title: San Diego Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Bribing an IRS Officer to Wipe Away Tax Debt

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Business owner Wahead Raz pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he paid an Internal Revenue Service officer $35,000 to wipe away his half million-dollar tax debt. On July 23, 2024, Raz offered the bribe to an IRS revenue officer during a meeting at the San Diego IRS office to discuss his outstanding tax debt of approximately $500,000. After the meeting, the IRS officer immediately reported the bribe to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and agreed to be part of an undercover operation to record Raz’s crime. “Attempting to bribe an IRS officer is not just a terrible idea—it’s a federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Not surprisingly, the integrity of the IRS held firm, ensuring this defendant will be accountable for both his unpaid taxes and attempting to undermine the system.” “Today’s actions send a clear message: Individuals who attempt to bribe IRS officials will be prosecuted for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Rod Ammari. “The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) is committed to protecting the integrity and mission of the IRS. We are grateful for the strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office that ensured this individual was held accountable for trying to undermine federal tax administration.” On July 24, 2024, TIGTA conducted a video recorded meeting between the IRS officer and Raz at the IRS office in San Diego. During the meeting, Raz told the IRS officer that he could pay in cash so the bribe would not be traceable. On July 25, 2024, the IRS officer conducted a recorded telephone call to Raz. During the call, Raz told the IRS officer: “If you save me money, then I’ll take care of you,” and asked the IRS officer to name a price. When the officer asked for $30,000 in exchange for wiping out Raz’s personal tax debt, Raz countered with $20,000. After the IRS officer insisted on $30,000, Raz agreed, offering to pay $10,000 up front and the remaining $20,000 when Raz’s tax debt was cleared. On July 30, 2024, TIGTA conducted a video and audio recorded meeting between the IRS officer and Raz at a coffee shop in San Diego. During the meeting, Raz provided the previously agreed upon $10,000 cash payment to the IRS officer. Raz also asked the IRS officer to eliminate the approximately $50,000 tax debt owed by Raz’s business and offered to pay the officer an additional $5,000 to have the debt cancelled. On August 22, 2024, TIGTA conducted a video and audio recorded meeting between the IRS officer and Raz at the same coffee shop in San Diego. During the meeting, Raz gave the officer $15,000 in cash and told the officer he did not have the entire $25,000 as originally agreed upon. Raz promised to provide the remaining $10,000 by the following Wednesday. During the meeting, the officer told Raz that he was taking a big risk by accepting the bribe. Raz stated that he understood the risk taken by the IRS officer and that the officer could go to jail for it. On August 29, 2024, TIGTA conducted a video and audio recorded meeting between the IRS officer and Raz in San Diego. During that meeting, Raz paid $10,000 in cash to complete the $35,000 bribe payment. Raz asked for assurance that the IRS officer would clear all the taxes owed by Raz and his business. During two of the recorded meetings, Raz voluntarily offered to introduce to the IRS officer other “clients” who also owed taxes to the IRS. Raz later indicated that one of those potential “clients” thought it was dangerous for Raz to do this and did not believe it would work out. Raz told the IRS officer that he would introduce the agent to the potential “client” once Raz’s tax debt was cleared. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2025, at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge John A. Houston. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Conover. DEFENDANT Case Number 24-CR-2647- JAH Wahead Raz Age: 40 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Bribery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 201(b)(1)(A) and (C) Maximum Penalties: Fifteen years in prison INVESTIGATING AGENCY Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Essex County Convicted Felon Admits Drug Trafficking And Possession Of Firearms, Including Two Assault Rifles

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted distributing cocaine, possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and possessing three firearms, including two assault rifles with high capacity magazines, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Azmar Carter, a/k/a “Bizzy,” 32, of East Orange, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to a superseding information charging him with two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In 2021, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that operates primarily in and around Orange, New Jersey and distributes narcotics throughout Essex County. During the investigation, Carter distributed cocaine to law enforcement in May 2021 and in July 2021. Subsequently, on August 18, 2021, law enforcement searched Carter’s residence and car in East Orange, New Jersey and recovered the following items: one Draco AK 47 rifle; one Smith and Wesson AR rifle; one .40 caliber pistol; ninety-four rounds of associated ammunition; a distribution quantity of heroin and cocaine; and approximately $7,177.00. The drug trafficking offenses carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. The possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted a felon offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for April 30, 2024. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; members of the Orange Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Todd Warren, Chief Vincent Vitiello and Captain Brian Mooney; members of the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Giacomo Sacca and Police Director Earl J. Graves; members of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis Bindi; member of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda and Chief of Police Sharonda Morris; and the Belleville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Minichini, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrests. This case is part of Operation Orange, which is a part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, the Orange Police Department and the Irvington Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. Defense counsel: Christopher D. Adams, Esq. carter.superseding_information.pdf


title: Three imprisoned for jewelry store and bank armed robberies

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – Three Houston residents were sentenced to prison following their convictions of robbing commercial businesses with guns, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Thaddeaues Malik Williams, 26, Tydreic Deon Sublet, 24, and Andre Palmer-Gilliams, 33, pleaded guilty Oct. 19, 2023, Sept. 9 and Aug. 12, respectively. U.S. District Judge George Hanks has now ordered Williams, Sublet and Gilliams to serve 199, 233 and 210 months in federal prison, respectively. All three must also serve three years of supervised release. On July 1, 2019, Williams, Sublet and Gilliams entered Rice Village Diamonds, where customers and employees were present, dressed in construction attire. They used firearms to steal jewelry from four glass cabinets. Authorities later identified the suspects after recovering a Gatorade bottle they left inside the store. On Aug. 14, 2019, the trio entered Woodforest National Bank inside Gallery Furniture. Subtle pointed a firearm at customers and disarmed a security officer, while Williams jumped over the counter, ordered tellers to open their drawers and stole cash. Authorities responded and pursued the suspects as they fled in a vehicle. The chase ended when the vehicle crashed into a ditch near a residential area, at which time they fled on foot. Authorities eventually apprehended them and recovered the security guard’s gun, other firearms and the stolen money. They will remain in custody pending transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Houston Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Jenkins Stotts prosecuted the case.


