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

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jason Douglas MaComber, 52, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 12, 2023, MaComber possessed a Remington model 870 Wingmaster 12-gauge shotgun in St. Albans. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. MaComber knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for possession of dangerous drugs/controlled substances on November 20, 2007, possession of a firearm by a felon on June 24, 2014, and illegal firearm transportation on July 1, 2019, all in San Bernardino, California, Superior Court. MaComber’s long criminal history includes a total of 20 convictions. The shotgun had a modified and shortened barrel. The short-barreled shotgun was not registered to MaComber in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-148. ###


title: Former VA Houston nurse indicted for falsely claiming she had checked on patient that ultimately died

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 54-year-old Richmond resident and former nurse at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Houston has been arrested for creating false government records, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The now unsealed indictment, returned May 7, alleges Christiana Ogbonnaya was on duty acting in her official capacity as a nurse at the Houston VA Medical Center from July 26-27, 2024. During that time, Ogbonnaya allegedly made false entries in the VA’s Computerized Patient Record System claiming she had observed a male patient on several occasions during her shift. However, the charges allege she did not have any contact with him at those times. Medical personnel found the patient unresponsive in the early morning hours of July 27 and ultimately pronounced him deceased, according to the charges. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. VA-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Zenón-Matos is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Striking a Sheriff Helicopter with a Laser

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Brett Curtis Hair, 23, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on Sept. 11, 2024, at approximately 12:17 a.m., Kern County Sheriff's Office helicopter Air 1 was on routine patrol when the cockpit was struck by a bright green laser beam. The Tactical Flight Officer pinpointed the source of the laser emanating from a residence within the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Critical Flight Zone of Bakersfield’s Meadow Field Airport. At least 15 additional laser strikes appeared to be intentional as the light tracked and struck the helicopter. Once Air 1 arrived above the residence, Hair exited the garage and immediately began striking the helicopter's cockpit again with the high-powered laser. During the laser strikes, the pilot and Tactical Flight Officer experienced visual interference as the laser repeatedly struck and illuminated the cockpit, making it difficult to see the aircraft’s instruments. According to the FAA , aiming a laser at an aircraft is a serious safety risk, because many high-powered lasers can incapacitate pilots and interfere with the safe operation of their aircraft. In 2024, pilots reported 12,840 laser strikes to the FAA. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. Hair is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 4, 2025. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Hawthorne Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Leading Ring that Committed 12 Armed Robberies of L.A. County Businesses

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A South Bay man was sentenced today to 300 months in federal prison for leading a ring that committed 12 armed robberies of Los Angeles County businesses – mostly chain-store pharmacies – during a six-week crime spree in 2023. Makai Yusef Sanders, 23, a.k.a. “Muk Muk,” of Hawthorne, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who also ordered him to pay $48,490 in restitution. Sanders, who has been in federal custody since October 2023, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. In August and September of 2023, Sanders “personally victimized countless employees and customers in armed robberies of nine pharmacies and two…restaurants,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum, noting that during one robbery Sanders “[held] a victim by the neck and [dragged] him around the store, while brandishing a handgun in his other hand.” The targeted businesses included Rite Aid stores in Long Beach, Bellflower, North Hollywood, Whittier, and South Los Angeles, and Walgreens stores in Pasadena, Lakewood, Monterey Park, and Glendale. Sanders and his co-conspirators also targeted Wingstop restaurants in Lynwood and Whittier. The ring’s co-leader, Kenyatta Kamar Jones, 23, a.k.a. “Yatta,” of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On April 28, Judge Klausner sentenced Jones to 25 years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $48,490 in restitution. Co-defendants Diavion Deshawna Mouton, 23, of Carson, and Rodney Darrin Maxwell Evans, 23, of South Los Angeles, are scheduled to be sentenced on June 9. In December 2024, Mouton and Evans were each found guilty by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Mouton and Evans participated in two armed robberies during the six-week crime spree. Co-defendant Adrian Timothy Bedran, 24, of Rosemead, pleaded guilty on September 9 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8. Co-defendant DeAngel Daryl Alvarez, 23, a.k.a. “Macc,” of the Athens area of South Los Angeles, pleaded guilty on February 24 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 2. Co-defendant Kevin Antwon Gadley, 21, a.k.a. “One Shot,” of San Fernando, was transferred from state to federal custody on April 28, and is currently scheduled to stand trial on June 24, for one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The FBI; the Glendale Police Department; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the Inglewood Police Department; the Long Beach Police Department; the Pasadena Police Department; the Monterey Park Police Department; the Whittier Police Department; and the Burbank Police Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Juan M. Rodriguez of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Stockton Man Sentenced to 16 Years and 8 Months in Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Pill Manufacturing and Distribution

body_text: Jamar Deontae Barnes, 43, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 16 years and eight months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute pills laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine-laced pills, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, from at least September 2015 through May 2019, Barnes conspired with his twin brother, Jamaine Dontae Barnes, and others, to make and sell thousands of drug-laced pills. Barnes and his co-conspirators made the pills using pill presses, which are machines that compress powders into pills of various shapes and sizes. They made pills that appeared to be legitimate prescription pills but in fact contained fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, heroin, and other synthetic opioids. They also made pills that appeared to be traditional Ecstasy pills but in fact contained methamphetamine. On May 16, 2019, law enforcement searched Jamar Barnes’ Stockton residence and seized a pill press machine as well as powders and pills containing methamphetamine and furanyl fentanyl. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the San Joaquin METRO Narcotics Task Force, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) Task Force, the Stockton Police Department, the Sacramento County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W. Spencer and Emily G. Sauvageau prosecuted the case. Nine other defendants have pleaded guilty: Jamaine Dontae Barnes pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 2025. Kavio Daeshaun Lee Wiley pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Vincent Isaiah Patterson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 5 years in prison. Johnesha Denae Thompson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year and 6 months in prison. Kadrena Latrice Watts pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2025. Jeremy Jerome Barnett pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison. Chevele Bernard Richardson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 6 years and 7 months in prison. Tashawn Terrell Dickerson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison. Lamont Montez Thibodeaux pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Earl Cureton Jr., also known as “Black Rob,” 40, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 12, 2024, Cureton sold approximately 54 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant while on the 2400 block of Collis Avenue in Huntington. Cureton admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand with the confidential informant. Cureton further admitted to selling approximately 18.6 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $1,300 on November 9, 2023, and approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $380 on December 7, 2023, each time to a confidential informant in the area of the 2400 block of Collis Avenue. On November 26, 2024, Cureton traveled by Greyhound bus from Michigan to Cincinnati, Ohio, and then by rideshare vehicle from Cincinnati to Huntington. Cureton admitted that he possessed a suitcase while traveling that contained approximately 5.08 kilograms of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of the rideshare vehicle in which Cureton was a passenger in the 900 block of 7th Avenue in Huntington, and arrested Cureton on a warrant for the current offense. Officers seized the suitcase containing the methamphetamine and approximately $4,566 on Cureton’s person. Cureton admitted that the cash was proceeds from selling methamphetamine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-117. ###


