title: Two Foreign Nationals Indicted For Selling Drugs And Unlawful Possession Of Firearms

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Two foreign nationals unlawfully residing in the United States made their initial court appearances Wednesday to face a 12-count indictment in connection to an alleged drug trafficking conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, and unlawful possession of firearms, including a privately made firearm, in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes. According to allegations contained in court documents, from September 2024 to March 27, 2025, Jose Luis Castillo-Alvarez, also known as “Celso Ramses Ibarra-Angulo” and “Oscar,” and Kevin Omar Cruz-Lima, also known as “Kevin Omar Lima-Cruz” and “Cesar,” conspired with each other to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin; 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; 10 grams or more of fentanyl; and cocaine. Furthermore, on March 27, 2025, Castillo-Alvarez and Cruz-Lima allegedly possessed an AM15 5.56x45mm semiautomatic rifle and a privately made 9x19mm semiautomatic pistol in furtherance of the drug trafficking crimes. Castillo-Alvarez and Cruz-Lima were unlawfully in the United States at the time of the alleged crimes. Castillo-Alvarez had been previously deported from the United States. Heroin is a Schedule I controlled substance; and methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine are Schedule II controlled substances. Castillo-Alvarez and Cruz-Lima are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; two counts of distribution of heroin; one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm; and two counts of possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Additionally, Castillo-Alvarez is charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. Castillo-Alvarez was previously deported and removed from the United States on April 20, 2020, and reentered the country illegally. Cruz-Lima is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin; one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. United States Magistrate Judge Youchah scheduled a jury trial before United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II to begin on June 30, 2025. If convicted, both Castillo-Alvarez and Cruz-Lima face the total maximum statutory penalty of confinement for life. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement. This case was investigated by ATF, the ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig and Special Assistant United States Attorney Clay Plummer are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former Indiana Congressional Candidate Sentenced to Federal Prison for Falsifying Campaign Finance Records

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— Gabriel Whitley, 27, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to three months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to making materially false statements to the Federal Election Commission. According to court documents, during the 2024 primary election, Gabriel Whitley was a candidate for United States Congress in Indiana’s 7th Congressional District. Whitley did not win the primary election, which was held on May 7, 2024. As set forth below in more detail, rather than raise funds in the normal course for his campaign, Whitley fabricated contributions that he had received and falsely reported to the Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) that he had in fact received those contributions. Whitley knew the FEC filings were riddled with falsehoods, and in making those fraudulent statements, deceived the American public about his candidacy. As set forth in Court documents, on October 11, 2023, Whitley, acting as Treasurer for his principal campaign committee, “Honest Gabe for Congress,” filed a report with the FEC covering the period from July 1, 2023, to September 30, 2023. In that report, Whitley lied and falsely documented that 67 people, not including himself, made contributions to his campaign, totaling approximately $222,690. These reports included made-up names, occupations, employers, and addresses for multiple fictitious contributors. On January 31, 2024, Whitley, again acting as Treasurer for his campaign committee, filed another report with the FEC repeating the same scheme he had engaged in previously, lying and falsely reporting contributions that he knew he had never received. Finally, on April 15, 2024, Whitley filed yet another false report with the FEC. In that report, he lied again and falsely conveyed that he loaned his campaign $100,000 on March 7, 2024, while knowing that he had not in fact loaned his campaign this money and did not have the funds to do so. In total, approximately $234,000 of the purported contributions to Honest Gabe for Congress never occurred. “Gabriel Whitley intentionally created an illusion that he was a legitimate candidate for office with the financial support of the electorate, denying the public of its most powerful tool for casting informed ballots: transparency,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Federal election laws require all federal candidates to make a true, accurate accounting of the contributions they have received, so that citizens can properly choose their own leaders. This sentence should reassure the public of our government’s ability to police and punish conduct that corrupts elections and denies the public the right to cast informed votes.” “When you are a candidate for public office, you have the same responsibility to follow the law just like the people you seek to represent,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans. “This wasn’t a mistake by Mr. Whitley - it was a deliberate effort to deceive the public by violating campaign finance laws for his own gain. The FBI remains committed to investigating those who violate public trust and ensure they are held accountable.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston and Trial Attorney of the Public Integrity of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, Nicole Lockhart, who prosecuted this case, with substantial assistance from former PIN Trial Attorney Jacob Steiner ###


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for  Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, has indicted a local man with a drug conspiracy involving methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department, and Sheriff John Aubrey of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement. According to the indictment, Jordan Watkins, 34, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, over 40 grams of fentanyl, and cocaine for an offense occurring between September 24, 2023, and March 9, 2025, in Jefferson County, Kentucky. On April 25, 2025, Watkins made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. A detention hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2025. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life. 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. This case is being investigated by the FBI and LMPD, with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl is prosecuting this case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: D.C. Felon Indicted After Officers Find Firearm in Vehicle

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jerone D. Robinson, 48, a resident of the District of Columbia, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the Make D.C. Safe Again initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. The initiative prioritizes federal firearms violations, seeks tougher penalties for offenders, and aims to detain dangerous individuals facing federal firearms charges. Robinson is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. According to court documents, on Jan. 18, 2024, MPD officers were conducting proactive patrols on Benning Road NE when they observed an unattended, running vehicle. Officers noted a sole occupant, later identified as Robinson, sitting in the driver’s seat. Through the windshield, an officer spotted a firearm on the floorboard in front of the driver’s seat. Robinson was detained without incident. Officers secured the firearm, which was identified as a loaded, Glock-style semi-automatic handgun. Officers also observed a Styrofoam cup containing a yellow liquid with the odor of alcohol in the center console. When questioned, Robinson admitted it was “a mixed drink.” He was arrested and transported to the Fifth District Station. A background check confirmed the firearm was not legally registered, that Robinson lacked a license to carry, and that he is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction. This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Four Mexican Nationals Residing Unlawfully in the United States Charged for Their Roles in an International Conspiracy to Smuggle Aliens from Canada into the U.S.

