title: Cheektowaga man pleads guilty to using stolen credit card numbers to purchase tens of thousands of dollars worth of gas

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Cross Malik Williams, 25, of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that between August 2022, and July 2023, Williams, along with co-defendant Kingsley Brown, purchased approximately 570 stolen bank cards from various online marketplaces. Williams and Brown then used a card-making device to load the stolen banking card information onto blank plastic bank cards with magnetic strips, which allowed purchases to be made using the victims’ funds from the victims’ bank accounts. Williams and Brown used, or allowed others to use, the stolen bank card information to purchase gas for other individuals. The gas customers would then pay Williams and/or Brown an amount of money less than the cost of the gas. As part of his plea agreement, Williams agreed that he was responsible for between $250,000 and $550,000 of total loss. Charges remain pending against Kingsley Brown. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Sentencing is scheduled for July 25, 2024, before Judge Sinatra.


title: Federal jury finds Anchorage man guilty of defrauding company of $3M

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage Police Department officer was convicted of 24 criminal counts today for his participation in a scheme to defraud a corporation of millions of dollars. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nathan Michael Keays, 44, was friends with a ConocoPhillips employee, Forrest Wright, 44. The two conspired to use Keays’s foam insulation business, Eco Edge Armoring LLC, to defraud ConocoPhillips by approving contracts for goods and services that were never provided. Over the course of the scheme, Keays and Wright obtained more than $3 million from fraudulent bills. Wright pleaded guilty in March 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2024. The scheme started in 2019 when Wright was a Senior Drilling and Wells Planner with ConocoPhillips, where he was responsible for ordering materials and labor for drilling and wells projects. Wright had the authority to approve material and labor orders for up to $1 million and was trusted to recommend vendors for supplies. Keays conspired with Wright to craft fraudulent emails and alter the Eco Edge Armoring LLC website to present the company as a major oil and gas services enterprise, when in fact, it had no employees and no ability to provide goods or services in the oil industry. Wright sent emails from his personal account to Keays’s personal account with instructions to send technical emails to Wright’s business account to establish Eco Edge Armoring LLC as an approved vendor. Wright would then forward these emails to other personnel within ConocoPhillips to ensure Keays’s company was approved as a frequently used vendor. After achieving the approved vendor status, Keays submitted fraudulent invoices totaling over $3.2 million for materials that did not exist and labor that was never performed. Keays also submitted fraudulent timesheets in the name of nonexistent employees to make it appear that work had actually been performed. Wright used his position in the company to direct personnel to approve the payment of invoices by falsely representing that the nonexistent materials were delivered and accounted for and that the work outlined in the invoices was performed. Keays received $3,087,720 in electronic payments from ConocoPhillips for the fraudulent material and labor through a bank account for Eco Edge Armoring LLC and split the proceeds with Wright by issuing checks to Spectrum Consulting, a shell entity created by Wright. In total, Keays personally received more than $1.4 million. Keays used his proceeds of the scheme for personal expenses, including paying off loans, purchasing real estate and buying cryptocurrency. Keays was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and 11 counts of money laundering. “This successful conviction represents closure in a complex white-collar crime case and demonstrates that no one is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “To anyone thinking of committing a financial crime, know that my office, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners across the state, will work vigorously to find you and prosecute you to the furthest extent of the law.” “This verdict demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigate and hold accountable those who engage in fraudulent schemes for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “With special agents, forensic accountants, and prosecutors who specialize in unraveling complex financial crimes, the FBI and our partners will continue to disrupt fraudsters and bring them to justice.” The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Heyman and James Klugman are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Richard Nejame, age 29, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to five counts of receiving and attempting to receive child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. Nejame admitted that between about October 2022 and May 1, 2023, he communicated with several girls over social media applications, including Snapchat, while pretending to be a teenage boy. During Nejame’s online communications with the minor females, he encouraged them to take nude pictures and videos of themselves, and to then send the pictures and videos to him. Once in receipt of the nude pictures and videos of the minor females, Nejame directed the girls to take more sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves, and to send those sexually explicit pictures and videos to him. He also threatened that if the girls did not comply with his demands, Nejame would embarrass and expose the girls by publishing their pictures and videos on the Internet. At sentencing on August 14, 2024, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, Nejame faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison. The judge will also be required to impose a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life. The court may also impose a fine, restitution, and forfeiture of the phones and computers Nejame used to commit his offenses. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Nejame will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Benjamin S. Clark are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Clifton Park Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael Kirkland, age 30, of Clifton Park, New York, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempting to entice and coerce a 12-year-old child into sexual activity. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Kirkland admitted that on August 11, 2022, he exchanged sexually explicit text messages with someone he believed was an adult offering the sexual services of a 12-year old girl, in an attempt to entice the child into engaging in sexual acts with him. Kirkland also admitted that on August 11, 2022, he traveled to a hotel in Saratoga County, New York, with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 12-year-old girl. Kirkland was arrested by law enforcement shortly after arriving at the location. United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also imposed a 10-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release. Kirkland will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The FBI’s Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force and Capital Region Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. Each task force is comprised of FBI Special Agents, as well as state and local police investigators, including from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen J. Vickey prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Crime

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Brian E. Nielsen, 47, of Omaha, Nebraska was sentenced on April 10, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Nielsen to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Nielsen’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On December 14, 2022, and December 24, 2022, Nielsen sold meth to a Burt County Sheriff’s Office confidential source (CS) that was audio recorded by law enforcement. The drugs were laboratory tested and confirmed as to weight and substance. In November 2022, during a search of Nielsen’s home, officers recovered $60 of the $100 used for the controlled buy on December 24, 2022. The bills were matched by the serial numbers and a total of $1,115 was seized. On February 24, 2023, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop and arrested Nielsen pursuant to a state arrest warrant as he was driving away from his residence. At the time of his arrest, Nielsen had two baggies of meth, one weighing one gram, the other two grams. Incident to his arrest, officers searched his home via a state search warrant and recovered 21 grams of marijuana from two separate bags, a scale with meth residue, and numerous syringes. Upon receiving additional information, a second search warrant was executed on the home recovering 6 baggies of meth weighing 260 grams. This case was investigated by the Burt County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Omaha Woman Convicted for Escape from Custody

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kiana M. Stabler, 27, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 11, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for escape from custody. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Stabler to time served, as she was in custody since August 24, 2023. There is no parole in the federal system. Stabler was also sentenced to a 3-year term of supervised release, which will run concurrent to her previous case. Stabler was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit robberies of federally insured banks and was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment on July 6, 2018. During her term of imprisonment, Stabler was placed at Dismas Charities, Inc., a residential reentry facility located in Kearney, Nebraska. While assigned to that facility, Stabler secured a social pass on July 20, 2023, where she was ordered to return that same evening. Stabler failed to return to the facility and was later arrested on August 24, 2023. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.