title: Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Deona’tre Capri Dowell, 31, of Beckley, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Dowell admitted to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 25, 2024, Dowell received an ounce of fentanyl from a co-conspirator at his Beckley residence. Dowell admitted to the transaction and to arranging it earlier that day. Dowell further admitted that he obtained additional quantities of fentanyl during May 2024 from his supplier on consignment, paying the supplier back with the proceeds from distributing it. On May 30, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Dowell’s residence and found approximately 535 grams of methamphetamine, 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, a Romarm Micro Draco 7.62mm firearm, and a Glock model 21 .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun. Dowell admitted to possessing the seized controlled substances and intending to distribute them. Dowell is among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack within the Southern District of West Virginia from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 have pleaded guilty, including two defendants who pleaded guilty to separate charges in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-90. ###


title: Lowell Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Trafficking More Than 11,000 Meth Pills Disguised as Adderall

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lowell man has been sentenced for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing deadly narcotics. Anthony Bryson, 35, was sentenced on May 5, 2025 by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In July 2024, Bryson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Bryson was among 27 individuals charged beginning in October 2022 in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. The DTO, led by brothers Christopher Nagle and Lawrence Michael Nagle, distributed significant quantities of counterfeit oxycodone and Adderall pills that contained fentanyl and methamphetamine, respectively, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. From approximately January 2022 through the date of his arrest in October 2022, Bryson was involved extensively in the distribution of primarily methamphetamine, but also fentanyl, to both drug redistributors and drug users. Intercepted calls revealed that Bryson was responsible for distributing approximately 11,346 methamphetamine pills, 280 fentanyl pills and 100 oxycodone pills over two 30-day periods. Intercepted calls also revealed that Bryson understood the dangerousness of his conduct – warning one of his co-defendants about the dangers of methamphetamine and advising him to store or sell or sell the counterfeit pills, but not use them. More than 74,000 counterfeit prescription pills containing deadly narcotics were seized over the course of the investigation. In August 2024 , Christopher Nagle was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison after pleading guilty. Lawrence Michael Nagle pleaded guilty in April 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5, 2025. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. Nathaniel Yeager, Samuel R. Feldman, Ann Taylor and John O. Wray of the Criminal Division and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Federal Grand Jury in Louisville Returns Superseding Indictment  Charging Three Men with Murder of Federal Witness

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – On May 6, 2025, a federal grand jury in Louisville returned a superseding indictment charging three men with conspiring to kill, and ultimately murdering, a witness in a federal investigation. Two of the defendants were previously charged with drug trafficking and firearms-related charges. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to the superseding indictment, Anyelle Curtley, Sr. , 47, of Louisville, Delrico Nelson , 48, of Macomb, Illinois, and Antoyne Penick , 48, of Louisville, are each charged with conspiracy to tamper with a witness or informant by killing and conspiracy to retaliate against a witness or informant by killing. The superseding indictment alleges that between December 28, 2023, and January 31, 2023, Curtley Sr. , Nelson , and Penick conspired and agreed to kill Victim 1 with the intent to prevent the testimony of Victim 1 in an official proceeding and to prevent Victim 1 from communicating with a law enforcement officer or judge information relating to the commission of a federal offense. Additionally, the superseding indictment alleges that the three men conspired and agreed to kill Victim 1 in retaliation for providing information to a law enforcement officer relating to the commission of a federal offense. Also, according to the superseding indictment, Curtley Sr. and Nelson , aided and abetted by each other, killed Victim 1, who was a person assisting a federal investigation, while that assistance was being rendered and because of it. Finally, the superseding indictment alleges that Curtley Sr. and Nelson aided and abetted each other in the murder of Victim 1 through the use of a firearm. This indictment supersedes an indictment returned March 5, 2024, charging Curtley, Sr. and others with drug trafficking and firearms related charges. The March 5, 2024, indictment charged Carl Delph , 53, of California, Curtley, Sr. , Anyelle Curtley, Jr. , 26, Adrian Richie , 35, Joseph Cousins , 39, Alandro O’Neal , 50, Jeroy Boyd , 44, Ameer Ellis , 45, Paul Butler, Jr. , 35, and Susan Jenkins , 41, all of Louisville, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Beginning as early as May 9, 2023, and continuing through February 21, 2024, the defendants conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and distributed over 50 grams of methamphetamine, over 400 grams of fentanyl, and over 500 grams of cocaine. Delph and Curtley, Sr. were also charged with a money laundering conspiracy. Delph was also charged with distributing over 500 grams of cocaine and distributing over 400 grams of fentanyl. Curtley, Sr. was also charged with distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, attempting to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On December 28, 2023, Curtley, Sr. , possessed a Glock, model 27, .40 caliber handgun. Curtley, Sr. was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted the following felony offense. On May 19, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Curtley, Sr. was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon . Curtley, Jr. was also charged with distributing fentanyl and cocaine. Richie and Cousins were also charged with distributing fentanyl. O’Neal, Ellis, and Jenkins were also charged with distributing methamphetamine. Boyd was also charged with distributing cocaine. Butler, Jr. was also charged with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl. Cousins and O’Neal have pled guilty and are pending sentencing before a United States District Judge. An additional federal indictment was returned on March 5, 2024, charging Christopher Curtley , 50, and Penick , both of Louisville, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Beginning as early as January 9, 2024, and continuing through February 29, 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. Christopher Curtley was also charged with distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Penick was also charged with distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin. Penick was also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On January 24, 2024, Penick possessed a Heritage Manufacturing Inc., Model Rough Rider, .22 caliber revolver. Penick was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On September 27, 2017, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Penick was convicted of flagrant non-support. On October 19, 2015, in Clark Circuit Court, Clark County, Indiana, Penick was convicted of theft. On November 1, 2010, in Clark Superior Court, Clark County, Indiana, Penick was convicted of theft, robbery (two counts), and dealing in marijuana. Those charges against Christopher Curtley and Penick remain pending. Curtley Sr. and Penick previously appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judges of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on the underlying drug and firearm charges. Nelson appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for Central District of Illinois on May 8, 2025. Curtley Sr. , Nelson , and Penick have been ordered detained pending trial. If convicted of the offenses alleged in the superseding indictment, all three defendants face a potential sentence of death, life, or any term of years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the DEA, FBI, HSI, ATF, IRS-CI, and the Louisville Metro Police Department, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police and Macomb, Illinois Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Josh Porter are prosecuting the case, with assistance from paralegal Aaron Cooper. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Gary Neal Abbott, 52, of Chesapeake, Ohio, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substances containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on Augst 9, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Abbott in Ashton, West Virginia. During the traffic stop, Abbott told the officer that he had a firearm in the vehicle and that there may be marijuana and “ice,” or methamphetamine, in the vehicle as well. The officer searched the vehicle and found approximately 8.7 ounces of methamphetamine in a black bag, small amounts of methamphetamine and marijuana in a separate container, and a Glock model 30 Gen4 .45-caliber pistol in the front seat. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-155. ###


