title: CEO of Iranian Engineering Company Arrested for Allegedly Shipping Sophisticated Electronics to Iran in Violation of U.S. Sanctions

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – An Iranian national and United States lawful permanent resident has been arrested on a four-count federal indictment charging him with unlawfully exporting electronics used in railway signaling and telecommunications systems from the United States to Iran, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR). Bahram Mohammad Ostovari, 66, a resident of Tehran, Iran, and Santa Monica, was arrested Thursday afternoon upon his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport. Ostovari is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and three counts of violating the IEEPA. He pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment today in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. A federal magistrate judge ordered him released on $1.3 million bond and scheduled a September 2 trial date. According to the indictment unsealed today, Ostovari is the founder and CEO of a Tehran-based engineering company – identified in the indictment as “Company A” – that supplied signaling and communications systems to Iran and its government, including on projects for the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways. From at least May 2018 to July 2025, Ostovari and his co-conspirators obtained and shipped sophisticated computer processors, railway signaling equipment, and other electronics and electronic components to Company A in Iran. Many of these items were controlled under federal regulations, and their export to Iran without a license was prohibited. To perpetrate his illegal export scheme, Ostovari used two front companies he controlled in the UAE – MH-SYS FZCO and Match Systech FZE – as conduits. Ostovari directed co-conspirators at these front companies to acquire the electronics and electronic components for Company A. Ostovari and his co-conspirators intentionally concealed from electronics suppliers in the United States and elsewhere that the goods were destined for Iran, falsely stating that MH-SYS and Match Systech in the UAE were the end users when in fact the true end user was Company A in Iran. Ostovari then directed his co-conspirators to arrange to ship the goods from the UAE to Company A in Iran. After he became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in May 2020, Ostovari continued to export, sell, and supply electronics and electrical components to Company A in Iran. Ostovari knew of the U.S. sanctions against Iran, mentioning them in emails to co-conspirators and directing one co-conspirator to provide false information to a federal export control officer regarding the end use of U.S.-origin goods they had shipped to Company A in Iran. The IEEPA and the ITSR impose controls and restrictions on transactions involving Iran based on the threats posed by Iran to the national security of the United States including, among others, its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sponsorship of terrorism. The IEEPA and ITSR, among other things, prohibit the export, re-export, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any goods, technology, or services to Iran or the Government of Iran without first obtaining authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). At no time did Ostovari, his companies, or his co-conspirators apply for or obtain authorization from OFAC to export, sell or supply goods and technologies from the United States to Iran. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, Ostovari would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count. Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys David C. Lachman and Colin S. Scott of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case. Trial Attorney Kathryn DeMarco of the Justice Department National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section provided valuable assistance.


title: Mexican national, illegally living in Beaumont, guilty of immigration violations  in the Eastern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national has pleaded guilty to an immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jesus Adame-Nunez, 43, a Mexican national illegally residing in Beaumont, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported person before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on July 10, 2025. According to information presented in court, Adame-Nunez was arrested in Beaumont on February 11, 2025, after an investigation revealed that he had been previously deported from the United States to Mexico in 2006. Adame-Nunez faces up to 2 years in federal prison and deportation at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security-Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson.


title: Former Rohnert Park Police Officer Found Guilty Of Conspiracy To Commit Extortion, Impersonating ATF Agent, And Other Charges Related To Marijuana Seizure Scheme

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – This afternoon, a federal jury convicted former Rohnert Park police officer Joseph Huffaker on six counts of conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion, conspiracy to falsify records in a federal investigation, falsifying records in a federal investigation, conspiracy to impersonate a federal officer, and impersonating a federal officer. The jury’s verdict follows a week-long trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney. According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Huffaker, 40, of Rohnert Park, was employed between 2012 and 2019 with the City of Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (RPDPS) as a police officer. The jury found that Huffaker conspired with his co-defendant, fellow police officer Brendan Jacy Tatum, to pull over drivers they suspected of possessing significant amounts of marijuana and extorting the drivers’ marijuana by falsely claiming to be ATF agents and threatening arrest if the drivers contested the property seizures. The jury also found that Huffaker conspired with Tatum to obstruct justice by creating a false police report two months after their extortions and sending that report to the FBI. “No traffic stop should turn into a shakedown. Misconduct by police officers undermines public safety and jeopardizes public cooperation with law enforcement. Huffaker’s actions threw a shadow of suspicion over multiple law enforcement agencies which, thankfully, were quick to investigate and discover his scheme,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “The jury’s verdict today holds Huffaker accountable and sends a strong message that we will not tolerate misconduct by those who hold the public trust.” “Today’s verdict affirms that no one is above the law. Joseph Huffaker betrayed the sworn oath he took as a police officer and used his position to extort money and marijuana from drivers under the guise of legitimate law enforcement,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Crimes like these damage the public’s confidence in law enforcement. Huffaker dishonored the oath every officer takes when he committed these crimes. The FBI remains committed to rooting out corruption at all levels, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to hold those who abuse their authority accountable.” According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, RPDPS previously operated an interdiction team between 2014 and early 2017 that conducted traffic stops on vehicles along Highway 101 between Cloverdale and Rohnert Park in an effort to seize illegal drugs. In December 2017, 11 months after the interdiction team had been disbanded, Huffaker and Tatum extorted significant quantities of marijuana from individuals, declaring to the individuals that their property would be seized, and at times threatening to arrest and charge the individuals. These seizures occurred while the officers were not on duty and not wearing their uniforms or body-worn cameras. The jury found that the extortion conspiracy included a traffic stop on December 18 during which Huffaker and Tatum falsely claimed to be ATF agents and seized 23 pounds of marijuana. In February 2018, the FBI received a complaint from a citizen who claimed to have been shaken down by police officers on the highway. An FBI agent asked Tatum for the police report related to the incident. The jury found that Tatum and Huffaker thereafter falsified a police Incident/Investigation Report regarding the unlawful December 18 traffic stop and seizure. Tatum then forwarded the falsified police report to an FBI agent who was investigating the stop. Huffaker is currently released on bond. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2025, before Judge Chesney. Huffaker faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, extortion under color of official right, and falsifying records in a federal investigation; five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to falsify records in a federal investigation and conspiracy to impersonate a federal officer; and three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for the count of impersonating a federal officer. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Co-defendant Tatum pleaded guilty in December 2021 to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, falsifying records in a federal investigation, and tax evasion. Tatum is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3, 2025, before Judge Chesney. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham Fine and Benjamin Kleinman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez, Amala James, and Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.