title: Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Russell L. Rucks, Jr., 31, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Rucks to 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Rucks will begin a 4-year term of supervised release. In addition, Rucks was ordered to forfeit to the United States any interest he had in $5,084 in cash seized from his person and residence on August 12, 2021. On August 12, 2021, a search warrant was executed at the Lincoln residence which Rucks shared with his father, Russell L. Rucks, Sr. That search resulted in the finding of approximately six pounds of cocaine, a scale, cash, and paperwork in the names of both Rucks, Jr. and Rucks, Sr. Russell R. Rucks, Sr. was sentenced to 312 months in July of 2023 for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and fentanyl which resulted in serious bodily injury and death. This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force and the Nebraska State Patrol.


title: Southwest Georgia Resident Faces Life in Prison for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident with a lengthy criminal history pleaded guilty to armed drug distribution charges today and faces life in prison for admitting to distributing large quantities of fentanyl. Larry Roger Sparks, Jr., 46, of Albany, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a heroin and fentanyl mixture; one count of distribution of methamphetamine; three counts of distribution of methamphetamine at a place where a person under age 18 resides; one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute at a premises at which a person under 18 resides; one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (a Sig Sauer Model P365 SAS 9mm pistol). The defendant is facing a maximum of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Leslie A. Gardner is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be scheduled by the Court. “Fentanyl is one of the deadliest drugs on the streets today, and our office will go to every length to halt its distribution and hold fentanyl traffickers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case is an example of strong and effective partnerships between law enforcement, who are dedicated to ridding our communities of armed fentanyl dealers and working with our office to prosecute the most dangerous individuals.” “Locking away criminal drug dealers who choose to push poison on our streets will literally save lives as fentanyl is the number one killer among Americans aged 18-45,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Drug traffickers are poisoning our communities with drugs like fentanyl,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This case serves as an example of our continued efforts to stop the drug traffickers who ruthlessly target Georgia communities. The GBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue working toward ridding our state of these deadly drugs.” According to court documents, a 2023 undercover GBI investigation into armed fentanyl trafficking in Southwest Georgia led agents to Sparks, who was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine from his Albany residence, where three minor children resided. Agents, working with a confidential source under surveillance and electronic recording, purchased controlled substances from Sparks five times, beginning on March 9, 2023, and ending with a final undercover purchase on May 3, 2023, when Sparks sold 478.2 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine. Agents executed a federal search warrant on May 16, 2023, at Sparks’ residence located at 1501 Pinecrest Drive in Albany. As agents made their approach, three suspected drug customers in the yard fled; one of the individuals discarded a small quantity of suspected heroin and fentanyl mixture. Inside the home, agents found 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine, needles, scales, Narcan, cash and other items associated with drug use and distribution. Agents found six firearms, including the Sig Sauer 9mm pistol. Lab results for the drugs seized at the residence are: 1,205.7 grams of fentanyl, 1,775.5 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine and 963.1 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine. The defendant was taken into custody during a traffic stop on May 16, and was in possession of a loaded Glock 10 mm semiautomatic handgun, a loaded 50-round drum magazine, a 9mm semiautomatic handgun and more than $5,000 in cash. Sparks admitted to receiving a four-kilogram shipment of fentanyl before the search, and said that he had sold all of it, less the 1.2 kilos recovered by agents in his home. Sparks has a lengthy criminal history and has been previously convicted for armed robbery and delivery of a controlled substance in Saginaw, Michigan, as well as for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in the Superior Court of Crisp County, Georgia. The case was investigated by the Worth County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office (SWRDEO) and the DEA. Criminal Chief Leah McEwen is prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: NICARAGUAN MAN SENTENCED TO 57 MONTHS IN 550 KILOGRAMS COCAINE TRAFFICKING CASE

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Michael Nelson-Gaet, 36, of Nicaragua was sentenced to 57 months incarceration by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance While on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States. Judge Lewis also sentenced Nelson-Gaet to two years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment. According to court documents, on March 5, 2022, while patrolling in international waters, the United States Coast Guard Cutter Legare intercepted go-fast vessel “La Bendecida Leo” 140 nautical miles southwest of Isla de Malpelo, Columbia. The vessel was traveling at a high rate of speed with bales and fuel barrels observed on deck. Nelson-Gaet, Jorge Gutierrez-Picado and Roy McElroy-Carlos were observed onboard the vessel throwing bales of suspected narcotics overboard. The vessel had no registration and the occupants claimed Nicaraguan nationality for the vessel. Nicaragua could neither confirm nor deny nationality of the vessel to the Coast Guard thereby subjecting the vessel to the jurisdiction of the United States. A search of the La Bendecida Leo, including the bales recovered from the ocean, resulted in the seizure of approximately 550 kilograms of cocaine and 136 pounds of marijuana. For his role, Gutierrez-Picado was sentenced to 70 months incarceration and 2 years of supervised release, and McElroy-Carlos awaits trial in his case. This case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston. 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.


title: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT SENTENCED IN FRAUD CASE

body_text: St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Gregory Camacho, 43, of St. Croix, was sentenced by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis to nine months of home detention with electronic monitoring and four years of probation after pleading guilty to Converting Property of Another. Judge Lewis also imposed a fine of $6,000.00, a special assessment of $75, and ordered Camacho to pay $29,502.20 restitution to the National Park Service. According to court documents, Camacho was the Deputy Park Superintendent in St. Croix. In June 2019 through August 2020, Camacho also served as the Acting Park Superintendent. As an employee, Camacho rented two units from the National Park Service housing units but failed to pay rent between June 2019 and June 2020 on both units which resulted in a loss of $14,192.10 to the National Park Service. In July 2019, Camacho relocated from Titusville, FL, to St. Croix, and falsely claimed that his wife and four children relocated with him. As a result, Camacho received $13,387.50 in relocation expense reimbursement that he was not entitled to. Between October 2018 and September 2019, Camacho traveled from his primary duty station and was entitled to reimbursement for various travel-related expenses, including meal and incidental expenditures per diems. However, on four occasions, Camacho submitted overlapping travel vouchers for reimbursement. As a result, Camacho received an additional $1,922.50 in travel reimbursements that he was not entitled to. This case was investigated by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Interior and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston.


title: United States Files Complaint Against Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Alleging Fraudulent Drug Price Reporting