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Four Mexican nationals unlawfully residing in the United States have been charged for their roles in an international human smuggling conspiracy that illegally brought aliens across the Canadian border to the United States for profit. Edgar Sanchez-Solis, 23, unlawfully residing in Kansas City, Kansas; Ignacio Diaz-Perez, 35, unlawfully residing in Oakwood, Georgia; Samuel Diaz-Perez, 26, unlawfully residing in Dublin, Ohio; and Salvador Diaz-Diaz, 32, unlawfully residing in Columbus, Ohio, were charged by indictment with conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States and 25 counts of bringing aliens illegally to the United States for profit. The defendants were arrested at multiple locations throughout the United States and are currently detained. Ignacio Diaz-Perez and Salvador Diaz-Diaz had been previously removed from the United States. “As alleged, these defendants illegally entered this country and then sought to smuggle hundreds of aliens per week to the United States from Mexico, Central America, and South America through the Canadian border,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants instructed smuggled aliens to make testimonial videos touting the enterprise’s services. In reality, the defendants imperiled their human cargo and innocent American lives when they repeatedly engaged in life-threatening conduct, including multiple high-speed getaways from law enforcement.” “This case demonstrates our relentless efforts to secure our northern border against the criminal organizations profiting from human smuggling and other illegal activities,” said U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York. “We are grateful for our partnership with Joint Task Force Alpha as we work to dismantle these transnational criminal organizations and make our North Country communities safer.” According to court documents, the four defendants were part of an alien smuggling organization that has been operating for the last two years in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The four defendants, in exchange for money, conspired with others to smuggle hundreds of aliens per week from Mexico, Central America, and South America through Canada, into northern New York, including Franklin and Clinton Counties, as alleged in court documents. The aliens or their family members paid thousands of dollars to be smuggled into the United States. The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly facilitated the illegal travel of the aliens from Mexico to Canada and then across the northern border, where they were picked up and driven farther into the United States. On multiple occasions members of the alien smuggling organization led local and federal law enforcement officers on high-speed vehicle chases along the U.S. northern border, creating a grave public safety risk, according to court documents. For example, in April 2023, smugglers allegedly fled the Burke Border Patrol Station’s sector at a high rate of speed after setting off a border sensor. Border Patrol successfully stopped the vehicle and apprehended the smugglers, who were transporting seven adult aliens and three minors. In another incident, in May 2023, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office used a tire deflation device to stop a van carrying aliens after it allegedly failed to yield to both federal and state law enforcement. The smugglers and aliens allegedly fled on foot after the vehicle was disabled. As additionally alleged, in August 2023, a vehicle carrying aliens that was fleeing from Border Patrol drove into Plattsburgh, New York, where it drove erratically, passed vehicles in a congested traffic area, ran a red light, and struck a motorist at an intersection. The driver and six illegal aliens fled the accident scene on foot but eventually were apprehended. “These individuals acted in blatant disregard of our nation’s laws, allegedly smuggling hundreds of aliens into the United States for thousands of dollars each,” said Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo. “They’re alleged to have repeatedly put the public at risk through dangerous vehicle chases with law enforcement further demonstrating their contempt for the law and safety of others. We work every day with our partners in the U.S. Border Patrol and are proud to support the security of our borders and uphold public safety in our communities.” “These charges are a testament to the hard work of the men and women of the United States Border Patrol and its partner agencies,” said Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector. “The days of catch-and-release are over, and the reality is clear; if you attempt to enter the United States illegally, if you attempt to smuggle or traffic human beings, you will be apprehended and you will face severe consequences.” The investigation and arrests of the defendants were coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 330 U.S. convictions; more than 275 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. Mr. Galeotti expressed his gratitude to Joint Task Force Alpha, which is focused on combatting human smuggling organizations, and its partners in this case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York and HSI. HSI Rouses Point and U.S. Border Patrol Burke Station led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. Trial Attorney Jenna Reed of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Agawam Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – An Agawam man was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Warren Messeck, 75, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of child pornography. He made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson in Springfield. In 2021, Messeck was identified as a user of an internet-based peer-to-peer network downloading CSAM. A subsequent search of his residence resulted in the recovery of over 40 electronic devices including a laptop, hard drives and other electronic storage devices. A forensic examination allegedly revealed over 10,000 files depicting CSAM on six of the seized devices. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to life 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 and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Agawam Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Merck of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Massachusetts State Police Sergeant Convicted of Bribery and Extortion Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A former Sergeant with the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) was found guilty today by a federal jury in Boston of orchestrating a series of schemes to give false passing scores to certain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants, including individuals who had failed or did not take the CDL skills test, as part of years-long bribery and extortion conspiracies. Gary Cederquist, 59, of Stoughton, was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion, one count of extortion, six counts of honest services mail fraud, three counts of conspiracy to falsify records, 19 counts of falsification of records and 17 counts of false statements. Cederquist was acquitted of one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of extortion, three counts of falsification of records and three counts of false statements. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for July 24, 2025. In January 2024, Cederquist was charged in a 74-count indictment along with three other MSP troopers and two civilians: Former Trooper Calvin Butner, 64, of Halifax; Former Trooper Perry Mendes, 64, of Wareham; Former Trooper Joel Rogers, 56, of Bridgewater; Scott Camara, 44, of Rehoboth; and Eric Mathison, 48, of Boston. All of Cederquist’s co-defendants have accepted responsibility for their involvement in the conspiracy. Butner, Mendes, Camara and Mathison have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. “It is never a good day when a member of law enforcement is convicted of a crime, especially when it is a crime that compromises public safety. Gary Cederquist chose bribery and extortion over his oath to protect the community which he was sworn to serve. His greed put the public at risk when he devised a scheme to issue commercial driver’s licenses to applicants who had never taken a real test to operate heavy commercial vehicles on the roads and highways of Massachusetts,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has the utmost respect for law enforcement, but we will not stand idly by if they violate the law.” “Today’s verdict confirms that Gary Cederquist abused his authority as a Massachusetts State Trooper to recklessly bypass long-established testing and safety parameters for commercial driver’s license applicants. He did so only to enrich himself, while turning a blind eye to the potential public safety implications of ill-prepared and unqualified commercial truck drivers navigating our streets and our highways,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “Public servants are held to a higher standard and Cederquist not only let the citizens of the Commonwealth down but also disgraced the thousands of state troopers who so proudly and honorably wear the Massachusetts State Police uniform.” “Today’s verdict sends a strong message to those who may be motivated by greed to abuse their positions—that they will be met with the full force of the criminal justice system,” said Elise Chawaga, Principal Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. “DOT OIG remains committed to working with our Federal law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to uphold motor carrier rules and regulations, which are integral to maintaining safety on our Nation’s roadways.” Cederquist was in charge of MSP’s CDL Unit, of which former Troopers Butner, Mendes and Rogers were members. Class A CDLs are required to drive combination vehicles (e.g., tractor-trailers). Class B CDLs are required to drive heavy single vehicles (e.g., box trucks, oil tankers, school buses). Test requirements for CDLs are established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Members of MSP’s CDL Unit are responsible for administering CDL skills tests. The CDL skills test is a demanding, in-person test that consists of three segments: Vehicle Inspection; Basic Control Skills; and the Road Test. Test scores reported by members of MSP’s CDL Unit are material to whether applicants meet federal requirements for, and therefore whether the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is permitted to issue applicants, CDLs. In Massachusetts, the pass rate was 48% in 2019, 44% in 2020, 41% in 2021 and 41% in 2022. Between in on or about February 2019 and January 2023, Cederquist arranged for him and his co-conspirators to give passing scores to at least three dozen applicants regardless of whether or not they had actually passed or, in some cases, had even taken the CDL skills test, including in some instances in exchange for bribes. Cederquist and his co-conspirators used the code word “golden handshake” or “golden” to identify applicants who received special treatment and were to be given passing scores on their skills tests regardless of performance. In text message conversations, Cederquist and his co-conspirators described a number of “golden” applicants as performing poorly on their skills tests. However, all of the applicants received passing scores. Among the CDL applicants to whom Cederquist gave preferential treatment were six MSP Troopers who Cederquist falsely reported as having passed a Class A skills test. In reality, however, the Troopers did not take a real CDL skills test. For four of the Trooper applicants, Cederquist conspired with his friend Camara, who worked for a truck-driving school in Brockton, to accomplish this offense. Cederquist also conspired with his friend Mathison, who worked for a water company that employed drivers who needed CDLs, to give passing scores to certain applicants affiliated with the water company. In exchange for the passing scores, Cederquist accepted bribes – for years – of free inventory from the water company, such as cases of bottled Fiji, VOSS and Essentia water, cases of bottled Arizona Iced Tea, coffee and tea products and boxes of Twizzlers and Swedish Fish, all of which Mathison delivered to an office trailer at the CDL test site in Stoughton. Cederquist sent Mathison a text describing one of these applicants as “an idiot,” who had “no idea what he’s doing,” and “should have failed about 10 times already.” Cederquist then texted Mathison that Mathison’s boss “owes big time.” In exchange for using his official position to give preferential treatment to certain CDL applicants, Cederquist accepted a variety of bribes including inventory from Mathison’s water company valued in the thousands of dollars; a $750 granite post and mailbox; a new driveway valued at over $10,000; and a snowblower valued at nearly $2,000. Cederquist described one such applicant as “horrible,” and “brain dead,” but gave him a passing score anyway in exchange for the snowblower. All CDL recipients identified as not qualified during the course of this investigation have been reported to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. The charges of conspiracy to falsify records each provide 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. The charges of conspiracy to commit extortion each provide 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. The charges of extortion each provide 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. The charges of honest services mail fraud each provide 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. The charges of falsification of records each provide 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. The charges of false statements each provide for a sentence of up to five 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. U.S. Attorney Foley; HSI SAC Krol; and DOT PAIG Chawaga 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: Former City Clerk / Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Stealing Over $196,000 from the City of New Plymouth

