase the firearms. After purchasing the firearms in South Carolina, Brunson would meet Roache at different locations in Columbia, S.C. to transfer the firearms. Roache traveled between Massachusetts and South Carolina numerous times to obtain the firearms. Numerous text messages as well as bank, travel and firearm records detailed the conspiracy. Intercepted communications uncovered an instance were Brunson used Roache’s credit card to complete a multi-gun purchase because he didn’t have enough cash on hand, during which Roache texted Brunson the pin number for the card. Additionally, a video recovered from Roache’s phone showed him on a bus showing off a carry-on bag that contained four firearms. The date of the video corresponded with Roache’s trip back to Massachusetts after a multi-gun purchase in April of 2023. In total, the defendants trafficked more than 24 illegal firearms into Massachusetts from South Carolina. Eleven of the trafficked firearms were recovered in Massachusetts after being used in a crime. In February 2025 , Roache was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley, James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Fort Washakie Man Sentenced to 29 Years of Imprisonment for Second-Degree Murder

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Conrad Troy Tillman, 38, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was sentenced to 348 months and 23 days in federal prison with five years of supervised release for second-degree murder. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on March 21, 2025, in Casper. The federal sentence considered the fact Tillman had been serving a related tribal sentence for nearly a year. The court also ordered Tillman to pay $6,998.10 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. On April 14, 2024, the Wind River Police Department was dispatched to a vehicle located on Highway 287 within the Wind River Indian Reservation. The 911 call indicated that a man had shot his wife. According to court documents and witness testimony, Tillman, his wife, and their adolescent daughter were traveling on Highway 287 when an argument ensued between the couple. It culminated in Tillman firing a semi-automatic pistol, striking his wife in the head, and killing her. Tillman flagged down a passing motorist to call 911. EMS and law enforcement officers arrived on the scene and pronounced the victim deceased. The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN. Case No. 24-CR-00086


title: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Extortion Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty on March 21, 2025 to his role in an extortion conspiracy involving former Massachusetts State Police (MSP) troopers who allegedly conspired to give false passing scores to certain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants who had failed or had taken only partial CDL skills test, in exchange for bribes. Eric Mathison, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2025. In January 2024 , Mathison was charged in a 74-count indictment along with five others in the alleged conspiracy and related schemes. Mathison, who worked for a water company that employed drivers who needed CDLs to drive their delivery vehicles, admitted to his role in an alleged conspiracy with others including former MSP Sergeant Gary Cederquist, then in charge of MSP’s CDL Unit, to give false passing scores to certain CDL applicants affiliated with the water company. It is alleged that Cederquist gave passing scores to multiple applicants who actually failed the CDL skills test, as well as others who took only a partial test, in exchange for bribes of free inventory from the water company, such as cases of bottled Fiji, VOSS and Essentia water, cases of bottled Arizona Iced Tea and coffee and tea products, all of which Mathison delivered to an office trailer at the CDL test site in Stoughton. Mathison admitted to his alleged communications with Cederquist about particular CDL applicants, their performance on the skills test, and inventory from the water company that Cederquist allegedly requested and that Mathison delivered. For example, Mathison admitted that he received texts, allegedly from Cederquist, describing one water company applicant as “an idiot,” who had “no idea what he’s doing,” and “should have failed about 10 times already.” It is alleged that Cederquist then gave this applicant a passing score. On another occasion, Mathison admitted that he asked Cederquist, “Hows the trailer holding,” to which Cederquist allegedly responded, “In desperate need of restocking,” along with a specific request for, among other things, premium bottled water, tea, energy drinks and a “truckload of large water.” The charge of conspiracy to commit extortion provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine J. Wichers and Adam W. Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as an Armed Career Criminal

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on March 18, 2025 to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and Armed Career Criminal. According to public court documents, Dontae Lamonte Burrage, 36, had multiple outstanding arrest warrants. Members of a bail bond company attempted to arrest Burrage on February 26, 2022. Burrage ran and threw a loaded pistol. Burrage has six prior state felony drug convictions. Therefore, Burrage is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law and, as an Armed Career Criminal, faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. After completing his term of imprisonment, Burrage will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Arizona Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for  Mailing Methamphetamine to Northern Alabama

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – An Arizona man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Division. United States District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Jeremiah Warren, 42, of Vail, Arizona, to 180 months in prison. On October 4, 2023, Warren pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine. According to the plea agreement, Warren supplied Isaiah Oneal Rice, who lived in Athens, Alabama, with controlled substances for several years. Warren would send Rice drugs—including crystal methamphetamine—through the United States mail. From February to May 2022, Warren mailed over 34 pounds of packages containing controlled substances into the Northern District of Alabama. Rice was also prosecuted and sentenced to 176 months in prison on January 10, 2024. On July 27, 2022, Rice pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine, two counts of Unlawful Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The FBI’s North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force investigated the cases. The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and Athens Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the cases.