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act (FCA) against Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Regeneron), a New York-based pharmaceutical company. The complaint alleges that Regeneron fraudulently manipulated Medicare reimbursement for its drug, Eylea, by knowingly submitting false average sales price (ASP) reports to Medicare. Medicare uses ASP to set its reimbursement rates for Eylea and other drugs. The complaint alleges Regeneron inflated Eylea’s ASP by paying credit card processing fees for the benefit of physician-customers purchasing Eylea, without properly reporting these payments as price concessions to ASP. Regeneron’s failure to properly report credit card fees as price concessions caused the submission of false claims for Eylea and hundreds of millions of dollars in inflated reimbursements by Medicare. Regeneron manufactures and sells Eylea, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) inhibitor approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat, among other conditions, neovascular (Wet) Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Wet AMD), a prevalent, usually age-related condition that impairs vision. Eylea is a leading Medicare expense, with payments of more than $25 billion between 2012 and 2023. The United States alleges that Regeneron knew it was required to report all price concessions for Eylea, yet knowingly failed to include price concessions in the form of credit card processing fees that Regeneron paid to specialty drug distributors to benefit its customers. The United States alleges that Regeneron paid these credit card fees for Eylea purchases so that distributors would accept credit cards for physicians’ Eylea purchases while still charging those customers the lower cash price. These payments enabled Regeneron’s customers – typically retina and ophthalmic practices – to use credit cards to purchase Eylea without incurring an additional fee, while also taking advantage of the benefits of using credit cards, such as “cash back” and other credit card rewards. The United States alleges Regeneron internally attempted to disguise the payments as “bona fide service fees” (BFSFs), which are not considered price concessions, when it knew the payments were not BFSFs. “The government alleges that Regeneron manipulated Medicare’s drug pricing process, by knowingly failing to report its payment of credit card processing fees as price concessions to its customers,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “By doing so, Regeneron greatly inflated the costs of its drug to Medicare over many years and enhanced its revenues. Falsely reported average sales prices cost the Medicare system hundreds of millions of dollars and we will make every effort to prevent such practices.” “We will not permit pharmaceutical companies to flout price reporting requirements to maintain high drug prices,” said Principal Deputy Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to protecting federal health care programs from improper actions by drug companies or others that drive up the cost of those programs at the taxpayers’ expense.” “When drug companies submit average sales price reports to Medicare, those reports are expected to be truthful and accurate,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “Reimbursement rate manipulation, as alleged in this complaint, threatens the integrity of the taxpayer-funded Medicare program, and we will thoroughly pursue such allegations.” “Medicare, a crucial component of our nation’s health care system, draws from a finite pool of funds,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today, Regeneron is accused of siphoning hundreds of millions of dollars of those funds to pad their profits on the backs of taxpayers. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to investigate and bring to justice those who we believe are willfully defrauding the U.S. government.” The government’s investigation was prompted by False Claims Act allegations brought in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the FCA, private parties, known as relators, can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The FCA permits the United States to intervene in and take over the action, as it has done here. If a defendant is found liable for violating the FCA, the United States may recover three times the amount of its losses plus applicable penalties. Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, AAG Boynton, HHS-OIG SAC Coviello and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diane Seol and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit along with Trial Attorneys Douglas J. Rosenthal, Asha M. Natarajan and Samuel R. Lehman of the Justice Department's Civil Division are handling the matter.


title: Orangeburg Man Sentenced to More than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Charges

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. —Tiree Keshawn Waymer, 29, of Orangeburg, was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being in possession of stolen firearms. Evidence presented to the court showed that on March 2, 2022, Waymer led deputies from multiple agencies on a high-speed chase across state lines while in possession of six stolen firearms. Deputies with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department observed a vehicle matching the description of a reported stolen vehicle and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver, later identified as Tiree Waymer, immediately refused to stop. The pursuit continued into South Carolina, when deputies with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office and the York County Sheriff’s Office took lead. During the chase, Waymer drove at speeds nearing 100 mph, forced pedestrian and commercial vehicles off the road, drove in the wrong direction, and placed the lives of innocent bystanders and law enforcement in danger. When deputies stopped Waymer’s vehicle, he ran from the car but was later apprehended. Law enforcement searched the stolen vehicle and recovered six stolen firearms. Further investigation revealed that on Feb. 25, 2022, the Blythewood Gun and Gold Exchange Pawn Shop was burglarized, and 13 guns were stolen. Law enforcement determined that the six guns in Waymer’s possession were stolen from the pawn shop five days earlier. After his arrest, law enforcement recovered another firearm stolen from the pawn shop from his residence. Waymer is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior felony convictions, including criminal conspiracy, burglary 2 nd degree (violent), a possession of stolen firearm, and possession of a stolen vehicle. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson sentenced Tiree Keshawn Waymer to 92 months imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Chester County Sheriff’s Office, the York County Sheriff’s Office, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Child Sex Trafficker Sentenced To 26 Years In Prison

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Torey Franklin, 29, of Grand Rapids, was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison. In December 2023, Franklin pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor in 2022. “Torey Franklin’s crime – trafficking a minor for sex – was heinous,” said U.S. Attorney Totten . “Human trafficking of any kind – for sex or for labor, of children and of adults – is a scourge. We are fully committed to protecting survivors and holding traffickers accountable for their crimes.” Authorities arrested Franklin at a hotel in 2022, after he offered the “services” of an underaged girl to an undercover detective from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. Hours before the arrest, investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had discovered an advertisement for the girl on an adult dating website. FBI agents grew concerned that the girl was under the age of 18. They worked with Kent County officials to arrange a “date” with the victim as part of an interagency, undercover operation focused on combating human trafficking within the Western District of Michigan. That operation culminated in the arrest of Franklin. The girl was safely returned to the custody of her guardian. Afterwards, investigators uncovered evidence that Franklin had been trafficking his victim for weeks. Franklin would post ads for his victim, negotiate prices and sexual acts with prospective customers, and then transport the minor to multiple locations for the “sex dates” he had arranged. Afterwards, he would receive payment, often through a popular money-sharing application. “The FBI’s commitment to combatting child exploitation and human trafficking is unwavering, as shown in our nationwide initiatives such as Operation Cross Country,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “The outcome of this investigation and sentencing would not be possible without partnerships with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, and the dedicated men and women of this office. For FBI Michigan, the work does not end here, and we will continue to focus our efforts on protecting our children.” Preventing and deterring human trafficking remains a high priority for the U.S. Department of Justice. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling (888) 373-7888 or by texting “INFO” to 233733. Information is also available on the hotline website: https://humantraffickinghotline.org . ###