title: Francis Creek Man Indicted on Federal Crimes Against Minors

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 12, 2025, a federal indictment was unsealed alleging that Michael J. Kornely (age: 75) of Francis Creek, Wisconsin, transported two separate minor victims across state lines with the “intent to engage in criminal sexual activity,” in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a), in the years 2005 and 2006. Kornely is further alleged to have used a computer to attempt to “persuade, induce, and entice” a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b). That crime is alleged to have occurred in March of 2024. If convicted of any of the three charges alleged in the indictment, Kornely faces a mandatory 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a lifetime of incarceration. He may also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law. This case was investigated by the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Two Rivers Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble and Timothy W. Funnell. 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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 . 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 him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Miami-Dade Transit Supervisor, Wife, and Metrorail Contractor Plead Guilty to Bribery

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Miami-Dade Transit Track and Guideway Supervisor Dale Robinson, his wife Marcia Robinson, and Jessie Bledsoe, a contractor doing work for Miami-Dade Transit, pled guilty in related cases to Federal charges. Dale Robinson pled guilty to soliciting a bribe from Bledsoe in connection with the issuance of Metrorail repair and maintenance contracts. Marcia Robinson pled guilty to misprision of a felony for helping her husband cover up the bribery. Jessie Bledsoe pled guilty to paying a bribe to Dale Robinson in connection with his contracts with Miami-Dade Transit. Dale Robinson and Marcia Robinson entered their guilty pleas before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ellen F. D’Angelo and they were accepted by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore, while Bledsoe entered his guilty plea in Miami last week before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom. According to the facts admitted at the change of plea hearings, Dale Robinson was the acting General Superintendent and lead Rail Structure and Track Supervisor in the Track and Guideway unit of Miami-Dade Transit. His responsibilities included making recommendations about contractors to be chosen to do Metrorail track maintenance and repair work for the transit unit and overseeing the work done by those contractors, including Bledsoe. Bledsoe was the co-owner and operator of JB Railroad Contracting, Inc. (JB Railroad), a North Dakota-based company that did railroad track and rail replacement, repair, and maintenance work throughout the United States, including on the Metrorail system. In or around January 2021, while JB Railroad was working on a previously obtained contract for the removal and replacement of Metrorail track fasteners and was in the process of seeking an additional contract to do welding work on the Metrorail system for Miami-Dade Transit, Dale Robinson requested a large bribe from Bledsoe. Bledsoe agreed to pay Robinson that bribe, which was intended to influence Robinson’s selection of the contractor for the upcoming welding project. Bledsoe also agreed to concealing the payment by making it to a company specified by Dale Robinson. After this, in late January 2021, Dale Robinson directed his wife, Marcia Robinson, who lived in Maryland, to create a company named Tailored Railroads & Consulting LLC and to open a company checking account on which she would serve as the sole signatory. Marcia Robinson did this, filing the company paperwork in the State of Maryland. Dale Robinson then provided the information about Tailored Railroads to Bledsoe so that Bledsoe could disguise the payments intended for Dale Robinson’s personal benefit by making them via checks from JB Railroad to Tailored Railroads. After the bribe had been solicited by Dale Robinson, and after Tailored Railroads was created and the checking account opened by Marcia Robinson, during the period of February 2021 through February 2022, Dale Robinson directed Marcia Robinson to send a total of four invoices from Tailored Railroads to JB Railroad. When Marcia Robinson sent each of these invoices, she knew that Tailored Railroads had not provided goods or services of any type to JB Railroad. Bledsoe then caused JB Railroad to issue checks to Tailored Railroads to pay these invoices, even though Tailored Railroads provided no goods or services to JB Railroad, because these actually were the payments of the bribe solicited by Dale Robinson. A total of four checks were issued from JB Railroad to Tailored Railroads during the period of February 2021 through March 2022 to pay these four invoices. These four checks totaled approximately $75,956, the amount that Bledsoe ultimately provided to Tailored Railroads for the personal benefit of Dale Robinson in response to Dale Robinson’s bribe solicitation. While not knowing all the details of her husband’s illegal bribery agreement with Bledsoe, when the four checks were issued to Tailored Railroads, Marcia Robinson knew that the funds were being paid by Bledsoe for Dale Robinson’s personal benefit in connection with Dale Robinson’s recommendation of JB Railroad for work to be performed for Miami-Dade Transit. Despite this, she did not inform authorities of her husband’s crime, and her actions all helped to conceal his criminal activity. In addition, beyond issuing these four invoices and receiving the four payments from JB Railroad, Tailored Railroads engaged in no other activity of any type, and it eventually was administratively dissolved by the State of Maryland. Dale Robinson and Marcia Robinson are scheduled for sentencing on July 10, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore in Miami. Dale Robinson faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and Marcia Robinson faces a possible maximum sentence of up to three years in prison. Jessie Bledsoe is scheduled for sentencing on August 1, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami. Bledsoe faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami, and Inspector General Felix Jimenez of the Miami-Dade County Office of Inspector General (MDC-OIG) announced the guilty pleas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm is prosecuting both cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling the forfeiture matters on both cases. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-20168. ###


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Fraudulent Vehicle Purchase Scheme

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KENNETH RICHMOND (“RICHMOND”) , age 64, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on May 9, 2025, to Counts 1 and 6 of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A. RICHMOND faces up to twenty (20) years in prison and up to three (3) years of supervised release as to Count 1. As to Count 6, he faces a mandatory consecutive prison sentence of two (2) years, followed by a term of supervised release for up to one (1) year. For each count, RICHMOND also faces payment of a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. According to court documents, in 2022, RICHMOND conspired with another person to use fake and stolen personal identifying information to make fraudulent vehicle purchases from a local car dealership. The vehicle purchases were financed through a financial institution, and several of the loans went into default. This fraud caused a loss of approximately $124,031.41 to the dealership. As part of this scheme, RICHMOND knowingly used a real person’s name, date of birth, and Social Security Number, without permission, to purchase a Dodge Challenger in July of 2022. The Honorable Barry Ashe set RICHMOND’s sentencing for August 14, 2025. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the work of the United States Secret Service, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit. * * *


title: Indictment Unsealed in Bank Fraud Conspiracy Involving Hundreds of Forged Checks Stolen from the Mail

