title: Dive Boat Owner/Operator Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Clean Water Act

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Today, a Florida woman pled guilty in federal district court to violating the Clean Water Act by knowingly discharging a harmful quantity of oil into United States and contiguous zone waters. According to court documents and statements made at today’s hearing, Liza R. Hash, 48, of Inglis, Fla. owned and operated the S/V JULIET, an 88-foot, 118 gross ton, steel-hulled sailing vessel built in 1974. For approximately six years, Hash operated the vessel between Miami and the Bahamas, on multi-day scuba diving excursions. She carried as many as 12 passengers per trip plus crew. On June 16, 2023, Investigating Officers (CGIOs) from the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami boarded the S/V JULIET upon its return from a trip to the Bahamas. After noticing an active oil sheen originating from the vessel, they conducted a safety examination. During the examination, the CGIOs noted oily water in the vessel’s bilge and an electric submersible pump in the space beneath the main diesel engine. The pump was connected to the vessel's grey water tank, which was arranged to be discharged overboard without treatment. The Defendant admitted that she would use the bilge pump to transfer oil-contaminated bilge waste first into the grey water tank. Then, she would use the grey water tank’s separate discharge pump to empty the untreated contents into U.S. waters. The grey water tank was neither designed nor intended to handle oily bilge wastes, but rather to hold liquids from the vessel's washer, dryer, sinks, showers, and air conditioning unit. Calculations performed by the CGIOs revealed that over the preceding five years of operation, approximately 26,000 gallons of oily water would have been illegally discharged from the S/V JULIET. Such wastes should have been held on board for proper pump-out and disposal at a shore-side facility. United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz, II, set sentencing in the case for May 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. The defendant faces up to three years’ imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release. In addition, the court may impose a fine of up to $250,000. Hayden P. O’Byrne, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Kristopher Martel, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Agency’s criminal enforcement program in Florida, announced the guilty plea. United States Attorney O’Byrne commended the efforts of the United States Coast Guard Sector Miami Investigating Officers, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald is prosecuting the case. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-20007. ###


title: Longtime Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston-based gang H-Block pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to drug conspiracy charges. Jason Bly, 44, of Quincy, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2025. According to the charging documents, the H-Block street gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H-Block. Current members of H-Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation. Bly was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation of H-Block beginning in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation. The investigation identified Bly as a longtime H-Block gang member and a supplier of wholesale quantities of cocaine for distribution. During this investigation, Bly supplied co-defendant and fellow H-Block gang member Avery Lewis with a quarter kilogram of cocaine. According to court documents, Bly’s criminal history includes a 2016 conviction of attempted assault and battery with a firearm and possession of a firearm without a permit during an incident where he fired several rounds from a firearm in H-Block territory. He also has a 2024 conviction for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon during incident in which he threw a cup of hot coffee in another man’s face during an argument for which he is currently on probation until June of 2025. Bly is the third defendant to plead guilty in the case. Lewis pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13, 2025. The charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man involved with the distribution of methamphetamine was sentenced on February 24, 2025, to ten years in federal prison. James Vincent Thornton, age 53, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 11, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Thornton was involved with the distribution of methamphetamine. In November of 2021, law enforcement officers searched a residence where Thornton had been staying. Thornton had been living in the basement of the residence, and officers located approximately 224.17 grams of ice methamphetamine in his room. In March and April 2022, law enforcement officers utilized a confidential informant to buy methamphetamine from Thornton twice. In May 2022, law enforcement officers searched another residence associated with Thornton and located approximately 71.31 grams of ice methamphetamine. Thornton was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Thornton was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Thornton is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-72. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Eighteen Members of Poinsett County Drug-Trafficking Organization In Custody Following Arrest Operation

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: MARKED TREE—Eighteen defendants accused of distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in northeast Arkansas are in custody after federal and state authorities made several arrests in Poinsett County this morning as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. Jonathan Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Alicia D. Corder, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Little Rock Field Office, announced today’s arrests. The large-scale drug operation in northeast Arkansas is, according to a federal indictment, headed by Jack Brown, 58, of Marked Tree, Reginald Hendrix, 53, of Trumann, and Dewayne Morris, 36, Trumann. A team of law enforcement agencies in the area coordinated to arrest 17 individuals this morning. Another defendant was already in state custody. Today’s arrests are in conjunction with the unsealing of the indictment of 21 individuals who were charged by a federal grand jury on February 6, 2025. Twenty of the 21 defendants are charged together in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Three additional coconspirators who live outside the area have been indicted but have not yet been arrested. The arrests stem from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, or OCDETF, investigation that began in July 2023. Most the defendants listed in the indictment are from the small Arkansas towns of Trumann and Marked Tree. The indictment marks the first large-scale federal investigation into that section of the state. The investigation, which was headed by the FBI, involved numerous controlled purchases of methamphetamine from members of the conspiracy. Additionally, throughout the investigation law enforcement agents intercepted numerous phone calls in which the conspiracy members discussed trafficking what was in total multiple pounds of methamphetamine. “The arrests of these defendants continue to show the commitment of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office to focus on making our communities better,” stated United States Attorney Ross. “Through the collaborative efforts of these law enforcement agencies, we were able to make a significant impact in getting these violent drug traffickers out of the community.” “Ridding Arkansas communities of dangerous narcotics and violent criminals is a top priority for law enforcement across the state,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder. “Today’s arrests demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to fostering safer communities for the citizens of Arkansas, and we will continue to collaborate with our federal, state, and local partners on this shared goal.” This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Those arrested today will be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Jerome T. Kearney on Thursday, February 27. Today’s arrests are the result of a joint investigation between the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Marshals Service; ICE; Arkansas State Police; the Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office; Trumann Police Department; Jonesboro Police Department; Craighead County Sheriff’s Office; Marion Police Department; West Memphis Police Department; Blytheville Police Department; the Arkansas Second Judicial Drug Task Force; and the Arkansas National Guard Counter Drug Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Eldridge. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: St. Louis Man Sentenced for Making, Selling Fraudulent IDs

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man who produced and sold fraudulent identification documents to two years in prison. David B. Crosby, 28, pleaded guilty in November to one count of fraud with identification documents and admitted selling stolen and/or fraudulent identification documents and a Social Security number via social media. Crosby sold a fraudulent Missouri driver’s license in October 2023, bearing the name and information of a victim but the photograph of someone else. He also sold the victim’s Social Security number to the same buyer. That identification document and information was subsequently utilized to attempt to purchase a roughly $70,000 BMW in Texas through a fraudulent loan. Crosby also used false identification documents to try to lease an apartment and obtain a $33,000 automobile loan. Crosby admitted intending to cause a total loss of at least $103,000. The U.S. Secret Service, the St. Charles Police Department and the Wentzville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll prosecuted the case.