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE – Danielle Painter, 41, of Fruitland, pleaded guilty to wire fraud related to defrauding the City of New Plymouth through unauthorized personal purchases on City credit cards, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. According to court records, Danielle Painter was employed as the City Clerk / Treasurer for the City of New Plymouth from 2012 to 2023. As the City Clerk / Treasurer, Painter was responsible for performing various accounting functions, including recording and coding of credit card charges in the accounting system, issuing electronic credit card payments, and retaining credit card statements. Between 2017 and 2023, Painter devised a scheme to defraud the City of New Plymouth by using City of New Plymouth credit cards for unauthorized personal expenses. The unauthorized personal expenses included retail purchases, restaurants, clothing, travel, concerts, utility and rent, and medical expenses. In total, Painter made $196,947.87 in unauthorized charges using City of New Plymouth credit cards between 2017 and 2023. To hide her scheme, Painter entered many of the expenses as professional services in the City of New Plymouth’s internal accounting system. “The Idaho State Police takes our responsibility seriously to uphold public trust and protect taxpayer dollars.” Investigative Lieutenant Jack Catlin stated. “This case demonstrates the strength of our partnerships with local and federal agencies and our shared commitment to holding individuals accountable when that trust is violated.” U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford will sentence Painter on August 5, 2025. The charge in this case is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the investigation by the Idaho State Police, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S Attorney Sean Mazorol is prosecuting this case. ###


title: JAMAICAN CITIZEN ARRESTED FOR MAKING A FALSE CLAIM OF CITIZENSHIP IN ORDER TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE 2024 UNITED STATES PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Jacqueline Dianne Wallace, 52, a Jamaican citizen, has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint and charged with unlawfully making a false claim of citizenship in order to register to vote in the 2024 Florida Presidential Primary Election. Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge after Wallace made her initial appearance in federal court in Tallahassee. According to the criminal complaint, Wallace entered the United States in December 2010 on a six-month B2 tourism visa and did not return to Jamaica as required. In January 2024, Wallace registered to vote in federal elections using an online system that required certification of United States citizenship, which she did not have. Wallace submitted the fraudulent voter registration form via a community college computer network. In August 2024, still without United States citizenship, Wallace cast a ballot in the federal 2024 Florida Presidential Primary, which included election of a United States President. Wallace was arrested by agents with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and investigators of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. If convicted, Wallace faces up to five years in prison and will be subject to removal from the United States. HSI Tampa Field Division and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Office of Executive Investigations, Election Crime Unit investigated the case, with the assistance of the Florida Department of State, Office of Election Crimes and Security; the Bay County Sheriff’s Office; the Bay County Supervisor of Elections; and the United States Citizenship Immigration Service. Assistant United States Attorney Eric Welch is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A criminal complaint is merely an allegation by a sworn affiant that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to due process, to include a fair trial, during which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: New York Man Charged with Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on March 13, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Chad Maurer, 34, of New York, with aggravated identity theft and use of a false passport. Maurer entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on May 2, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Maurer had been previously detained at a hearing held in the Middle District of Pennsylvania on April 17, 2025 following his arrest in the Scranton, Pennsylvania-area on April 11, 2025. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Maurer is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Maurer faces up to ten years’ incarceration if convicted for use of a false passport, and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years’ incarceration if convicted for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Diplomatic Security Service and the United States Marshals Service. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Arra. Maurer is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls.