title: Stephanie Van Marter to Serve as Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – On July 7, 2025, Stephanie Van Marter assumed the role of Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. Van Marter, who was born and raised in Spokane, is a distinguished graduate of Gonzaga Prep, Gonzaga University, and the Gonzaga School of Law, where she graduated with highest honors in 1999. She has been with the United States Attorney’s Office for more than two decades and has served in numerous leadership positions over that time, most recently as Senior Litigation Counsel, Deputy Criminal Chief, and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) Coordinator. Working alongside federal, state and tribal agency partners, she has taken on hundreds of complex federal cases involving transnational drug trafficking, murder, weapons offenses, crimes against our tribal communities and members, and crimes against children. Van Marter has been nationally recognized for her successful prosecutions and leadership in targeting and bringing to justice the most dangerous transnational drug traffickers harming our community. Van Marter began her prosecutorial career as a deputy prosecuting attorney for Ada County in Boise, Idaho. During law school, she began serving in the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an intern and volunteered as a victim advocate at Lutheran Family Services in Spokane. While earning undergraduate degrees in criminal justice and psychology from Gonzaga, she worked at the Spokane Police Department, supporting community policing initiatives. Van Marter continues to be an active member of the Spokane community, serving as a board member of the Cancer Care Foundation with her father and sister, and as one of the founding board members for the Spokane Alliance for Fentanyl Education (“SAFE”), which recently received national recognition for its work educating the public on the dangers of illicit fentanyl. Skiers at Mount Spokane may also recognize Van Marter, a certified first responder, who served for 13 years as a member of the National Ski Patrol. She and her husband, who was also raised in the Spokane community, are the proud parents of four grown sons, each of whom has gone on to earn a college or advanced degree. Two of her sons also serve in the United States military. Van Marter intends to remain engaged in community service throughout her time at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Having grown up in this community and chosen it as the place to raise my own family, I am humbled and honored to serve as Acting United States Attorney,” Van Marter said. “I have dedicated my career to this community and to developing and maintaining partnerships with all who serve in law enforcement. I have always been driven by a deep commitment to bring justice to those impacted by crime, to ensure that the voices of victims are heard, and to carry out the important law enforcement and prosecutorial missions of this District. I am proud to be a part of a team of dedicated professionals who work every day to protect our communities, and to work with our federal, state, tribal and community partners and to bring and defend cases that will continue to make our communities stronger and safer.” Van Marter’s law enforcement colleagues have welcomed her into her new role as the chief law enforcement officer for the Eastern District, which spans all 20 counties east of the Cascade mountains in Washington. “Steph Van Marter has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to justice and public safety in all of her work, from transnational drug cases to complicated Indian Country matters,” said Tom Atkinson, the Deputy Associate Director of the Division of Drug Enforcement for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. “Her strong support for the BIA and her unwavering collaboration with tribal, federal, and local partners continues to make a real impact in the communities that make up the Eastern District. We fully support her appointment as Acting U.S. Attorney and are confident she will continue to champion tribal sovereignty, safety, and justice for all.” Van Marter succeeds Richard R. Barker, who concludes his service as Acting U.S. Attorney but leaves the leadership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in experienced hands. “Through her years of service, Steph Van Marter has built outstanding relationships with law enforcement and community members and has brought unmatched dedication to the mission of this office,” Barker said. Van Marter looks forward to building on the legacy established by the United States Attorneys who have come before her. “This office has an incredibly rich tradition of outstanding leadership. From Jim Connelly, Jim McDevitt, Mike Ormsby, and Joseph Harrington, from whom I learned so much in the early part of my career, through the late Bill Hyslop, to Vanessa Waldref and Richard Barker, the U.S. Attorneys in this District have laid a strong foundation upon which I am eager to build. I am privileged to have been mentored by these incredible leaders and to have seen firsthand the vast talent of so many Assistant United States Attorneys who have worked and sacrificed for the good of this office and the people in this District. I am grateful for the high standards set by those who have come before me, and I am humbled to be able to follow their examples.” Van Marter also highlighted her excitement about continuing the great work done by her team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office: “We will build on our already-strong and important relationships with law enforcement and community partners throughout this District. We will keep seeking justice by bringing a one team approach; to combine and expand our resources together so we can bring the most impactful cases that help our community to be safer. We will continue to stand for those impacted by crime. I am so grateful to have this opportunity to continue to strengthen Eastern Washington and secure justice for those who call this beautiful and special place home.”


title: Honduran man charged with illegal re-entry

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Petronilo Castillo Bonilla, 39, a citizen and national of Honduras, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Fauzia K. Mattingly, who are handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on June 24, 2025, Border Patrol agents encountered a vehicle in Buffalo, NY, which was registered to Castillo Bonilla, who was previously ordered removed from the United States. As agents approached two individuals, who were previously seen exiting the vehicle and were now returning to the vehicle, and asked if one was Castillo Bonilla, both individuals immediately ran in opposite directions. After a brief chase and struggle, agents were able to detain both individuals. When questioned about his citizenship and legal status in the United States, Castillo Bonilla did not provide any information for the agents. During a brief search of his clothing, a Honduran passport was discovered. Subsequent investigation determined that Castillo Bonilla is a citizen and national of Honduras, and not a citizen or national of the United States. He was physically removed from the United States in December 2018. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Castillo Bonilla made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained. The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Martin B. Coombs. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Two Des Moines Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – Two Des Moines men were sentenced on July 11, 2025, to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in the summer of 2023, Ajang Malou Wour, 43, began trafficking fentanyl pills, shortly after he was discharged from a term of federal supervised release. By September 2024, Wour began bringing trafficking fentanyl powder. Within an 18-month period, Wour obtained and distributed over 60,000 fentanyl pills and 40 ounces of fentanyl powder. Omar Mohamed Nurani, 22, received fentanyl pills from Wour frequently and sold the pills to other distributors and customers. In June 2024, Wour sold Nurani fentanyl pills, which Nurani then to a customer. The victim used the pills, overdosed, and died. After the victim’s death, Wour and Nurani continued to sell fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder. Nurani obtained and distributed over 2,000 fentanyl pills and eight ounces of fentanyl powder. Wour was sentenced to 144 months in prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. Nurani was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department, with assistance from the Ankeny Police Department and the Mid-Iowa Drug Enforcement Task Force. Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Fentanyl deaths for youth ages 15 to 24 more than doubled between 2018 and 2022. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill .