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal Indictment has been unsealed, charging DERRY LEE DAVIS , 23, ANTAJAUN MONZELLE BROWN , JR. , 24, AMAURION RAMONE NORMENT , 21, OLIVERNAESHA OLIEAH WOODS , 21, LORENZO JONES IV , 23, and MATEI LEANN BASS , 22, all of Oklahoma City, DAZJUAN JERAE DEMOND MATTHEWS , 21, of Kansas, and AMARION ADRIONE WHITESIDE , 21, of Texas, for their roles in a conspiracy to steal mail from mail deposit boxes across the Oklahoma City metro area using a stolen United States Postal Service (USPS) arrow key and forge checks found in the stolen mail to obtain cash from financial institutions. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On April 16, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a 19-count Indictment against the defendants, charging them for their roles in the conspiracy. According to the Indictment, beginning in 2022, Davis possessed a stolen USPS arrow key, which he and other conspirators used to access and steal mail from mail deposit boxes across the Oklahoma City area in search of checks. Davis, Brown, and Norment would then alter information on stolen checks, so that they could be deposited into the bank accounts of other conspirators who agreed to participate in the scheme. In order to find people willing to join the scheme, the indictment alleges that Davis, Brown, and others advertised the scheme on social media urging those interested to contact them. The Indictment further alleges that Matthews, Whiteside, Woods, Jones, Bass, and others agreed to join the conspiracy and deposited or allowed forged checks to be deposited into their bank accounts in exchange for a portion of the check proceeds. The defendants have all been charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, for which they face up to 30 years in federal prison if found guilty. In addition to conspiracy to commit bank fraud: Davis has been charged with bank fraud, possession of a forged security, possession of a stolen USPS key, and possession of stolen mail. Davis faces up to 30 years in federal prison if found guilty of bank fraud and faces up to 25 years if found guilty of the remaining counts; Brown, Jr. has been charged with four counts of bank fraud, possession of a forged security, and possession of stolen mail. Brown faces up to 30 in federal prison if found guilty for each count of bank fraud and faces up to 15 years if found guilty of the remaining counts; and Norment has been charged with seven counts of bank fraud and possession of a forged security. Norment faces up to 30 years in federal prison if found guilty for each count of bank fraud and faces up to 10 years if found guilty of the remaining count. The public is reminded these charges are merely allegations, and that the defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson D. Eldridge is prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Fall River Woman Sentenced for Stealing Nearly $90,000 in Social Security Benefits Intended for Her Child

body_text: BOSTON – A Fall River woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for stealing her child’s Social Security benefits over a period of six years. Nancy Taylor, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Taylor was also ordered to pay $86,994 in restitution. In February 2025 , Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. Taylor was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. From May 2016 through May 2022, Taylor embezzled approximately $86,994 in Social Security benefits that were intended for her minor child. In August 2014, when Taylor applied to receive benefits on behalf of her child as a representative payee, the Social Security Administration (SSA) informed her of her obligation to notify SSA if her child left her custody. However, Taylor did not notify SSA when she lost custody of her child in May 2016. Instead, Taylor called SSA in October 2021 to update contact information for the child so that she could continue receiving her child’s benefits. Further, in June 2022, Taylor visited an SSA field office to reactivate her receipt of her child’s benefits and provided two fraudulent forms claiming that her child still lived with her and that she spent all the Social Security benefits she received for her child’s care. In reality, Taylor used the vast majority of the stolen funds to pay her own bills. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Sex Offender from Attleboro Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: BOSTON – An Attleboro man, who is a Level 1 sex offender, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2025, in federal court in Boston to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Eric Brault, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Aug. 7, 2025. Brault was charged by criminal complaint in December 2024 . During a years-long investigation into an encrypted online chat platform used for the trafficking of CSAM, Brault was identified as a registered user and participant in at least three groups where CSAM was disseminated. During a search of Brault’s residence, a Samsung Galaxy phone was found hidden inside a plastic chest in his bedroom. The device’s phone number matched that of the account registered with the platform. A subsequent review of the phone confirmed that Brault was a member of over 50 chat groups related to CSAM and revealed an album that contained over 200 video files depicting CSAM. Some of the video files depicted the abuse of victims as young as three to four years old. In 2012, Brault was convicted in Attleboro District Court of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old and was subsequently sentenced to 18 months of probation. Brault faces a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Attleboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Honduran National Charged With Re-entry Of Deported Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MARLON SANTOS (“SANTOS”) , age 36, a native of Honduras, was indicted on May 8, 2025, for re-entry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to court documents, SANTOS was found in Orleans Parish on April 21, 2025. He had previously been removed to Honduras on December 21, 2018. If convicted, SANTOS faces a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution. * * *


title: Rhode Island Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy and Obstruction of Justice

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of a “virtual CFO” business from Rhode Island pleaded guilty on May 8, 2025 in federal court in Boston to laundering tens of millions of dollars in proceeds from internet fraud schemes by creating shell companies and opening fraudulent business bank accounts. Craig Clayton, 75, of Cranston, R.I., pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of obstruction of justice. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Aug. 13, 2025. In February 2023 , Clayton was arrested and charged by criminal complaint. From 2019 to 2021, Clayton and others used his accounting and “virtual CFO” business, Rochart Consulting, as a front to launder the proceeds of internet fraud schemes. As part of the conspiracy, Clayton founded shell companies to open business bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, through which he laundered the proceeds of internet fraud schemes on behalf of his foreign-based clients. In total, Clayton laundered more than $35 million. In communications with one of his Rochart co-conspirators, Clayton stated that because they were “money mules complicit in [Rochart’s clients’] offenses” that “opens [them] up to charges.” Additionally, in encrypted communications with one of his client co-conspirators, Clayton expressed concern that his phone was “tapped” by law enforcement and sought to obtain “dirt” on a victim who had reported the fraud scheme in order to “distract the police.” In another exchange with a co-conspirator, Clayton proposed moving their electronic communications to Signal, noting that WhatsApp “can be tapped.” When banks and law enforcement began to investigate Rochart, Clayton falsely told investigators and bank personnel that his shell companies were legitimate businesses, among other things. Further, during a recorded conversation with an undercover law enforcement agent posing as a potential client, Clayton noted that Rochart does not “deal with anyone who has law enforcement connections.” After he became aware that a federal grand jury was investigating him, Clayton attempted to obstruct the ongoing investigation by making several false statements to federal agents during an interview. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the proceeds, whichever is greater. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian J. Stearns and Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Guatemalan Man Who Unlawfully Resided in the United States Charged with Fraudulently Sponsoring Unaccompanied Alien Children