title: Repeat drug trafficker sentenced to a decade in prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 43-year-old Baytown resident has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. David Lee Garza pleaded guilty May 31, 2024. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Garza to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court considered Garza’s extensive criminal history including a prior conviction for aggravated assault with the use of a firearm and a prior federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine. “Methamphetamine has devastated cities and towns across the country, and drug dealers that seek to profit off that destruction deserve to be held accountable,” said Ganjei. “Those that traffic this drug in our communities can expect a significant sentence, particularly those who are repeat offenders.” In January 2024, law enforcement discovered Garza was coordinating the transportation of kilogram quantities of meth from the Rio Grande Valley to the Houston area. On Jan. 25, 2024, Garza drove from the Houston area to a storage unit in McAllen where he retrieved multiple items. As he left the area, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle and found him in possession of six kilograms of meth. The drugs had a purity level of 99%. The investigation revealed he had been storing drugs in the local storage unit until they were ready for transport. Garza will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.


title: Texas Woman Pleaded Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Emergency Rental Assistance Under A COVID-19 Relief Program

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE – Tanisha Gray, 39, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. Gray fraudulently obtained emergency rental assistance from Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA) and other states’ housing programs that were providing housing assistance for individuals unable to pay rent due to a financial hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In early 2021, Congress established the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program to provide financial assistance to eligible low-income households to cover the costs of rent, rental arrears, utilities, and other housing-related expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. IHFA was an administrator of the ERA program for the state of Idaho and received federal funds to provide housing assistance during the pandemic. IHFA provided emergency rent and utility assistance to eligible Idaho renters who had experienced a financial hardship due to or during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible households could receive assistance with their rental arrearages, plus three months of future rent, and utility assistance, if requested. According to court records, from in or around 2022 through 2023, Gray sought rental assistance from the IHFA and other housing programs by submitting false and fraudulent applications that falsely identified herself as a landlord for various properties. As part of the scheme, Gray also submitted fraudulent supporting documentation including fictitious leases, property management agreements, ledgers for rental arrears, tenant income records, addresses, and certifications of eligibility. As a result of the fraudulent applications Gray submitted and caused to be submitted to the various emergency rental assistance programs in Idaho and other states, Gray received more than $62,000 in fraud proceeds. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill will sentence Gray on May 14, 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 investigations by the Boise Police Department and the United States Secret Service, as well as the assistance of the Idaho Housing and Finance Association, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S Attorney Brittney Campbell is prosecuting this case. ###


title: Houston resident heads to prison for trafficking fentanyl in hidden compartment

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 40-year-old female residing in the Houston area has been sentenced following her conviction for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Alyssa Marie Maldonado pleaded guilty Oct. 16, 2024. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez has now ordered her to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony that detailed Maldonado’s culpability in the crime. In handing down the sentence, the court noted her connection to the smuggling through her actions to conceal the drugs within the vehicle. On March 24, 2024, Maldonado applied for entry into the United States at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Port of Entry. At initial inspection, she made a negative declaration to any contraband within the vehicle and provided false statements concerning her reasons for visiting Mexico. Authorities referred her to secondary inspection where a K-9 soon alerted to the rear back seat area. They then discovered anomalies in the fuel tank and found 22 packages which field tested positive for fentanyl. The combined weight was 8.70 kilograms. Previously released on bond, Maldonado was taken into custody following the sentencing where she will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Blackmon prosecuted the case.


title: Three Defendants Arrested on Federal Complaints Alleging They Knowingly Received More Than $13 Million in Scam Victims’ Money

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – Three individuals, including two Chinese nationals, were arrested today on federal criminal complaints alleging they set up shell companies that laundered more than $13 million stolen from victims of investment scams known as “pig butchering.” The following defendants were arrested this morning and are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana: Mingzhi Li, 24, a.k.a. “Zheng Lin,” of Downtown Los Angeles; Zeyue Jia, 23, a.k.a. “Jiao Jiao Liu,” also of Downtown Los Angeles; and Jun Shi, 55, of San Gabriel. The defendants are charged with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, a felony offense that carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Li and Jia are both Chinese citizens who entered the United States on student visas that have since expired; it is believed that they do not have lawful status in the United States. A federal magistrate judge ordered Li and Jia jailed without bond. Shi was ordered released on $20,000 bond. The defendants’ arraignments are scheduled for March 17 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. According to affidavits filed with the complaints, Shi established both Magic Location Trading LLC and Stone Water Trading LLC on December 7, 2022. Both companies listed the same address in downtown Los Angeles as being their base of operations. Magic Location and Stone Water allegedly operated as money service businesses that were formed for the purpose of remitting funds on behalf of third-party customers to other entities. The defendants and the companies did so without registering with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) or the State of California, as required under federal law. Shi and Li, using the alias “Zheng Lin,” opened U.S.-based bank accounts Magic Location, while Jia, using the alias “Jiao Jiao Liu,” opened U.S.-based bank accounts for Stone Water. Those accounts received funds from investment fraud victims. In total, law enforcement identified 242 wire transfers to Stone Water that were received from individuals – including identified crime victims – totaling approximately $7,618,982, and 60 wire transfers to Magic Trading totaling approximately $5,405,514, according to the complaint. The defendants allegedly then transferred those funds to overseas bank accounts and other domestic businesses, transferred money to individuals, and used the ill-gotten gains for personal expenses. The victims in this matter were attempting to fund what they believed to be investment accounts that they purportedly maintained on digital platforms such as websites or mobile applications. The victims’ investments including commodities such as gold contracts or virtual currency such as Bitcoin. “Pig butchering” fraud schemes (a term derived from a foreign-language phrase used to describe these crimes) consist of scammers encountering victims on dating services or social media, or through unsolicited messages or calls, often masquerading as a wrong number. Scammers initiate relationships with victims and slowly gain their trust, eventually introducing the idea of making a business investment. Victims are then directed to other members of the scheme operating fraudulent investment platforms and applications, where victims are persuaded to transfer money for the purpose of financial investments. Once funds are sent to scammer-controlled accounts, the purported investment platform often falsely shows significant gains on the purported investment, and the victims are thus induced to send more money for additional investments. Ultimately, the victims are unable to recover their money, often resulting in significant losses for the victims. For example, one victim – a 72-year-old Minnesota man – exchanged messages with a Chinese woman on the WhatsApp messaging application. She convinced him to invest in a digital platform called “Enkuu,” according to the complaints. In August 2023, the victim wired $75,000 to Stone Water and, the following month, wired $250,000 to Magic Trading for the purpose of investing in “Enkuu.” He later was unable to withdraw any of his money from “Enkuu.” A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The FBI is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin N. Spencer of the Orange County Office and Angela C. Makabali of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting these cases.


title: Newport News drug trafficker sentenced to over six years in prison for cocaine and firearm charges

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. According to court documents, on July 12, 2023, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) observed Torrean Dontae Whitlow, 34, with the extended magazine of a firearm protruding from his waistband. Whitlow was convicted in 2008 for arson of an occupied dwelling and in 2013 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, Whitlow cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. The agents also observed Whitlow conducting suspected narcotics transactions with four people in a ten-minute span in a parking lot in Hampton. The ATF agents notified officers with the Hampton Police Department, who then also observed Whitlow conduct several suspected narcotic transactions with the extended firearm magazine visible. After Whitlow departed the parking lot in a taxi, officers placed Whitlow under arrest. When the officers searched the taxi, they located a handgun with a 32-round magazine. Following Whitlow’s arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the vehicle from which Whitlow had been observed conducting narcotics transactions and located, among other things, two scales and plastic baggies containing cocaine and methamphetamine. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Jimmie Wideman, Chief of Hampton Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Alyson C. Yates and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcus Johnson and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-91.