title: Colombian Money Launderer Sentenced to Over Eight Years in Prison for Role in International Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Colombian national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his involvement in a sophisticated international money laundering organization that laundered more than $6 million in drug trafficking proceeds from Colombian cartels through the United States, Caribbean and European banking systems. Argiro de Jesus Velasquez-Velasquez, 66, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 102 months in prison. On Nov. 30, 2024, Velasquez-Velasquez pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy and four counts of laundering of monetary instruments. Velasquez-Velasquez was among 20 individuals from Colombia, Jamaica and Florida who were indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2022 in connection with the money laundering conspiracy. He is subject to deportation upon completion of his imposed sentence. Over the course of the investigation, $1 million was seized from corporate bank accounts and other investigative activity. Nearly 3,000 kilograms of cocaine – with a street value of over $90 million – was traced back to the money laundering organization. This includes approximately 1,193 kilograms of cocaine seized at sea, 60 miles south of Jamaica, in July 2019, as well as 1,555 kilograms of cocaine seized in nine scrap metal shipping containers at the Port of Buenaventura, Colombia, in March 2019. In or about October 2016, an investigation began into a sophisticated money laundering organization located primarily in Barranquilla, Colombia. During an extensive five-year investigation, the organization laundered over $6 million in drug proceeds through intermediary banks in the United States, including banks in Massachusetts, as well as additional proceeds through banks in the Caribbean and Europe by use of the Colombian Black Market Peso Exchange (BMPE). By using the BMPE, the defendants and their co-conspirators sought to conceal drug trafficking activity and proceeds from law enforcement as well as evade currency exchange requirements in the United States and Colombia through the illegal currency exchange process. As part of the conspiracy, members of the organization held roles and responsibilities relative to the needs and opportunities of the scheme, such as drug suppliers, peso brokers, money couriers and business owners/dollar purchasers. Through the BMPE, Colombian drug trafficking organizations with drug proceeds generated in the United States use third parties – generally referred to as “peso brokers” that are also based in Colombia – who agree to exchange Colombian pesos they control for the drug supplier’s dollar proceeds. Peso brokers then use money couriers in the United States and elsewhere to physically secure the drug proceeds, often in suitcases or bags on the street, and transfer the proceeds into the United States banking system. To avoid detection, peso brokers deposit the drug proceeds into bank accounts in company or individual names intended to appear as legitimate business activity, or through multiple small deposits into different bank accounts which are then consolidated into larger accounts. As a result, Colombian peso brokers control a pool of drug-derived proceeds in United States bank accounts. These dollar proceeds are then purchased by individuals or companies in Colombia seeking to exchange pesos for United States dollars at a favorable exchange rate and in a manner that avoids currency exchange and income reporting requirements. The dollar drug proceeds are transferred at the direction of the purchaser, and often end up in bank accounts of individuals or companies who appear to have no direct involvement in drug trafficking crimes. Beginning in 2016 and continuing until 2022, an undercover agent infiltrated the organization by portraying himself as an international money launderer able to pick up bulk cash throughout the world, launder the proceeds through his United States-based accounts and send the money to Colombia either through the BMPE. Throughout the course of the investigation, members of the money laundering organization would contact the undercover agent and arrange meetings for the undercover and the undercover’s purported associates to collect bulk cash throughout the world. Velasquez-Velasquez was involved in cocaine trafficking in Colombia. He and his partner, co-defendant Jose Sanchez-Villanueva, would hire money brokers who would negotiate the money laundering contract by hiring a money launderer to pick up the bulk cash drug proceeds throughout the world, and would then direct where the money was to be sent to various accounts in order to conceal the nature of the funds and facilitate the payout of the laundered proceeds in Colombia for the benefit of the drug suppliers. At sentencing, Velasquez-Velasquez was held personally responsible for the laundering of nearly $600,000 in drug proceeds, however, over the course of the conspiracy Velasquez-Velasquez offered the undercover agent multiple additional contracts to launder large sums of cash drug proceeds. Velasquez-Velasquez, a Colombian citizen who resided in Colombia was charged in a 50 count indictment along with 19 other individuals in March 2022. Velasquez-Velasquez was arrested in Colombia and extradited to the United States. Velasquez-Velasquez is the 13th defendant to be sentenced. All but one remaining defendant has been convicted either at trial or by pleading guilty. The remaining defendant is scheduled to plead guilty in August 2025. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Aura Liliana Trujillo Rojas, Delegate for Criminal Finance for the Colombian Attorney General’s Office; Ricardo Sánchez Silvestre, Brigadier General of the Colombian National Police Anti-Narcotics Directorate; Jervis Moore, Chief of the Narcotics Division for the Jamaica Constabulary Force; and Colonel Geoffrey Noble of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of Cover, Rowe, and other co-defendants from Colombia and Jamaica. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Alathea E. Porter of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. 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 . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: PANAMANIAN MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO PASSPORT FRAUD

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Celso Javier Melgar, 60, of the country of Panama, pled guilty in federal court to Passport Fraud. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “There is a right way and a wrong way to enter and remain in the United States, but preying on U.S. citizens and fraudulently utilizing their identities to do so is a one-way ticket to federal prison. My office remains fully committed to fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by robustly enforcing our immigration laws and prosecuting to the fullest extent those who violate our laws.” Court documents reflect that Melgar, a Panamanian citizen who obtained a U.S. Business and Pleasure Visa in 1998, never departed the country upon his visa expiration in 2008. In 2003, Melgar fraudulently applied for a U.S. passport using a U.S. citizen’s identity along with a fraudulent Florida driver’s license. The passport was issued. Melgar applied for a renewal passport on April 3, 2015, in the Northern District of Florida. Melgar used his prior fraudulently obtained passport, again representing to be the same U.S. citizen victim. During the course of its investigation, law enforcement interviewed the victim who confirmed he did not apply for a U.S. passport and not did he give anyone permission to use his personally identifiable information. Melgar was arrested on March 31, 2025, during which time he admitted to purchasing fraudulent identity documents and using them to fraudulently obtain a driver’s license and both U.S. passports. Melgar faces up to ten years’ imprisonment. An ICE detainer has been lodged against Melgar, and he will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term. Melgar’s imprisonment could be followed by up to a 3-year term of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State – Diplomatic Security Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan. Sentencing is scheduled for October 1, 2025, at 1:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 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: Ponte Vedra Beach Man Pleads Guilty In Fraud Scheme Involving COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that James Elliott Davis, II (36, Ponte Vedra Beach) has pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of mail. Davis faces up to 30 years in federal prison on the bank fraud count, up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count, up to 10 years in prison on the money laundering count, up to 5 years in prison on the theft of mail count and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded. Davis has agreed to forfeit between $6.7 and $8.8 million, which are traceable to proceeds of the crimes he committed. No sentencing date has been set. According to court documents, from March 2018 through 2022, Davis ran a purported medical supply company named Medisale Inc. Using false representations, Davis enticed individuals and business entities to invest large sums of money in Medisale. He falsely represented to victim-investors that Medisale was making significant profits on the sale of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). He claimed to have contact with CEOs at various hospitals and that Medisale had contracts with hospitals to sell large volumes of N95 masks and other PPE. In convincing victim-investors to give him money, Davis showed fraudulent bank statements with large balances, claiming the money was from the sale of PPE. In reality, Medisale had no such contracts and had no true revenue from the sale of PPE. Instead, Davis kited checks and conducted fraudulent ACH/wire transfers between multiple financial institutions in order to artificially inflate the apparent balances on his bank accounts. Utilizing victim-investor funds, Davis paid off previous debts, paid other investors purported profits from the sale of PPE, and paid personal expenses. This included Davis using victim-investor money to purchase a membership at a luxury club in Ponte Vedra Beach and spending more than $27,000 on custom clothing. This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of Inspector General, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by visiting the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www. justice. gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.


title: Overton County Agrees to Settle Allegations It Violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by Discriminating During Public Meetings Against Residents with Hearing Impairments