title: Local man indicted for defrauding immigrants with false promises of legal status

body_text: HOUSTON – A 57-year-old Houston man has appeared in federal court for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Jesus Carlos Silva made his initial appearance before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Ho at 2 p.m. According to the indictment filed Dec. 17, Silva ran a scheme to defraud immigrants from March 2022 until December 2024. He allegedly falsely promised to help them obtain U.S. citizenship or legal immigration status. The charges allege Silva made false statements and misrepresentations to persuade victims to pay him thousands of dollars. He allegedly posed as an immigration attorney affiliated with Houston-based law firm, despite not being an attorney. It is alleged that Silva targeted victims, most of whom lacked legal immigration status, and claimed he could secure their citizenship or legal status. He allegedly told some victims he had a close contact at U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS) who would expedite their applications. Silva charged victims between $7000 and $15,000 each, according to the charges. The indictment further alleges Silva did not provide any assistance to victims regarding their immigration status and failed to secure legal status for them. Instead, he allegedly offered excuses for the lack of progress on their applications and eventually cut off communications. The charges allege Silva repeatedly instructed victims to travel to Houston for fake appointments with USCIS. When they arrived, Silva allegedly gave excuses for his absence, and they discovered no such appointments had been scheduled. If convicted, Silva faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Feinstein and Rodolfo Ramirez are prosecuting the case. An information is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Romanian National Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison in Connection with NetWalker Ransomware Attacks Resulting in the Payment of Millions of Dollars in Ransoms

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL - A Romanian man was sentenced today for his role in the NetWalker ransomware attacks to 20 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $21,500,000 and his interests in an Indonesian limited liability company and associated luxury resort property under construction in Bali, Indonesia — a business venture he financed with proceeds from the attacks. He was also ordered to pay $14,991,580.01 in restitution. Daniel Christian Hulea, 30, of Jucu de Mijloc, Cluj, Romania, pleaded guilty in the Middle District of Florida to computer fraud conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy on June 20. According to court documents, Hulea admitted to participating in a conspiracy to use a sophisticated form of ransomware known as NetWalker. NetWalker ransomware has been used to target hundreds of victims all over the world, including companies, municipalities, hospitals, law enforcement, emergency services, school districts, colleges, and universities. NetWalker attacks specifically targeted the healthcare sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking advantage of the global crisis to extort victims. As part of his plea agreement, Hulea admitted to using NetWalker to obtain approximately 1,595 bitcoin in ransom payments for himself and a co-conspirator, valued at approximately $21,500,000 at the time of the payments. Romanian law enforcement officers arrested Hulea in Cluj, on July 11, 2023, pursuant to a request submitted by U.S. authorities. Hulea was subsequently extradited to the United States pursuant to the extradition treaty between the United States and Romania. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida; and Special Agent in Charge Matthew W. Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing Hulea’s arrest and extradition. The U.S. Marshals Service transported Hulea from Romania to the United States. Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlton C. Gammons and Suzanne Nebesky for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.


title: Columbus Resident Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus resident with prior state convictions including aggravated assault and illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced to serve more than 14 years in a federal prison this week resulting from an investigation that began in 2019. Quantay Thomas, 40, was sentenced to serve 175 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on Dec. 17. Thomas previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Aug. 20. There is no parole in the federal system. “Repeat armed offenders will be held accountable for crimes which perpetuate violence in the Columbus community,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office is working with local, state and federal law enforcement to bring lawless individuals to justice, no matter how long it takes.” “Quantay Thomas is a dangerous career criminal,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “This sentence is commensurate with the destructive impact on the community caused by Thomas’ distribution of dangerous drugs while in possession of a firearm.” "We must keep up the good fight in removing drug activity and violent offenders from our community. We will continue to work together without let up for safe streets and a safer Muscogee County,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “We are extremely pleased to see another drug dealer in our area identified, arrested, prosecuted and sentenced. This is a prime example of multi agencies working together to accomplish the mission,” said Harris County Sheriff Mike Jolley. According to the court documents and statements referenced in court, DEA agents conducted a controlled buy of 55.64 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine from Thomas on May 17, 2019, at a gas station in Columbus. Another controlled buy occurred on Sept. 6, 2019, when DEA agents purchased 51.81 grams of pure methamphetamine. Subsequently, Thomas had federal warrants issued for his arrest. Agents eventually learned of his location and executed a search warrant on Double Churches Rd. on Nov. 29, 2023. Thomas was arrested and agents found a loaded Glock .45 caliber pistol and three bags of methamphetamine in the residence where he was taken into custody. The GBI drug lab confirmed the three bags contained a total of 418.93 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, and Thomas admitted to distributing methamphetamine. Thomas has past criminal convictions in the Muscogee County, Georgia, Superior Court, including aggravated assault, illegally possessing a firearm and drug distribution. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Williams and Crawford Seals prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Former Virginia Sheriff Convicted on Federal Bribery Charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTSEVILLE, Va. – A former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, was convicted by a jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, yesterday for accepting over $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointments as auxiliary deputy sheriffs. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Scott Howard Jenkins, 53, of Culpeper, Virginia, accepted cash bribes and bribes in the form of campaign contributions from co-defendants Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, and James Metcalf, as well as at least five others, including two FBI undercover agents. In return, Jenkins appointed each of the bribe payors as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, a sworn law-enforcement position, and issued them official Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office badges and credentials. The bribe payors were not trained or vetted and did not render any legitimate services to the Sheriff’s Office. In addition, Jenkins pressured other local officials to approve a petition filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court by Rahim, a convicted felon, to restore his right to possess a firearm and which falsely stated that Rahim resided in Culpeper County. Jenkins was convicted of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count, 20 years in prison on each of the honest services fraud counts, and 10 years in prison on each of the bribery counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Rahim, Gumbinner, and Metcalf all previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the bribery scheme and will be sentenced at a later date. U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI Richmond Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Richmond Field Office, Charlottesville Resident Agency is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith for the Western District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Celia Choy and Lina Peng of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and are prosecuting the case.


title: Convicted Felon to Serve 59 Months in Prison Following Federal Firearms Conviction

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jereal J. Booker, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced this week to an aggregate term of 59 months in prison in connection with his illegal possession of a loaded firearm in March 2023. At the time of the offense, Booker was on probation for a 2023 felon-in-possession conviction in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and a 2021 attempted carjacking conviction in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland. The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division; and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Booker pleaded guilty on July 1, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. On December 17, 2024, the Honorable Richard J. Leon sentenced Booker to a term of 51 months in prison. Upon his release from the prison term, Booker will be required to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on March 21, 2023, an MPD officer observed Booker walking outside a convenience store in a manner that suggested he was carrying a firearm in the front of his pants. An employee of the store then told the officer that he had seen Booker adjusting a firearm in the front of his pants, and he showed the officer surveillance footage that corroborated his account. When the officer attempted to stop Booker in the 4600 block of Livingston Road Southeast, Booker broke into headlong flight. While fleeing the police, Booker discarded the firearm in some bushes before allowing himself to be apprehended. Nearby construction workers who had witnessed the chase alerted the officers to look in the bushes. They did so and recovered a .40 caliber, semi-automatic handgun loaded with one chambered round and ten rounds in its magazine. DNA testing later linked the firearm to Booker. Booker was arrested on March 21, 2023, and has been detained ever since. Federal law prohibited Booker from possessing a firearm because he previously had been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, including a 2023 conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and a 2021 conviction for attempted carjacking in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland. Booker was on probation for both convictions at the time of this offense. In the Superior Court case, Booker was originally sentenced under the District’s Youth Rehabilitation Act to a term of 20 months’ imprisonment suspended as to all but 12 months, and probation. Today, following Booker’s conviction in federal court, the Honorable Errol R. Arthur revoked Booker’s probation and sentenced him to a term of 20 months imprisonment, with credit for the 12 months he previously served, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Judge Arthur ordered that the revocation sentence is without the benefit of the Youth Rehabilitation Act and must be served consecutively to any other sentence. The case was investigated by ATF and MPD as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney, with essential contributions from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole G. H. Conte. 23cr103


title: Jury Finds Convicted Killer Guilty of RICO Conspiracy and VICAR Kidnapping