title: Three Men Plead Guilty In Bribery And Fraud Investigation At Newark Airport

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – Three men have pleaded guilty in connection with a bribery and fraud investigation pertaining to business at Newark Liberty International Airport (“Newark Airport”), Caroline Sadlowski, Attorney for the United States, announced. Edward Dolphin, 65, of Tomball, Texas, pleaded guilty on February 19, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Quraishi in Trenton federal court, to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. James Wajda, 59, of Cement City, Michigan, pleaded guilty on February 19, 2025, before District Judge Quraishi, to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Ronald Delucia, 70, of Wayne, New Jersey pleaded guilty today before District Judge Quraishi to a two-count Information charging conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (Count One) and conspiracy to commit wire fraud (Count Two). According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Dolphin was an employee of an airline that operated at Newark Airport. From at least as early as 2014 through in or about April 2017, he was an Airport Operations Hub Vendor Manager, and from in or about April 2017 through in or about November 2022, he was a Manger of Hub Business Partners. In his positions at the airline, Dolphin was able to influence which companies would be awarded certain contracts. Dolphin traded this influence for bribes and kickbacks. For example, Dolphin received bribes from Delucia, who was Chief Operating Officer and later Chief Executive Officer of a company that provided a range of services to airlines at Newark Airport, including the airline for which Dolphin worked. Delucia’s company paid Dolphin up to $31,500 per month, totaling $1 million, in exchange for Dolphin’s assistance in securing work for Delucia’s company. In addition, Dolphin received approximately $70,000 from another vendor in exchange for Dolphin’s influence in the process of awarding a busing contract. Dolphin received approximately $278,000 from another vendor in exchange for his influence in the process of awarding a snow removal contract. Finally, Dolphin received approximately $262,000 in exchange for his influence in the process of awarding an aircraft cleaning contract. In total, Dolphin received over $1.6 million in bribes and kickbacks. Wajda was the Chief Operating Officer for a Des Plaines, Illinois based company that provided various services to an airline at Newark Airport, including cabin cleaning services. In or about December 2021, the company had a contract with the airline to load provisions onto the airline’s planes. In or about March 2022, Wajda conspired with Delucia, agreeing that Delucia’s company would invoice Wajda’s company for a “dispatcher” to assist in the transportation of the provisions, as if Wajda’s company had subcontracted Delucia’s company to assist in dispatching the trucks transporting provisions to the aircraft. Delucia’s company then fraudulently invoiced Wajda’s company for work that Delucia’s company did not in fact provide, and Wajda’s company paid the invoices. Delucia then kicked back a portion of the fraudulently obtained funds to Wajda through Wajda’s personal limited liability company. Pursuant to this agreement, Delucia’s company invoiced Wajda’s company $150,000 for services that were never rendered. Wajda, in turn, received approximately $38,600 from this scheme. In addition to pleading guilty to the conduct involving Dolphin and Wajda, Delucia also admitted his role in conduct involving Alok Saksena, Anthony Rosalli, and Lovella Rogan, who each previously pleaded guilty in this investigation. Rosalli, Saksena, and Rogan all held positions with the airline that enabled them to influence which companies the airline would award certain contracts to at Newark Airport. The defendants conspired to receive bribes and kickbacks from Delucia’s company in exchange for helping Delucia’s company obtain lucrative airline contracts at Newark Airport. For example, in or about September 2021, Delucia’s company bid on a contract to renovate restrooms at Newark Airport. Saksena, Rosalli, and Rogan sat on the selection committee and each of them voted to award the contract to the company. In exchange for their help in obtaining the $19.7 million restroom renovation contract, and with the expectation that they would use their positions to help the company obtain future contracts, Delucia’s company agreed to pay for significant renovations at their personal residences, including renovating and building bathrooms, renovating a deck, installing floors and sheetrock, and renovating a kitchen. Delucia’s company also gave them valuable items, including electronics and jewelry. The total value of the bribes paid was approximately $539,000 to Saksena; approximately $276,000 to Rosalli; and approximately $409,000 to Rogan. “The defendants exploited their positions within their respective companies to enrich themselves while defrauding others. Defendants’ commercial bribery and fraud corrupts the fairness of our economic system. We will hold to account those who break the law to line their own pockets.” Attorney for the United States Caroline Sadlowski “The schemes conceived and executed by these individuals to defraud the airline operating out of Newark Airport are reprehensible. The individuals who benefited with monetary and other high-value gain are being held responsible for the bribery and corruption they had hoped would fly under the radar,” Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said. “Blatant corruption like this erodes public trust and robs honest businesses of fair opportunities,” said Port Authority Inspector General John Gay. “This case is a stark example of individuals exploiting their positions for personal gain, putting greed ahead of the public good. We’re grateful for the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI as we root out fraud, hold bad actors accountable, and protect the integrity of the systems that keep our region moving.” Dolphin, Wajda, and Delucia each face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. Sentencing for Dolphin is scheduled for June 24, 2025. Sentencing for Wajda is scheduled for June 24, 2025. Sentencing for Delucia is scheduled for July 1, 2025. Attorney for the United States Caroline Sadlowski credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, investigators from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General John Gay, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine J. Calle and Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark. All other co-conspirators identified in the Informations are presumed innocent until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: David Wikstrom, Esq., Counsel to Edward Dolphin Paul Flannery, Esq., Counsel to James Wajda Paul Faugno, Esq., Counsel to Ronald Delucia wajda.information.pdf dolphin.information.pdf delucia.information.pdf


title: Oregon Transportation Company and Owner Sentenced to Probation and Criminal Fines for Tampering with Pollution Monitoring Devices

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.--A Fairview, Oregon transportation company and its owner were sentenced in federal court today for knowingly and intentionally tampering with emissions monitoring devices in violation of the Clean Air Act. Clancy Logistics, Inc., located in Fairview, Oregon, and its owner, Timothy Curtis Clancy, 55, of Sherwood, Oregon, were each sentenced to three years' probation. They were also ordered to pay a fine of $101,510, jointly and severally. According to court documents, between October 2019 and July 2023, Clancy tampered with federally mandated monitoring devices by performing "deletes and tunes" to emission control systems for at least thirteen diesel semi-trailer trucks operated by his companies. Clancy, as owner of Clancy Logistics, oversaw the illegal modification of vehicles, including engaging in and directing employees to remove the emissions control equipment and tune the onboard diagnostic systems so it could no longer detect the removal of control equipment. Clancy Logistics knowingly operated the altered vehicles. On September 13, 2024, Clancy Logistics and Clancy were charged by criminal information with two counts of Clean Air Act tampering. On September 18, 2024, they each pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a monitoring device. This case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency's Criminal Investigation Division. It was prosecuted by Andrew Ho, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Gwendolyn Russell, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency.