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – The United States has reached an agreement with Overton County, Tennessee, to resolve allegations that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. Overton County is alleged to have ignored requests for hearing assistance during public meetings. According to the complaint’s allegations, the complaints alleged that they requested auxiliary aids and services from Overton County with regard to hearing assistance during various county public meetings, including its Budget Committee and county legislative body meetings. The complainants alleged that they could not hear during public meetings and informed the county of these problems. The complainants alleged that Overton County ignored these requests, refused to use microphones in the spaces designated for its public meetings, and told the complainants that they could sit closer to the county commissioners if they had hearing issues. During a public meeting, a county commissioner offered to provide equipment for certain audio/listening upgrades to the spaces in which public meetings were held, but the county rejected this proposal. As a result, the complainants were not able to fully participate in public meetings. As part of the settlement, Overton County agrees that the modifications sought by the complainants did not fundamentally alter the nature of public meetings, and that providing auxiliary aids and services so individuals with disabilities can participate fully in public meetings does not constitute an undue burden or fundamental alteration to the nature of the meetings. Overton County will take steps to furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services to ensure that communications with participants with disabilities are as effective as communications with others, including upgrading the audio and amplification systems in the public Chancery courtroom in which its county legislative body meetings are held, installing assistive listening systems in any space in which it conducts public business, and ensuring that any space in which it conducts public business will be assessed for upgrading microphones so that individuals with disabilities can fully participate in public proceedings conducted in those other public spaces. The county also will implement a process by which an individual with a qualifying disability can request an auxiliary aid, service, or reasonable modification that will ensure that individual can fully participate in any public meeting. Assistant United States Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee investigated the complaint and negotiated the Settlement Agreement. Overton County worked collaboratively with the United States Attorney’s Office to resolve this complaint. The civil claims settled by this resolution are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The ADA was passed on July 26, 1990. The Act reaffirmed our nation’s commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities have the right to live, work, and full participate in the community alongside their fellow citizens. 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 via the ADA website at http://www.ada.gov or through contacting the U.S. Attorney’s civil rights hotline at 313-226-9151. ADA complaints may be filed by email to ada.complaint@usdoj.gov . # # # # #


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay More Than $650,000 in Restitution for Role in $14.5 Million Interstate PPP Loan Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced in federal court on July 9, 2025, to 15 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $659,152 on his conviction of fraud conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Marc Andrew Martin, 46. According to information presented to the Court, between March 2020 and August 2021, Martin and others—including Matthew Parker—conspired to defraud lenders of over $14 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) COVID-19 relief loans. Parker, a licensed CPA from Detroit, recruited hundreds of small businesses in Pittsburgh and Detroit and falsified PPP loan applications. The Small Business Administration approved 226 of those applications, resulting in loans totaling approximately $14.5 million to businesses, the largest known PPP fraud in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Martin referred approximately $1,900,000 in fraudulent loan packages to Parker, who was sentenced in June 2025 to 24 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $14.5 million on his conviction of fraud conspiracy. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Postal Inspection Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Martin.


title: Citizen Of Mexico Indicted On Illegal Reentry Charge

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Leonardo Mendoza-Zavala, age 44, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on a charge of illegal reentry. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about June 21, 2025, Mendoza-Zavlawas found in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, after previously having been removed from the United States. The indictment also alleges that Mendoza-Zavala had been removed from the United States on January 6, 2020, through Laredo, Texas, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Harrisburg Bureau of Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Ford is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiate that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Philadelphia drug trafficker sentenced to 15 years in prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine after having previously been convicted of a serious drug felony. According to court documents, in September and October of 2024, Antonio Ortiz, 43, arranged to sell two kilograms of cocaine and agreed to travel to Arlington County to complete the transaction. On Oct. 15, 2024, law enforcement took Ortiz into custody upon his arrival at the agreed location in Arlington and searched his rental vehicle. From the trunk of the vehicle, law enforcement recovered 2,005.3 grams of cocaine. Law enforcement in Philadelphia searched Ortiz’s residence and recovered an additional 3,022.3 grams of cocaine. Ortiz was convicted in 2002 and again in 2003 for distribution of cocaine. In 2011, Ortiz was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine while he was still on parole for a 2004 conviction for aggravated assault and carrying a firearm without a license after shooting another individual during an argument. Ortiz was on supervised release for the 2011 conviction at the time of his arrest on Oct. 15, 2024. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Charles “Andy” Penn, Arlington County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Alito and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hahn prosecuted the case. This investigation is part of the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Northern Virginia Drug Initiative, which seeks to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations; reduce drug-related crime and violence; and identify and respond to emerging drug trends. 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. 1:25-cr-35.


title: New Jersey Real Estate Investor and Online Influencer Charged with Committing Multi-Million Dollar Investment Fraud Scheme, Laundering Drug Proceeds, and Bribing a New Jersey Politician

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a New Jersey real estate investor and influencer with committing a multi-million-dollar Ponzi-like investment fraud scheme, conspiring to launder drug proceeds, laundering money represented to be drug proceeds as part of a sting operation, and bribing a New Jersey politician, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today. Cesar Humberto Pina, a/k/a “Flipping NJ,” 47, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, was charged by criminal indictment with two counts of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, two counts of money laundering, and one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. Pina’s initial appearance and arraignment on the indictment have not yet been scheduled. “Cesar Pina is alleged to have misappropriated millions of dollars of peoples’ hard-earned money, laundered money for narcotics traffickers, and bribed a politician in furtherance of real estate projects. This multi-year torrent of criminal activity hurt investors around the United States, facilitated the scourge of narcotics trafficking, and undermined confidence in our public officials. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to root out these types of illicit activities that threaten our communities.” - U.S. Attorney Alina Habba “Today’s indictment against Cesar Pina is due to the diligent work of the DEA and our law enforcement partners, when targeting those individuals who place greed and profit over the welfare of others,” stated DEA New Jersey Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz. “Rather than utilize his social media presence for the betterment of society, Mr. Humberto Pina chose to use it to expand his criminal activities. His actions, along with his willingness to launder money from drugs proceeds, is no different than those individuals flooding our streets with illicit and diverted narcotics, exasperating an already addictive and deadly opioid crisis. The DEA will continue to hold these people accountable.” “Leveraging his social media prominence, it is alleged Cesar Pina provided services for narcotics traffickers, bribed a government official, and defrauded unsuspecting investors out of millions of dollars, all for personal gain,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “Today’s indictment is a reminder of IRS-CI’s commit to work alongside with our law enforcement partners to ensure bad actors are held accountable.” “Under the guise of being an entrepreneur with his clients’ best interests at heart, Cesar Pina allegedly defrauded dozens of investors of millions of dollars. His alleged actions didn't stop at fraud but involved bribery, money laundering, and conspiring to launder illicit funds from the sale of drugs. The FBI and its partners will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that these criminals are brought to justice,” Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy stated. “Investment fraud is simply a crime of greed,” stated Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Newark Field Office of the Philadelphia Division. “In this case, Cesar Pina allegedly solicited dozens of individuals to provide him with millions of dollars to purchase and invest in residential properties. However, instead of sharing the profits, he defrauded his investors in a Ponzi scheme. Postal Inspectors will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat financial fraud and protect the American people.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Pina partnered with a celebrity disc jockey and radio personality to conduct real estate seminars around the country. Through these seminars, self-promotional efforts, and other marketing strategies, Pina developed a significant social media following. Starting in at least 2017, Pina began accepting investments from individual investors for the alleged purchase, remodel, and sale of specific real estate properties in New Jersey and other states. To induce investors, Pina often promised 30% or higher returns on investments within 4 to 5 months. But instead of using investors’ funds as promised, Pina commingled and misappropriated investors’ money, including by using new investor funds to pay off prior investors in a Ponzi-like scheme and spending investor funds on unauthorized business and personal expenditures. Thus far, the investigation has revealed that Pina defrauded dozens of investors of millions of dollars. Pina also conspired to launder illicit funds, including from the sale of controlled substances, for various individuals he knew were engaged in criminal activities. Pina further laundered money that an individual acting at the direction of law enforcement represented was drug proceeds as part of a sting operation. In addition, Pina bribed a local official of Paterson, New Jersey in connection with real estate-related projects in Paterson. For example, Pina provided cash and other bribes to the official in exchange for official action, assistance, and influence in connection with Pina’s “Old School 5” development project, which had pending applications before the Paterson Zoning Board of Adjustment. The charges of wire fraud each carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense or of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest. The charges of money laundering conspiracy and money laundering each carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The charge of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense or of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney; special agents and task force officers of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; and special agents and task force officers of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the Franklin Lakes Police Department for its assistance in the investigation. This case is 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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Silane and Aaron Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit; Edeli Rivera and Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division; and Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Gerald Krovatin, Esq., Newark, NJ pina.indictment.pdf