title: Chinese National Sentenced for Mail Fraud

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Chinese National, Yongjian You, 41, was sentenced on Friday to 27 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves for mail fraud he committed as part of a gift card tampering scheme. In a gift card tampering scheme, individuals steal gift card packages from retail stores, discreetly access the card numbers or security access codes, reseal the compromised gift card packages, and then place them back into retail stores to be sold to unsuspecting customers. Once the tampered gift cards are loaded with cash value at the store’s point of sale by customers, the fraudsters steal the funds from the card. According to his plea agreement, You stole gift cards from multiple Kroger stores in the Lexington area, mailed them to co-conspirators using the United States Postal Service to be compromised, received them back in the mail, and returned the tampered cards to retailer shelves to be sold to unwary customers. On July 8, 2024, You was caught stealing untampered gift cards from a Kroger in Lexington, and placing tampered cards back on the gift card racks. A law enforcement search of his vehicle that same day yielded 871 tampered gift cards and 998 untampered gift cards, representing potential consumer loss of $419,975. Two packages that You recently mailed to California were then intercepted, and found to contain an additional 2,651 untampered gift cards, representing another $627,925 in potential consumer loss. Ultimately, the total potential loss from the gift cards in You’s scheme was more than $1.1 million. Under federal law, You must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HSI and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Greenville Man Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Greenville, MS – A Greenville man was sentenced yesterday to 33 months in prison for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, Frederick Williams, 26, previously plead guilty to distribution of a controlled substance, which included fentanyl. Chief U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills of the Northern District of Mississippi sentenced Williams to 33 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release. Williams was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing. On October 24, 2024, Williams’ Codefendant, Dequan Antonio Titus, 27, entered a plea of guilty to one count of distribution of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. On February 6, 2025, U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Titus to serve 24 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. “Fentanyl is poison, and those who sell it deserve every day of whatever prison sentence is imposed on them,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We are proud to stand with our partners at the Greenville Police Department in protecting their community from this scourge.” “First, we would like to thank the Special Operations Division, officers of the Greenville Police Department, and the U. S. Attorney’s Office for a job well done,” said Chief Marcus Turner of the Greenville Police Department. “We will continue to use all available resources to pursue individuals that spread illegal drugs in our community. Moving forward, we will continue to diligently work together to ensure the safety of all citizens.” This case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip M. Levy prosecuted the case.


title: SDTX continues efforts to protect the border with 259 more charged in immigration-related crimes

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 256 cases have been filed from April 25-May 1 in matters aimed at securing the southern border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. As part of the cases, 83 face allegations of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, firearms, sexual or violent offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 160 people face charges of illegally entering the country, while 13 cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration-related crimes. Those charged by criminal complaint include three Mexican nationals found in the McAllen area who are alleged to be here illegally. The charges allege Luciano Ojeda had been sentenced to two years for robbery before his removal, while Sergio Salazar-Gonzalez and Maria Del Carmen Gutierrez-Perez have convictions for driving while intoxicated (3rd offense) and injury to child/elderly/disabled persons with intent of causing bodily injury, respectively, before they were removed from the United States. In addition to the new cases filed, two adult Guatemalan citizens were indicted for making false statements about their age in their juvenile immigration cases. Tadeo Pedro Torres and Marvin Ixcoy-Ajqui claimed they were unaccompanied minors after they entered the United States illegally. As a result, they were allegedly transferred to juvenile shelters contracted to provide care for children in the United States for whom there is no parent or legal guardian with the ability to provide custody. However, the charges allege they were adults and had provided a false date of birth and age. A Houston federal jury also convicted a conspirator involved in transporting aliens shot en route. Mailon Almendares-Martinez recruited conspirators who picked up the aliens near the border. On the way to Houston, individuals believed to be a part of a rival alien smuggling organization had shot at them, resulting in gunshot wounds to the arm and leg. After the shooting, Almendares-Martinez told the co-conspirators to return to Houston and not seek medical attention for the two wounded aliens. He now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. “This case demonstrates—like so many cases before it—that human smuggling is an inhumane, dangerous, and sometimes fatal business,” said Ganjei. “Those that smuggle human beings for profit deserve prosecution, and those that would willingly place themselves in a situation to be smuggled need to think twice. Stay home, stay safe.” In Corpus Christi, Louis Dante Anthony received a 30-month sentence for smuggling three dozen illegal aliens in an 8 by 4.25-foot false compartment. The illegal aliens had no access to air, could not be heard from the outside and were unable to get themselves out of the compartment. All were from the countries of Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico. In Laredo federal court, an illegal alien pleaded guilty to assault of an officer , admitting he struck the agent’s body and face repeatedly while attempting to flee. A Border Patrol (BP) agent had transported Marco Cupil-Hernandez to a local hospital for emergency care after he had waded across the Rio Grande River. Once cleared, the agent attempted to assist him into the vehicle. Cupil-Hernandez then forcefully pushed him away and attempted to flee, resulting in a struggle on the concrete during which Cupil-Hernandez elbowed the agent’s face. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Also announced this week was the sentencing of two felons in McAllen for illegally reentering the United States. Porfirio Martinez-Santos, Mexico, was ordered to serve 42 months, while Juan Esteban Zelaya-Hernandez, Honduras, received 21 months. The investigation revealed Zelaya-Hernandez had been ordered removed in August 2024 after serving a federal prison sentence for possession of a firearm by a felon and illegal reentry. Martinez-Santos was removed in 2023 and had previously served a 37-month sentence for illegal reentry. Another Mexican citizen with a felony criminal history was sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after eight previous removals. Julio Cesar Corona-Corona will now serve 37 months in federal prison. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that despite prior court warnings not to do so, Corona-Corona was determined to unlawfully reenter the United States, as evidenced by his repeated encounters with immigration authorities. He was first removed from the United States in January 2014 and returned illegally eight times between 2014 and April 2020. In fact, authorities had removed him six times alone between 2017-2018. In Brownsville, a 42-year-old man from Aldamas, Tamaulipas, Mexico, was also sentenced for illegal reentry into the United States. Alfredo Balderas-Rivera was first removed in 2016 with a subsequent removal in 2018 and 2023. However, authorities found Balderas-Rivera in Cameron County March 30, 2024. He had been in custody for allegedly committing fraud and assault and bodily injury. He received a 50-month sentence in Brownsville federal court. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Steal Mail, Possession of a Postal Service Mail Key and Possession of Stolen Mail

