title: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

component: Tax Division

body_text: A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today to tax evasion. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: for tax years 2015 and 2016, Matthew Tucci, of West Long Branch, filed tax returns that stated he owed more than $2 million in taxes for both years. Despite admitting that he owed those taxes, Tucci did not fully pay them when they were due. Instead, Tucci purchased real estate and engaged in a series of transactions designed to conceal his interest in those properties. In 2017, the IRS sent notices to Tucci that he owed taxes, interest, and penalties for 2015 and 2016. After receiving these notices, Tucci transferred multiple properties to an entity owned by another individual, but he continued to exert control over at least two of them. Of the two properties Tucci continued to control, he sold one and refinanced the other. Tucci used the proceeds from these transactions to pay his personal expenses rather than his tax debts. In 2019, Tucci submitted documents to the IRS that falsely claimed that he had no connection to the entity that owned the 12 properties. Tucci is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Catriona Coppler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Belgiovine for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.


title: Rosedale Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Money Laundering

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Terry Allen, 57, of Rosedale, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) – Philadelphia Regional Office; and Chief Robert O. McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD). According to the guilty plea, in 2022, during an investigation into a target, the FBI discovered that the target paid Allen more than $270,000. Agents later learned that Allen was supplying the FBI target with diverted prescription drugs. As a result, the FBI partnered with the DEA and identified Allen as the leader of a Baltimore-region drug trafficking organization (DTO). Agents soon learned that from 2022 to 2023, Allen’s DTO flooded the Baltimore community with thousands of diverted oxycodone pills. The DTO’s members deployed a vast network of pseudo-patients to acquire diverted oxycodone pills. Pseudo patients are individuals recruited by drug traffickers to enter “pill-mill” clinics with fictitious complaints of pain to receive prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances. As part of the conspiracy, pseudo-patients gave their oxycodone prescriptions to DTO members in exchange for cash payments or oxycodone. In February 2023, law enforcement received court authorization to intercept phone calls and text messages from numerous DTO members’ cellular phones. Intercepted calls revealed that Allen was distributing vast quantities of oxycodone. On these calls, Allen openly discussed the large quantity of drugs she possessed for redistribution. She acquired her vast supply of oxycodone from her large pseudo-patient network. Intercepted calls revealed how Allen and her top oxycodone supplier, Co-Conspirator 1, collaborated to manage the pseudo-patients. Co-Conspirator 1 managed 12 pseudo-patients to acquire oxycodone, which Co-Conspirator 1 then resold to Allen. During their intercepted calls, Allen and Co-Conspirator 1 discussed inventory; transferred pseudo-patients to pill-mill clinics that would easily refill oxycodone prescriptions or give higher dosages; and arranged for pseudo-patients to pass urine screenings. Additionally, through the investigation, law enforcement uncovered Allen’s money laundering. A review of Allen’s bank records revealed she received and spent more than $2 million from 2017 to 2023. Agents traced Allen’s drug transactions through peer-to-peer applications such as Zelle and Cash App. In May 2023, agents obtained more than 30 search warrants for residences, vehicles, and persons involved in the investigation. On May 31, agents searched Allen’s residence, located in Rosedale, Maryland. As law enforcement searched Allen’s house, she agreed to speak with FBI agents in a separate room. Allen then admitted to using pseudo-patients to acquire oxycodone that she redistributed on the street. During the search, agents found approximately $39,380; drug ledgers; a calendar with annotations regarding medical appointments for pseudo-patients; distribution quantity of oxycodone pills, suboxone strips, and Adderall pills; a Glock 19 9mm handgun; and a Remington 12-gauge shotgun. The money and firearms were connected to Allen’s drug trafficking activities. Authorities arrested Allen, but after her bail hearing, she was released on home detention. In August 2023, while on home detention, law enforcement learned that Allen was distributing oxycodone. On September 13, law enforcement searched her home and found two pseudo-patients’ prescription-pill bottles, containing 200 oxycodone 20MG pills. During the investigation, agents obtained Maryland Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) records for all of the DTO’s pseudo-patients’ oxycodone prescriptions. According to PDMP records, members of the conspiracy illegally re-distributed at least 3,000 kilograms of converted drug weight worth of oxycodone. Through the conspiracy, Allen sold approximately 4,454 pills, containing 30 milligrams of oxycodone for $45 per pill; approximately 12,835 pills, containing 20 milligrams of oxycodone for $30 per pill; approximately 6,749 pills, containing 15 milligrams of oxycodone for $20 per pill; and approximately 770 pills, containing 30 milligrams of Adderall for $20 per pill. Allen received approximately $735,860 from selling the pills. In addition to using her residence in Rosedale to distribute drugs, Allen leveraged the proceeds from her drug trafficking activities to pay the mortgage for the property. Allen faces a maximum of 40 years in prison followed by up to lifetime of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. Sentencing is scheduled for August 26, at 10:00 a.m. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, DEA, HHS-OIG, and BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin C. Miner and Ari D. Evans who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Humbolt, Iowa, Man Sentenced to 15 Years  in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Paul William Flett, age 44, from Humbolt, Iowa, was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, on June 3, 2025. Flett pled guilty January 23, 2025, to one count to sexual exploitation of a child. Evidence in the case showed that Flett sent links and images of child pornography to underage girls and asked them to send images and videos of themselves to him. On June 6, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Flett’s home and in a consensual interview, Flett admitted to the conduct and that he threw his phone in a closet when law enforcement arrived because he knew they were there for him. Forensic analysis of Flett’s electronics and Kik account discovered a total of 16 videos and 60 images of child pornography including several that Flett had asked children to record of themselves. The images and videos contained material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, as well as prepubescent children, infants, and toddlers. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Flett was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment, ordered to pay $3,600 in restitution and assessments, and ordered to serve a term of supervised release of 5 years following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Flett remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cyber-Crime Unit, and Webster County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-03036. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Ohio Woman Charged after Attempting to Exit Plane Midair