title: North Bay Man Pleads Guilty To Aggravated Sexual Abuse Of Victim In Marin Headlands

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Esbin Ramirez-Garcia, 28, of Rohnert Park, pleaded guilty today to aggravated sexual abuse of a victim while in the Marin Headlands. Defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 22, 2024, on one count of aggravated sexual abuse in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2241(a). In pleading guilty, Ramirez-Garcia admitted that late in the evening on Aug. 2, 2024, while giving the victim, with whom he had a prior relationship, a ride from her workplace in his truck, he asked her to get back together with him. Ramirez-Garcia and the victim got into an argument and she refused to resume their relationship. Defendant deviated from the route to the victim’s home. The victim asked to be let out of the vehicle, but Ramirez-Garcia grabbed her with his hand and continued driving, forcing her to accompany him. According to the plea agreement, Ramirez-Garcia then drove his truck to a parking lot in the Marin Headlands, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and parked just after midnight. Ramirez-Garcia admitted that he forcibly placed his body on top of the victim’s body while she sat in the passenger seat and sexually assaulted her. Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dan Costin, and National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Acting Special Agent in Charge Betsy Smith made the announcement. Defendant has been in custody since August 2024. Ramirez-Garcia’s sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2025, before Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup. Defendant faces a statutory maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Chen and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Wistar Wilson are prosecuting this case with the assistance of Sara Slattery, Maureen French, and Fernanda Gonzalez. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch.


title: Rockford-Area Contractor Sent To Prison For Investment Scam

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: LANSING – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge announced today that Matthew Mencarelli, 39, of Belmont, Michigan was sentenced to 97 months in prison for a wire fraud scheme in which he offered phony investments in nonexistent “fiber optic cable” and other infrastructure projects. He used the money to finance his lifestyle and make Ponzi-type payments to earlier investors. U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, who imposed the sentence, found Mencarelli responsible for causing $1,615,180 in loss to 15 victims of the scheme. “Those who steal from others to line their own pockets will be held accountable,” Birge said . “We are committed to combatting financial fraud and white-collar crime and would like to thank the victims who came forward to report it.” “Today’s sentencing of Matthew Mencarelli sends a stern message that fraudulent investment schemes will not be tolerated in Michigan,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “The FBI remains committed to investigating and deterring financial fraud that harms our community. We appreciate the Grand Rapids Police Department for their invaluable partnership and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Michigan in bringing Mr. Mencarelli to justice.” Court records indicate that Mencarelli, who owned a contracting business called Matthew’s Woodworking LLC, began soliciting fictitious investments in 2018 when his business was suffering from financial difficulties and unsatisfied customers. He approached friends and acquaintances from his family’s yacht club and county club and told them he had lucrative contracts with local governments in Traverse City to install fiber optic cable or other infrastructure projects. He told them he needed money to maintain a “surety bond” in connection with the contracts and guaranteed high rates of return if the investors loaned him money. In truth, there were no such contracts and Mencarelli used the money instead to finance his lifestyle, pouring at least $400,000 into a custom-built home. He also used payments from newer investors to pay off older investors. When it came time to pay investors back, he lied, bullied, and threatened them and manufactured false documents to maintain the charade. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Stiffler. # # #


title: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Urges States to Comply with Federal Law by Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi issued letters to officials in California, Maine, and Minnesota warning them to comply with federal antidiscrimination laws that require them to keep men out of women’s sports. “This Department of Justice will defend women and does not tolerate state officials who ignore federal law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will leverage every legal option necessary to ensure state compliance with federal law and President Trump’s executive order protecting women’s sports.” As President Trump’s recent executive order on this subject explains, allowing men and boys to compete in women’s and girls’ sports “is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls.” The practice is also illegal under federal law: it denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports, in violation of Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972.


title: North Carolina Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A North Carolina man was sentenced for attempted enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Jonathan Allen Norris, 45, of Carolina Beach, North Carolina, to 120 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. In October 2024, Norris pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. This conviction will require Norris to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. According to the plea agreement, in December 2022, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old girl responded to an ad posted by Norris on a social media application. On January 6, 2023, Norris arrived in Birmingham from New Mexico to engage in a sexual act with a minor. If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The FBI investigated the case along with the Homewood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.


title: Johnston County Resident Pleads Guilty To Failure To Register As A Sex Offender

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lance Alden Whelchel, age 30, of Wapanucka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The Indictment alleged that Whelchel was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country in the Eastern District of Oklahoma on May 24, 2023, and was required to register as a sex offender. From July 5, 2024, until September 12, 2024, Whelchel failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Harris County Texas Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Whelchel will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 2 1/2 Years in Prison for Gun Crime Related to Road Rage Incident

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples. U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie Axon sentenced David Lee Hooker, 53, to 30 months in prison. In November 2024, Hooker pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm stemming from a road rage incident in Jefferson County. This sentence sends a clear message that violent and reckless behavior on our roads will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who threaten the safety of our communities and endanger innocent lives.” “The safety of our communities is a priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples, Birmingham Division. “The strong collaboration between FBI Birmingham and our state and local law enforcement partners works as a force multiplier to remove violent offenders from the communities we protect and serve.” According to the plea agreement, on April 4, 2023, Hooker was involved in a road rage incident at the intersection of Bessemer Road and BY Williams Sr. Drive. Hooker’s vehicle remained stationary during two cycles of the traffic light, and the individual in the vehicle behind Hooker continued to blow their horn. When Hooker made a left turn, he pulled to the right side of the roadway. As the driver of the second vehicle drove by, Hooker drove up beside the vehicle and pointed a firearm at the driver. The driver of the second vehicle then pulled into a nearby parking lot. Hooker followed the driver into the parking lot where he got out of his vehicle and proceeded to walk toward the second vehicle. A Jefferson County Sherriff’s Office Task Force Officer witnessed this and activated his emergency lights to intervene. Hooker placed the firearm into his front pocket and raised his hands above his head. The officer recovered a Smith &Wesson 9mm pistol from Hooker. The FBI investigated the case along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Keown, Sr., prosecuted the case.


title: Life Sentence for Omaha Man Convicted of Selling Fentanyl Resulting in the Death of a Four-Year-Old and Sex Trafficking of a Minor