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Christopher Green, 38, of Washington D.C., was found guilty on Wednesday of RICO Conspiracy (racketeering) and Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) kidnapping, in connection with a series of violent crimes he committed in early 2017. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Assistant Director, Washington Field Office, David Sunberg, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince Georges County Police Department, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Following a 12-day re-trial, the jury found Green, 38, aka “Twin,” guilty of RICO conspiracy and VICAR kidnapping. U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss scheduled sentencing for March 31, 2025. In 2021, Green was found guilty of first-degree murder with aggravating circumstances, assault with a dangerous weapon, and attempted robbery in connection with other offenses committed during the same period. However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the RICO conspiracy and VICAR charges, which led to the most recent trial and convictions. In the 2021 trial, according to the government’s evidence, Green was a core member of a criminal organization that operated in the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and elsewhere, primarily making money through a series of armed robberies. Green’s actions in Southeast Washington on April 9, 2017, led to the death of 25-year-old Zaan Scott. Mr. Scott, a swim coach at the Eastern Market pool, who was on his way home when Green attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Mr. Scott died on May 17, 2017, of a blood clot that the medical examiner determined was a result of the shooting. Green was also found guilty at the initial trial of firing gunshots at another victim on February 23, 2017. In the recent re-trial, the evidence at trial established that Green and a co-conspirator committed a series of violent acts and were working as an “enterprise” to enrich themselves. The VICAR kidnapping conviction in the re-trial involved an incident on April 8, 2017, in which Green and a co-conspirator confronted a young man at gunpoint as the man was getting out of his car in a convenience store parking lot. Green ordered the victim back into the car and robbed him of his ATM card. He then forced the victim to drive to a nearby apartment complex, where he forced him to take off his clothes, and then robbed him of his sneakers and other belongings. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar R. Mohanty, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Liebman, of the Superior Court Division Homicide Section. 19cr0019


title: Oahu Man Indicted for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy and Possessing and Discharging Firearm

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – United States Attorney Clare E. Connors announced that, on December 19, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Blane Apostadiro, 47, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, charging him with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl; possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl; using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; and illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon and unlawful drug user. According to the indictment and details from a previously unsealed criminal complaint, on October 27, 2024, Honolulu Police Department (“HPD”) officers observed Apostadiro driving a stolen vehicle. Apostadiro abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. While fleeing, Apostadiro discharged a privately manufactured firearm, also known as a “ghost gun,” prompting HPD officers to discharge their weapons in defense. Apostadiro was incapacitated during the exchange and taken into custody. HPD officers discovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, digital scales, plastic baggies, ammunition, a lower receiver, and a loaded “ghost gun” in Apostadiro’s possession. Additional controlled substances and drug paraphernalia were recovered from the stolen vehicle. “Both fentanyl and ghost guns pose a grave threat to public safety, putting both law enforcement and innocent community members at risk,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold armed drug dealers accountable in the criminal justice system for the significant harm they inflict.” If convicted of all counts, Apostadiro faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, including a combined mandatory minimum of 20 years for the drug and firearm charges, and fines of up to $10 million. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Honolulu Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan D. Slack and Wayne A. Myers.


title: Drug Dealer Receives 168-Month Sentence After Trafficking Over 6 Pounds of Methamphetamine in Omaha

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Dario Calderon-Pereda, age 51, of Mexico, was sentenced on December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Calderon-Pereda to 168 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Calderon-Pereda’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Between February 27, 2024, through March 10, 2024, Calderon-Pereda trafficked over 3,000 grams of meth in the Omaha area. On February 27, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled drug transaction involving 2 pounds of meth from a co-conspirator whereby Calderon-Pereda collected payment. On March 8, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled drug transaction against Calderon-Pereda purchasing another 2 pounds of meth. Over the next two days, law enforcement seized an additional 2 pounds of meth from Calderon-Pereda in a traffic stop and from a search warrant of a residence in Omaha. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Woman Sentenced for Felony Child Abuse

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Danielle Cleary, age 29, of Vermont, but recently living in Pender, Nebraska, on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation, was sentenced December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for child abuse. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Cleary to 33 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cleary’s release from prison, she will begin a 1-year term of supervised release. On January 11, 2023, Cleary struck a 3-year-old minor child in the head with a large toy causing severe head trauma to the child. The minor child was life-flighted from the hospital in Pender to Children’s Nebraska in Omaha, where he was treated for his life-threatening injuries. The minor child ultimately recovered and was released from the hospital a month later. Cleary initially denied causing the minor child’s injury, but later admitted to striking the child in the head pleading guilty to negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. This case was prosecuted in federal court because the victim was Native American (or Indian) and Cleary is not an Indian, and the offense occurred on a Native American Reservation giving rise to federal jurisdiction. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Omaha Woman Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Daniella M. Fedail, age 30, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for distributing methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Fedail to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Fedail’s release from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On November 15, 2023, DEA confidential source (CS) made a controlled purchase of 1 pound of meth. The CS first met with Hanna Faust aka “Williams” at a buy location in mid-town Omaha. Faust then made a call to her supplier who advised that a silver Impala would be arriving. Fedail drove to the parking lot and accepted the buy money and handed over the drug package containing 464 grams of meth. On December 21, 2023, DEA obtained a federal search warrant for Fedail’s Omaha home. She was arrested and read her Miranda rights. She acknowledged engaging in narcotics trafficking. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Henry T. Lewis, age 57, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for wire fraud. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lewis to five years’ probation and ordered him to pay $210,846.26 in restitution, with credit for $20,000.00 Lewis paid before sentencing. During 2020 and 2021, Lewis, assisted by another person, submitted applications for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program loans. Those loan programs were created or expanded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The applications misrepresented how much Lewis’s business had paid employees in past compensation and how much revenue Lewis’s business had received, resulting in applications for significantly inflated loan amounts under the PPP and EIDL programs. The PPP applications were supported by false tax documents Lewis had signed. The fraudulent applications on behalf of Lewis sought loans totaling approximately $348,494.50, and he obtained $195,497.00. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . 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 . This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 151 Months for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Edward Charles Lynch, age 76, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lynch to 151 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lynch’s release from prison, he will begin an 8-year term of supervised release. Judge Buescher ordered Lynch to pay $114,000 in restitution and $7,600 in special assessments. On June 16, 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from Microsoft Bing Image - Online Operations about images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct being uploaded by a user of the online service. Law enforcement identified the IP address associated with the file upload and determined the subscriber assigned the IP address was Lynch. The IP address was associated with Lynch’s residence in Omaha. On October 19, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lynch’s residence and seized a computer belonging to Lynch. A forensic review of Lynch’s computer identified 443,731 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Lynch was previously convicted on or about November 1, 1996, of Sexual Assault of Child in Sarpy County, Nebraska. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.