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, a federal Grand Jury charged JENDAYA KASHAR BRENNAN , 30, of Ohio, with interference with flight crew members and attendants, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public records, on May 22, 2025, agents with the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office were notified of a disturbance aboard a Southwest Airlines flight destined for Phoenix, Arizona. The flight was diverted to Oklahoma City after on-duty flight crew members reported that Brennan attempted to exit the plane utilizing the rear exit door while the plane was still in the air. Despite the crew’s attempts to calm Brennan, she continued to scream that she was going to exit the plane, kicked and spit at crew members as they attempted to apply wrist restraints, and pulled on a crew member’s lanyard in an attempt to pull the crew member to the ground. Even after Brennan’s hands and legs were restrained, public record reflects that Brennan broke through her wrist restrains and had to be held down to prevent her from striking the flight crew or other passengers. The pilot diverted the plane to Oklahoma City after he heard the disturbance. Once the plane landed, the Oklahoma City Police Department had to remove Brennan from the plane. If found guilty, Brennan faces up to 20 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. The public is reminded that this charge is merely an allegation, and that Brennan is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Dillon and Jessica L. Perry are prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Sioux City Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm and Meth Convictions

body_text: A man who illegally possessed three guns and several ounces of methamphetamine was sentenced on June 3, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City. Felipe Alcaraz, Jr., 35, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on January 21, 2025, to three counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Alcaraz, Jr. was previously convicted of eluding and possession of a controlled substance – third or subsequent offense, both prohibit a person from possessing a firearm. At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that on several occasions Alcaraz, Jr. fled law enforcement’s attempts to conduct traffic stops of vehicles he operated, driving recklessly at high speeds creating danger to others. Alcaraz, Jr. was found to be involved with at least three guns. During two traffic stops, law enforcement located guns and ammunition, and on another traffic stop, defendant had two ounces of methamphetamine seized. One gun was stolen, another had an altered serial number, and a third was sold to another federal felon caught with it during his attempted flight from law enforcement. Alcaraz, Jr. admitted his involvement with at least 350 grams of methamphetamine which he intended to distribute to others in the Sioux City area. Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Alcaraz, Jr. was sentenced to 125 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of six years supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Alcaraz, Jr. remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4052. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today to tax evasion. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: for tax years 2015 and 2016, Matthew Tucci, of West Long Branch, filed tax returns that stated he owed more than $2 million in taxes for both years. Despite admitting that he owed those taxes, Tucci did not fully pay them when they were due. Instead, Tucci purchased real estate and engaged in a series of transactions designed to conceal his interest in those properties. In 2017, the IRS sent notices to Tucci that he owed taxes, interest, and penalties for 2015 and 2016. After receiving these notices, Tucci transferred multiple properties to an entity owned by another individual, but he continued to exert control over at least two of them. Of the two properties Tucci continued to control, he sold one and refinanced the other. Tucci used the proceeds from these transactions to pay his personal expenses rather than his tax debts. In 2019, Tucci submitted documents to the IRS that falsely claimed that he had no connection to the entity that owned the 12 properties. Tucci is scheduled to be sentenced on October 9, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Catriona Coppler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Belgiovine for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case. -###- 25-184