title: United States Announces Plans to Extradite Three Tren de Aragua Members, Who Have Been Declared Alien Enemies, Wanted by Chile for Homicide and Kidnapping Offenses

component: Office of the Deputy Attorney General

body_text: Earlier today, the United States declared three members of Tren de Aragua (TdA) Alien Enemies and announced plans to extradite them to Chile, where they are wanted for violent crimes including homicide, kidnapping for ransom, and other offenses. TdA is a foreign terrorist organization with thousands of members, many of whom have unlawfully entered the United States to commit brutal crimes, including murder, kidnapping, extortion, and human and drug trafficking. Three known TdA members, Adrian Rafael Gamez Finol, Miguel Oyola Jimenez, and Edgar Javier Benitez Rubio, illegally entered the United States after allegedly committing horrific crimes in Chile. Recognizing the grave threat that TdA poses to the nations it infiltrates, Chile has asked the United States to help return these men to Chile to face justice. Today, the Department of Justice announced that it will take swift action to grant these requests and send these Alien Enemies to Chile. “These three Tren de Aragua members pose a grave risk to the public safety and national security of the United States, just as they allegedly did in Chile,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Based on their membership in TdA, they have been declared Alien Enemies. We will not tolerate violent illegal aliens in our country. The Justice Department is taking every step within the bounds of the law to ensure these individuals are promptly sent to Chile to face justice for their abhorrent crimes. In fact, we would have already removed these violent gang members to Chile to face justice were it not for the nationwide injunction imposed by a single judge in Washington D.C., which we are challenging today in the D.C. Circuit,” he added. “We hope common sense and justice will prevail.” The three TdA members are: Adrian Rafael Gamez Finol , also known as Rafael Enrique Gamez Salas, 38, a dual Venezuelan and Colombian citizen, is wanted in Chile for extortion, kidnapping resulting in homicide, kidnapping for extortion, unjustified firearm discharge, and criminal association. Gamez Finol was removed from the United States to Venezuela in August 2023, and allegedly subsequently illegally re-entered the United States. On Feb. 18, Gamez Finol was indicted in the Southern District of Texas for illegally reentering the United States, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326. Gamez Finol is currently in Texas county prison serving a sentence for human smuggling; Miguel Oyola Jimenez , 37, a dual Venezuelan and Ecuadorian citizen, is wanted in Chile for two counts of kidnapping for ransom. Oyola Jimenez is currently in federal custody in the Western District of Washington, having been arrested on a provisional arrest request submitted by Chilean authorities seeking his return to Chile to stand trial on the kidnapping charges; and Edgar Javier Benitez Rubio , 37, a Venezuelan citizen, is wanted in Chile for kidnapping with homicide, kidnapping for ransom, and criminal association. Benitez Rubio is in immigration custody in the Southern District of Indiana, pending removal. The Justice Department will work expeditiously to return these Alien Enemies to Chile to face justice. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Loaded Semi-Automatic Pistol and Drug Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to being a felon in possession of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Brevin Dossantos-Wellington, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, methamphetamine and oxycodone. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 15, 2025. In August 2024, Dossantos-Wellington was indicted by a federal grand jury. On May 5, 2024, law enforcement conducted a motor vehicle stop of Dossantos-Wellington, during which time Dossantos-Wellington tried to flee. Subsequently, a loaded Springfield Armory XD-9 9mm pistol, along with 8 baggies of cocaine base, methamphetamine and oxycodone were found in his pants. Dossantos-Wellington recently completed a sentence for a prior federal drug trafficking conviction and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms. The charge of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, methamphetamine and oxycodone provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Federal Grand Jury in Bowling Green Returns 4 Indictments Charging 5 Defendants with Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Owensboro, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned four indictments on March 12, 2025, charging four men and one woman with multiple methamphetamine trafficking offenses and one of the men with firearm offenses. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Chief Billy Bolin of the Henderson Police Department made the announcement. According to the first indictment, Steven Marruquin , 52, of Henderson, Kentucky, is charged with three counts of distributing 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture on February 23, 2024, February 29, 2024, and March 15, 2024, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture on July 11, 2024, and January 20, 2025. Marruquin is also charged with one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On July 11, 2024, Marruquin possessed a Taurus handgun. Marruquin was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had been convicted of the following felony offense. On July 30, 2015, in United States District Court, Western District of Kentucky, Marruquin was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Brandy Powell , 46, of Henderson, Kentucky, is also charged with Marruquin in the first indictment with one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture on June 22, 2024. According to the second indictment, Kane Bentley , 30, of Henderson, Kentucky, is charged with two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on July 31, 2024, and October 18, 2024. According to the third indictment, Deontay Black , 34, of Henderson, Kentucky, is charged with two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on August 24, 2024, and September 10, 2024. According to the fourth indictment, Scott Stone , 36, of Henderson, Kentucky, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture on January 20, 2025. Marruquin and Black , made their initial court appearances on March 19, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered Marruquin and Black detained pending trial. Stone made his initial appearance on March 17, 2025, and was ordered detained pending trial. Bentley and Powell are in state custody and will make their initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge later. If convicted, Marruquin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Powell faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Bentley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Black faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Stone faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. The cases are being investigated by the FBI Owensboro Satellite Office, the ATF Bowling Green Field Office, the Kentucky State Police, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Henderson Police Department, with assistance from the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, and HSI Owensboro. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the United States Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting the cases. These cases are 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). An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Brandishing a Machine Gun as He Livestreamed Himself on Instagram