title: East Lansing Man Sentenced To 30 Years For Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: Sexual exploitation of at least eight young boys GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Ian Jason Lipsky, age 51, of East Lansing, Michigan, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for sexually exploiting children. “Lipsky is a serial offender whose sexual exploitation spanned years, from California to Michigan,” said U.S. Mark Attorney Totten . “Today’s sentence ensures he will never harm another child. Lipsky used the internet and social media to access minor boys. Parents, guardians, loved ones, and anyone online must understand that predators are trolling social media. Candid conversations with our kids are so important: educating them about the threats; keeping them out of harm’s way; and ensuring they have a safe space to share what happened if they are harmed.” Between 2013 and 2020, Lipsky used Skype, Reddit, Snapchat, and Kik to communicate with at least eight minor boys. His sexual exploitation began in California and continued after he moved to Michigan. From his residence in Daly City, California, Lipsky encouraged minor victims ages 12 to 16 years old to perform sexual acts on camera or take sexually explicit photos of themselves. Lipsky would then screen record these interactions and save them to encrypted hard drives. In at least two separate instances, Lipsky escalated these interactions to in-person sexual exploitation. While living in California, Lipsky persuaded two boys, ages 14 and 17 at the time, to meet him at his residence to engage in sexual activities. In 2018, Lipsky moved from California to Michigan, where he continued to sexually exploit and solicit explicit content from minor victims, ages 15 to 16, online. “For too long, Mr. Lipsky exploited and victimized young boys from as far away as California to right here in our great state of Michigan,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “Today's sentencing is a testament to the FBI and our partners' daily work across the country to combat sexual exploitation, particularly against minors. Those who engage in such crimes will face justice.” The FBI provides the following six tips on how people can protect themselves from sextortion schemes: Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you. Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers. Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims. Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and this person asks you to start talking on a different platform. Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually “disappears” online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next. Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone. If you have information about or believe you are a victim of sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at http://tips.fbi.gov . More information is available at https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion . This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru and investigated by the FBI. ###


title: Romance scammers charged with targeting elderly in $3M fraud

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A Nigerian man who resided in Fulshear is set to appear in court on allegations he conspired to defraud over a dozen elder Americans who thought they were in romantic online relationships and sent millions to a network of fraudsters, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Darlington Akporugo, 46, is scheduled for a detention hearing at 9 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison. Akporugo allegedly conspired with Jasmin Sood, 35, also of Fulshear, to commit wire and mail fraud. Between approximately 2015 and 2022, the fraudsters allegedly used fictitious personas and sought out and contacted elderly victims online who were often widowed. The indictment alleges they used social networking and internet dating platforms and communicated with victims using email, text message and telephone to gain their trust. The scammers would then ultimately deceive them into transferring large sums of money to various fraudster-controlled or influenced mailing addresses and bank accounts, many Akporugo and Sood owned or controlled, according to the charges. After establishing trust with the victim online, Akporugo and Sood approached at least one victim in the Houston area in person, according to the allegations. They then allegedly drove the victim to banks for the purpose of sending money to the fraudster network, convincing her to give Akporugo control of the victim’s banking access devices. The indictment also charges Akporugo with aggravated identity theft and fraud in connection with an access device. The scheme allegedly resulted at least 13 victims being defrauded of an approximate $3,123,073. The indictment includes notice of forfeiture for all illegally derived proceeds from the fraud scheme. If convicted, both face up to 30 years imprisonment for each of the wire fraud counts and conspiracy. Akporugo faces an additional 10 years on the fraud in connection with an access device and another mandatory two years if convicted of the aggravated identity theft. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grace Murphy is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Reminds Correctional Facilities of Obligation to Ensure Access to Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. — As part of a comprehensive response to the acute opioid crisis, United States Attorney Carlton S. Shier, IV has forwarded a letter to correctional facilities in the Eastern District of Kentucky, reminding them that refusing to provide required care for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) can violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and that the U.S. Attorney’s Office intends to diligently enforce those protections. The ADA, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, protects individuals with OUD and their access to treatment, including treatment with FDA-approved medication. The FDA has approved three medications to treat OUD: buprenorphine (Suboxone), methadone, and vivitrol. The ADA prohibits correctional facilities from categorically denying incarcerated individuals access to OUD medication, without individually assessing whether such medication is medically necessary to treat their disability. Policies or practices that likely violate the ADA include not only blanket denials of medication for OUD treatment, but also screening people from treatment based on criteria unrelated to individual medical need. “Eastern Kentucky remains at the forefront of a devastating opioid epidemic, and we simply must engage in a comprehensive approach to combatting this community health crisis – including enforcement of requirements safeguarding treatments,” said U.S. Attorney Shier. “Access to medications that treat OUD saves lives and helps us in this fight. So, we are urging detention facilities to be mindful of their obligations under federal law, offering to work collaboratively with them to ensure these rights, and intending to do our part in enforcing them.” The reminder letter furthers a broader effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to remove discriminatory barriers to treatment for individuals with OUD. Since 2022, the office has entered into three settlement agreements resolving allegations of discrimination against individuals with OUD: with a medical center, a Central Kentucky detention center, and an Eastern Kentucky detention center. The two agreements with detention centers involved allegations that the facilities failed to provide patients with medication for OUD. For more information about the Justice Department’s work to address discrimination against individuals with opioid use disorder, please visit www.ada.gov/topics/opioid-use-disorder/ . More information about the ADA is available at the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information line at (800) 514 0301 or (800) 514 0383 (TTY) and on the ADA website at www.ada.gov . For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-edky/civil-rights . ADA complaints may be submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office by emailing usakye.civilrights@usdoj.gov or by contacting the Office’s Civil Rights Hotline at (859) 685-4880. – END –


title: Mother-Daughter Duo Sentenced to a Total of Twelve Years in Federal Prison for Robberies of Six Indianapolis Banks