title: Stilwell Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Drug Charge

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Clint Rogers Chuculate, a/k/a Clint Robert Chuculate, age 40, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Indictment of one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Indictment alleged that on September 19, 2024, Chuculate knowingly and intentionally possessed methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, which he intended to distribute. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Chuculate will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.


title: Nationwide Lawsuit Filed in Rhode Island Alleging  CVS Knowingly Dispensed Controlled Substances  in Violation of the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – In a civil complaint unsealed today in federal court in Providence, Rhode Island, the Justice Department alleges that CVS Pharmacy, Inc., and various subsidiaries (collectively, CVS) filled unlawful prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs for some of the unlawful prescriptions in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA). CVS is the country’s largest pharmacy chain, with more than 9,000 pharmacies across the United States. The government’s complaint alleges that, from October 17, 2013, to the present, CVS knowingly filled prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were not valid, and/or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice. Among the large quantities of unlawful prescriptions that CVS allegedly filled were prescriptions for dangerous and excessive quantities of opioids, early fills of opioids, and “trinity” prescriptions, an especially dangerous and abused combination of drugs made up of an opioid, a benzodiazepine, and a muscle relaxant. CVS also allegedly filled large quantities of prescriptions for controlled substances written by prescribers it knew to be engaged in “pill mill practices” – that is, prescribers who issue large numbers of controlled substance prescriptions without any medical purpose. According to the complaint, CVS ignored substantial evidence from multiple sources, including its own pharmacists and internal data, indicating that its stores were dispensing unlawful prescriptions. The complaint alleges that CVS’s violations resulted from corporate-mandated performance metrics, incentive compensation, and staffing policies that prioritized corporate profits over patient safety. CVS set staffing levels far too low for pharmacists to both meet their performance metrics and comply with their legal obligations. CVS also allegedly deprived its pharmacists of crucial information (including by, for example, preventing pharmacists from warning one another about certain prescribers) that could have reduced the number of unlawful prescriptions filled. The complaint alleges that CVS’s actions helped to fuel the prescription opioid crisis and that, in some particularly tragic instances, patients died after overdosing on opioids shortly after filling unlawful prescriptions at CVS. “Opioid deaths remain a scourge on communities across Rhode Island and the nation, robbing families of loved ones and leaving a path of devastation in their wake,” said Zachary A. Cunha, U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island. “This lawsuit alleges that CVS failed to exercise its critical role as gatekeeper of dangerous prescription opioids and, instead, facilitated the illegal distribution of these highly addictive drugs, including by pill mill prescribers. When corporations such as CVS prize profits over patient safety and overburden their pharmacy staff so that they cannot carry out the basic responsibility of ensuring that prescriptions are legitimate, we will use every tool at our disposal to see that they answer for it.” “Our complaint alleges that CVS repeatedly filled controlled substance prescriptions that were unlawful and pressured its pharmacists to fill such prescriptions without taking the time needed to confirm their validity,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The practices alleged contributed to the opioid crisis and opioid-related deaths, and today’s complaint seeks to hold CVS accountable for its misconduct.” The government alleges that by knowingly filling unlawful prescriptions for controlled substances, CVS violated the CSA and, where CVS sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs, also violated the FCA. The complaint alleges that CVS’s actions helped to fuel the prescription opioid crisis. If CVS is found liable, it could face civil penalties for each unlawful prescription filled in violation of the CSA and treble damages and applicable penalties for each prescription reimbursed by federal healthcare programs in violation of the FCA. The court also may award injunctive relief to prevent CVS from committing further CSA violations, including ordering appropriate changes to corporate compliance programs and policies. “When lives are destroyed or lost to opioid abuse, it doesn’t matter if the supplier is a street-level dealer, a pill mill, or a nationwide corporation,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our laws regarding the distribution of opioids and other controlled substances are clear and apply to everyone. We will pursue whatever legal action is necessary to stop any enterprise, regardless of size, that places profit over the safety of our citizens.” “CVS is alleged to have dispensed large amounts of highly addictive opioid medications to persons they knew had no medical need for them. Simply put, they put profits over their obligation to keep their customers safe,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “A pharmacy is the final step in the pharmaceutical distribution process that is in place to keep customers safe. In the fight against the opioid epidemic, DEA will continue to be relentless in holding those accountable who violate our drug laws and place our communities in danger whether they are a criminal cartel or large pharmacy chain.” “Pharmacies and pharmacists are critical partners to ensure controlled substances are dispensed lawfully and safely to the public,” said Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to holding individuals and entities that dispense these controlled substances improperly and without legitimate medical purpose accountable.” “Protecting TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their dependents, is a top priority for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” stated Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Today’s filing demonstrates DCIS’ ongoing commitment to partner with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to investigate health care providers that submit false claims to TRICARE and put its beneficiaries at risk.” Whistleblower Hillary Estright, who previously worked for CVS, filed an action on October 17, 2019, under the qui tam provisions of the FCA. Those provisions authorize private parties to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in any recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene and take over such lawsuits, as it has done here. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Estright v. Health Corporation, et al. , No. 1:22-cv-222 (D.R.I.). The United States’ intervention in this matter underscores the government’s commitment to combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The United States’ enforcement action is being litigated by attorneys from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Rhode Island (First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara M. Bloom and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Love Hubbard and Rachna Vyas), the Justice Department Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch (Assistant Directors Amy L. DeLine and C.B. Buente, Senior Litigation Counsel Donald Lorenzen, and Trial Attorneys Benjamin Cornfeld and Amanda K. Kelly) and Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section (Trial Attorneys Claire L. Norsetter, Joshua Barron, and Megan F. Engel), as well as the Eastern District of Virginia (Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clare Wuerker and John Beerbower), the District of Hawaii (Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sydney Spector and Tracy Weinstein), and the Eastern District of Texas (Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Adrian Garcia). The DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, Washington, D.C. Field Division, HHS-OIG, and DCIS conducted the investigation. Several other offices provided substantial assistance in the investigation, including the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of California, the Northern District of Ohio, DEA’s Office of Chief Counsel, DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, Los Angeles Field Division, the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the FBI. The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. ### 52_-_complaint_in_intervention.pdf