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Michael Reis, 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 25, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, for distributing fentanyl that resulted in death and for sex trafficking of a minor. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Reis to life imprisonment, on both charges, to be run concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Reis’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. On March 12, 2022, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the Aspen Grove apartment complex for an unresponsive four-year-old. Upon arrival, deputies began CPR until an ambulance could take the child to Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. The child was later pronounced dead due to fentanyl toxicity. The investigation was led by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Task Force Group 3. TFG3 consists of DEA special agents and local law enforcement officers that specialize in drug overdose investigations. The investigation found that Reis was a fentanyl pill dealer, and that on March 12, 2022, Reis went to Aspen Grove and sold Paris Hunt a fentanyl pill. This pill later wound up in the hands of the Hunt’s son. When Reis was arrested on the federal warrant, he talked with TFG3 investigators and denied responsibility, stating that “he didn’t want to sell it to her and that she begged me” for the pill. However, investigators were able to determine that Reis had sold pills on at least 35 other occasions to Paris Hunt. Reis also acknowledged the risks of selling pills containing fentanyl, telling investigators that he himself had overdosed and that he personally knew someone that died from an overdose. “Today’s sentencing will not bring back the smiling four-year-old child who ingested a fake pill left lying on a table,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell said. “But, Michael Reis will spend the rest of his life in prison, knowing that a pill he sold caused a beautiful soul to leave this earth and a community to grieve. Let this story serve as a tragic reminder that fentanyl in any form is deadly and no one is immune to this substance.” A life sentence for distributing fentanyl resulting in death is the first in the District of Nebraska. The sex trafficking of a minor conviction resulted from an investigation by the Omaha Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. In July 2022, investigators met with a runaway that had been found. This 15-year-old told investigators that she met “Menace Primes” on Facebook and that she was eventually sold for sex. After an “interview,” which consisted of sending nude photos, the 15-year-old was later advertised on commercial sex websites. Investigators were able to determine that Menace Primes was Reis. Reis’s phone was seized as part of the overdose investigation, and investigators found that Reis self-described himself as a pimp. Evidence of Reis’s sex trafficking of the 15-year-old was found on the phone as he “shopped her around.” The 15-year-old would beg Reis for money to buy food, which Reis refused telling her that she didn’t “work” enough. After being arrested on the federal warrant for the sex trafficking charge, Reis agreed to speak with investigators. Reis told investigators he looked for vulnerable women because he knew they were desperate. He would have sex with them and have them call him daddy to establish an emotional bond. “I want you to feel like I’m daddy, I want you to feel like I’m who matters…listen, if I don’t matter than how am I going to be able to get what I need from [them]. It was just easy money for me. I want them to console in me, trust me, and soon as I get what I need I’m gone.” Reis admitted that after the last time he sold the 15-year-old for $500, he took all of the money and left, never talking to her again. “For years, Reis exploited those weaker and more vulnerable than him, perpetuating a cycle of abuse that devastated countless lives. Today, that cycle ends,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “The successful partnership between HSI and the Omaha Police Department was critical in uncovering Reis’s horrific crimes and delivering justice. This sentencing serves as a stern warning to those who seek to exploit the vulnerable: HSI and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting traffickers to ensure they face the full force of the law.” On September 5, 2024, Reis pled guilty to sex trafficking of a minor. On October 9, 2024, a jury found Reis guilty of selling the fentanyl that resulted in the death of the 4-year-old boy. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Molsen said, “Today’s sentence sends a strong message to perpetrators of both crimes. Those who distribute drugs, such as fentanyl, know the danger those drugs pose to users. And when a user overdoses, the drug distributors should know their actions will face significant punishment. Additionally, those who promote prostitution involving minors should also know they too will face significant punishment for their actions.” This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Omaha Police Department, and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.


title: Iron River Man Sentenced To 84 Months In Federal Prison For Drug Possession And Drug Trafficking

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that Matthew Joseph Sheehan, 45, of Iron River, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. According to court records, investigators received information that Sheehan was traveling out of state to obtain illicit drugs for distribution in the Upper Peninsula, including methamphetamine, MDMA, and cocaine. In June 2023, Sheehan was pulled over in Iron County for a traffic infraction. During the traffic stop, officers found nearly a pound of methamphetamine, a smaller quantity of cocaine, and more than $6,000 in cash. A subsequent search of Sheehan’s residence recovered additional drugs and over $37,000. The Michigan State Police, Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET), Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Iron River Police Department, and Iron County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. # # #


title: U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE COLLECTS $10,739,347.57 IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL ACTIONS IN FISCAL YEAR 2024

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced today that the Northern District of Florida collected $10,739,347.57 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $6,129,268.26 was collected in criminal actions and $4,610,079.31 was collected in civil actions . “Our office’s civil and criminal divisions, in coordination with our federal, state, and local law partners, have continued to work tirelessly to collect funds owed the America people in both criminal and civil matters,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven. “These efforts recover funds owed in civil and criminal debts and are used to punish criminals, make victims whole, and return funds to the federal treasury.” For example, in November, 2023, Chad Wade pleaded guilty to wire fraud, money laundering, and bankruptcy fraud, for acts of COVID-related fraud. He was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment, ordered to pay restitution to the United States Small Business Administration in the amount of about $1.58 million, and ordered to pay a fine of $100,000.00. In FY 2024, the Northern District of Florida collected the full amount of the restitution. In addition to the criminal judgment, the Northern District of Florida obtained a civil judgment under the False Claims Act for over $4 million, of which over $2.2 million has been collected. The total amount collected from Wade is over $3.8 million. In November, 2022, Kathleen Jasper pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets. She was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay restitution to the Florida Department of Education in the amount of $135,026.00. In FY 2024, the Northern District of Florida recovered the full amount of the restitution, including over $20,000 through the Treasury Offset Program. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Northern District of Florida, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $ 10,417,393 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: OKX Pleads Guilty To Violating U.S. Anti-Money Laundering Laws And Agrees To Pay Penalties Totaling More Than $500 Million