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Sierra Hunt, 56, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 68 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to bank robbery. In October of 2023, Sierra’s daughter, Shamiya Hunt, was sentenced to 76 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to bank robbery and attempted bank robbery while on supervised release for a previous heroin trafficking conviction. According to court documents, between April 9 and April 15, 2022, Sierra Hunt robbed four Chase Banks in the Indianapolis area. In each robbery, she approached the teller, gave a note demanding the teller put money in the bag and no one would get hurt, and left with cash. As a result of the four bank robberies committed by Sierra, the banks suffered a loss of $26,655. One of the notes was written on the back of a Family Dollar store receipt. IMPD officers used that receipt to locate Sierra and subsequently arrest her. However, she was released on bond in April. While out on bond, Sierra assisted her daughter, Shamiya Hunt, as a getaway driver in two additional bank robberies. In total, Sierra robbed four banks and participated in two additional bank robberies as the getaway driver. Shamiya robbed two banks: # DATE LOCATION DEFENDANT 1 April 9, 2022 Chase Bank West 38th St. Sierra Hunt 2 April 11, 2022 Chase Bank Cunningham Rd. Sierra Hunt 3 April 13, 2022 Chase Bank North Michigan St. Sierra Hunt 4 April 15, 2022 Chase Bank South East St. Sierra Hunt 5 October 25, 2022 Chase Bank Cunningham Rd. Shamiya Hunt Sierra Hunt- Driver 6 October 25, 2022 Regions Bank E. 86th St. Shamiya Hunt Sierra Hunt-Driver Sierra Hunt has been previously convicted of multiple felonies including theft, conversion, and child selling. “It is incredibly disheartening to see a mother and daughter working together to victimize so many folks who were just going about their day working at and patronizing the bank,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Thanks to the quick investigative work of the FBI, these defendants have been held accountable for their actions. The serious federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that these crimes carry serious consequences.” This case was investigated by the FBI. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge, Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Hunt be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following her release from federal prison. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted these cases. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: DOJ Releases New “Overview of the Department of Justice Grant Process” to Aid Applicants of Grants

component: USAO - Mississippi, Southern

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has released a new document entitled “An Overview of the Department of Justice Grant Process” that provides a short, useable summary of the DOJ grant opportunities for fiscal year (FY) 2024 to assist law enforcement agencies, local governments, and other organizations interested in applying for DOJ grants. “We want to make it as easy as possible for law enforcement agencies, local governments, community organizations, and others to apply for Department of Justice grants that can be used to help fight crime and improve lives in Mississippi,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi. The 5-page document is available on the public website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/grant-information .


title: Hopkins County Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Distribution of Child Pornography

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – A Hanson, Ky., man, Michael Earl Huey, 66, was sentenced on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 18 years in prison, for distribution of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, on October 17, 2022, an online covert employee with law enforcement posted a message on a chat thread asking, “Any pervs in Kentucky.” Huey responded by sending direct messages to the covert employee. Huey eventually shifted their conversation to another messaging platform. There, Huey sent the covert employee several depictions of child pornography. Huey admitted that he knowingly distributed these visual depictions, knowing they contained minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On November 16, 2022, law enforcement searched Huey’s residence and found his phone, which contained approximately 65 images and 16 videos of child pornography. At sentencing, Huey did not oppose a sentencing enhancement for engaging in a pattern of activity involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of minors. Under federal law, Huey must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . — END —


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Arrest And Extradition Of David Campbell, Principal Drug And Weapons Supplier For MS-13 In Honduras