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced To 57 Months In Federal Prison For Possessing A Firearm

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Giovanny Rivera-Sanchez (38, Kissimmee) to 57 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Rivera-Sanchez to forfeit a Glock 22 .40 caliber pistol, which was involved in his offense. Rivera-Sanchez entered a guilty plea on August 21, 2024. Rivera-Sanchez was convicted of felony offenses in 2004, 2007, and 2008, and was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a result. On March 25, 2022, when Rivera-Sanchez was serving a term of federal supervised release, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at his residence. During the search, law enforcement officers discovered a firearm loaded with twelve rounds of ammunition. Officers interviewed Rivera-Sanchez, who stated that he was aware that the firearm was inside his residence. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Nate. This case was 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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on the following core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Federal Search Warrants Executed

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – On Wednesday, December 18, 2024, federal search warrants were executed at the following locations in the Des Moines metropolitan area: 700 block of SE 6th Street, Des Moines; 4700 block of 64th Street, Urbandale; 5800 block of Urbandale Avenue, Des Moines; 600 block of Kenyon Avenue, Des Moines; 7300 block of SE 19th Street, Des Moines; 3000 block of East University Avenue, Des Moines; 200 East Edison Avenue, Des Moines; 7200 block of SE 5th Street, Des Moines; 800 block of Knob Hill Drive, Des Moines; 14000 block of Lakeview Drive, Clive; 1200 block of East 34 Street, Des Moines; 5200 block of Douglas Avenue, Des Moines; 3700 block of East Sheridan Avenue, Des Moines. The searches at these locations were an official law enforcement action involving officers, agents, and investigators from Des Moines Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service – Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, and Houston Divisions, FBI Omaha Field Office, FBI Des Moines Resident Agency, FBI Des Moines Central Iowa Gang Task Force (CIGTF), Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Iowa State Patrol SWAT, United States Marshals Service, West Des Moines Police Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Story County Sheriff’s Office, Pleasant Hill Police Department, Johnston Police Department, Altoona Police Department, Indianola Police Department, Ankeny Police Department, Clive Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, Norwalk Police Department, Urbandale Police Department, Waukee Police Department, Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force, Central Iowa Drug Task Force, Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT), and Metro Special Tactics and Response (STAR), with assistance from the Chicago, Illinois Police Department and Houston, Texas Police Department.


title: Former Member of Congress Charged with Acting as an Unregistered Agent of a Venezuelan National

body_text: Note : View the indictment here . A grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday charging David Rivera, 59, of Miami, with a scheme to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and to launder funds to conceal and promote his criminal conduct. As alleged in the indictment, from in or about June 2019 through in or about April 2020, Rivera carried out a scheme to provide consulting and lobbying services to sanctioned Venezuelan businessman Raul Gorrín, who was added to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) on Jan. 8, 2019, by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). On Gorrín’s behalf, Rivera sought to lobby U.S. government officials, including a senior official in the Executive Branch of the U.S. government (Government Official-1), to have Gorrín removed from the SDN List. Rivera received over $5.5 million for these activities and willfully failed to register under FARA, as required by law. To conceal and promote his criminal activities, Rivera created fraudulent shell companies using names associated with a law firm and with Government Official-1 to give the false appearance that the shell companies were legitimate. In reality, these entities were not affiliated with the law firm or Government Official-1, and neither the law firm nor Government Official-1 were aware that Rivera had created shell companies in their names. Rivera used the money he received from his criminal activities to pay individuals who assisted him in his efforts to lobby senior government officials on Gorrín’s behalf, including by making payments through one of the shell companies. The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Sean O’Dowd and Monica Svetoslavov of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Vehicle Theft Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ELVIS PEREZ, also known as “Pops,” 60, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a multistate identity theft scheme that defrauded dozens of individuals and businesses out of more than $1 million. According to court documents and statements made in court, Perez was involved in a multistate identity theft scheme led by his son-in-law, Tyshon Walker, and his daughter and Walker’s spouse, Stephanie Perez. Beginning in September 2020, Walker obtained personal information stolen from residents of Connecticut and other states and used it to apply for vehicle loans at dealerships in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Rhode Island for motorcycles, an all-terrain vehicle, and other performance vehicles. Once the loan was approved by the dealership using the identity theft victim’s information, Walker would send “runners,” including Elvis Perez, to pick up the vehicle utilizing a fictitious driver’s license that included the identity theft victim’s information and a photograph of the runner. The vehicle was then transported back to Connecticut for resale on Facebook Marketplace. Perez, sometimes alone and sometimes with an accomplice, travelled to at least four different car dealerships and stole at least four different vehicles as part of this scheme. Walker paid him for his work acquiring and transporting each vehicle. Perez’s criminal history includes 12 felony convictions. Perez has been detained since his arrest on July 19, 2023. On June 11, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Walker and Stephanie Perez have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Hopkinton (R.I.) Police Department, the Westtown – East Goshen Regional (Pa.) Police Department, and the Washington Township (N.J.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Heather M. Cherry.


title: Hartford, Connecticut Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Firearm Possession Case

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on December 16, 2024, Sharad Collier, 27, of Hartford, Connecticut, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III, to eighteen months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Sharad Collier previously pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. According to court records, on February 28, 2023, Collier fled from a residence in Morristown, Vermont where law enforcement arrested other individuals. Police tracked Collier to a nearby shed-like structure which the defendant refused to exit for approximately two hours. Eventually, Collier surrendered to the police. Police then obtained a warrant to search the residence from which Collier fled where they found a Glock Model 23 .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in the bedroom previously occupied by Collier and from which Collier fled hours before he surrendered. Collier later admitted to investigators that he was an unlawful user of controlled substances in February 2023. He was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. The investigation into Collier further demonstrated that he was involved in trafficking cocaine base and fentanyl in Vermont in February of 2023. United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Morristown Police Department, the Stowe Police Department, the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department, and the Vermont State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Stendig. Collier was represented by Allan Sullivan, Esq. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Evansville Domestic Abuser Sentenced to More Than Sixteen Years in Federal Prison After Shooting Ex-Girlfriend