title: JURY CONVICTS TALLAHASSEE MAN OF ATTEMPTING TO ENTICE A MINOR TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Jelani Amari Petersen, 28, of Tallahassee, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday of attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. The verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am proud of the great work by my office and our state and federal law enforcement partners to take this sex offender off our streets. This case exemplifies the mission set forth by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pamela Bondi: protect America’s children against predators like this defendant. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute such offenses to keep our most vulnerable members of the community safe from the predations of these sick individuals.” Trial testimony demonstrated that in September 2024, federal, state, and local law enforcement executed Operation Lifeguard, an undercover operation designed to apprehend individuals who use the Internet to sexually exploit children online. During the operation, Petersen communicated with an undercover officer who he believed to be a minor female, and expressed interest in engaging in sexual activity with the child in exchange for money. When Petersen arrived at a pre-arranged meeting location, law enforcement arrested him and searched his car. A subsequent search of his cellular phone, confirmed his communication with the undercover officers. Petersen faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of life imprisonment, followed by a term of five years to life of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. The case involved a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin M. Keen and Meredith Steer. Sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2025, at 11:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor. 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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 . 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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Former Business Vice President Indicted For Attempting To Extort His Former Employer

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Bryan R. Chapman, age 62, of Missouri, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on extortion charges. According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Chapman was the Vice President of a nationwide business located in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. After he was fired, Chapman attempted to extort the business by claiming that he would expose that the company had taken trade secrets from a supplier. Chapman demanded six-months’ severance in exchange for his silence, which would have amounted to over $100,000. The company refused to be extorted. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for the extortion offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Cary Man Who Wounded Police Dog Sentenced to 12.5 Years for Armed Carjacking

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – Joshua Whittlesey, a resident of Cary, was sentenced today to 12.5 years in prison and $28,000 in restitution, for carjacking. The 26-year-old man pled guilty to the charge on November 13, 2024. According to court records and other information presented in court, on July 21, 2023, Whittlesey went to Hendrick’s Cadillac in Cary under the guise of purchasing a Ford Raptor. While out on a test drive with the sales representative, Whittlesey brandished what the sales representative believed to be a firearm and ordered him out of the vehicle. The sales representative immediately called 911 to report the crime. Whittlesey took the vehicle and led officers from the Cary, Durham, and Raleigh Police Departments on a high-speed chase reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour. While fleeing from the officers, Whittlesey struck and wounded a Cary Police dog with the stolen vehicle. Whittlesey later abandoned the vehicle and was apprehended in Burlington. Whittlesey claimed that the apparent firearm was a BB gun, but law enforcement did not recover either. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cary Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaren E. Kelly and Jake D. Pugh prosecuted. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00115-FL.


title: Former New Haven Resident Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Narcotics

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOSHUWA DIAZ, 34, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics. According to court documents and statements made in court, Diaz was arrested on February 16, 2024, after a court-authorized search of his apartment on Orange Street in New Haven revealed approximately 75 grams of fentanyl, 278 grams of cocaine, 47 grams of crack cocaine, and a loaded P80 handgun with no serial number (“ghost gun”). On February 11, 2025, Diaz pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base (“crack”), and fentanyl. Diaz, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 10. In April 2013, Diaz was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 78 months of imprisonment for distributing heroin. This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force, which includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. Keefe.


title: Ohio Doctor Pleads Guilty to Role in Telemedicine Scheme

body_text: CLEVELAND – Mohammed Ahmad, 38, of Avon, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to submitting orders for patients in connection with a durable medical equipment (DME) scheme that caused Medicare to be unnecessarily billed for thousands of dollars. Medicare is a federal health care benefit program that provides items and services mainly to people who are age 65 and older. According to court documents, Ahmad has been a licensed physician in Ohio since 2014 and worked as a contractor for Florida-based Lifeline Recruiting Inc. to provide telemedicine services. Lifeline Recruiting purchased “leads” of Medicare beneficiaries and used call center services to find and target individuals who were eligible to receive orthotic braces and other DME. Lifeline provided pre-completed orders for Ahmad to review and sign to authorize treatment with DME as medically necessary, even though he did not personally examine patients or conduct the tests that his orders indicated he had performed. From November 2018 to May 2019, medical orders that Ahmad signed caused approximately $267,402 in false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare, of which approximately $126,643 was paid. On July 9, 2025, Ahmad pleaded guilty after being charged by information for making false statements related to health care matters in connection with the DME telemedicine scheme. He faces a maximum of up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is yet to be scheduled. This investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea S. Rice and Erica D. Barnhill prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The Takedown is part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that brought criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers. For more information, visit: justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/2025-national-health-care-fraud-takedown . The owner of Lifeline Recruiting, Alicia Hiller, pleaded guilty in March to charges related to the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 5, 2025, in the Southern District of Florida. To report health care fraud and abuse, call 1-800-HHS-TIPS (8477).