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the US After a Prior Removal

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Guatemalan national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal. Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Samuel Par-Lopez , 37, to time served (approximately 113 days). Par-Lopez pleaded guilty on March 14, 2025. According to court records, on February 7, 2025, an officer from the Wiscasset Police Department observed Par-Lopez operating a vehicle with snow on the roof that had not been cleared (a violation of Maine motor vehicle law). Immigration records showed that he had previously been removed from the U.S. and did not have a visa or other documentation that would allow him to re-enter the country. U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case with assistance from the Wiscasset Police Department. Operation Take Back America: 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). ###


title: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty to Multiple Felony Offenses

body_text: A Cedar Rapids man who was found in possession of hundreds of fentanyl pills and multiple firearms was sentenced on June 3, 2025, to more than eight years in federal prison. Deshawn Cooks, age 34, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 30, 2024, guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. In a plea agreement, Cooks admitted he possessed 227 pills containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and 77 ecstasy pills, containing methamphetamine, which he intended to distribute in Cedar Rapids and the surrounding area. Additionally, Cooks admitted that he possessed two Taurus 9mm caliber firearms for the purpose of protecting himself, his narcotics, and the proceeds from the sale of narcotics. 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. Cooks was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Cooks was sentenced to 102 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach and Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-74. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Sterling Heights Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Assaults on Federal Officers While Resisting Arrest

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Carl Emerson Travis, 52, of Sterling Heights, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to aggravated assaults on federal officers, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. According to court documents, on March 29, 2024, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Apprehension Team tried to arrest Travis, who was wanted in multiple jurisdictions. Travis resisted and attempted to escape with a moving car, endangering the surrounding officers. At the end of the struggle, Travis sped his car in reverse, dragging two officers and nearly running over another with his car. The officers sustained injuries during the assault. Travis only stopped resisting when his car slammed into a parked vehicle, pushing it through the wall of an occupied hotel room. Sentencing is scheduled for October 15, 2025. A conviction for assault on a federal officer carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with assistance from Michigan State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nhan Ho and Eaton Brown are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Computer Hacking Crimes

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, United States District Judge Frederic Block sentenced Sagar Steven Singh, also known as “Weep,” to 27 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and aggravated identify theft. On May 30, 2025, Nicholas Ceraolo, also known as “Convict,” “Anon,” and “Ominous,” was sentenced to 25 months’ imprisonment for the same offenses. Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, andMichael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York) announced the sentencings. “The defendants breached a federal law enforcement database, used multiple means to steal sensitive personal information, and exploited that data to extort and threaten innocent people and their families,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This sentence sends a clear message that my Office is committed to protecting victims from digital predators and that those who exploit vulnerabilities in government systems will face jail time.” “The defendants impersonated law enforcement, illegally accessed government databases, and even faked life-threatening situations to bypass criminal procedures through which they could obtain sensitive personal information,” stated HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “They threatened innocent victims’ livelihoods and were found to have joked about their deceptive, exploitative, and calculated scheme in messages with each other. As a result of the HSI New York El Dorado Task Force’s commitment to justice in this case, both men will now have months in federal prison to consider the seriousness of these crimes.” Singh and Ceraolo belonged to a group called “ViLE,” whose logo is the body of a hanging girl. Members of ViLE sought to collect victims’ personal information, including social security numbers. ViLE then threatened to “dox” victims by posting that information on a public website administered by a ViLE member. Victims could pay to have their information removed from or kept off the website. Singh and Ceraolo unlawfully used a law enforcement officer’s stolen password to access a nonpublic, password-protected web portal (the “Portal”) maintained by a U.S. federal law enforcement agency for the purpose of sharing intelligence with state and local law enforcement. The Portal detailed nonpublic records of narcotics and currency seizures, as well as law enforcement intelligence reports. The defendants used their access to the Portal to extort their victims. Singh wrote to a victim (“Victim-1”) that he would “harm” Victim-1’s family unless Victim-1 gave Singh the credentials for Victim-1’s Instagram accounts—and appended Victim-1’s social security number, driver’s license number, home address, and other personal details. During the conversation, Singh told Victim-1 that he had “access to [] databases, which are federal, through [the] portal, i can request information on anyone in the US doesn’t matter who, nobody is safe.” He added: “you’re gonna comply to me if you don’t want anything negative to happen to your parents.” Singh ultimately directed Victim-1 to sell Victim-1’s accounts and give the proceeds to Singh. After Singh and Ceraolo accessed the Portal, they both acknowledged that their conduct was criminal. Ceraolo wrote to Singh: “were all gonna get raided one of these days i swear.” Later that day, Singh wrote to a contact that the “portal [] i accessed i was not supposed to be there not one bit.” Singh said he had “jacked into a police officer’s account” and “that portal had some fucking potent tools.” Singh continued: “it gave me access to gov databases,” followed by the names of five search tools accessible through the Portal. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Mindlin, Ellen H. Sise, and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendants : NICHOLAR CERAOLO (also known as “Convict,” “Anon,” and “Ominous) Age: 27 Queens, New York SAGAR STEVEN SINGH (also known as “Weep”) Age: 21 Pawtucket, Rhode Island E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-236 (FB)