body_text: EVANSVILLE— Ronald Jeremy McCallister, 51, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 200 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. According to court documents, on August 23, 2023, Evansville Police Department officers were called to a home in Evansville in response to a report of gunshots in the area. The officers were later advised that a woman had been shot by her ex-boyfriend, Ronald McCallister. When officers arrived at the house, they found the woman in the backyard, near a tent, with a gunshot wound to her left ankle. The woman told officers that McCallister had been sending her suicidal messages through Facebook Messenger. After receiving the suicidal messages, she drove to the house where McCallister had been living in a tent in the backyard, hoping to offer him support. The conversation quickly escalated into an argument, at which point McCallister pulled out a gun and placed it next to the woman’s head. McCallister fired one round next to her face, and then pointed the gun at her foot and fired. He then went inside the house, leaving the woman on the ground in the backyard. During a search of the home, officers found McCallister hiding in a bedroom. They also located McCallister’s gun, a loaded 9mm handgun. McCallister has a lengthy criminal record, including felony convictions for domestic battery, robbery resulting in bodily injury, battery by means of a deadly weapon, and armed robbery. These previous felony convictions prohibit McCallister from ever legally possessing a firearm ever again. “We have prioritized federal prosecution of armed domestic abusers because of the extreme danger they pose to those in their homes and the public at large,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The victim in this case will be protected from her abuser for many years, because of the excellent work of EPD, the ATF, and our federal prosecutor. This sentence should serve as a warning anyone who is involved in domestic violence and illegally armed: get rid of the guns or risk a long term in federal prison.” “It unfortunately bears repeating that we all deserve to be safest with our closest partners, but for too many that is not the case,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute domestic abusers who possess firearms to ensure our communities are safe from these offenders.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Casa Grande Man Sentenced to Over 4 Years for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. –Eleazar Alfredo Gomez, 32, of Casa Grande, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 58 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gomez pleaded guilty on September 10, 2024, to Felon in Possession of a Firearm. This is his second conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On July 23, 2024, Gomez possessed a firearm after having been previously convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Felon in Possession of a Firearm (CR-18-01086-PHX-DLR). Gomez was sentenced to 46 months for possessing the firearm in this case, and an additional 12 months for violating his supervised release in the 2018 case. The Phoenix Police department conducted the investigation in this case. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01328-PHX-DLR RELEASE NUMBER: 2024- 177_Gomez # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Jury Convicts Felon for Firearm Possession, Assault, and Discharging Firearm During Violent Crime

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A federal jury convicted Antonio Jerome Colbert, 37, a member of the Osage Nation, of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; and Carrying, Using, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. “I commend the witnesses and officers for reacting quickly to intervene on behalf of this woman. Without them, Colbert would not be held accountable for his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This case exemplifies the effectiveness of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the federal initiative that brings together law enforcement for intervention and accountability.” In September 2024, several witnesses called 911, reporting they heard yelling, a gunshot, or witnessed a man assaulting a woman. Tulsa Police officers responded to the shots fired call. Upon arrival, officers observed an SUV parked on the sidewalk with open doors. Officers immediately took Colbert into custody, and he adamantly denied any wrongdoing. One witness testified that they heard a lot of yelling and looked over the fence to see what was happening. He observed a woman walking down the sidewalk when an SUV crossed the ditch, driving towards the woman. Colbert barely missed the woman and got out of the vehicle, yelling at her. The witness saw Colbert pull a handgun and shoot at the woman. Colbert’s shot missed the woman, and in his fit of rage, he began assaulting her. Body camera evidence presented to the jury showed the woman was visibly shaken, crying, and in need of intervention. Despite a witness reportedly seeing Colbert shot at the woman, Colbert claimed he did not have a firearm and denied shooting at the woman. After a search of the vehicle that Colbert was driving, officers found a loaded handgun wedged in the seat. The officer who recovered the firearm testified that the handgun was jammed with a shell casing that failed to eject. Further, the investigation revealed that Colbert was knowingly convicted of other felonies that prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Man Sentenced to Over Thirteen Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Indianapolis Gas Station and Shooting of an Employee

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— George Tracy, 21, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 159 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. According to court documents, on November 22, 2022, George Tracy robbed the Mobile gas station located on Central Ave in Indianapolis, Indiana. During the robbery, Tracy shot his firearm on three occasions in the direction of the employee behind the counter and stole approximately two-hundred dollars from the register. The final shot fired hit the employee in the left upper leg, resulting in hospitalization. After shooting the victim, Tracy told him to “have a good day bro.” The robbery and shooting were recorded on video surveillance. Officers conducted a search of Tracy’s home and located the firearm that was used during the robbery and the clothes Tracy was seen wearing in the surveillance footage. “Our hearts go out to the victim of this senseless shooting, who will carry the scars and trauma from this vicious crime for the rest of their life,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Armed, violent criminals like this man rob the entire community of our sense of safety and security in our workplaces. The serious federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that these crimes will not be tolerated by federal law enforcement. Working closely with our partners at the FBI, IMPD, and all of our law enforcement partners, our federal prosecutors will continue to bring cases targeting these serious offenders as we seek to reduce gun violence.” FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Louisiana Company and Its Owner Sentenced for Manufacturing and Selling Software that Allowed the Disabling of Emissions Controls on Motor Vehicles