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States; John J. Durham, the Director of Joint Task Force Vulcan (“JTFV”); Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”); Katrina W. Berger, the Executive Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”); and Douglas Williams, the Special Agent in Charge of the Houston Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the arrest and extradition of DAVID CAMPBELL, a/k/a “Viejo Dan,” a/k/a “Don David,” one of the principal narcotics and weapons suppliers to MS-13 in Honduras. CAMPBELL was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn in Manhattan federal court after being extradited yesterday from Honduras. In addition to CAMPBELL, the Superseding Indictment unsealed today also charges YULAN ANDONY ARCHAGA CARÍAS, a/k/a “Alexander Mendoza,” a/k/a “Porky,” the top leader of MS-13 in Honduras, and three additional MS-13 leaders, JUAN CARLOS PORTILLO SANTOS, a/k/a “Juancy,” VICTOR EDUARDO MORALES ZELAYA, a/k/a “Cuervo,” and JORGE ALBERTO VELASQUEZ PAZ, a/k/a “Chacarron,” for racketeering, narcotics trafficking, and firearms offenses. CAMPBELL and ARCHAGA CARÍAS were previously charged in 2021 in a Superseding Indictment in Manhattan federal court with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, and firearms offenses. ARCHAGA CARÍAS was subsequently placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List, the DEA’s Most Wanted Fugitives List, HSI’s Most Wanted Fugitives List, and a $5 million reward was offered by the U.S. Department of State for information related to his arrest or capture. PORTILLO SANTOS and VELASQUEZ PAZ are in custody in Honduras. MORALES ZELAYA remains at large. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “MS-13 is one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the world. My Office, the Justice Department, and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to pursue and hold accountable MS-13’s leaders, members, and associates, who, as alleged in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today, are responsible for large-scale drug trafficking and violence throughout the United States and Central America. As alleged, David Campbell was, until his capture, one of MS-13’s major suppliers of drugs and guns, and he planned and coordinated violent acts with the top leader of MS-13 in Honduras, Archaga Carías. Campbell has now been extradited and will face justice in the United States, and a $5 million reward is offered for information leading to the arrest of Archaga Carías.” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “Over the course of decades, MS-13 has sowed unspeakable violence in communities here in the United States and abroad. With the arrest and extradition of the alleged principal MS-13 drug and weapons supplier, the Justice Department is making clear that those responsible for flooding our communities with violence and deadly drugs will be held accountable in an American courtroom.” JTFV Director John J. Durham said: “MS-13’s brutal violence is fueled by firearms, funded by narcotics trafficking, and disguised by money laundering. As alleged in the Superseding Indictment, David Campbell and his co-conspirators procured and sold multi-ton loads of narcotics, deployed firearms, including machine guns, and laundered the drug proceeds, all in furtherance of the organization. Thanks to the tenacious efforts and collaboration of our law enforcement partners, he now will face justice in a United States courtroom.” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “Today's extradition of David Campbell and the announcement of charges against four other MS-13 leaders for their alleged involvement in trafficking multi-ton loads of cocaine and for allegedly perpetrating unspeakable acts of violence in our communities is a testament to the unwavering commitment of the men and women of DEA to save lives and hold drug traffickers accountable. DEA will continue to seek justice for all Americans suffering the devastating effects of drug poisonings and drug-related violence in our communities.” HSI Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger said: “Campbell’s arrest and extradition should serve as a clear message to those who support MS-13 and other transnational criminal organizations. HSI will not cease its relentless pursuit of all suspects involved in this case until they are captured and brought to justice.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams said: “Every day, MS-13 ravages American neighborhoods with violence, drugs, and death. David Campbell allegedly enabled the exportation of violence and poison onto American streets as Mara Salvatrucha’s primary supplier of cocaine and weapons. FBI Houston’s work to ensure Campbell now faces U.S. justice sends a simultaneous message to MS-13 around the world — we will not stop pursuing you, we will not stop dismantling your networks, and we will not rest until we’ve eradicated the violence you bring into our society.” As alleged in the Superseding Indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court: [1] MS-13 is a transnational criminal organization that engages in acts of violence, including murders, kidnapping, assaults, extortion, and large-scale drug importation and distribution throughout Central America and the United States. ARCHAGA CARÍAS is the highest-ranking member of MS-13 in Honduras. As the leader and highest-ranking member of MS-13 in Honduras, ARCHAGA CARÍAS is in charge of, among other things, the gang’s drug trafficking operations; ordering and coordinating acts of violence, including numerous murders; and the laundering of drug proceeds. MORALES ZELAYA and VELASQUEZ PAZ are both leaders of MS-13 in Honduras and close associates to ARCHAGA CARÍAS. MS-13’s drug trafficking operations led by ARCHAGA CARÍAS, MORALES ZELAYA, VELASQUEZ PAZ, and others include the processing, receiving, transporting, and distributing of multi-ton loads of cocaine shipped through Honduras and into the United States. ARCHAGA CARÍAS and other MS-13 members and associates acting at his direction also provided protection for other drug trafficking organizations (“DTOs”) engaged in transporting multi-ton loads of cocaine through Honduras and destined for the United States. ARCHAGA CARÍAS contracted out members of MS-13 as “Sicarios,” or hit men, to other DTOs for payment. In that role, MS-13’s Sicarios committed numerous murders for hire for DTOs trafficking cocaine through Honduras to the United States. ARCHAGA CARÍAS and MS-13 also supplied other DTOs with firearms, including machineguns, that were received from El Salvador, Nicaragua, and elsewhere. ARCHAGA CARÍAS – and MORALES ZELAYA, VELASQUEZ PAZ, and PORTILLO SANTOS, operating under ARCHAGA CARÍAS’s leadership – also ordered and coordinated murders of rival gang members and drug trafficking competitors in Honduras, as well as other members of MS-13 whom ARCHAGA CARÍAS believed had been disloyal to the gang. CAMPBELL was one of the principal suppliers of cocaine and weapons, including machineguns, to MS-13 in Honduras. As an associate of MS-13 and close confidant of ARCHAGA CARÍAS, CAMPBELL planned and coordinated retaliatory acts of violence with ARCHAGA CARÍAS and assisted MS-13 and ARCHAGA CARÍAS in establishing businesses to launder the gang’s drug proceeds. CAMPBELL and MS-13 used businesses they owned or controlled to launder drug proceeds, including through banks in the United States. MORALES ZELAYA and VELASQUEZ PAZ were both leaders of MS-13 in Honduras and close associates of ARCHAGA CARÍAS. MORALES ZELAYA and VELASQUEZ PAZ each coordinated the gang’s drug trafficking business, acts of violence (including murders) against rivals, and the movement of proceeds from the gang’s illicit activities. PORTILLO SANTOS was a high-ranking member of MS-13 in Honduras who reported to MORALES ZELAYA. PORTILLO SANTOS was responsible for leading MS-13 in one of the largest sectors in Honduras, which included the distribution and movement of large shipments of cocaine, acts of violence (including murders and kidnappings) of rival gang members, and contract murders carried out against rival drug dealers. ARCHAGA CARÍAS and MORALES ZELAYA remain at large. The $5 million reward offered by the U.S. Department of State remains valid today. Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of ARCHAGA CARÍAS or MORALES ZELAYA can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. More information can be found here: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten , here: https://www.dea.gov/fugitives and here: https://www.ice.gov/most-wanted . * * * If convicted, CAMPBELL, 57, of Honduras; ARCHAGA CARÍAS, 42, of Honduras; PORTILLO SANTOS, 35, of Honduras; MORALES ZELAYA, 49, of Honduras; and VELASQUEZ PAZ, 41, of Honduras, face a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years in prison. A chart containing the charges and statutory minimum and maximum penalties for the defendants is set forth below. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit; the FBI’s San Diego, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York Field Offices; the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division’s Safe Streets Gang Unit; HSI’s National Gang and Violent Crime Unit; and HSI’s New York and Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Field Offices. Mr. Williams also thanked the FBI Legal Attaché in San Salvador, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) Executive Office, the Department of Justice’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, and Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, for their assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of CAMPBELL. The case is being handled by JTFV and the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Robles, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Eason, and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Jacob Warren are in charge of the prosecution. Since its creation in August 2019, JTFV has successfully implemented a whole-of-government approach to combatting MS-13, including increasing coordination and collaboration with domestic and foreign law enforcement partners; designating priority MS-13 programs, cliques, and leaders who have the most impact on the United States for targeted prosecutions; and coordinating significant MS-13 indictments, including the first use of national security charges against MS-13 leaders. JTFV has been comprised of members from U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including this Office, the Eastern District of New York, the Eastern District of Texas, the District of New Jersey, the Northern District of Ohio, the District of Utah, the District of Massachusetts, the Southern District of Florida, the District of Alaska, the Southern District of California, the District of Nevada, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. All Department of Justice law enforcement agencies are involved in the effort, including the FBI; DEA; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. In addition, HSI plays a critical role in JTFV. The Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, and the U.S. Agency for International Development, Office of Inspector General, have also provided critical support for JTFV’s mission. OCDETF also supports JTFV in its mission. 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 . The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. COUNT CHARGE DEFENDANTS MIN./MAX. PENALTIES 1 Racketeering conspiracy YULAN ANDONY ARCHAGA CARÍAS DAVID CAMPBELL JUAN CARLOS PORTILLO SANTOS VICTOR EDUARDO MORALES ZELAYA JORGE ALBERTO VELASQUEZ PAZ Maximum of life in prison 2 Narcotics importation conspiracy YULAN ANDONY ARCHAGA CARÍAS DAVID CAMPBELL JUAN CARLOS PORTILLO SANTOS VICTOR EDUARDO MORALES ZELAYA JORGE ALBERTO VELASQUEZ PAZ Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison Maximum of life in prison 3 Using or carrying a machinegun during and in relation to, or possessing a machinegun in furtherance of, a narcotics trafficking crime YULAN ANDONY ARCHAGA CARÍAS DAVID CAMPBELL JUAN CARLOS PORTILLO SANTOS VICTOR EDUARDO MORALES ZELAYA JORGE ALBERTO VELASQUEZ PAZ Mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison Maximum of life in prison 4 Machinegun conspiracy YULAN ANDONY ARCHAGA CARÍAS DAVID CAMPBELL JUAN CARLOS PORTILLO SANTOS VICTOR EDUARDO MORALES ZELAYA JORGE ALBERTO VELASQUEZ PAZ Maximum of life in prison [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the description of the Superseding Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Bradenton Drug Trafficker Convicted At Trial