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CHAD WOODS (“WOODS”) , age 29, of New Orleans, was sentenced on April 24, 2025, after previously pleading guilty on December 19, 2024 to Conspiracy to Steal United States Mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371; Possession of a United States Postal Service (USPS) “arrow” key, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1704; and Possession of Stolen Mail that had been deposited into authorized mail receptacles, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708. According to the indictment, on June 23, 2022, WOODS and another man stole mail from one location, and attempted to steal mail from another location, in Kenner, Louisiana. The co-conspirator acted as the driver and WOODS used the USPS key to steal mail from the first location. After a police chase, the pair were found in possession of 36 stolen checks, including one forged counterfeit check, six opened pieces of mail, and the USPS “arrow key” used to open the USPS mailboxes to steal the mail. United States District Court Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced WOODS to five years of probation, with the special condition that he serve one year of home detention and pay a mandatory $300 special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Wareham Man Charged with Child Pornography Offenses

body_text: BOSTON – A Wareham man was arrested and charged today for allegedly possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Brandon Bendall, 49, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. Bendall made his initial appearance in federal court today and is being held in custody pending a detention hearing to be held at a later date. According to court documents, Bendall allegedly was a member of an on-line chat group in which members viewed and posted CSAM. During a search of Bendall’s residence and cell phone, approximately 9,400 images and videos of CSAM, including images of children as young as infants being sexually assaulted, were allegedly located. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography carries sentence of up to 20 years in prison. 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 and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Wareham, Marion and East Bridgewater Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Dayton Man Sentenced for  Fentanyl Analogue Distribution

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – A Dayton, Ohio, man, Julius Cole, 39, was sentenced on Friday to 132 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for aiding and abetting the intended distribution of 100 grams or more of a mixture containing a fentanyl analogue. According to Cole’s plea agreement, on January 2, 2024, law enforcement used a confidential informant to arrange a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Earnest Bryson, who agreed to sell a kilogram of fentanyl to the informant. On January 3, 2024, Cole, Bryson, and co-defendant Gerald Young traveled from Dayton, Ohio to Fort Wright, Ky, to deliver the drugs to the informant. Soon after they arrived, law enforcement parked behind their vehicle and forcibly removed them from the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed that an attempt was made to destroy the drugs by mixing them with Coca-Cola. Some of the mixture was tested, however, and found to contain fentanyl as well as fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue. Further investigation revealed that Germel Hughes, Cole’s second co-defendant, supplied the drugs to Bryson on the condition that Cole travel with Bryson to Kentucky to assist in the drug distribution. Hughes gave instructions to destroy the drugs with soda if they were stopped by law enforcement. Cole admitted that Bryson possessed the fentanyl with the intent to distribute it and that he assisted Bryson in doing the same Young and Hughes have both pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and are scheduled to be sentenced on June 5 and July 16, respectively. Under federal law, Cole must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by ATF and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation  Into An Armed Individual Fatally Shot By Police

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On Feb. 18, 2025, a 29-year-old District resident, S.Z., died after being shot by the police. The officers encountered S.Z., who brandished a knife as he attempted to carjack a woman, and they fatally shot him. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, security camera footage, Metro Bus footage, BWC footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, autopsy results, and reports from MPD. According to the evidence, at about 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 18, 2025, S.Z. intentionally drove his vehicle into a MPD cruiser as it was waiting at a red light at an intersection on Georgia Avenue. S.Z. exited his vehicle, brandished a knife, and menaced the officer driving the cruiser. The officer fired a single shot that resulted in a minor injury to S.Z.’s shoulder. S.Z. ran down Georgia Avenue as other officers responded to the scene. S.Z. ignored the officers’ commands to drop the knife and get on the ground. S.Z. eventually charged at a woman sitting in a parked vehicle and attempted to carjack her. S.Z. attempted to stab the woman with the knife after S.Z. opened the driver’s door. An MPD officer discharged his firearm at S.Z. and he fell to the ground. Despite life saving efforts, S.Z. died on the scene. After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers willfully violated S.Z.’s rights. Investigations generally The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.


title: Former PICC Correctional Officer and Two Co-Conspirators Plead Guilty to Scheme to Smuggle Contraband Into the Prison Facility

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Breyanna Cornish, 30, Jawayne Brown, 40, and Ahmad Nasir, aka Hussain Abdussamad, 44, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered pleas of guilty before United States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert this week in connection with a scheme to smuggle contraband — including drugs, phones, chargers, cigarettes, and knives — into the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (“PICC”) from April through July of 2021. The defendants were charged by indictment in August of last year, with Nasir pleading guilty this morning to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, one count of federal program bribery, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine. Brown pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, one count of federal program bribery, and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine. Cornish pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery and one count of federal program bribery. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendants, Nasir, who was then detained pre-trial at PICC, worked with Brown, who was not incarcerated, Cornish, who was then a PICC correctional officer (“CO”) employed by the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (“PDP”), and several other associates to purchase and assemble contraband. Cornish then smuggled the contraband into PICC, where Nasir sold the contraband to other inmates for a profit. Nasir then instructed associates to pay Cornish for her role smuggling the contraband into the prison and Brown for his work purchasing and assembling the packages. On July 10, 2021, PDP conducted a search of the cell Nasir shared with another inmate. In a compartment in the ceiling behind a light fixture, officers recovered 19 cellphones, 20 cellphone chargers, one rapid charger, two super glues, two screwdrivers, one roll of tape, three hunting knives, one Ziploc bag containing the synthetic cannabinoid commonly known as K2, one Ziploc bag of tobacco, one alprazolam pill, and at least 110 packets of Suboxone. Following the search of the cell, officers conducted a search of Nasir and his cellmate. Officers recovered a cellphone from the person of each of them. Text messages and WhatsApp messages extracted from the cell phone recovered from Nasir’s person revealed that from June 19, 2021, to July 6, 2021, CO Cornish, Nasir, and Brown discussed via text specific contraband items to be acquired, the delivery of contraband packages, and payments for the items and to co-conspirators. Nasir simultaneously sent messages to multiple inmates about the purchase and delivery of contraband. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in August. Cornish faces a maximum possible term of 15 years’ imprisonment, Brown a maximum possible term of 25 years’ imprisonment, and Nasir a maximum possible term of 35 years’ imprisonment. The case was investigated by the FBI, with significant assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Claiborne and Ruth Mandelbaum.


title: Lawrence Woman Charged with Passport Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft and Misuse of Social Security Number