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Louisiana-based company Power Performance Enterprises Inc. (PPEI) and its president and owner, Kory B. Willis, were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Sacramento, California, for violating and conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by tampering with the monitoring devices of emissions control systems of diesel trucks. U.S. District Court Judge John A. Mendez for the Eastern District of California sentenced Willis to serve 10 months of home confinement as part of a three-year term of probation and ordered Willis and PPEI to jointly pay $1.55 million in criminal fines. PPEI was ordered to complete a five-year term of probation. Willis and PPEI pleaded guilty in March 2022 . In total, Willis and PPEI have been ordered to pay $3.1 million in criminal fines and civil penalties related to Clean Air Act enforcement. “The software that Mr. Willis and PPEI manufactured and sold reversed the effects of emissions control requirements for vehicles driven on our country’s roads, posing unacceptable risk to the health of our citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This sentencing shows that we will take strong action to enforce the Clean Air Act and ensure that mandated emissions controls remain operating on vehicles to protect public health and the environment.” “Environmental laws that control diesel pollution safeguard the environment and the health of the public, and are especially important to protect sensitive populations such as the young, the elderly, and people who suffer from respiratory conditions,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Those who would sell illegal defeat devices should stand warned: the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who place profit above the public’s health and the environment.” “For decades, EPA has prioritized efforts to halt the illegal sale of aftermarket defeat devices, which cause dangerous air pollution from trucks and cars,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today's criminal sentencing punishes the defendants for their deliberate attempts to evade the requirements of the Clean Air Act and follows an earlier 2022 civil enforcement action addressing their misconduct. EPA will continue to leverage all of its enforcement tools and authorities to stop illegal behavior that puts our communities at risk.” According to court documents, from PPEI’s incorporation in 2009 until 2019, PPEI and Willis were among the nation’s most prominent developers of custom software known as “tunes,” and in particular, “delete tunes.” Generally, tunes can alter a diesel truck’s fuel delivery, power parameters and emissions. Delete tunes allow vehicles to remove or disable emissions controls, while appearing to run normally, resulting in vastly increased emissions of air pollution. PPEI and Willis were well known for their custom delete tunes. Willis and PPEI reached the top of the illegal delete tuning market, tuning over 175,000 vehicles according to Willis. Willis also stated that PPEI was the biggest custom tuning company in the world, servicing over 100,000 customers and tuning more than 500 vehicles a week. According to internal PPEI records, PPEI typically sold well over $1 million dollars of product per month. According to calculations by the EPA, the estimated emissions impact of PPEI’s sales of delete tunes between 2013 and 2018 alone are expected to cause over 100 million excess pounds of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions over the life of the diesel trucks equipped with those products. Deleting a diesel truck causes its emissions to increase dramatically. For example, for a fully deleted truck, which has had all emissions equipment removed or disabled, EPA testing quantified the increased emissions as follows: NOx increased 310 times, non-methane hydrocarbons increased 1,400 times, carbon monoxide increased 120 times and particulate matter increased 40 times. EPA’s Air Enforcement Division released a report in November 2020 finding that more than half a million diesel pickup trucks in the United States — approximately 15% of U.S. diesel trucks that were originally certified with emissions controls — have been illegally deleted. Diesel emissions include multiple hazardous compounds and harm human health and the environment. Diesel emissions have been found to cause and worsen respiratory ailments such as asthma and lung cancer. One study indicated that 21,000 American deaths annually are attributable to diesel particulate matter. Exposure to polluted air in utero has also been associated with a host of problems with lifelong ramifications including low birth weight, preterm birth, autism, brain/memory disorders and asthma. Stopping aftermarket defeat devices for vehicles and engines is a top priority for EPA. Visit EPA’s website to learn more about its efforts to stop the sale of illegal defeat devices . EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Senior Counsel Krishna S. Dighe and Trial Attorney Stephen J. Foster of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine T. Lydon for the Eastern District of California and are prosecuting the criminal case.


title: Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 45 Years’ Imprisonment for Sex Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 17, 2024, Samuel L. Spencer, a.k.a. “Bin Laden” (age: 53), of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, after being convicted at trial of four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, as well as conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. The evidence at trial proved that Spencer, a drug dealer, used his access to cocaine and heroin to coerce women struggling with addiction into engaging in commercial sex acts to make money for him. In addition to strategically giving or withholding drugs, Spencer controlled his victims by depriving them of sleep and food, threatening them with firearms, and using extreme physical violence, which included strangling his victims, whipping them with belts, burning their skin, and kidnapping one woman in the trunk of his car after she tried to flee from him. During a two-week trial, the government introduced numerous exhibits that included Spencer’s own words boasting about his crimes and threatening to kill and disfigure his victims. At the sentencing hearing, Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper emphasized that the 15-year duration of Spencer’s conduct was “almost impossible to get your brain around.” Judge Pepper said that the episodes of violence perpetrated by Spencer were some of the worst the court had ever seen. Judge Pepper also underscored the impact of Spencer’s crimes on his victims, emphasizing that Spencer “used force, threats, violence—and sometimes all three” to deprive his victims “of their human agency.” “For more than 15 years, Samuel Spencer used a combination of violence, threats, forms of torture, manipulation, and financial control to coerce his victims to engage in commercial sex acts for one purpose – to make as much money for him as possible,” stated U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “This cruelty occurred day after day. I commend the relentless work of the investigative and prosecution teams to bring Mr. Spencer to justice, and I commend the courage and resolve of the victims who shared their testimony publicly to ensure that Mr. Spencer could not terrorize additional women in the same manner.” “Mr. Spencer both physically and mentally harmed and exploited vulnerable women for more than 15 years,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The lengthy sentence issued by the court reflects the heinous nature of these crimes and that behavior of this type will be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The women and men of the FBI along with our local partners are committed to investigating and obtaining justice for all victims of human trafficking in our Wisconsin communities.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case with the assistance of the Milwaukee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Erica J. Lounsberry and Julie F. Stewart prosecuted the case. ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Oshkosh Man Indicted for Illegal Possession and Theft of a Firearm

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 17, 2024, a federal grand jury issued a two count indictment alleging that Donta E. Bradshaw (age: 42) of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, violated Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 922(u), 924(i)(1), and 924(a)(8). According to the indictment, on or about November 19, 2024, Bradshaw knowingly stole a Ruger semi-automatic 9mm pistol from a federally licensed firearms dealer located in Oshkosh. As a convicted felon, Bradshaw is prohibited from ever possessing a firearm under state and federal law. If found guilty, Bradshaw faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession charge and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the theft of the firearm. This case was investigated by the Oshkosh Police Department, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, and the Milwaukee office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Mississippi Man Sentenced To 46 Months In Prison On Firearm  And Counterfeiting Charge

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Bryan Lyndell Chapman (27, Mississippi) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Chapman to forfeit a Bushmaster pistol, ammunition, a printer, and make restitution to the victims that he defrauded. Chapman was arrested on February 26, 2024, and ordered detained. According to court documents, in late 2023 into January 2024, Chapman traveled from Tennessee to Florida. During his trip, he manufactured counterfeit Federal Reserve notes and passed them at various businesses. On January 17, 2024, a deputy from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) investigated a vehicle in which Chapman was a passenger. During the investigation, the CCSO located inside the vehicle a loaded firearm, ammunition, equipment for manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes, 78 counterfeit $20 bills, and 35 incomplete counterfeit pages with only the front of a $20 bill printed on it. The CCSO subsequently determined that Chapman was out on bond on a felony firearm charge pending in Mississippi and had previously been convicted in Tennessee of felony aggravated assault. As a convicted felon, Chapman is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office, and the United States Secret Service – Jacksonville Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Sarasota Man Pleads Guilty To Attempting To Engage In Sexual Activity With A Minor