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Pierre C. Marc (37, Bradenton) guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, marijuana, and heroin. The jury also found Marc guilty of possessing with the intent to distribute marijuana and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Marc faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 14, 2024. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Marc was a major drug distributer in the Middle District of Florida. During the trial, a witness testified that Marc supplied him with an ounce of fentanyl and 1 to 2 kilograms of cocaine every week between January and September 2019 for distribution in Pinellas County. In 2021, Marc arrived at a controlled delivery of fentanyl with more than 300 grams of fentanyl and a firearm. Another witness testified that in 2020 and 2021, Marc supplied him with 3 to 5 kilograms of fentanyl for distribution in Manatee County. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. 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 . It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.


title: Man Who Committed Three St. Louis Area Robberies Sentenced to 129 Months in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a man from Florissant, Missouri to 105 months in prison for robbing two area banks and a fast-food restaurant with what appeared to be a handgun. Judge Autrey also sentenced Ricardo L. Rusan, 58, to an additional 24 months in prison for violating his supervised release in a 2005 bank robbery case. On Jan. 1, 2019, Rusan robbed a Church’s Chicken in Green Park, in south St. Louis County. On April 16, 2019, he robbed a Commerce Bank in Clayton. Two days later, he robbed a Bank of America in St. Peters. Rusan pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in August to two counts of bank robbery and one other robbery charge. The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Peters Police Department, the Clayton Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassandra Wiemken prosecuted the case.


title: Armed Security Guard At Manhattan Federal Building Pleads Guilty In Connection With Sexual Assault Of Asylum Seeker

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the guilty plea of JIMMY SOLANO-ARIAS, an armed security guard at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Office Building located at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, in connection with SOLANO-ARIAS’s sexual assault of an asylum seeker (the “Victim”) on May 4, 2023. SOLANO-ARIAS pled guilty to lying to federal law enforcement agents following his sexual abuse of the Victim. As part of his guilty plea, SOLANO-ARIAS admitted that while acting under color of law as an armed security guard at 26 Federal Plaza, he engaged in a non-consensual sexual act with the Victim. SOLANO-ARIAS was arrested on May 5, 2023, and pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jimmy Solano-Arias abused the trust and privileges bestowed on him as an armed security officer at a federal building. Instead of working to keep the many federal employees and visitors at 26 Federal Plaza safe, Solano-Arias exploited his position of authority to sexually abuse an individual seeking asylum protection in the United States. This Office is committed to holding all those in positions of public trust accountable when they abuse their power and violate the constitutional rights of others.” According to the allegations in the Indictment, Superseding Information, other public court documents, and statements made during court proceedings: On May 4, 2023, SOLANO-ARIAS was employed as a security guard by a company that contracts with the Federal Protective Service of the Department of Homeland Security to provide armed security services at 26 Federal Plaza. SOLANO-ARIAS wore a black and gray security guard uniform and carried his employer-issued firearm on his waistband. Early in the morning on May 4, 2023, the Victim went to 26 Federal Plaza for the purpose of submitting an asylum application. Once there, SOLANO-ARIAS offered to assist the Victim with his asylum paperwork. Instead of providing assistance, however, SOLANO-ARIAS led the Victim through non-public areas of 26 Federal Plaza, eventually secluding the Victim in a locked office on the second floor. Inside the locked office, SOLANO-ARIAS demanded that the Victim perform oral sex on SOLANO-ARIAS. When the Victim attempted to resist SOLANO-ARIAS’s demands, SOLANO-ARIAS reached to the company-issued firearm on his person. Fearing that SOLANO-ARIAS would kill the Victim, the Victim performed oral sex on SOLANO-ARIAS, which caused physical pain and injury to the Victim. Following the assault, when the Victim was able to leave the office, he immediately reported the sexual assault to law enforcement. The following morning, when SOLANO-ARIAS arrived at 26 Federal Plaza for his shift, law enforcement agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) approached SOLANO-ARIAS and asked to speak with him. SOLANO-ARIAS agreed to speak with the federal agents. During the interview that followed, SOLANO-ARIAS lied to the federal agents about his sexual abuse of the Victim, initially disclaiming entirely that he had engaged in a sexual act with the Victim and then falsely claiming that the sexual act was consensual when it was not. SOLANO-ARIAS was arrested after the interview. * * * SOLANO-ARIAS, 42, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement agents, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Espinosa and Mitzi Steiner are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Revere Man Charged With Armed Robberies of Two Local Convenience Stores

body_text: BOSTON – A Revere man was charged yesterday in connection with the armed robberies of two Boston-area convenience stores in less than one week. Jaquan Barrows, 26, was charged with two counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce, commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery, and two counts of using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and in furtherance of a crime of violence. Barrows will appear in federal court in Boston later today. According to the charging documents, on the morning of March 29, 2024, a male wearing a mask, dark clothing and an orange safety vest entered a Revere convenience store brandishing a handgun. The suspect allegedly walked behind the counter, demanded cash from the cash register drawer, additional cash and a cell phone from the store clerk. The suspect allegedly struck the clerk in the head with the firearm, took an ice cream bar from a store freezer and fled the scene. It is alleged that less than a week later, on the morning of April 4, 2024, a male wearing a black mask and dark clothing entered an Everett convenience store and appeared to be shopping. After being asked to pay for his items, the suspect allegedly brandished a handgun, pointed it at the store clerk and demanded cash from the cash register drawer and fled the scene. A subsequent investigation identified a Honda Pilot captured in the vicinity of the Revere convenience store. According to court records the vehicle was registered to an individual who resided with Barrows. Surveillance footage obtained from the Revere convenience store and from Barrows’ residence allegedly showed Barrows wearing clothing similar to the robber. During a search of Barrows’ residence on April 4, 2024, clothing items matching the robber from the Revere robbery, as well as a handgun were allegedly found. Barrows was immediately taken into custody. The charge of Hobbs Act robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $ 250,000. The charge of using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and in furtherance of a crime of violence provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison to be served consecutively to the penalty for the underlying crime, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Revere and Everett Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Owner of Boston Pizzeria Chain Charged With Defrauding U.S. Small Business Administration