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence woman was charged in federal court in Boston with passport fraud, aggravated identity theft and misuse of a social security number. Wendy Dume Chavez, 49, was arrested yesterday and charged with passport fraud, aggravated identity theft and misuse of a social security number. She had her initial appearance yesterday afternoon and a detention hearing is scheduled for May 7, 2025. According to the criminal complaint, in June 2020, Dume Chavez allegedly submitted a renewal passport application using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of the alleged victim. The passport was issued to Dume Chavez. Dume Chavez also allegedly used the victim’s name and social security number to obtain multiple government-issued identification documents, including a Massachusetts driver’s license. The charge of false statement in a passport application provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of aggravated identity theft calls for a mandatory minimum of two years in prison to be added to the felony committed while using the means of identification of another without lawful authority. The charge of misuse of Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Millix Bonilla, Acting Chief of Police in Lawrence; and Paul F. Tucker Essex County District Attorney made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit.


title: Greenbrier County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Richard Shawn Owens, 39, of Lewisburg, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 10, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Lewisburg residence of Owens and seized six firearms: a Glock 19X 9mm handgun, a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield .40-caliber handgun, a Smith & Wesson M&P15 .223-caliber/5.56mm rifle, a RomArm Cugir WASR-10 7.62x39mm rifle, a Winchester Super X Pump 12-gauge shotgun, and a Ruger American 30-06 bolt-action rifle. The firearms were out in the open and readily accessible throughout the residence, where two children also lived. Officers also found hundreds of rounds of ammunition and drug paraphernalia. Owens admitted to possessing the firearms. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Owens knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for assault and battery of a family member in Chesterfield County, Virginia, Circuit Court on July 16, 2013. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), 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. 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. 5:23-cr-146. ###


title: Owner of Unlicensed D.C. Row House Sentenced in the Deaths of Two People in Fatal Kennedy Street Fire

body_text: WASHINGTON – James G. Walker, 67, of the District, was sentenced today to more than 35 years in prison for the Aug. 2019 row house fire that caused the deaths of Fitsum Kebede and Yafet Solomen. This case was jointly tried by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Brian L. Schwalb, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division Anthony Spotswood, Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr. Walker was found guilty of second-degree murder and multiple criminal building code violations on Feb. 20, 2025. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Todd Edelmen sentenced Walker to five years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, Walker owned commercial property located at 708 Kennedy St., NW. Walker did not have a certificate of occupancy for the building and the structure was in violation of several fire safety codes. Walker operated the building as an illegal “rooming house.” Some of the building’s rooms were too small to be considered habitable space, some had no windows, and the defendant failed to install or maintain functional smoke alarms throughout the building, including the basement. The most egregious violation, however, was the failure to provide an unobstructed means to escape the property, which included erecting multiple security gates that required keys from both sides, the worst offense being a double-keyed security gate installed within the property that blocked access from the kitchen to the front door. Importantly, the defendant had received specific warnings on March 21, 2019, from the Metropolitan Police Department, that the building was in violation of several building codes specifically related to fire safety and hazardous conditions. He was instructed to correct the conditions and have the building inspected for residential use but did nothing. On the morning of Aug. 18, 2019, a fire erupted in the basement of 708 Kennedy St. Three tenants were present at the time of the fire. Fitsum Kebede, 40, and Yafet Solomen, 10, were in the basement and were unable to exit the premises. They subsequently died from thermal burns and smoke inhalation. The government’s evidence was that the defendant’s knowledge of the danger posed by the conditions of the property and his conscious disregard of the extreme risk that death or serious bodily injury could occur were the but-for cause of the deaths of the decedents. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin, D.C. Attorney General Schwalb, ATF Special Agent in Charge Spotswood, MPD Chief Smith, and Fire and EMS Chief Donnelly, commended the work of the ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force that investigated the case, including MPD, ATF, and Fire and EMS. They also credited the work of Homicide Section Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke, Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Yvonne Bryant, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Supervisory IT Specialists Leif Hickling and Charlie Bruce, IT Project Manager Deon Williams, Supervisory IT Specialist Giovanni Harrison, Support Services Supervisor Alvon Brown, and Legal Assistant Patricia Wills Gonzalez. In addition, they congratulated and thanked DC Fire Department Battalion Chief Stephen Faulkner; Habtom Tekle and Jimmie Drummond of Drummond Projects. Additionally, they thanked the Office of the Attorney General team of Elizabeth Wieser, Peter Saba, Jose Marrero, and John Roberts for their support in this joint trial. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorney Vinet Bryant, Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Cargill and Assistant Attorney General Keith Ingram who prosecuted the case.


title: Three Individuals Charged in Scheme to Defraud Department of Veterans Affairs of Over $9.1M

body_text: Three men were charged with participating in a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of over $9.1 million in education benefits, including funds from the Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefit program. One of the men has pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme. According to court documents, Brian Matsudo, 58, of Honolulu, Hawaii, Marshall Scott, 39, of Kapolei, Hawaii, and Raheem Wells, 37, of Indianapolis, Indiana, conspired to defraud the VA. Matsudo was the owner of a massage therapy training school in Honolulu, Hawaii. From approximately November 2016 to November 2022, Matsudo conspired with Scott and others to obtain tuition assistance payments from the VA by intentionally failing to disclose that Matsudo’s massage training school was not in compliance with applicable VA rules and regulations. As alleged in the indictment, Scott began working for the massage training school owned by Matsudo in or about November 2016. As part of the conspiracy, Scott submitted enrollment certification forms to the VA on behalf of at least 40 military veterans supposedly enrolled at the massage training school. Scott knew that these forms contained false enrollment information and falsely certified that the school had complied with applicable rules and regulations. Wells was a student at the massage training school in 2020 and 2021. From about May 2020 to November 2022, Wells and Scott recruited “students” who allowed the school to lie to the VA by falsely representing that they were actually enrolled in courses. Both Scott and Wells allegedly profited from the scheme. Matsudo paid Scott for each person that he and Wells had recruited with the proceeds of the tuition payments made by the VA. Wells received monthly payments from the individuals he recruited to participate in the scheme. In April 2025, Matsudo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Scott and Wells were both charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. Wells was also charged with obstruction of justice for instructing a witness to lie to federal law enforcement agents. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson for the District of Hawaii; Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov of the VA Office of Inspector General (VA OIG); and Special Agent in Charge David Porter of the FBI Honolulu Field Office made the announcement. The VA OIG and FBI are investigating the cases. Trial Attorney Ariel Glasner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case against Matsudo, with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Bilinkas of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Trial Attorney Glasner and Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Nolan for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case against Scott and Wells. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Six, including Twins and their Grandma, Sentenced for Trafficking Hundreds of Kilos of Meth in the Upstate