component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: Justice Department Opens Application Period for Program to Enhance Tribal Access to National Crime Information Databases WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice is pleased to announce the opening of the application period for federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia to participate in the Tribal Access Program (TAP) for National Crime Information. TAP improves public safety by providing federally recognized Tribes the ability to access and exchange data with national crime information databases for authorized criminal justice and non-criminal justice purposes, including the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC). The program provides software, hardware, and training, as well as a web-based application and biometric/biographic kiosk workstations to process fingerprints, take mugshots, and submit information to FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) systems. The Department will accept TAP applications from July 9 to August 29. Tribes selected to participate will be notified in September. There are currently 149 federally recognized Tribes participating in TAP. Using TAP, Tribes have shared information about missing persons; entered domestic violence orders of protection for nationwide enforcement; registered convicted sex offenders; run criminal histories; located fugitives; entered bookings and convictions; and completed fingerprint-based record checks for non-criminal justice purposes such as screening employees or volunteers who work with children. “As a TAP Pilot Tribe, the Cherokee Nation has been participating in TAP for many years,” said Suzanne Drywater, Senior Director of Justice Services for the Cherokee Nation. “From sex offender registrations, law enforcement, foster home certification, human resources, and child support, our tribe has been able to exercise our sovereignty, and TAP has proven to be an invaluable resource that we use daily in a multitude of ways.” For Tribes that are considering applying, TAP staff will be conducting informational webinars describing the program and its capabilities. Webinars will be offered throughout July and August. For more information about TAP, including webinar dates, times and access information, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/tribal-access-program-tap . To qualify for funding, federally recognized Tribes must have – and agree to use TAP for – at least one of the following: A Tribal sex offender registry authorized by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, A Tribal law enforcement agency that has arrest powers, A Tribal court that issues orders of protection, or A Tribal government agency that screens individuals for foster care placement or that investigates allegations of child abuse/neglect. TAP is funded by the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking; the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office on Violence Against Women. TAP is co-managed by the department’s Office of the Chief Information Officer and Office of Tribal Justice. ###


title: Poplar man sentenced for defrauding local fire department

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Poplar man who fraudulently obtained money intended for the local fire department was sentenced yesterday to 5 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release and restitution of $16,986.50, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. David Michael Rosebud Mathison, 49, pleaded guilty in March 2025 to one count of wire fraud. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that David Mathison served as the Fire Chief for the Poplar Volunteer Fire Department from about December 2020 until his official termination in November 2022. The Poplar Volunteer Fire Department is funded through public donations and the funds are intended to be used for Fire Department business through the use of a debit card. When a Fire Department debit card is used to access funds, those funds are transferred in interstate commerce from the relevant point of sale terminal or ATM to data centers located outside Montana. Mathison was not authorized to possess and use a Fire Department debit card, but he obtained one for purported business expenses. Mathison then used the card for personal expenses, including numerous unauthorized ATM withdrawals at local bars and restaurants. On or about August 23, 2021, Mathison used a Fire Department debit card to make three separate withdrawals totaling $487.50 from an ATM located at the Buckhorn Bar in Poplar. When confronted about these unauthorized withdrawals, Mathison claimed the funds were used to pay for meals for other firefighters despite there being no Fire Department meeting or event at that time. When Mathison was interviewed, he admitted making the ATM withdrawals and acknowledged that the money was used to purchase alcoholic beverages from the bar. The total amount of loss is $16,986.50. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice. XXX


title: Sioux City Woman Sentenced to Prison for  Federal Firearms Convictions

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A woman who violated multiple federal firearms laws was sentenced July 9, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City. Maria Francisca Portalatin, age 53, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on February 7, 2025, to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, one count of making false statements during the purchase of firearms, one count of straw purchase of firearms, and one count of concealing a person from arrest. Evidence in the case showed that in April of 2023, Portalatin knowingly made false statements and representations on ATF forms to Dunham’s Sports Store in Sioux City in connection with her acquisition of multiple firearms. Portalatin later admitted to law enforcement that she was an unlawful user of methamphetamine and purchased the firearms for Freddie Summerville who she knew was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Evidence further showed, that in June of 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Portalatin’s residence and located the four firearms she had purchased. During an interview with law enforcement, Portalatin admitted she lied on the ATF forms and that she was aware that Freddie Summerville was wanted on a federal warrant. In July of 2024, Portalatin and Summerville were stopped in a vehicle near Sioux Falls. Subsequently, in an interview with law enforcement she admitted they were smoking methamphetamine and that she had helped harbor and conceal Summerville. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Portalatin was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay $1,400 in fines and assessments. She must also serve a 2 year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kraig R. Hamit and Kevin C. Fletcher. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-04053. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Air Force Employee Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Disclose Unlawfully Classified National Defense Information

body_text: A civilian employee of the U.S. Air Force assigned to the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) at Offutt Air Force Base pleaded guilty today to conspiring to transmit classified information relating to the national defense (National Defense Information) on a foreign online dating platform beginning in or around February 2022 until in or around April 2022. “The defendant, an employee of the United States Air Force with access to some of our Nation’s most closely held secrets, shared classified information with someone claiming to be a foreigner on an online dating platform,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The Department of Justice stands ready to hold accountable those who violate their obligation to protect sensitive national security information entrusted to them.” “Access to classified information comes with great responsibility. David Slater failed in his duty to protect this information by willingly sharing National Defense Information with an unknown online personality despite having years of military experience that should have caused him to be suspicious of that person’s motives,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods for the District of Nebraska. “Mr. Slater betrayed an oath he made to safeguard our nation's intelligence,” said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office. “Leveraging his access to sensitive information, Mr. Slater chose to transmit material that put our country at risk. The FBI is extremely thankful for the work of our partners in this case. We will continue to partner together to defend the homeland by aggressively investigating and apprehending criminals and adversaries who pose a threat to our nation's security.” According to court documents, David Franklin Slater, 64, of Nebraska, after retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army, worked in a classified space at USSTRATCOM and held a Top Secret security clearance from in or around August 2021 until in or around April 2022. Slater pleaded guilty to willfully, improperly, and unlawfully conspiring to transmit National Defense Information classified as “SECRET,” which he had reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of a foreign nation, on a foreign online dating platform to a person not authorized to receive such information. According to court documents, Slater attended USSTRATCOM briefings regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine that were classified up to TOP SECRET//SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION (TS//SCI). Slater then conspired to transmit classified National Defense Information that he learned from those briefings via the foreign online dating website’s messaging platform to his co-conspirator, who claimed to be a female living in Ukraine on the foreign dating website. The co-conspirator regularly asked Slater to provide her with sensitive, non-public, closely held, and classified National Defense Information and called Slater in their messages her “secret informant love” and her “secret agent.” In furtherance of that conspiracy, Slater did, in fact, transmit classified National Defense Information to her, including regarding military targets and Russian military capabilities relating to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The charge of conspiracy to transmit national defense information provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Slater is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 8. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Omaha Field Office and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Kleine for the District of Nebraska and Trial Attorney Emma Dinan Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Former Banker Arrested for Allegedly Obtaining $2.7 Million in COVID Business-Relief Funds Using Stolen IDs of Disabled Persons