title: Manhattan man sentenced to 7 years in prison on drug charges

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA – A Manhattan, Montana man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 84 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Kevin Andrew Bacon, 51, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The government alleged in court documents that in June 2022, law enforcement officers began investigating a drug trafficking ring operating in and around Butte. The conspiracy operated in part by sending drugs through the mail from California to Montana. For a substantial portion of the conspiracy, several of the conspirators operated out of a residence in Whitehall, MT. The investigation led to the arrest of several conspirators in early January 2023 and the seizure of approximately 13 pounds of methamphetamine. On February 23, 2023, law enforcement located a package sent from California to “Kevin Bacon” in Manhattan, MT. Law enforcement searched the package and located 873.5 grams of actual methamphetamine inside. On February 28, 2023, Bacon arrived at the post office in Manhattan and picked up the package. Bacon was arrested as he exited the building with the package. He told investigators he had a friend in Whitehall who sold methamphetamine, and that friend had asked Bacon to receive a package at Bacon’s P.O. Box, which Bacon knew would contain drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Division of Criminal 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 Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Georgia Resident Sentenced for Leading Bank Fraud and ID Theft Scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – The final defendant and ringleader of a bank fraud and aggravated identity theft scheme involving stolen checks and a fake online recruiting website was sentenced to federal prison today. Jalen Tylee Hill, aka “Roscoe Hill,” 26, of Americus, was sentenced to serve 81 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Court will determine restitution at a later date. Hill previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy to possess stolen mail on May 14, 2024. A codefendant, Victoria Lynn Carter, 25, of Americus, was sentenced to serve one year of supervised release after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. The sentences were handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on June 4. There is no parole in the federal system. “Schemes to defraud and steal from citizens will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “This case serves as a reminder for all of us to be as vigilant as possible with what we share online and monitor our financial accounts. I commend the good investigative work of our local and federal law enforcement partners for helping to prevent any more people and businesses from falling victim to this fraud.” “The sentencing of this defendant and co-defendants exemplifies the dedication of the investigative efforts which sends a strong message to individuals to consider the consequences of stealing mail and committing financial fraud,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Atlanta Division. “I commend the hard work and countless hours put forth by all of the law enforcement agencies involved, which resulted in the dismantling of this criminal network.” "The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the support and assistance we received in investigating this case," said Sumter County Sheriff Eric Bryant. "Fraud crimes are on the rise in our area, and the strong partnerships we have with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies provide us with additional resources to address these types of crimes." According to court documents and statements made in court, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a local church in December 2021 about mail theft and forged checks. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that numerous checks had been stolen out of mailboxes at residential and commercial locations in Georgia. The checks were then forged and deposited into other bank accounts. Specifically, the checks were often altered by having the “Pay To” designation changed to an individual involved in the fraud. That individual would then make a deposit into their banking account. Other times, the checks would be altered by computer software. Investigators discovered that Hill directed the scheme and would recruit people via Facebook. Hill would often offer to deposit stolen, forged or duplicated checks into the bank accounts of the recruits on condition that they would split half the funds. Investigators were able to determine that in six months, Hill stole hundreds of pieces of mail, participated in at least 68 incidents of bank fraud, and unlawfully used debit cards belonging to other individuals at least 14 occasions. Hill then deposited, or attempted to deposit, the numerous stolen, forged or otherwise fraudulent checks of more than ten financial institutions into other bank accounts, resulting in an intended loss of approximately $165,743.68. As part of another scheme discovered by investigators, Hill created a fake solar panel installation company recruiting page online from which he stole the identities of 28 individuals, including their driver’s licenses, social security cards, birth certificates, instructional permits and other documents depicting personally identifiable information. The following codefendants have been convicted for their participation in the crime: Quontavius Markeese Hill, 34, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and after serving more than eight months in custody was sentenced to time served plus three years of supervised release and to pay $10,815.89 restitution on Nov. 8, 2023; Accacia Renae Gordon, 24, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve four months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and to pay $14,970.35 restitution on Jan. 15, 2025; Shaneria Sharae Murray, 33, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve 45 days in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and to pay $2,000 restitution on Dec. 2, 2024; Chelsea Ja'Nay Tullis, 29, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve one month in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on March 15, 2024; LaQuashia Nichole French, 24, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve 15 days in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and to pay $2,227.91 restitution on Oct. 23, 2024; Jazmon Lace Whitehead, 31, of Oglethorpe, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $7,658.59 restitution on March 17, 2025; Chasity LaCole Wellons, 31, of Cordele, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $2,000 restitution on Jan. 22, 2025; DeKeyvia Moasha Blackshear, 26, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release on Aug. 16, 2024; Janita Bre'Shaye Terry, 24, of Columbus, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release on Dec. 2, 2024; Kelbresha Danielle Thomas, 30, of Oglethorpe, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release on Dec. 2, 2024; Jenetta Small, 29, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve two years of supervised release on March 14, 2025; Tyavia Deashia Richardson, 24, of Americus, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to one year of supervised release and to pay $4,740 restitution on Aug. 14, 2024; and Kimbreyanna Andranique Peeples, 23, of Butler, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and was sentenced to serve one year of supervised release on Dec. 2, 2024. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the FBI and the U.S Secret Service (USSS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: Dominican National Arrested for his Unlawful Reentry into the United States and for Distributing Fentanyl and One Pound of Methamphetamine