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Guatemalan national was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of New Jersey for allegedly submitting sponsorship applications with false statements to the U.S. government to gain custody of two unaccompanied alien children (UACs) after they entered the United States illegally. “The prior administration’s border policies created chaos and allowed bad actors to prey upon the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will always seek strong legal penalties to protect children from those who would do them harm.” “This prosecution is an example of my office’s dedication to keeping children safe,” said U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District New Jersey. “We will continue to bring to justice those who take advantage of our country’s Unaccompanied Alien Children program and threaten the safety of our community. There will be zero tolerance for those who prey on the vulnerable.” “This was a clear attempt from an individual unlawfully in the United States seeking to undermine our laws and target children, and the FBI will not tolerate it,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We remain laser-focused on ensuring people who come into the United States intending to wreak havoc and intentionally violate our rule of law will face serious consequences.” According to the criminal complaint, Luciano Tinuar Quino, also known as Luciano Tinuar Guino, 57, who unlawfully entered the United States in 2016 and previously resided in the area of Orange, New Jersey, submitted multiple applications to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) under penalties of perjury to sponsor and obtain custody of two UACs. As alleged in the complaint, after a 15-year-old Guatemalan male (UAC-1) illegally entered the United States in April 2022, Tinuar Quino submitted to sponsor this UAC that falsely: (1) claimed to be his father; (2) claimed his own name was “A.S.T.” as listed on a Guatemala national identification card he submitted; and (3) provided his date of birth. To prove his relationship with UAC-1, Tinuar Quino submitted a photoshopped image, which he asserted was a photo of himself with UAC-1’s mother. As a result, the boy was transported from Texas to New Jersey to live with Tinuar Quino. Tinuar Quino allegedly submitted to ORR to falsely demonstrate his identity as A.S.T. and falsely claim he was UAC-1’s father.(2) Tinuar Quino allegedly submitted to ORR to falsely demonstrate a father-son relationship with UAC-1 and to assert that the clearly photoshopped woman was UAC-1’s mother. Tinuar Quino is also charged with submitting false information in an attempt to obtain custody of another UAC. Specifically, the complaint charges that in June 2022, Tinuar Quino submitted an application to sponsor a 17-year-old Guatemalan male (UAC-2) who had entered the United States illegally. As alleged, Tinuar Quino falsely: (1) claimed to be UAC-2’s father; (2) stated that his name was “J.R.M.” as listed on a Guatemala national identification card he submitted; and (3) provided his date of birth. ORR did not approve this application. Tinuar Quino allegedly submitted to ORR to falsely demonstrate his identity as J.R.M. and falsely claim he was UAC-2's father (2) “Attempting to exploit the sponsorship system to gain custody of unaccompanied alien children puts those minors at serious risk,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. “ICE works alongside our law enforcement partners to prevent trafficking and exploitation by individuals falsely claiming to be family. ICE remains firmly committed to detecting deception, upholding the integrity of the immigration process, and, above all, protecting these at-risk children.” “Protecting children means holding individuals accountable when they use deception to exploit our systems,” said ORR Acting Director Angie M. Salazar. “ORR acted swiftly to identify the fraud and share with our law enforcement counterparts who located the children and ensured justice was served.” Tinuar Quino is charged with two counts of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. These charges are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. The FBI and ICE HSI Newark field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from the FBI’s Legal Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR have provided valuable assistance. Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of HRSP, JTFA Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Sussman of the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods. A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Redondo Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Fentanyl-Laced Oxycodone Pills that Ultimately Resulted in Fatal Overdose

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A South Bay man pleaded guilty today to selling dozens of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills to a drug dealer who later sold them to a victim who soon afterward suffered a fatal overdose in January 2020. Marcus Michael Takaya Poydras, 36, of Redondo Beach, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. According to his plea agreement, in January 2020, Poydras knowingly and intentionally distributed pills that he claimed contained oxycodone, but which contained fentanyl. During the evening of January 22, 2020, Poydras sold approximately 90 of those pills to a drug dealer, whom he told the pills were real and sent a photograph of 10 of the pills. The drug dealer then sent the victim the same photograph and stated, “[t]hey are real.” The drug dealer then sold 20 of the pills to the victim for $340 in the parking lot of a mall in Marina del Rey. The victim later consumed some of the pills, which resulted in the victim’s fatal overdose. Poydras further admitted in his plea agreement that, in July 2020, he knowingly possessed with intent to distribute various narcotics, including cocaine, as well as a firearm – a .38-caliber revolver – with an obliterated serial number. Poydras obtained the firearm from a law enforcement technician employed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) and who was one of Poydras’s drug customers at the time. In January 2025, prosecutors filed a deferred prosecution agreement with that law enforcement technician, Melvin Ramon Washington, 58, of Carson, in which he admitted giving Poydras that revolver and making false statements to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Washington ceased working at LASD in July 2023. Poydras also admitted to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl in January 2021 and to possessing another firearm – a 9mm-caliber semi-automatic pistol – in furtherance of his fentanyl-dealing activities. United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer scheduled a September 8 sentencing hearing, at which time Poydras will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Poydras has been in federal custody since September 2021. The DEA, LASD, and the Redondo Beach Police Department are investigating this matter. This case is the result of an investigation by the DEA’s Overdose Justice Task Force, which was created to address opioid-related deaths in the greater Los Angeles area, most of which are caused the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Under the Overdose Justice program for the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division, DEA agents collaborate with local law enforcement to analyze evidence to determine if there are circumstances that might lead to a federal criminal prosecution, and, if so, proactively target the drug trafficker. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.


title: U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme recognizes National Police Week