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former Wells Fargo & Co. banker and his brother have been arrested on an eight-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they schemed to fraudulently obtain more than $2.7 million in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 relief funds and federally-guaranteed small business loans, including by submitting applications using the stolen identities of developmentally disabled persons who lived in long-term care facilities, the Justice Department announced today. Norayr Madadi, 40, of Burbank, and Vazrik Madadi, 44, of Glendale, were arrested Wednesday morning. Both men are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and three counts of money laundering. Norayr Madadi is separately charged with one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of making a false statement to a government agent. They pleaded not guilty at their arraignment Wednesday afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles. A federal magistrate judge ordered Norayr Madadi released on $25,000 bond, ordered Vazrik Madadi released on $50,000 bond, and scheduled a September 2 trial date. According to the indictment returned on June 17 and unsealed Wednesday, Norayr Madadi was a banker at Wells Fargo and opened fraudulent accounts in the names of shell companies and persons including using stolen and fictious identities. From March 2020 through April 2021, the defendants obtained millions in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) loans by submitting loan applications with false statements about revenues, operations, and employees. The defendants used fake and stolen identities to further the fraudulent scheme, including the stolen identities of two victims who are developmentally disabled and live in long-term care facilities. The Small Business Administration (SBA) and PPP participating lenders disbursed the loans into bank accounts controlled by the defendants, including the Wells Fargo bank accounts opened by Norayr Madadi. The Madadi brothers allegedly spent the loan proceeds at casinos, paying for luxury cars and jewelry, and cash withdrawals. Law enforcement believes the losses caused by this scheme are approximately $2.7 million. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 in federal prison for each wire fraud-related count and up to 10 years in federal prison for each money laundering count. Norayr Madadi would face up to five years in federal prison if convicted of the false statements count and would face a mandatory two-year consecutive prison term if convicted of the aggravated identity theft count. The FBI is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jason Pang of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case, with substantial assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Former Huntsville resident arrested on arson and fraud charges after deaths of two

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 52-year-old year-old resident of Kansas City, Missouri, has been charged with multiple counts related to a conspiracy to commit arson against a property used in interstate or foreign commerce resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Authorities arrested Mario Raynard Roberson in the Houston area. He is now making his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray. A federal grand jury in Houston returned the 12-count indictment July 1. It alleges Roberson was responsible for a Huntsville house fire June 14, 2023, which killed two people. According to the charges, Roberson held a State Farm Insurance policy on the home and recruited others to set it on fire to file a fraudulent insurance claim. The indictment alleges the two individuals died while igniting the blaze at Roberson’s residence. “The defendant is alleged to have orchestrated a scheme to collect an insurance payout through a purported racially-motivated arson, which led to two deaths,” said Ganjei. “Now that he is in federal custody he will answer these charges, and, if found guilty, be held accountable for the death of these two men.” Roberson is charged with conspiracy to commit arson against a property used in interstate or foreign commerce resulting in death which carries a possible life sentence, if convicted. He is also facing nine counts of wire fraud for attempting to defraud the insurance company; conspiracy to violate the Travel Act related to the use of an interstate facility, the telephone, to commit arson; and with conspiracy to commit arson in connection with a federal felony offense. Each of those charges have varying possible prison terms up to a maximum of 20 years. He could also be ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. FBI – Bryan Resident Agency conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Zenón-Matos, Byron Black and Alexander Alum are prosecuting this 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: Peter C. Anderson Designated as Interim U.S. Trustee for Eastern and Northern Districts of California and District of Nevada

component: U.S. Trustee Program

body_text: Peter C. Anderson has been designated by Attorney General Pamela Bondi as the U.S. Trustee for the Eastern and Northern Districts of California and the District of Nevada (Region 17) on an interim basis effective July 11. Anderson replaces Tracy Hope Davis, who has retired after nearly 28 years of distinguished service to the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP). Under 28 U.S.C. § 585, the Attorney General may fill U.S. Trustee vacancies by designating an incumbent U.S. Trustee to serve in a second region. Since 2006, Anderson has served as the U.S. Trustee for the Central District of California (Region 16), and he will continue in that role while also overseeing Region 17. The Executive Office for U.S. Trustees made the announcement. The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 88 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust .


title: Nigerian Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining $1.3 Million in COVID-19 Jobless and Disability Benefits

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Nigerian man living in the San Gabriel Valley was sentenced today to 135 months in federal prison for defrauding California and Nevada out of $1.3 million in COVID-19 pandemic unemployment and disability insurance benefits by submitting more than 100 fraudulent applications using stolen identities and using the money to build a nightclub and mall in Nigeria. Abiola Femi Quadri, 43, of Pasadena, was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu, who also ordered him to pay $1,356,229 in restitution and a $35,000 fine. Quadri is a Nigerian citizen who acquired permanent residency in the United States through what he described – according to court documents – as a “fake wedding” in messages to a woman who was not his wife, pleaded guilty on January 2 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Quadri withdrew the fraudulent unemployment and disability benefits at ATMs from 2021 until his arrest in September 2024 at Los Angeles International Airport, where he was scheduled to fly to Nigeria. Quadri sent at least $500,000 abroad during the scheme. He also paid for the construction of a 120-room resort hotel in Nigeria, the Oyins International, that includes a nightclub, a mall, and additional high-end amenities. Quadri failed to disclose his ownership of the hotel as required when completing his financial disclosure to the court. Investigators found on Quadri’s phone images of 17 counterfeit checks totaling more than $3.3 million, along with messages about negotiating the checks. Some of the checks were made payable to shell businesses held in the names of Quadri’s aliases. California paid Quadri to provide daycare services to developmentally disabled children through his Altadena-based business, Rock of Peace. When agents searched Quadri’s residence, they found the children’s misappropriated food-aid debit cards. The United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.


title: Maryland man pleads guilty after assaulting an airline gate agent

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man pled guilty today to interfering with security screening personnel. According to court documents, on March 13, Christopher Stuart Crittenden, 54, of Frederick, who had consumed multiple alcoholic beverages, became irate about a delay and his seating assignment for his flight from Washington Dulles International Airport. Crittenden shouted expletives at a gate agent. The agent informed the flight captain, who was on the jet bridge, that Crittenden was likely inebriated and verbally harassing airline staff. The captain came to the gate to speak with Crittenden and ultimately informed him that he could not fly on the aircraft. Crittenden then assaulted the agent by punching him in the face, temporarily rendering the victim unconscious. Crittenden also attempted to punch another gate agent, but that gate agent avoided the assault. Crittenden is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9 and faces up to 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Joshua P. Stone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Clement is prosecuting 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. 1:25-cr-167.


title: Justice Department Opens Application Period to Enhance Tribal Access to National Crime Information Databases