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Javier Chavez (34, Sarasota) today pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor. Chavez faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. According to court documents, on May 15 and 16, 2024, Chavez communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as both the mother of a 14-year-old girl and her 14-year-old daughter. After learning of the girl’s age, Chavez engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the girl and sent her explicit videos of himself. Chavez was apprehended by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office when he arrived at a home in Lee County with the intention of engaging in sexual activity with the girl. Chavez later admitted to deputies that his intentions with the girl were sexual. This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Cooper County Sex Offender Sentenced to 45 Years for Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Prairie Home, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for producing child pornography. Bradley Leigh Knecht, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 45 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Knecht to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. Knecht, who pleaded guilty to producing child pornography on April 4, 2024, is required to register as a sex offender due to prior Arkansas convictions for possessing child pornography. A detective with the Boone County Cyber Crimes Task Force received a report on Aug. 17, 2022, that a user (later identified as Knecht) had uploaded multiple nude images of girls, approximately three to five years of age, to Snapchat. Knecht was arrested by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper during a traffic stop on Sept. 9, 2022, for failing to register as a sex offender in Cooper County, Mo. (to which he later pleaded guilty). His electronic devices were seized at the time of his arrest. Investigators found multiple social media accounts, including a Snapchat account, and identified the original child sexual abuse material that had been reported by Snapchat. Knecht was using the Snapchat account to portray himself as a minor and engage in inappropriate conversations with other minors on Snapchat. Investigators also found multiple nude images of a child victim under the age of 14. Knecht, portraying himself as the child victim, used the victim’s identity to solicit other children to produce and send pornographic images to him. For example, Knecht – posing as the child victim – exchanged approximately 284 messages with a user who identified herself as a 13-year-old girl over three days in May 2022. Knecht discussed matters of a sexual nature and requested and received nude images. In another conversation, Knecht, again posing as the child victim, messaged an individual who identified herself as a 14-year-old girl. Knecht sent her videos of the child victim as well as the 13-year-old from the previous conversation; the 14-year-old girl sent nude images of herself to Knecht. A total of 210 images were exchanged from May 12 to June 13, 2022. Knecht also impersonated the child victim to sell her nude images to others using the CashApp application. Investigators identified more than 100 transactions in the three months prior to Knecht’s arrest on Sept. 9, 2022. Knecht also had pleaded guilty in 2020 to failure to register as a sex offender in Moniteau County, Mo., as well as residing within one thousand feet of a school. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Cyber Crimes Task Force and the FBI. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing 70 Kilos of Cocaine

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Manchester, N.H. man pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2024, in federal court in Boston to possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Miguel Angel Martinez Lugo, a/k/a “Jesus Manuel Encarnacion,” a/k/a “Jose Rosado Rabell,” 38, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for March 6, 2025. On April 4, 2024, police working in plain clothes and operating an unmarked vehicle observed a black Acura MDX with a New Hampshire license plate registered to Martinez Lugo under his alias, “Jesus Encarnacion,” and a Chevrolet pickup truck with an Ohio license plate in close proximity to one another that appeared to be travelling together. Law enforcement followed the two vehicles as they drove down a number of streets and then ultimately parked on Porter Street Court in Salem, Mass. The two vehicles were parked in such a way that their trunks were visible and law enforcement observed two males, one of which was identified as Martinez Lugo, transporting a heavy-duty black plastic storage bin with a yellow lid from the pickup truck to the black Acura MDX. Two additional heavy duty black plastic storage bins were observed inside of the black Acura MDX. When the Black Acura MDX passed the law enforcement vehicle, the driver, Martinez Lugo, made eye contact with the officer and then quickly parked and abandoned the vehicle. A search warrant was subsequently sought for the vehicle and 70 kilograms of cocaine were found inside of the three plastic storage bins inside of the vehicle. Three cellular phones were also recovered from the vehicle, among other things. The charge provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to life of supervised release and fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Chief Lucas J. Miller of the Salem (Mass.) Police Department; and Chief Peter Marr of the Manchester N.H. Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: New York Resident Pleads Guilty to Operating Secret Police Station of the Chinese Government in Lower Manhattan

body_text: Chen Jinping, 60, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to act as an illegal agent of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), in connection with opening and operating an undeclared overseas police station, located in lower Manhattan, for the PRC’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS). “Today’s guilty plea holds the defendant accountable for his brazen efforts to operate an undeclared overseas police station on behalf of the PRC’s national police force — a clear affront to American sovereignty and danger to our community that will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to pursue anyone who attempts to aid the PRC’s efforts to extend their repressive reach into the United States.” “Today's acknowledgment of guilt is a stark reminder of the insidious efforts taken by the PRC government to threaten, harass, and intimidate those who speak against their Communist Party,” said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “These blatant violations will not be tolerated on U.S. soil. The FBI remains committed to preserving the rights and freedoms of all people in our country and will defend against transnational repression at every front.” “A priority of my office has been to counteract the malign activities of foreign governments that violate our nation’s sovereignty by targeting local diaspora communities in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Today, a participant in a transnational repression scheme who worked to establish a secret police station in the middle of New York City on behalf of the national police force of the People’s Republic of China has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to act as an illegal agent. We will continue our efforts to protect the rights of vulnerable persons who come to this country to escape the repressive activities of authoritarian regimes.” As alleged, Chen Jinping and co-defendant “Harry” Lu Jianwang conspired to act as illegal agents of the PRC government and also obstructed justice by destroying evidence of their communications with an MPS official. While acting under the direction and control of the MPS official, the defendants worked together to establish the first known overseas police station in the United States on behalf of the Fuzhou branch of the MPS. The police station — which closed in the fall of 2022 — occupied an entire floor in an office building in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Lu and Chen helped open and operate the clandestine police station. None of the participants in the scheme informed the U.S. government that they were helping the PRC government surreptitiously open and operate an undeclared MPS police station on U.S. soil. In October 2022, the FBI conducted a judicially authorized search of the illegal police station. In connection with the search, FBI agents interviewed both defendants and seized their phones. In reviewing the contents of these phones, FBI agents observed that communications between the defendants and an MPS official appeared to have been deleted. In subsequent consensual interviews, the defendants admitted to the FBI that they had deleted their communications with the MPS official after learning about the ongoing FBI investigation, thus preventing the FBI from learning the full extent of the MPS’s directions for the overseas police station. Chen faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Per Chen’s plea agreement, the government has agreed to dismiss the obstruction of justice charge against him. Lu has pleaded not guilty to both of the charges against him and is awaiting trial. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon and Antoinette N. Rangel for the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States. If you believe that you are or have been a victim of transnational repression, please visit www.fbi.gov/investigate/counterintelligence/transnational-repression .


title: Local Tennis Coach Charged with Enticement and Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Today, Daniel James Riggs, 31, had his initial appearance in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on a complaint charging him with enticement of a minor and production of child pornography. According to the complaint, Daniel Riggs, of Fort Lauderdale, while a tennis coach for the minor victim, engaged in sexual conversations with the minor victim through a social media application. In addition, Riggs is alleged to have sexually abused the minor victim while they traveled internationally, and domestically for tennis training and tournaments. The abuse continued locally within the Southern District of Florida. In addition to physical abuse, Riggs requested child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from the minor victim through a social media application. To mask his identity, Riggs created multiple anonymous profiles and at times advised the minor victim to delete their communications. Social media records revealed a possible additional victim. Anyone with information relating to additional victims of child sexual exploitation or abuse by Riggs is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. A pretrial detention hearing is scheduled for Dec. 23 at 11:00 a.m. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) announced the charges. FBI Miami and BSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Smith is prosecuting it. A complaint is a merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-mj-6603. ###