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

body_text: SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Six individuals, including a set of twins and their grandmother, from the Upstate were sentenced to a total of 813 months in federal prison after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Biggerstaff additionally pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Mikayluh Walker, 26, of Gaffney Mikenzi Walker, 26, of Gaffney Christopher Biggerstaff, 42, of Chesnee Brenda Mincey, 34, of Gaffney Aa’lyah Maulana Tukes, 29, of Simpsonville Sondra Walker, 67, of Gaffney Evidence presented to the court showed that since at least 2022, Mikayluh and Mikenzi Walker (the Walker twins) were distributing drugs in the Upstate of South Carolina. In at least 2023, the Walker twins were making trips to obtain methamphetamine from Atlanta, Georgia, a source city for drugs. The Walker twins utilized two stash houses during the conspiracy, one where they lived with their grandmother and co-defendant, Sondra Walker, and the other rented by Mikayluh’s girlfriend, Aa’lyah Tukes. In addition to letting the twins use the residence as a storage and distribution point for methamphetamine, Sondra Walker also distributed methamphetamine herself. During the conspiracy, Mikayluh Walker was responsible for distributing 250 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 600 grams of fentanyl and possessing multiple firearms in the course of the drug trafficking conspiracy. Mikenzi Walker was responsible for distributing 86 pounds of methamphetamine and 10 grams of fentanyl. Evidence demonstrated that in July of 2023, officers arrested Brenda Mincey with methamphetamine and over 100 blue pills containing fentanyl. Investigative efforts determined that the drugs were sourced through the Walker twins and another defendant Jonathan Adam Sarratt. On Jan. 10, 2024, law enforcement conducted surveillance on one of the Walker twins’ stash houses and observed Biggerstaff appear to pick up drugs from the location. Local law enforcement stopped Biggerstaff’s car and searched him, locating 421 grams of methamphetamine and two .45 caliber pistols. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Biggerstaff distributed over 26 kilograms of drugs that were supplied by the Walker twins and that he additionally carried a 9mm pistol during the conspiracy. Biggerstaff had a lengthy criminal history at the time of his offense. On April 12, 2024, a search warrant was conducted on Sondra Walker’s residence, where Mikayluh Walker was living and using as a stash house. Law enforcement recovered approximately 26 kilograms of methamphetamine, 5,000 fentanyl pills, and a 12-gauge pistol grip shotgun. The same day, law enforcement conducted surveillance on and searched the car of Aa’lyah Tukes, Mikayluh’s girlfriend, and found Tukes with over $129,000 of drug proceeds. A search warrant was conducted on Tukes’ apartment, and law enforcement located an additional $21,000 of drug proceeds. United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Mikayluh Walker to 276 months to be followed by a five-year term of court ordered supervision; Mikenzi Walker to 180 months imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervision, Christopher Biggerstaff to 192 months, followed by five years of supervision; Brenda Mincey to 85 months, to be followed by three years of supervision, Aa’lyah Tukes to 32 months, followed by three years of supervision, and Sondra Walker to 48 months of home incarceration, followed by two years of supervision. Sarratt is awaiting sentencing. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations– Border Enforcement Security Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and the Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 124 Border-Related Cases This Week

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 124 border-related cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city). In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here . A sample of border-related arrests this week: On April 28, Jose Maria Murillo Estrada, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Federal Officers and reentry after deportation. According to a complaint, the assault happened after Murillo attempted to make entry into the United States from Mexico through the San Ysidro Port of Entry by running through vehicle primary lanes and was intercepted by officers. On April 27, Emma Alejandra Medina, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Medina was captain of a boat that was transporting eight undocumented immigrants on San Diego Bay. On April 26, Jorge Alexandro Tellez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Tellez was taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection officers after he attempted to cross the border in his vehicle in the San Ysidro Port of Entry’s SENTRI lane with 286 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in all four doors, the seats, the spare tire, the tailgate, and in multiple tool bags located inside the vehicle. Also this week, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases: On May 1, Juan Morales-Lopez, a Mexican national who was last deported in November 2024 and immediately returned on December 10th, was sentenced in federal court to 18 months in custody consecutive to 12 months custody for violating the terms of his supervised released for his earlier illegal entry conviction, for a total of 30 months in custody. Morales-Lopez has 10 illegal entry felony convictions in total and has been removed from the United States a total of 35 times. On May 1, Jose Ramon Ochoa-Monteverde, a Mexican national living in the United States on a Visa, was sentenced in federal court to 84 months in custody for his role as a coordinator and courier for a drug trafficking organization based in Mexico, Imperial Valley, and the Central District of California. In one instance, Ochoa-Monteverde loaded a tractor trailer with duffel bags containing 106.38 kilograms of methamphetamine at a truck stop in Brawley, CA. On April 28, Alejandro Gutierrez-Aguilar, who was previously convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute in 2014, was sentenced in federal court to 30 months in custody for again entering the U.S illegally. Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community. The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Florida Man Sentenced for Assaulting Gate Agent at DFW Airport

body_text: A Florida man who assaulted a gate agent at DFW Airport was sentenced to four months in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. Keith Charles Owens, 53, was charged via criminal complaint in November 2024 and pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging interference with security screening personnel in January 2025. He was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, who also ordered Owens to pay nearly $6,000 in restitution. In plea papers, Mr. Owens admitted that he assaulted an American Airlines gate agent at DFW Airport on Oct. 5, 2024. Security footage showed Mr. Owens repeatedly punched the gate agent in the head. According to court documents, around 4:42 p.m., Mr. Owens approached the gate agent at gate A36, explained he was late, and attempted to scan his boarding pass. When the gate agent informed him he was at the wrong gate, Mr. Owens cursed and walked away. The agent then radioed the correct gate, A35, to inform airline personnel that Mr. Owens was headed their way and appeared to be intoxicated. Mr. Owens then walked onto the A35 jet bridge without scanning his boarding pass. Airline personnel removed him from the jet bridge. A few moments later, at 4:48 p.m., Mr. Owens again approached gate A36. He began yelling at the gate agent, grabbed him by the shoulders, and punched him repeatedly in the face and neck. Eventually, airline personnel were able to restrain him. Both the gate agent and the personnel who assisted in restraining Mr. Owens sustained minor injuries. The flight departing from gate A36 was delayed. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Beck prosecuted the case.