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of Stash’s Pizza, who is currently facing alleged federal forced labor charges, has been indicted by a grand jury in Boston for allegedly submitting false information to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain a loan on behalf of a business he no longer owned. Stavros Papantoniadis, a/k/a “Steve Papantoniadis,” 49, of Westwood, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud. Papantoniadis, who is currently in federal custody on the alleged forced labor charges, will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to court documents, Papantoniadis is the owner and operator of Stash’s Pizza, a chain of pizzerias in greater Boston. In April 2021, Papantoniadis sold one of his pizzerias located in Randolph, Mass., and the Secretary of State subsequently cancelled the limited liability company through which Papantoniadis owned the Randolph pizzeria. Between November 2021 and January 2022, Papantoniadis allegedly applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the SBA. These loans were designed to provide relief for small businesses that suffered substantial economic injury during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is alleged that, in his submissions to the SBA, Papantoniadis falsely represented that he still owned and operated Boston Pizza Company in Randolph, claiming that he had 18 employees. However, Papantoniadis had allegedly sold the business several months before he applied for the loan. The SBA approved the loan and sent Papantoniadis $499,900. In March 2023 , Papantoniadis was arrested and charged with one count of forced labor. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest. Papantoniadis has pleaded not guilty in this case and is awaiting trial, which is scheduled for May 20, 2024. The charges of wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of forced labor and attempted forced labor, which are contained in a separate indictment, provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran, Chief of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Brian A. Fogerty of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit are prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Multiple defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug charges

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. “Reducing violent crime in our communities requires a collaborative effort with our law enforcement partners to remove illegally possessed firearms from our streets,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “Active prosecution of these cases also discourages others from illegally using guns.” The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns. Those indicted during the April term of the U.S. District Court Grand Jury include: Lial Stephens , 28, of Pooler, Ga., charged with two counts of Interference with Commerce by Robbery, and two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. The charges stem from armed robberies in September and November of 2023 at a Garden City, Ga., convenience store. Cornelius Denzel Butler , a/k/a “Juice,” 30, of Baxley, Ga., charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Marijuana, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Raquan Williams , 23, of Savannah, charged with False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, and Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment; Keith Javon Johnson , 31, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon; Richard Bruce Salyer Jr., 48, of Forsyth, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and, Eddie Robertson , 30, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. In addition, O’kere Shields , 22, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon in a recently unsealed indictment. All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include: Jacques B. Pope , 32, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers investigating gunshots in a public area determined Pope possessed a pistol. Pope previously was convicted on federal firearms charges. Karron L. Shuman , 36, of Savannah, was sentenced to 86 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found a pistol in Shuman’s vehicle during a traffic stop. Dennis Mitchell , 51, of Brunswick, Ga., was sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Brunswick police officers found Mitchell in possession of a gun during a traffic stop. Jakobian Sentell Jones , 25, of Warrenton, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine. Georgia State Patrol troopers found Jones in possession of a revolver during a traffic stop, and in possession of cocaine and methamphetamine during a subsequent search. Zanuck Lorenzo Berry , 43, of Martinez, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Drug Enforcement Administration agents searched Berry’s home in January 2023 as part of a drug trafficking investigation and found an assault-style rifle, two semiautomatic “ghost gun” pistols, a third handgun, and a shotgun. Othnell Christian Ferguson , 27, of Pembroke, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Statesboro police officers determined Ferguson possessed a pistol during a foot chase following a February 2023 traffic stop. Robert Antonio Green , 26, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A probation officer from the Georgia Department of Community Supervision found a handgun in Green’s possession during a probation class. Desirae Heinsler, 38, of Eastman, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. After officers from the Rochester (NY) Police Department recovered multiple illegally possessed firearms, the investigation determined the guns originally were purchased in Georgia by Heinsler who provided false information to a licensed firearms dealer in Jeff Davis County. Tamarcus Antonio Heard , 37, of Washington, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Georgia State Patrol trooper found Heard in possession of a pistol during a traffic stop. Michael Jerome Germany , 50, of Grovetown, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Grovetown police officers found a pistol in Germany’s vehicle during a traffic stop. Arthur Eugene Cannon , 41, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm. Savannah Chatham Counter Narcotics Team investigators determined that Cannon illegally possessed a stolen pistol discovered during a drug trafficking investigation. A co-defendant, Thomas Allen Gordon , 56, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Jarrett Lamar Knight , 45, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. As described in the plea agreement, Knight was a convicted felon when he sold a shotgun to a confidential informant during an ATF investigation. Matthew Lacey , 26, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers arrested Lacey on warrants from an April 2023 domestic violence incident and found him in possession of a handgun. The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office. Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473


title: Two Nigerian Defendants Plead Guilty to Sextortion

body_text: Nigerian court orders third defendant extradited to the United States; decision pending appeal MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Samuel Ogoshi, 22, and Samson Ogoshi, 20, of Lagos, Nigeria, each pleaded guilty to conspiring to sexually exploit teenage boys in the Western District of Michigan and across the United States. The offense of conspiracy to sexually exploit minors requires a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison; the maximum possible penalty is 30 years. “Today’s guilty pleas represent an extraordinary success in the prosecution of international sextortion,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten . “These convictions will send a message to criminals in Nigeria and every corner of the globe: working with our partners both here and overseas, we can find you and we can bring you to justice.” He continued: “I hope these guilty pleas also bring a small measure of relief to the family of Jordan DeMay, who died as a result of this crime. Of course, the job is not done. The Ogoshi brothers await sentencing later this year, and we are still pursuing the extradition of the third defendant, Ezekiel Robert.” The plea agreement describes the integrated roles played by Samuel and Samson Ogoshi in creating fake accounts, luring, and extorting victims. As part of their pleas, the Ogoshi brothers also agree to cooperate in the prosecution of others. The charges against Ezekiel Robert are still pending. On August 13, 2023, Nigeria extradited the Ogoshis to the United States to face prosecution after a grand jury indicted the brothers in November 2022 for sexual extortion. On March 21, 2024, a Nigerian court ordered the third defendant, Ezekiel Robert, to be extradited to the United States. He has appealed that decision and the matter is before the Nigerian High Court. “Financial sextortion is a rising and very serious threat targeting our minors nationwide and this case shook the very core of our Michigan community,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “We encourage the public to have open and honest conversations with their loved ones surrounding sextortion and to take heed of the warning signs. If you believe you or someone you know has become a victim of this crime, please contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip at tips.fbi.gov.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Mekaru and Davin Reust, and investigated by the FBI, the Marquette Sheriff’s Department, and the Michigan State Police Cybercrimes Unit in Marquette with the cooperation and assistance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of State, and the Nigerian Attorney General’s Office – Ministry of Justice provided critical assistance securing the arrest and extradition of the defendants. The charges in the indictment against Ezekiel Robert remain pending and are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. For more information, below are the previous press releases, indictment, and plea agreements. Ogoshi Brothers Plead Not Guilty at Arraignment Two Nigerian Men Extradited to The United States After Being Indicted for International Sexual Extortion Ring Three Nigerian Men Awaiting Extradition for Committing Sexual Extortion Indictment Plea Agreement for Samuel Ogoshi (attached) Plea Agreement for Samson Ogoshi (attached) # # #