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that Aux Cayes Fintech Co. Ltd, d/b/a “OKEx,” d/b/a “OKX” (“OKX”), a Seychelles-based entity, that since at least 2017 has operated OKX, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, pled guilty today to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. In connection with today’s guilty plea and sentencing, OKX agreed to pay monetary penalties totaling more than $504 million. The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who presided over today’s guilty plea and sentencing. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “For over seven years, OKX knowingly violated anti-money laundering laws and avoided implementing required policies to prevent criminals from abusing our financial system. As a result, OKX was used to facilitate over five billion dollars’ worth of suspicious transactions and criminal proceeds. Today’s guilty plea and penalties emphasize that there will be consequences for financial institutions that avail themselves of U.S. markets but violate the law by allowing criminal activity to continue.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “For years, OKX flagrantly violated U.S. law, actively seeking customers in the United States—including here in New York—and even going so far as to advise individuals to provide false information to circumvent requisite procedures. Furthermore, in their failure to adhere to U.S. law, significant illicit transactions which furthered other criminal activity went undetected on their platform. Blatant disregard for the rule of law will not be tolerated, and the FBI is committed to working with our partners across government to ensure that corporations that engage in this type of conduct are held accountable for their actions.” According to court documents and admissions: OKX is one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange platforms, with billions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency transactions occurring daily on its platform. OKX allows registered users to place orders for spot trades in over three hundred cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. OKX users can also place orders for derivative products, including futures contracts, tied to the value of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Financial institutions that operate wholly or in substantial part in the United States must register with the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) as a money services business (“MSB”) and comply with federal anti-money laundering (“AML”) laws, including the Bank Secrecy Act. These laws require the filing of suspicious activity reports and the maintenance of an adequate AML program, including an effective know-your-customer (“KYC”) program. AML programs are critical to ensure that entry-points into the U.S. financial system do not become tools criminals can use to profit from illicit activity. Since 2017, OKX has had an official policy preventing U.S. persons from transacting on its exchange. But contrary to this official policy, OKX sought out customers in the United States, including in the Southern District of New York. From in or about 2018 through in or about at least early 2024, OKX served U.S. retail and institutional customers that engaged in over one trillion dollars’ worth of transactions through OKX. Transactions from those U.S. customers generated hundreds of millions of dollars in trading fees and profits for OKX. Because OKX served U.S. retail and institutional customers, OKX knew it was required by U.S. law to register as a money services business with FinCEN, but OKX chose not to do so. [1] In fact, despite OKX’s official policy prohibiting U.S. persons from transacting on the exchange, OKX was fully aware that individuals in the United States could, and did, easily create and use OKX trading accounts. From OKX’s founding in approximately 2017 through approximately November 2022, OKX allowed retail customers the option to create an account, receive and transfer funds, and place trades without completing a KYC process. This meant that OKX, a large financial institution, facilitated transactions on behalf of customers that it could not identify. Further, while OKX implemented a policy blocking customers with U.S.-located IP addresses from trading or depositing assets onto OKX (the “IP Ban”), OKX knew that the IP Ban could be circumvented through cheap, widely available VPN technology. Also, through at least early 2023, OKX allowed existing accounts to continue to receive and transfer funds, and place trades, all without completing a KYC process. And until approximately early 2024, OKX also allowed customers to place trades on the exchange through third-party entities known as “non-disclosure brokers” without the third-party entity disclosing any identifying information to OKX about the customers on whose behalf the trades were placed. Even after OKX began requiring all customers to provide some KYC information to trade, OKX employees on certain occasions advised customers how to provide false information to circumvent the company’s KYC process and official policy prohibiting U.S. customers. For example, in April 2023, an OKX employee encouraged a potential U.S. customer to open an account by providing false information about the customer’s nationality during the KYC processing, writing “I know you’re in the US, but you could just put a random country and it should go through. You just need to put Name, nationality, and ID number. You could just put United Arab Emirates and random numbers for the ID number.” At that time, OKX did not verify the information that customers provided to open an account to trade. In January 2024, the same employee wrote to another potential U.S. customer and asked if the individual had “any workaround on KYC outside of the US to make it potentially work.” During the relevant period, OKX advertised in the United States, sponsoring the Tribeca Film Festival, for example, and used affiliate marketers based in the United States to promote the exchange. OKX also allowed existing customers to promote the exchange, and provided such customers benefits for recruiting additional users. At least one such OKX customer produced a publicly-available, step-by-step instructional video educating U.S. customers about how to register with OKX using a VPN to conceal their U.S. presence. OKX also focused its efforts on attracting and retaining certain U.S. institutional customers, including large institutions who could provide liquidity and help OKX become one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges by making a broad range of cryptocurrencies available at competitive rates. OKX’s U.S. institutional customers were some of OKX’s largest customers, with one such firm alone generating more than a trillion dollars in spot and derivatives transactions on OKX during the relevant period. They provided significant liquidity, volume and trading fees for the platform, despite OKX’s knowing failure to register as an MSB and OKX’s “official” policy banning U.S. customers. Until approximately May 2023, OKX did not adequately or consistently use commercially available software to monitor and detect suspicious activity, including money laundering, and OKX did not have adequate controls to determine whether either party to transactions on the exchange was potentially subject to sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department. As a result, through at least early 2024, OKX was used by numerous customers as a vehicle for laundering the proceeds of suspicious and criminal activities, including more than five billion dollars of suspicious transactions and illicit proceeds, based on a review of third-party transaction data. In early 2024, OKX retained an external compliance consultant (the “Consultant”) to advise OKX on policies and controls reasonably designed to prevent U.S. persons from engaging in transactions on OKX’s platform through accounts held at OKX. As part of the plea agreement, OKX is continuing to retain the Consultant, at its own cost, through February 2027, and has agreed to continue to cooperate with the United States Attorney’s Office. * * * In addition to the guilty plea, OKX, a Seychelles-based entity, also agreed to criminally forfeit $420.3 million and pay a criminal fine of approximately $84.4 million. OKX received credit for its cooperation with the investigation and timely engaging in remedial measures, resulting in a 25% reduction off the bottom of the otherwise applicable recommended fine range. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI New York Field Office. This matter is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance & Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Brumwell, Eli J. Mark, and Vladislav Vainberg are in charge of the prosecution. u.s._v._okx_information.pdf u.s._v._okx_plea_agreement_and_attachments.pdf [1] OKX has an affiliate U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange named OKCoin USA, Inc. (“OKCoin”) which, in contrast with OKX, has registered with FinCEN as a MSB. OKCoin serves customers globally, including in the United States, and offers retail and institutional customers the ability to spot trade, including purchasing cryptocurrency using U.S. dollars. The conduct described herein that gives rise to the charge in the Information, and to which OKX pled guilty, is solely that of the unregistered MSB, Aux Cayes Fintech Co. Ltd., d/b/a “OKEx,” d/b/a “OKX,” the defendant.


title: Leader of the H-2 Drug Cartel Extradited from Mexico to Face Narcotics Trafficking, Firearms and Money Laundering Charges in Brooklyn Federal Court

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Jesus Ricardo Patron Sanchez, also known as “H-3,” “Diabolic,” “Vela,” “James Bond” and “Xmen,” was arraigned on February 22, 2025 at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on an indictment charging him with leading a continuing criminal enterprise, participating in a large-scale narcotics distribution conspiracy and using one or more firearms in connection with narcotic offenses. Sanchez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested in Mexico in February 2019 on a provisional arrest warrant issued based upon charges in the Eastern District of New York and subsequently extradited from Mexico to the United States on February 21, 2025. The arraignment was held before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo. Sanchez was ordered detained pending trial. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Los Angeles Field Division which oversees the Las Vegas District Office (DEA), announced the extradition and arraignment. “As alleged in the indictment and court filings, Sanchez was one of the principal leaders of the H-2 Drug Trafficking Organization, a brutally violent transnational criminal organization that flooded American streets with dangerous drugs and protected its operations through murder and corruption,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “This Office is committed to working with its federal and international partners to bring leaders of cartels and transnational criminal organizations to justice in the United States and to hold them accountable for the death and destruction they have unleashed here and abroad.” Mr. Durham extended his appreciation to the DEA’s offices in Las Vegas and Mexico City, Mexico, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Department of State, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Government of Mexico. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Sanchez. “Our country is facing an unprecedented drug crisis. Violent drug trafficking organizations, like H-2, fueled by unrelenting and callous greed have been saturating our communities with poison, death, and chronic devastation,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Allen. “The DEA continues its unwavering determination to mitigate this evil and eradicate their terror and corruption from our streets.” According to the indictment and court filings, Sanchez was a leader of the H-2 Drug Trafficking Organization (the H-2 DTO), a violent Mexican drug trafficking organization based in Nayarit and Sinaloa, Mexico. Sanchez’s alias “H-3” is a reference to his status as a successor to Hector Beltran-Leyva, the original “H” and one of the principal leaders of the Beltran Leyva Cartel that was previously part of the Sinaloa Cartel. The H-2 DTO was previously led by the defendant’s brother, Juan Francisco Patron Sanchez, also known as “H-2.” Based on public reporting, after Juan Francisco Patron Sanchez was killed in 2017, the defendant assumed principal leadership over the H-2 DTO. The H-2 DTO had numerous distribution cells in the United States, including in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Ohio, Minnesota, North Carolina and New York. The DEA estimates that between January 2013 and February 2017, the H-2 DTO distributed, on a monthly basis, hundreds of kilograms of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, and thousands of kilograms of marijuana into the United States and earned millions of dollars in illegal proceeds in return. In furtherance of its drug trafficking operation, the H-2 DTO used firearms and physical violence and is associated with numerous homicides. Between June 2013 and December 2016, the defendant was one of the principal leaders of the H-2 DTO and directed the distribution of large quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana from Mexico into various parts of the United States, including the Eastern District of New York. The defendant also coordinated the money laundering activities of other members of the H-2 DTO to ensure the proceeds of their drug trafficking were transferred back to Mexico. In addition, he conspired with other leaders and members of the H-2 DTO to kill members of rival drug trafficking organizations and other individuals perceived as threats to the H-2 DTO. The extradition of Sanchez is the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the DEA. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the continuing criminal enterprise count, the defendant faces a mandatory life sentence; the defendant faces up to a life sentence on the other counts of the indictment. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Wang and Raffaela S. Belizaire are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : JESUS RICARDO PATRON SANCHEZ (also known as “H-3,” “Diabolic,” “Vela,” “James Bond” and “Xmen”) Age: 39 Mexico E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-241 (S-2) (CBA)