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – The Department of Justice is pleased to announce the opening of the application period for federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia to participate in the Tribal Access Program (TAP) for National Crime Information. TAP improves public safety by providing federally recognized Tribes the ability to access and exchange data with national crime information databases for authorized criminal justice and non-criminal justice purposes, including the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC). “This program allows our tribal partners to access, enter, and obtain information from the National Criminal Information Center,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Access to this database will further support investigations and collaboration between tribal, federal, local, and state law enforcement.” “As a TAP Pilot Tribe, the Cherokee Nation has been participating in TAP for many years,” said Suzanne Drywater, Senior Director of Justice Services for the Cherokee Nation. “From sex offender registrations, law enforcement, foster home certification, human resources, and child support, our tribe has been able to exercise our sovereignty, and TAP has proven to be an invaluable resource that we use daily in a multitude of ways.” There are currently 149 federally recognized Tribes participating in TAP, including seven tribes within the Northern District of Oklahoma. TAP provides software, hardware, and training, as well as a web-based application and biometric/biographic kiosk workstations to process fingerprints, take mugshots, and submit information to FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) systems. Using TAP, Tribes have shared information about missing persons; entered domestic violence orders of protection for nationwide enforcement; registered convicted sex offenders; run criminal histories; located fugitives; entered bookings and convictions; and completed fingerprint-based record checks for non-criminal justice purposes such as screening employees or volunteers who work with children. The Department will accept TAP applications from July 9 to August 29. Tribes selected to participate will be notified in September. For Tribes that are considering applying, TAP staff will be conducting informational webinars describing the program and its capabilities. Webinars will be offered throughout July and August. For more information about TAP, including webinar dates, times and access information, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/tribal-access-program-tap . TAP is funded by the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking; the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office on Violence Against Women. TAP is co-managed by the department’s Office of the Chief Information Officer and Office of Tribal Justice.


title: Armed Carjackers Sentenced To Seven Years In Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two armed carjackers were sentenced to prison today for firearms offenses, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Joseph Jaream Stephens, 23, and Davon Omarion Long, 19, both of Charlotte, were each sentenced to seven years in prison and were ordered to serve five and three years, respectively, under court supervision upon completion of their prison terms. Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and court proceedings, on April 19, 2024, Long and Stephens approached a vehicle being fueled at the pump of a gas station located on W. Sugar Creek, in Charlotte. Armed with a handgun, Stephens approached from the rear driver’s side and confronted the driver, while Long approached the passenger side of the vehicle and pointed a handgun at two passengers. All three victims abandoned the vehicle and fled. After the victims fled Long got into the front passenger seat, and Stephens got into the driver’s seat. Stephens was unable to re-start the vehicle and both defendants fled on foot. Both men were apprehended across the street from the carjacking in a motel parking lot. On February 14, 2025, the defendants pleaded guilty to possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. They remain in custody pending transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The ATF and CMPD handled the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: 71-Year-Old Repeat Felon Sentenced to 15 Months for Defrauding Taxpayer-Funded Program

component: Criminal Investigative Division (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON DC –Geary Simon, 71, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for defrauding the STAY DC rental housing assistance program out of more than $38,500 and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Simon, aka “Robert Sutton,” pleaded guilty on Nov. 18, 2024, to one count of wire fraud in connection with a presidentially declared disaster or emergency and to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. In addition to the 15-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Simon to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the D.C. government of $38,560. According to court documents, Simon obtained $38,560 from the city government program called Stronger Together by Assisting You D.C., known as STAY DC. The program was intended to provide financial assistance during the Covid pandemic to help tenants cover housing and utility expenses due to a loss of income. In April 2021, the District allocated $352 million in federal relief funds for the program. Applicants applied for funds from the STAY DC program via an online portal operated by the D.C. Department of Human Services Simon applied to the program on June 22, 2021. In his application, Simon claimed that he was a tenant who rented a property in the District at 2433 H Street, NW; that his landlord was “Robert Sutton;” and that Simon owed “Robert Sutton” $72,000 in past due rent. All of the statements were false. Simon was not a tenant at that address; “Robert Sutton” was not Simon’s landlord; Simon did not owe “Robert Sutton” the sum of $72,000 in unpaid rent; and the phone number and email address that Simon provided for “Robert Sutton” were for a phone number and email account that Simon created and controlled. Unaware of the fraud, DC-DHS granted Simon’s application and issued Simon a check for $38,560 that DC-DHS would not otherwise have approved. Simon deposited the check into an account in the name of “The Geary Stephen Simon 2016 Irrevocable Trust.” Simon used the taxpayer-backed relief funds to pay private school tuition and to satisfy his court-ordered child support obligations. On March 14, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Simon’s home. Officers recovered two firearms. Simon has two prior felony convictions, including a conviction for carrying a pistol without a license. By virtue of the prior felonies, Simon was prohibited from possessing any firearms under federal law. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Borchert. 24cr284


title: Mount Vernon Police Sergeant Sentenced For Use Of Excessive Force

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that MARIO STEWART, a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department (“MVPD”), was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas to six months in prison. While working as a Sergeant for the MVPD in 2019, STEWART used excessive force against an individual experiencing a mental health crisis (the “Victim”), tasing him seven times over the course of several minutes, in violation of the Victim’s rights under the U.S. Constitution. “New Yorkers depend daily on the women and men of law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “We trust them to keep us safe, to act in line with their training, and to respect our individual rights. This trust, earned over decades, is essential to our way of life. When a law enforcement officer breaches that trust, we are all affected. Yesterday’s sentencing was about protecting the trust between our communities and our police departments.” According to the Indictment, court filings and statements made in court: On or about March 26, 2019, STEWART was employed as a Sergeant with the MVPD. STEWART was assigned to the MVPD’s Emergency Services Unit, which is responsible for, among other things, responding to individuals who are experiencing mental health crises. On that day, STEWART and six other MVPD officers received a call to assist the Victim in Mount Vernon, New York, as the Victim was experiencing a mental health crisis. At the scene, STEWART and the other MVPD officers restrained the Victim, handcuffing his hands behind his back and securing his legs in a restraint bag in preparation to transport the Victim for medical assistance. When the MVPD officers were unable to pull the restraint bag over the Victim’s chest because the Victim was holding onto one of the bag’s straps, STEWART directed the Victim to release the strap. STEWART then deployed his taser seven times on the Victim. During each of STEWART’s taser deployments, the Victim remained laying on the ground, handcuffed with his hands behind his back and his legs secured in the restraint bag. STEWART’s actions caused bodily injury to the Victim, including extreme pain. In pronouncing STEWART’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas stated that a prison sentence was necessary “to send a clear message” to law enforcement that “even though your job is really hard, and even though you protect us every day and you have to make really tough decisions, there are still times where you have to yield to authority, and where the line is clear, you cannot cross it. . . . The people of Mount Vernon have to know that they will not be themselves victims of their law enforcement officers.” * * * In addition to the prison term, STEWART, 46, of Brooklyn, New York, was also sentenced to six months of home confinement. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the MVPD for their assistance with the investigation. The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Jared Hoffman are in charge of the prosecution.