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, for the District of Montana, recognizes the public service and sacrifice of federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed from Sunday, May 11, through Saturday, May 17. “This week, we recognize the men and women in law enforcement who risk their lives every day to protect us, often while the rest of us are sleeping. Too many have sacrificed their lives to make our communities safer. We honor their bravery and reaffirm our support for every law enforcement officer in Montana and across the United States. On behalf of all of us in the United States Attorney’s Office, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to them and their families,” U.S. Attorney Alme said. In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The names of the fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Monday, May 12, during the 37 th Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. Those who wish to view the vigil live online can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/live/5ALpizgnNz8 . The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website at https://nleomf.org/ XXX


title: Chinese Company and Three Chinese Nationals Indicted for Unlawfully Importing Pill-Making Equipment Used to Manufacture Controlled Substances

component: Civil Division

body_text: A federal grand jury returned a 21-count indictment against a Chinese company and three Chinese nationals for their alleged role in the illegal importation of pill-making equipment, the Department of Justice announced. According to an indictment returned April 23 and unsealed today, CapsulCN International Co. Ltd. (CapsulCN) and Xiochuan “Ricky” Pan, 40, Tingyan “Monica” Yang, 37, and Xi “Inna” Chen, 30, all of the People’s Republic of China, were charged with smuggling, Controlled Substances Act, and money laundering offenses in connection with CapsulCN’s unlawful import and distribution of tableting machines (also known as “pill presses”), encapsulating machines, and counterfeit die molds capable of producing millions of potentially lethal fake pills. The indictment also charges Pan, CapsulCN’s principal officer and a shareholder, with leading a continuing criminal enterprise. Additionally, four internet domains used by CapsulCN to market and sell illicit pill-making equipment to U.S. customers were seized today in connection with this investigation. “This indictment and today’s domain seizures send an unmistakable message to criminals in the People’s Republic of China and across the world — the Department will use every weapon in its arsenal to combat those who facilitate the manufacture and distribution of deadly drugs in the United States,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This U.S. Attorney’s Office is focused on bringing the full force of justice to anyone who conspires to poison our communities with fentanyl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Whether through the importation of pill presses and related materials, as alleged in this indictment, or through trafficking precursor chemicals and the drug itself, it is evident that bad actors are determined to harm Americans with fentanyl. Our federal prosecutors, through collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners, are determined to stop them.” “These indictments against Chinese nationals exemplify Homeland Security Investigations’ unwavering commitment to breaking every link of the global fentanyl supply chain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of the HSI El Paso Division. “We are committed to continue working hand-in-hand with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to get deadly fentanyl out of our communities and put an end to the chaos and devastation resulting from this epidemic.” Many of the fake pills containing fentanyl and other controlled substances seized in the United States are manufactured using relatively inexpensive pill-making equipment — such as pill presses, encapsulating machines, and die molds — obtained from Chinese pharmaceutical equipment companies and imported into the United States. These fake pills often mimic the look, feel, and effect of legitimate pharmaceutical drugs and are particularly dangerous and misleading to U.S. consumers, who may falsely believe they are taking legitimate prescription medication that is safer and less addictive than the fentanyl and methamphetamine the pills really contain. According to court documents, between December 2011 and April 2025, Pan led CapsulCN, which advertised and sold pill-making equipment to U.S. customers on websites, popular e-commerce platforms, and various social media accounts. CapsulCN marketed and catered to customers seeking to make counterfeit pills that mimicked the look and effect of prescription drugs. In 2020, Pan and Yang created a new brand, “PillMolds,” to advertise, sell, and promote counterfeit die molds to the United States. Although the PillMolds brand was part of CapsulCN, thereafter, CapsulCN ceased marketing and selling die molds via its www.capsulcn.com website and instead did so using the website www.pillmold.com. Today, HSI seized both of these websites, along with two others (www.ipharmachine.com and huadapharma.com) that CapsulCN used to facilitate its unlawful sales and imports of pill-making equipment. The indictment alleges that, between December 2011 and April 2025, CapsulCN imported and distributed pill presses and encapsulating machines to customers in the United States, knowing or having reason to believe that those items would be used to manufacture controlled substances. CapsulCN also distributed counterfeit die molds, which can be used to compress inactive and active ingredients into pills that mimic the shape and imprinted markings of legitimate pharmaceutical drugs such as oxycodone, dextroamphetamine, hydrocodone, amphetamine, and alprazolam. Drug traffickers often replace these active ingredients in the legitimate pharmaceutical drugs with other controlled substances such as fentanyl and methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that CapsulCN concealed the nature and purpose of the pill presses, encapsulating machines, and die molds from U.S. customs officials and law enforcement by using deceptive packaging and false manifests that undervalued and misidentified the contents. Some customers sought to avoid mandatory requirements to report the import and distribution of pill presses and encapsulating machines to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). CapsulCN also allegedly helped conceal the nature of its shipments avoid detection by disassembling the machines and shipping the parts in separate packages, again with false manifests. CapsulCN employees then would direct customers to social media accounts maintained by CapsulCN that contained videos instructing customers on how to reassemble the machines once in the United States. According to court documents, Yang, Chen, and other CapsulCN sales representatives communicated extensively with potential customers in the United States over company emails and encrypted electronic messaging applications. In these communications with customers, Yang, Chen, and others agreed to smuggle pill-making equipment to U.S. customers and assisted customers in selecting die molds that best replicated identified pharmaceutical drugs. Yang, Chen, and other CapsulCN sales representatives also exchanged electronic messages and emails negotiating payment for CapsulCN products that were smuggled into the United States and imported and distributed for use in manufacturing controlled substances. CapsulCN maintained bank accounts in the People’s Republic of China and accounts with online payment services to facilitate the transfer of funds from the United States to China in furtherance of CapsulCN’s criminal activities. The HSI El Paso Field Office investigated the case with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, IRS Criminal Investigation’s El Paso Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Trial Attorneys Colin W. Trundle, Cadesby Cooper, Kaitlin Sahni, Edward E. Emokpae, Scott B. Dahlquist, Assistant Director Katharine A. Wagner, Deputy Director of Criminal Litigation A.J. Nardozzi, and Director Amanda Liskamm of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Gregory and Donna Miller and OCDETF Chief Steven Spitzer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas are handling the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Boston Gang Members Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Firearms; Defrauding Federal Credit Union; Hundred-Thousand-Dollar Check Theft Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Mission Hill gang member with multiple prior convictions has pleaded guilty to three separate indictments charging him with a sweeping slate of federal charges – including trafficking firearms, defrauding a credit union of over $130,000 and stealing mail as part of a large-scale “card cracking” scheme that caused up to half a million dollars in losses. Glenroy Miller, a/k/a “Trinny,” 28, of Boston, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2025 to three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun; one count of trafficking in firearms; two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; one count of bank fraud and aiding and abetting; and one count of conspiracy to steal and possess stolen mail. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Aug. 7, 2025. In September 2019, Miller was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of possession of a firearm without a permit; carrying a firearm with ammunition; possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number; and resisting arrest. He was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison, followed by two years’ probation. In December 2019, shortly after beginning his state prison sentence, Miller conspired with long-time friend Nadaje Hendrix to defraud a credit union where Hendrix served as a loan officer and assistant branch manager at the time. Specifically, between December 2019 and August 2021, the two defrauded the credit union by obtaining loans in the names of other individuals, including Miller’s fellow inmates, as well as loans under stolen identities. In total, Miller and Hendrix defrauded the credit union of approximately $134,000. The two were indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024 in relation to this conduct. In October 2024 , Hendrix was sentenced to eight months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty in July 2024. In the summer of 2023, upon his release from state prison, and prior to his January 2024 indictment, Miller conspired with other Mission Hill members to engage in a mail theft and “card cracking” scheme while on probation. According to court documents, card cracking involves the theft of checks – usually checks stolen from USPS collection boxes – which are chemically washed to remove the payee information. The checks are then rewritten in the names of others who have typically been recruited into the scheme via social media, deposited into their bank accounts and withdrawn or transferred as soon the funds are made available. According to the signed plea agreement, Miller is responsible for $250,000 - $550,000 in losses or attempted losses via checks that were stolen from the mail, washed and/or deposited into recruited accounts between June 2023 and February 2024. In August 2024 , Miller was indicted by a federal grand jury along with eight other Mission Hill gang members and associates for their alleged roles in the card cracking scheme. Additionally, during the summer of 2023, while on state probation, Miller sold six firearms to a cooperating witness on four separate occasions on Aug. 7, 2023 and Oct. 24, 2023. One of the sales included a firearm with a high-capacity magazine equipped with a machinegun conversion device. Additionally, Miller was aware that the cooperating witness was a convicted felon who was prohibited from purchasing or possessing the firearms. The charges of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition each provide for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of unlawful possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of trafficking in firearms provides for a sentence up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to steal and possess stolen mail provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston and Wellesley Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kriss Basil, Lucy Sun and Philip C. Cheng of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Honduran National Sentenced for Re-Entry of a Deported Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ActingU.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that EVIN ENRIQUE FUNEZ-CRUZ (“FUNEZ-CRUZ”) , age 22, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on May 8, 2025, for re-entry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and (b)(1). According to court documents, FUNEZ-CRUZ , a Honduran national, was apprehended in St. Tammany Parish on or around January 6, 2025. He had been previously deported to Honduras on June 21, 2024. United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced FUNEZ-CRUZ to time served, after which he will be deported to his home country of Honduras by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution. * * *