title: Seven Charged In Central Florida Gun Trafficking Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging six individuals involved in an alleged gun trafficking operation. An additional individual was separately charged by complaint in the same conspiracy. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit specific firearms recovered in the operation. Name (Age, City of Residence) Charge Maximum Penalties Victor Manuel LaFontaine Ruiz (31, Poinciana) Gun trafficking conspiracy Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting Possession of machinegun 15 years 5 years 10 years Jose Emanuel Maldonado Rodriguez (32, Kissimmee) Gun trafficking conspiracy Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting Possession of machinegun 15 years 5 years 10 years Freddie Geovani Cruz Batiz (36, Kissimmee) Gun trafficking conspiracy Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting 15 years 5 years Jomar Manuel Lopez Montanez (30, Kissimmee) Gun trafficking conspiracy Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting Felon in possession 15 years 5 years 15 years Derrick Yamil Rivera Robles (29, Kissimmee) Gun trafficking conspiracy Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting Possession of machinegun 15 years 5 years 10 years Leonardo David Joseph Guerra (23, Orlando) Gun trafficking conspiracy Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting Alien in possession 15 years 5 years 15 years Jincheng Shi (27, St. Cloud) Unlicensed gun dealing, aiding and abetting Alien in possession 5 years 15 years According to court documents, from at least as early as September 2023 onward, Lafontaine and Maldonado operated a gun trafficking ring involving hundreds of firearms, machineguns, machinegun conversion devices, and high-capacity magazines needed for fully automatic weapons. This operation did not involve any federally licensed firearms dealers. Instead, Lafontaine and Maldonado obtained firearms parts, including from Jincheng Shi, a Chinese national. Lafontaine and Maldonado allegedly assembled, manufactured, and modified semi-automatic and automatic firearms using a “ghost gunner” machine and specialized “endmill” drilling devices at a workspace on Maldonado’s property in Kissimmee: From there, Lafontaine and Maldonado, along with assistance from Batiz, sold firearms, including fully automatic weapons and machine gun conversion devices (“chips” or “buttons”) that are used to convert semi-automatic weapons into machineguns. They sold those items to illegal aliens and convicted felons such as Lopez Montanez, Rivera Robles, and Joseph Guerra, who were often brokering such transactions on behalf of other unknown customers. On September 17, 2023, for example, Lafontaine showed a fully automatic firearm to a customer that was later sold during this operation and, on October 9, 2023, Lafontaine quoted Rivera Robles (a convicted felon) a price of $150 for a machinegun conversion device known as a “chip,” that Rivera Robles purchased in March 2024. On February 7, 2025, Lafontaine sold Lopez Montanez (a convicted felon) two firearms falsely branded to appear as though they were legitimate firearms manufactured with engraved fake sequential serial numbers. When Lopez Montanez was stopped, he fled from law enforcement and attempted to hide the weapons that were eventually recovered. The next day, Lafontaine delivered five similar firearms to Maldonado. On February 20, 2025, law enforcement executed five search warrants at various locations associated with this conspiracy. The items are still be inventoried. Preliminarily, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) have recovered at least five AR-style pistols with sequential and identical serial numbers at Maldonado’s residence (depicted below), along with at least three machinegun conversion devices, machinery used to assemble, modify, and manufacture the firearms and machine guns sold through this operation. At Lafontaine’s residence, agents recovered a completed rifle, gun parts, gun manufacturing and modification equipment, and drug distribution paraphernalia with a blender and a powder that field-tested positive for fentanyl, packaged for sale. At Batiz’s residence, agents recovered a handgun and an AR pistol, four machinegun conversion devices, along with drug paraphernalia and powders packaged for distribution that are still being tested. Eight handguns, three rifles, and eight AR-style receivers were recovered from Shi’s residence and storage lockers. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Orlando Police Department, Winter Garden Police Department, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Apopka Police Department, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and Florida Highway Patrol. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Tower Woman Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Over $300K From Clients

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Tower woman has been sentenced to 28 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay nearly $430,000 in restitution to more than two dozen former payroll clients and the IRS, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, Jeana Lautigar, a.k.a. Jeana Lautigar-McGowan, 58, owned and operated an accounting and payroll service headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, where she managed payroll for various small businesses. To facilitate the payroll service, Lautigar-McGowan was granted access to client bank accounts. On multiple occasions between 2016 and 2020, Lautigar-McGowan embezzled funds from her clients’ bank accounts and used the money to cover personal expenses, or to pay back money she had previously embezzled from other clients. To accomplish her scheme, Lautigar-McGowan would electronically transfer funds from a client account into an account she controlled – in an amount appearing to be consistent with clients’ payroll – and spend the money for unapproved purposes. In total, she embezzled $344,813 from her clients over a period of five years. According to court documents and her guilty plea, on February 6, 2020, Lautigar-McGowan tried to cover her scheme by transferring money from an account she controlled and that had been funded with embezzled money into the account of another payroll client. Lautigar-McGowan also filed false income tax returns in which she failed to report the embezzled income, resulting in a $84,746 tax loss to the United States. On September 27, 2024, Lautigar-McGowan pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property and one count of filing a false income tax return. She was sentenced last week by Judge Donovan W. Frank. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Lewis and Esther Soria prosecuted the case.


title: Child Predator Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison after Transporting 14-Year-Old Michigan Girl Across State Lines for Sex and Impregnating Her