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Corey Whittico, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 84 months in federal prison in connection with live-streaming himself on social media brandishing a pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device as he was a passenger in a car traveling from Maryland into the District. The livestreamed video, which Metropolitan Police officers viewed as it was broadcast, also showed more than a kilogram of marijuana that Whittico had stashed in the back seat of the car. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., FBI Special Agent in Chief Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Whittico pleaded guilty on December 17, 2024, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 84-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates ordered Whittico to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on December 19, 2023, about 3:23 p.m., Metropolitan Police Department officers viewed, in real time, a live video broadcast on Instagram of a user account that officers knew belonged to Whittico. Whittico was in the front-passenger seat of a moving vehicle and had his camera pointed out the front windshield. One of the officers noted that the car appeared to be driving from Maryland into Washington D.C. Whittico turned the camera on himself to show that he was brandishing a black Glock handgun that had been outfitted with an aftermarket machine gun conversion device known as a “switch.” A “switch” is a device that converts a semi-automatic firearm to a fully automatic firearm. In the next minute, Wittico reached into the backseat of the vehicle and displayed black and clear plastic bags containing a green leafy substance consistent with the appearance of marijuana. The officers drove their marked MPD cruiser to the Clay Terrace neighborhood in Northeast Washington, an area that Whittico was known to frequent, while they continued to monitor Whittico’s livestream. In the Clay Terrace neighborhood, the officers spotted Whittico sitting in the passenger seat of a white Honda Accord. The officers conducted a traffic stop on the 5800 block of East Capitol Street, SE. As the driver of the Honda pulled over, the officers watched as the Honda’s occupants reached into the back passenger’s compartment and appeared to conceal an item under one of the seats. In the backseat of the car, officers found three separate packages of marijuana weighing a total of 51 ounces (over three pounds). (District law allows possession of two ounces for personal use.) Underneath the front passenger’s seat, officers recovered a Glock 27, .40 caliber semiautomatic, loaded with 17 rounds, that had been modified with a machine gun conversion device. Officers also recovered at Glock 45, 9 mm semiautomatic that was equipped with a laser and loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition. Whittico is a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. In April 2023, he was convicted of robbery in Prince George’s County and sentenced to 10 years in prison, with eight years and six months suspended. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared English and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Courtney. 24cr13


title: New Bern Gang Member Sentenced to 10 years in Prison  For Possession of a Firearm as a Felon

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A New Bern man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for illegally possessing firearms as a convicted felon. Nathan Sheptock, 24, pled guilty to the charge on August 22, 20224. According to court documents and other information presented in court, Nathan Sheptock, a validated Crip street gang member, illegally possessed two firearms including an AK-style 12-guage shotgun with a 10-round magazine. On August 9, 2023, North Carolina Probation responded to a verbal altercation between Sheptock and a woman at Sheptock’s house on Kinston Street in New Bern. Since Sheptock was actively on probation at the time, probation officers conducted a warrantless search of the house and observed what appeared to be narcotics in plain sight. A witness also reported that Sheptock was keeping firearms in the house. New Bern Police then obtained a search warrant for the house and found firearms hidden in the backyard. The firearms were DNA tested and lab confirmed to contain Sheptock’s DNA. Sheptock has a violent criminal history, including multiple convictions for Common Law Robbery from a series of robberies of pizza delivery drivers that Sheptock and an accomplice carried out in 2017. “When violent felons such as Mr. Sheptock possess firearms, they are committing serious federal crimes and endangering our communities,” Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated today. “I commend the FBI and our state partners at the New Bern Police Department and NC Probation for their hard work in this case, which brought Sheptock to justice.” “The FBI will not tolerate violent gang members who break the law and then disregard the restrictions they brought upon themselves as convicted felons. Mr. Sheptock was convicted of multiple robberies in 2017, therefore prohibited from owning a weapon. The FBI and our partners at the New Bern Police Department are unwavering in our commitment to making our communities safer for everyone,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. This case was brought as part of the New Bern Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) which is a collaboration of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the New Bern Police Department, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the District Attorney for the region. A primary objective of VCAP is to investigate and prosecute individuals contributing significantly to crime in New Bern and surrounding areas. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. New Bern PD, the FBI, and NC Probation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Aubart and Julie Childress prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-CR-61-D-BM. ###