title: Guatemalan Man Who was Unlawfully Residing in the United States Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Custody of Unaccompanied Alien Children

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Guatemalan national was charged with allegedly submitting sponsorship applications with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of two unaccompanied alien children (UACs) after they entered the United States, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi announced today. The complaint, which was filed today, charges Luciano Tinuar Quino, also known as “Luciano Tinuar Guino,” 57, a citizen and resident of Guatemala, with two counts of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count and a $250,000 fine. “This prosecution is an example of my office’s dedication to keeping children safe. We will relentlessly pursue and bring to justice those who take advantage of our country’s Unaccompanied Alien Children program and threaten the safety of our community. There will be zero tolerance for those who prey on the vulnerable.” - U.S. Attorney Alina Habba “The prior administration’s border policies created chaos and allowed bad actors to prey upon the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will always seek strong legal penalties to protect children from those who would do them harm.” According to the complaint: Tinuar Quino, who unlawfully entered the United States in 2016 and resided in the Orange, New Jersey area, submitted applications to ORR to sponsor and obtain custody of two male Guatemalan UACs in 2022. Tinuar Quino allegedly used aliases, presenting identity cards of other individuals, and falsely stated he was each UAC’s father in sponsorship application materials submitted to ORR. ORR relied on Tinuar Quino’s alleged false statements when, on or about May 19, 2022, ORR released one of the UACs to Tinuar Quino’s care. ORR did not transfer the other UAC to Tinuar Quino’s care because, in part, Tinuar Quino’s application raised concerns about his identity and relationship with the UAC. U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and HSI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation leading to this charge. U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and Attorney General Pam Bondi also thanked the FBI’s Legat team in Guatemala, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR for their valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Sussman of the U.S Attorney’s Office Narcotics/OCDETF Unit, Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Joint Task Force Alpha/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, with assistance from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### quino.complaint.pdf


title: Court finds illegal alien guilty of reentering United States for 8th time

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 43-year-old Mexican national has been convicted of illegally reentering the United States without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane found Enrique Melendez-Saldivar guilty as charged following a one-hour bench trial. On Dec. 19, 2024, authorities discovered Melendez-Saldivar as he attempted to illegally enter the country near Los Ebanos. At the time, the investigation revealed he was not a citizen of the United States. Melendez-Saldivar has a prior conviction for illegal reentry and has been removed at least eight times. Testimony also revealed Melendez-Saldivar tried to resist and evade arrest as authorities struggled to apprehend him in the South Texas brush. The defense attempted to convince the court Melendez-Saldivar’s rights were violated due to excessive use of force. Judge Crane did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged. Sentencing has been set for July 21. At that time, Melendez-Saldivar faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Border Patrol and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: Canadian National sentenced in nearly 30-year Social Security benefit fraud scheme