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— Larry Goldsmith., 26, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity. According to court documents, in 2020, Goldsmith began messaging a 14-year-old girl living in Michigan through the social media applications Spot-a-Friend and Snapchat. Goldsmith knew of the child’s age at the time yet engaged in sexually explicit conversations with her. At the end of August 2020, the child got into a verbal argument with her mother and expressed to Goldsmith that she wanted to run away from home. Goldsmith drove over four hours to Michigan and picked her up at a business near her home. Goldsmith was 21 years old at the time. On the way back to Indiana, Goldsmith engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the child at a rest stop in Michigan and then transported her across state lines to a home he rented in Indianapolis. During their time living together, Goldsmith had sex with the child numerous times and impregnated her. After committing these offenses, Goldsmith continued his sexual abuse of minors by committing essentially the same conduct with another child in Georgia – where he drugged and raped a 13-year-old. In 2022, Goldsmith pleaded guilty to those crimes in Georgia and was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, which he is currently serving. “Goldsmith is no longer a danger to children and families in our community,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “He is a manipulative, child predator who used the tools of social media to abuse a vulnerable child over and over again. I commend the outstanding work of local law enforcement agencies in Indiana and Georgia, along with the FBI, to bring the victim home safely.” "The FBI is unwavering in our mission to protect the most vulnerable members of our society – our children. This case highlights the disturbing reality of sexual exploitation, and the sentence ensures this predator will remain behind bars and unable to continue to perpetrate such atrocities,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to work together to ensure no child is victimized in this way.” “This sentence sends a clear message—those who harm children will be held accountable," said IMPD Chief Chris Bailey. "The dedication and diligence of our IMPD officers, along with law enforcement agencies across the country, played a critical role in getting this predator behind bars.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman. Under federal law, Goldsmith must register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school for life. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryAnn T. Mindrum, who prosecuted this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. ###


title: Stolen Debit Card Numbers, Illicit Purchases Lead to Guilty Plea from Massachusetts Man

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine : A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to court records, from January to February 2023, Andre Hill , 25, obtained and used multiple debit card numbers without the knowledge of the account holders. Hill loaded the stolen numbers into a digital wallet application on his phone and then traveled to Maine and other locations to make purchases, request cash back, and purchase money orders payable to himself. The purchases made in Maine took place at multiple retail locations and post offices in the greater Portland area. Hill faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $1 million on the bank fraud charge. He faces a mandatory prison term of two years and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the aggravated identity charge. Any sentence imposed on the aggravated identity theft charge will run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Following a term of incarceration, Hill faces up to five years of supervised release. He will also be required to pay restitution to the victims. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. ###


title: Man In Prison for Rape Sentenced to Additional 235 Months for Federal Child Exploitation Crimes

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal district judge in Fort Pierce has sentenced a Georgia inmate who engaged in online child solicitation while serving time on a state rape conviction to 19.5 years in federal prison. During the summer of 2023, Robert Francis Gilbert, 59, was an inmate at the Rutledge State Prison in Columbus, Georgia. He was serving a life-sentence for rape and was eligible for parole. That summer, Gilbert began communicating online with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl. Gilbert used threats to solicit the creation of pornographic videos and arrange a sexual encounter once Gilbert got out of state prison. Law enforcement learned of Gilbert’s acts and alerted the state prison warden. Further investigation revealed that Gilbert possessed a cell phone with evidence of the crimes. During a hearing before United States District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg on August 23, 2023, Gilbert pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Judge Rosenberg imposed yesterday’s sentence. United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Division, and Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek announced the sentence. HSI Fort Pierce and the Martin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover prosecuted it. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-14002. ###


title: Twelve Men Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Marijuana in Tennessee and Other States

body_text: NASHVILLE – Twelve members of a drug trafficking conspiracy were sentenced last week for their roles in conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances in middle Tennessee and elsewhere, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. According to court documents, around 2022, agents with Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating large shipments of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills that were inscribed “M30,” methamphetamine, and marijuana that someone was shipping to Tennessee and approximately 16 other states from California. Agents reviewed shipping materials, monitored social media accounts, and conducted surveillance before identifying Matthew Cox as the individual who was shipping these packages to members of the drug trafficking conspiracy. In their messages on social media applications and phones, the defendants discussed drug prices, drug shipments, and quality of the drugs. One defendant, Quortez Duncan, told Cox that he wanted stronger pills to get customers hooked on the pills to increase profits. Cox complied and attempted to send Duncan these pills, but Agents seized them. Agents also learned that another defendant, Khyre McClain, attempted to establish and launder money through a limited liability corporation. In addition to this evidence of shipments to other states, agents seized packages of drugs that were being shipped to Tennessee. Specifically, on July 25, 2022, HSI agents seized a package from a UPS Store in Sebastopol, California, which was destined for Nashville, Tennessee. This package contained thousands of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills weighing over two kilograms. The package also contained more than eight pounds of methamphetamine. On August 9, 2022, HSI agents intercepted two additional packages from the Santa Rosa, California, area which were destined for residences in Nashville. One package contained 472 grams of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills, and the other package contained approximately four pounds of methamphetamine. After collecting an overwhelming amount of evidence, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at multiple residences in California and Tennessee. They recovered handguns, assault rifles, bulk cash, expensive cars, marijuana, and large amounts of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills. “Stopping the trafficking of deadly fentanyl is a major priority of the Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire, “these successful prosecutions demonstrate our continued commitment to hit fentanyl traffickers with the full force of the law.” “These defendants took part in a cross-country conspiracy that brought significant amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana to Tennessee,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to holding those accountable who attempt to poison our communities.” Each defendant was convicted of conspiring to distribute controlled substances. Three defendants were also convicted of unlawfully possessing firearms after previously being convicted of felony offenses. The defendants were sentenced as follows: Quortez Duncan, age 37, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison Mathew Cox, age 28, was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison Jonny Rodriguez-Gonzalez, age 26, was sentenced to 11 years and 2 months in federal prison Ricardo Molinero-Alcarez, age 29, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Khyre McClain, age 23, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Davontay Holt, age 30, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Marcus Johnson, age 27, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison Tristain Orr, age 25, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison Ethan Kimes, age 22, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison Marquitues Sawyers, age 24, was sentenced to 1 year and 8 months in federal prison Jahari Armstrong, age 22, was sentenced to 3 years of probation Jaydan Armstrong, age 22, was sentenced to 3 years of probation This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; and the Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ahmed Safeeullah and Rachel Stephens prosecuted this case. # # # # #


title: Three men indicted for distribution of methamphetamine

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned indictments charging three defendants in two separate cases of distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Yonivert Martinez-Montano, 36, of Wichita is charged with five counts of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of use a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking. Rocio Basurto Ayala, 35, of Wichita was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine. In a separate, unrelated indictment, Shannon Church, 55, of Wichita, was indicted on three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting the cases. OTHER INDICTMENTS Wilson Dubon-Melgar, 32, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug is prosecuting the case. Raul Ayon Lizarraga, 24, was indicted on one count of alien in possession of a firearm. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka is prosecuting the case. Miguel Lozoya-Serrano, 50, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case. Anthony Suazo-Brown, 20, was indicted on one count of reentry of removed alien. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra is prosecuting the case. Dalton Wayne Woods, 32, was indicted on two counts of distribution of child pornography. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###