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Dominican man was arrested in connection with immigration and drug offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Robely Eladio De Jesus Guerrero, 37, a citizen of the Dominican Republic unlawfully residing in Massachusetts, was charged with unlawful reentry of a deported alien and distribution of controlled substances, specifically methamphetamine and fentanyl. He appeared in federal court today and was detained. His next hearing is scheduled for June 20, 2025. According to the charging documents, De Jesus Guerrero was deported to the Dominican Republic from the United States in November 2021. He was encountered again by law enforcement in August and September 2024 in New Hampshire. Between August and September 2024, De Jesus Guerrero allegedly distributed approximately 120 grams of fentanyl and approximately one pound of methamphetamine. The charges of distribution of a controlled substance and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance carry a sentence of up to 20 years’ incarceration, not less than 3 years of supervised released, and a fine up to $1,000,000. 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. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter is prosecuting the case. This effort 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). The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Alamogordo Man Sentenced on Federal Firearms Offenses Related to the Murder of Alamogordo Police Officer

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

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Alamogordo man was sentenced to 8 years in prison for federal firearms offenses connected to the murder of Alamogordo Police Officer Anthony Ferguson. United States District Judge Margaret Strickland ordered the 8-year federal sentence to run consecutive to De La O ’s state life sentence following a request by United States Attorney Ryan Ellison. According to court records, on July 15, 2023, Dominic De La O fatally shot Officer Ferguson following an attempted traffic stop in Alamogordo, New Mexico. De La O used a sawed-off, unregistered shotgun supplied by Jonah Apodaca to kill Officer Ferguson after fleeing from a traffic stop and leading police on a pursuit. Officer Ferguson, a 11-year veteran of the Alamogordo Police Department and Field Training Officer, succumbed to his injuries on July 16, 2023. United States Attorney Ryan Ellison issued the following statement after the sentencing hearing: “Alamogordo Police Officer Anthony Ferguson faithfully served the people of Alamogordo for over 11 years—I know because I am one of them. My family still lives in Alamogordo and my mother attended Officer Ferguson’s funeral. An 8-year federal sentence for violations of federal firearms laws running consecutive to De La O’s state life sentence guarantees that he will never again see the outside of a prison cell. Acts of violence against those who serve and protect our communities will not be tolerated and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. It was my great privilege to meet with Officer Ferguson’s family and to personally prosecute this case to ensure that justice was served.” “Officer Anthony Ferguson’s death was a devastating and senseless act of violence,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber. “Violence against our law enforcement officers and first responders must never be tolerated. Alongside our state, local and federal partners, we will relentlessly pursue justice—just as we did in this case. We continue to offer our heartfelt condolences to Officer Ferguson’s family, friends, the Alamogordo Police Department, and the entire community. His service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.” De La O was previously found guilty of first-degree murder and related state charges and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional six and a half years for tampering with evidence, aggravated fleeing, criminal trespass, and resisting or evading an officer. Jonah Apodaca pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison for providing the weapon used in the fatal shooting. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Alamogordo Police Department, New Mexico State Police, the Otero County Sheriff’s Office, and the Twelfth Judicial District Attorney’s Office. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo prosecuted the case. https://www.odmp.org/officer/26757-police-officer-anthony-ferguson