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Ellis Kingsep, aka “Ellis King,” 77, a Canadian National lawfully residing in the U.S., was sentenced today to two and a half years in prison and is ordered to pay full restitution for stealing over $420,000 in Social Security benefits over a 30-year period. This sentence highlights the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to prosecuting cases involving fraud, waste and theft of federal government program funds. According to court documents, from roughly 1995 to 2023, Kingsep devised and executed an elaborate scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration (SSA) by causing the agency to send benefits payments intended for Kingsep’s mother to accounts Kingsep controlled. Kingsep’s mother would now be 103 years old and is presumed deceased. Court documents explain that Kingsep’s scheme included creating an intricate web of mail forwarding requests for his mother’s mail by using private postal mailbox accounts in California, Vancouver, British Columbia, and Alaska to conceal that he was receiving his mother’s mail and sending correspondence in her name. Court documents detail that in 2013, the SSA received a change of address notice purportedly signed by Kingsep’s mother, stating she was moving to Alaska and requesting her address be changed to one in Fairbanks. The address in Fairbanks was for a mail forwarding service with whom Kingsep had opened an account. Kingsep instructed the mail forwarding service to receive and repackage mail addressed to his mother and ship it to two different private mailbox services located in Vancouver, where Kingsep also had accounts. Under Kingsep’s instructions, those services also repackaged and forwarded the already forwarded mail to private mailbox services in Los Angeles, where Kingsep would regularly collect his mail. Beginning in 1989, Kingsep’s mother received SSA benefits by direct deposit to a bank account. In November 1996, the SSA directly deposited her benefits payments to a different bank account held in the names of Kingsep and his mother. Bank security video showed Kingsep regularly withdrawing cash from the account in Los Angeles. The SSA stopped paying the mother’s benefits in 2023 after an SSA investigator uncovered Kingsep’s scheme. The investigation determined Kingsep’s mother would be 103 at the time of sentencing, and that there has been no record of her since 1993 and no death certificate has ever been filed for her. After his arrest in July 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a storage unit Kingsep rented in Hollywood and found multiple books focused on being “invisible” and creating fake IDs, as well as copies of valid foreign passports in his name, a folder filled with photocopies of his mother’s signature, and statements and correspondence from foreign banks holding funds and precious metals for him. On Dec. 10, 2024, Kingsep pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. Court documents detail that after he pleaded guilty, Kingsep wrote a letter to a witness in the case, indicating the witness was to blame for his arrest. During sentencing, the Court also ordered Kingsep to serve three years on supervised release and pay a $50,000 criminal fine. In handing down the sentence, the Court emphasized the seriousness of the crime based on the total amount stolen and the defendant’s elaborate scheme to commit the crime and hide it from discovery. “Mr. Kingsep manipulated a critical assistance program by fraudulently collecting his mother’s social security benefits for nearly three decades and subsequently created an invisible lifestyle to conceal his scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “I want to thank the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General for their incredible work on unwinding Mr. Kingsep’s elaborate web of lies and misdirection to uncover the full extent of his conduct. Social Security fraud threatens the foundation of a program that millions of people depend on and will not be tolerated. My office is committed to prosecuting perpetrators such as Mr. Kingsep who steal government program funds.” “Mr. Kingsep carried out a sophisticated scheme of manipulation for three decades to illegally collect Social Security benefits intended for his mother,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit, performing the duties of the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “This sentence holds him accountable for deliberately concealing his existence to steal nearly half a million dollars he was not entitled to, diverting it from rightful beneficiaries who rely on these funds.” The SSA, Office of Inspector General (SSA OIG) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bradley prosecuted the case. Other ongoing Social Security fraud cases In the last six months, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged four other cases alleging Social Security fraud, marking the start of the Office’s close partnership with SSA OIG to prosecute the theft of government funds. The cases are as follows: Barbara Coleman , 44, of Cheney, Washington, was charged by information in a nearly four-year-long scheme where she fraudulently converted, for personal use, over $28,000 in Title XVI (Disability Insurance) SSA benefits intended for her uncle. After her uncle died in August 2019, and continuing until July 2023, Coleman converted those funds for her personal use by accessing her uncle’s bank account to make purchases and ATM withdrawals with his debit card after his death. Coleman pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money or property the day the charges were filed and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2025. Bernadette Kibby, 44, of Sitka, was charged by information in an over three-year-long scheme where she fraudulently converted, for personal use, over $107,000 in Title II (Federal Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) SSA benefits intended for her father. Kibby’s father died in March 2016. In December 2016, and continuing until July 2020, Kibby began accessing her father’s bank accounts to make direct payments and purchases, as well as PayPal withdrawals using her father’s PayPal account after his death. Kibby is currently awaiting the scheduling of her trial. Sarah Korn , 40, of Anchorage, was indicted on charges related to a nearly four-year-long scheme where she allegedly stole over $50,000 in SSA Title II benefits from her stepfather. Korn is also charged with a second count of theft of government funds related to her alleged theft of her stepfather’s U.S. Department of Treasury COVID-19 stimulus payment. Korn’s trial is scheduled to begin on June 9, 2025. Aleksander Savelieff, 55, of Nikolaevsk, was indicted on charges related to a decade-long scheme where he allegedly fraudulently converted, for personal use, over $44,000 in SSA Title II benefits from his mother. After his mother died in June 2013, and continuing until June 2023, Savelieff converted those funds for his personal use by accessing a joint bank account he held with his mother to make payments, purchases and ATM cash withdrawals. Savelieff is also charged with a second count of theft of government funds related to his alleged theft of another person’s U.S. Department of Treasury COVID-19 stimulus payment. Savelieff’s trial is scheduled to begin on Sept. 8, 2025. The SSA, OIG is investigating these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson is prosecuting these cases. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Coram man pleads guilty to drug charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS - A Coram man accused of possessing methamphetamine admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Blaine Justin Olds, 51, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Olds faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for September 18, 2025. Olds was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that beginning in May 2024, Blaine Justin Olds and his co-defendant were coming from their home in Coram, Montana, to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to deliver large amounts of methamphetamine. In October 2024, law enforcement arranged three controlled purchases of large of amounts of methamphetamine from the defendants. During each of these controlled purchases, Olds and his co-defendant traveled from their home in Coram to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and exchanged methamphetamine for money. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI, BIA, DEA, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, and Glacier County Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation. 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 https://www.justice.gov/psn . XXX


title: Mexican man arrested for illegal re-entry

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jose Guadalupe Mauricio-Rivera, 33, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on April 13, 2025, Mauricio-Rivera was identified by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) for being present in the United States illegally. Mauricio-Rivera was located outside of a residence in Warsaw, NY. A records check determined that Mauricio-Rivera is a citizen of Mexico illegally residing in the United States. He was taken into custody. Mauricio-Rivera was physically removed from the United States in July 2012 and April 2018. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Mauricio-Rivera made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained. The complaint is a result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Acting Field Office Director Steven Kurzdorfer. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Buffalo man pleads guilty to selling meth

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Mario Pittman Jr., 31, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to distribution of methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum 40 years, and a fine of $5,000,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated that in March 2024, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and Lackawanna Police began investigating Pittman’s drug trafficking activities. The investigation included five controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Pittman. On April 30, 2024, investigators attempted to stop Pittman’s vehicle, but he fled at a high rate of speed through a residential neighborhood. Law enforcement eventually made a forced stop of his vehicle. Pittman fled on foot but was apprehended by law enforcement. Investigators recovered a clear plastic baggy of suspected methamphetamine, which Pittman dropped on the ground as he attempted to flee. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Packard, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia. Sentencing is scheduled for October 9, 2025, before Judge Arcara. # # # #


title: Buffalo man pleads guilty to drug related gun charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Donta Williams, 30, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of imprisonment of life, and a fine of $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated on November 13, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at a Comstock Avenue residence, which Williams used for his drug trafficking activities. During the search, they seized $1,030 in cash, a receipt for a Rolex sold to “Donta Williams,” a Glock pistol and ammunition, jewelry, crack cocaine and fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia. Later that day, a second search warrant was executed on a UHAUL unit controlled by Williams. During that search, investigators seized $29,627.00 in cash, and a loaded magazine. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alfonse Wright. Sentencing is scheduled for September 18, 2025, before Judge Arcara. # # # #