title: Mansfield Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: Keevon Carter-Hickmon, a 30-year-old Mansfield man, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. Carter-Hickmon was indicted and pleaded guilty in January 2025 to production of child pornography. He was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor on May 2, 2025. According to a factual resume signed by the defendant, Carter-Hickmon drove to a local middle school to pick up a minor after communicating with the minor online for several months. Carter-Hickmon took the minor to a motel in Arlington where they had sexual contact. Carter-Hickmon recorded and then distributed pornographic images of the minor over the internet. While awaiting trial on state charges, Carter-Hickmon solicited another minor online and received additional child pornography from that minor. Acting United States Attorney Meacham praised the extraordinary efforts of the agencies involved in bringing justice on behalf of the victims. Those agencies included the Arlington Police Department, Stephenville Police Department, Mansfield Police Department, United States Secret Service, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Allyson Monte prosecuted the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”


title: Jefferson County Man Sentenced to More than 17 Years in Prison on Gun and Drug Charges

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has been sentenced for drug trafficking and possessing firearms as a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Michael Roman Black, 32, of Bessemer, Alabama, to 212 months in prison. In January, Black pleaded guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the plea agreement, between July 2021 and September 2022, Black committed crimes on three separate occasions: On July 22, 2021, a Bessemer police officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Black after discovering it had a switched tag. As the officer approached the vehicle, Black opened the door. The officer observed several syringes lying in the driver’s side door pocket. After Black exited the vehicle pursuant to the officer’s orders, the officer searched the vehicle and recovered syringes, two vacuum sealed bags containing 892.6 grams of methamphetamine, and 60 rounds of Blackout .300 caliber ammunition. Officers searched Black’s person and recovered $8,254 in cash and a plastic bag containing 12 hydrocodone pills. On December 22, 2021, Black sold 435 grams of pure methamphetamine to an undercover officer. On September 7, 2022, an FBI Task Force Officer and FBI agents went to arrest him at a residence in Bessemer, Alabama. During the arrest, agents observed drug paraphernalia, cocaine, rifles, a handgun, and marijuana in plain view. After obtaining a search warrant for the residence, FBI agents and the Bessemer Police Department Special Operations Unit recovered cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a Blackout .300 caliber rifle loaded with 100 rounds of ammunition, an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 (assault style) rifle loaded with 100 rounds of ammunition, four magazines that fit the AM-15 rifle, two loaded Glock 9mm pistols, an unloaded Glock 9mm pistol, ammunition, various magazines, and cash totaling $8,438. At the time of the search warrant, Black was a convicted felon prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm or ammunition. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, along with the Bessemer Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy M. Peoples prosecuted the case.


title: Baltimore Man Charged in Second Superseding Indictment for Robbery, Kidnapping, and Shooting Death in Queens

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, a seven-count second superseding indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jalon Lenny Garrett, also known as “Lips,” Marcus Pittman, also known as “Nacho” and “Cheese,” Delonta Pittman, also known as “D Lo,” and Jerome Waters, also known as “the Engineer” and “Rome,” for their alleged roles in the kidnapping, robbery, and shooting of marijuana dealers on July 25, 2024. Garrett was arrested this morning in Baltimore, Maryland, and will make his initial appearance in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. Marcus Pittman is also newly charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition for his role in the fatal shooting. The remaining defendants are already in custody and will be arraigned at a later date. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrests and charges. “As alleged, the defendants took part in an interstate armed robbery and kidnapping scheme that resulted in the brutal murder of a targeted victim. This prosecution underscores the ongoing threat of guns and drugs in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “This Office is committed to holding violent offenders accountable and ensuring justice for every victim.” “These four defendants allegedly traveled across the northeast to brutally kidnap and rob two unsuspecting individuals, ultimately murdering one of the victims,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Raia. “This alleged fatal robbery highlights the volatile and random violence that the illicit drug trade can fuel. With our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to dismantle any organization implementing lethal tactics to bolster their criminal lifestyles and jeopardize the safety of our city.” “These individuals came to New York City armed with guns and zip ties — ready to rob, kidnap, and kill,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “It was a deliberate, brutal attack meant to terrorize our communities. They thought they could hit and run. They were wrong — and anyone else thinking the same should take note. I’m grateful to our partners in Project Safe Neighborhoods for their shared commitment to protecting New Yorkers.” According to the superseding indictment and other public court filings, the defendants are members of a Baltimore-based robbery crew that conspired to commit an armed robbery and kidnapping of marijuana dealers in Queens, New York. On the evening of July 24,2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators executed a violent armed robbery and kidnapping plot that resulted in John Doe #1’s death. As described below, Garrett robbed and kidnapped John Doe #2 at gunpoint, and Marcus Pittman shot and killed John Doe #1. Specifically, the defendants drove from Maryland to New York for the purpose of robbing two drug dealers, John Doe #1 and John Doe #2. Once in New York, defendants Jerome Waters and William Barnett met with John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at a stash house in Queens, New York, under the guise of purchasing marijuana. At the stash house, Waters and Barnett pulled out their weapons and held up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at gunpoint. Next, they let their co-defendants into the stash house to assist in the robbery and kidnapping. While in the stash house, the defendants and their co-conspirators tied up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 with zip ties and forced them outside and into the back of a Jeep and a U-Haul van, which were driven by Barnett and Israel. At the same time, the defendants and their co-conspirators stole approximately 30 pounds of marijuana from the stash house. The defendants and their co-conspirators drove John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were still tied up, through Queens at gunpoint, demanding drugs and money. Garrett held a gun to John Doe #2 as he was being driven through Queens. Marcus Pittman shot John Doe #1 to death in the back of the U-Haul van. When his body was found by first responders, John Doe #1 still had a zip tie binding one of his hands and was surrounded by bags of marijuana. After the shooting, the defendants fled back to Maryland. If convicted, defendants Marcus Pittman, Delonta Pittman, and Waters each face mandatory minimum sentences of life imprisonment, and Garrett faces a mandatory minimum of ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case was brought as 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Chand Edwards-Balfour and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samuel Ronchetti. New Defendant: JALON LENNY GARRETT Age: 20 Maryland Previously Charged Defendants : MARCUS PITTMAN (also known as “Nacho” and “Cheese”) Age: 30 Maryland DELONTA PITTMAN (also known as “D Lo”) Age: 31 Maryland JEROME WATERS (also known as “the Engineer” and “Rome”) Age: 23 Maryland CALVIN ISRAEL Age: 23 Maryland WILLIAM BARNETT Age: 27 Maryland E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-413 (S-2) (KAM)