title: Justice Department Announces Action Against Wisconsin Elections Commission for Lacking Complaint Procedure Required by Federal Law

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division sent a letter to the Wisconsin Elections Commission regarding its failure to provide a complaint process or hearing for Wisconsin voters, in violation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). The letter states that the Wisconsin Elections Commission failed to meet HAVA’s requirement of a state-based administrative complaint procedure. Compliance with all federal elections laws is mandatory, and the receipt of federal funds under HAVA is conditioned on compliance with the Act. Election integrity and compliance with federal elections laws are essential to protect our constitutional republic. Wisconsin’s refusal to give complainants any recourse to report violations they may have observed or experienced while voting is a significant violation of federal law, and a betrayal of the confidence of the American people. “Courts across the land, including our highest court, have repeatedly defended measures to ensure election integrity,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, “We have made it our highest priority to identify jurisdictions that fail to follow our elections laws and vigorously enforce the law by all means available.” The letter issued today also notifies the U.S. Election Assistance Commission of Wisconsin’s unlawful actions and calls for the withholding of federal funds to Wisconsin for violating HAVA.


title: Jackson Man Sentenced to Over 18 Years in Prison  for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and  Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Jackson man, Marcus Guice, was sentenced on May 30, 2025 to 175 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 175 months in federal prison and 5 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, both sentences and terms of supervised release to run concurrently. Since his criminal conduct was in violation of his federal supervised release, Guice was also sentenced to an additional 46 months in federal prison to run consecutive to the 175-month prison term. According to court documents, in and around December 2019 and continuing through January 2020, communications between Guice and his coconspirators were intercepted wherein they negotiated and conducted the sale of marijuana, cocaine, cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), and methamphetamine in the Jackson, Mississippi area. Guice and his coconspirators are responsible for over 69,000 kilograms of converted drug weight being sold in the Jackson, Mississippi area in a two-month period. In addition to the prison sentence, Guice was ordered to pay a $1,500 fine. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Police Department and Ridgeland Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Box Elder man sentenced to over 5 years in prison for child sexual abuse

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man who sexually abused a child was sentenced today to 68 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Brian Lee Bigbow, 48, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of abusive sexual contact by force and of a child. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that in April 2021, a Montana DPHHS centralized intake report came in on an abuse of Jane Doe, who disclosed she was sexually abused by Brian Bigbow. During interviews, Doe provided details of the abuse. Doe said Bigbow hurt her and said the sexual abuse occurred when she was in Bigbow’s bed, and they were watching TV. He turned off the TV and the lights and “raped her” – which she described as sex when you don’t want it. Bigbow took off his pants and clothes and took off her clothes. Doe tried to push him away but could not. His private parts touched her private parts and it, “hurt really bad.” He was laying on her, touching her leg with his hand, and he tried to hold her hand. Bigbow told her not to tell anyone or he would hurt her. Doe did not remember how many times it happened – she just knew it was multiple times. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Man from El Salvador charged with making false statement

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Oscar David Contreras Guzman, 49, a citizen of El Salvador, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with making a false statement, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in the early morning hours of May 17, 2025, Guzman was driving a commercial truck bearing Maryland license plates at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry. When asked for identification during primary inspection, Guzman presented a Maryland State Driver’s License. He also claimed to be a citizen of Mexico and indicated that he had been refused entry into Canada, after making a wrong turn onto the Lewiston Bridge, on his way to Michigan. Guzman was referred to secondary to determine his immigration status in the United States. During secondary inspection, Guzman again stated that he was a citizen of Mexico and had in his possession a Mexican Consular ID card. A fingerprint check determined that he was in fact Oscar David Contreras Guzman, a citizen of El Salvador, and was previously removed from the United States in April 2007. This investigation 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. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy. 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: Guatemalan man pleads guilty, sentenced for making false statement

body_text: BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Gendry Amilcar Niz-Niz, 25, a native of Guatemala, pleaded guilty to making a false statement before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Niz-Niz was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sasha Mascarenhas, who handled the case, stated that on March 16, 2025, during a traffic stop, Niz-Niz provided a name and identification card, which did not match his true identity, to law enforcement. During the traffic stop, law enforcement learned, through fingerprint analysis and immigration checks, Niz-Niz’s identity. This investigation 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. The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott and U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Martin B. Coombs. # # # #


title: British Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Nearly $1.9 Million in Romance Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A British man was sentenced to federal prison today for stealing nearly $1.9 million from a Portland resident in a romance fraud scheme. Oscar Peters, 65, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and 3 years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $1,892,439 in restitution to his victim. According to court documents, Peters met his victim through Millionaire Match Maker, an online dating website, and convinced his victim that he was a billionaire living in Denmark seeking long-term commitment. Defendant engaged in daily romantic emails and phone calls with his victim and ingratiated himself with promises of marriage. Defendant then concocted elaborate lies about why he needed financial assistance – ranging from his soon-to-be ex-wife had frozen his assets or needed money to complete business obligations for their future together. With defendant’s calculated promises to repay the money and move to Portland, over about two years he convinced his victim to send him nearly $1.9 million. On June 4, 2019, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a seven-count indictment charging Peters with wire fraud. On April 9, 2020, Peters was arrested in the United Kingdom where he remained in custody until he was extradited to the United States on October 23, 2023. On March 26, 2023, Peters pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Meredith Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Career Criminal Sentenced to Thirteen Years in Federal Prison for Manufacturing and Selling THC and Psilocybin Products Nationwide

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—Jered Hayward, 45, of Salem, Oregon, was sentenced today to 156 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to launder the proceeds. He also agreed to forfeit assets worth more than $2 million dollars. According to court documents, Hayward operated a large-scale THC and psilocybin production and distribution facility headquartered in Salem. As part of his operation, Hayward and his employees obtained cereal and candy products and infused or sprayed potent THC oils on them. They then inserted the edibles into packages which mimicked the legitimate consumer food products, and sold them throughout the United States and internationally. While there was no evidence Hayward deliberately targeted minors, the manner in which his organization packaged the edibles posed a risk to children, who are often unable to comprehend the fine print warnings that the packages contained THC products. Hayward’s organization utilized encrypted communications such as Telegram to market, sell and process orders, and straw businesses to mask money laundering transactions. Hayward had no permits or licenses to produce or sell these products; the entire operation was illegal. Hayward has an extensive criminal record, including three prior state and federal convictions for marijuana and fentanyl trafficking. Because of these convictions, he is a career criminal under federal law. Hayward agreed to forfeit substantial assets which he admitted were related to his drug and money laundering enterprise. As part of his guilty plea Hayward agreed to forfeit: The Salem production facility; More than $1 million in cash; $640,000 worth of cryptocurrency and bank account funds; More than $400,000 worth of gold and silver; Jewelry and a Rolex watch; and Twelve vehicles, two UTV’s, and boats. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Portland Police Bureau, United States Postal Inspection, Oregon State Police, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Salem Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Kemp Strickland and Christopher Cardani, Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Oregon.


title: Drug Trafficker Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— A Portland area drug trafficker was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in distributing illicit fentanyl that resulted in the fatal overdose of a young man in Washington County, Oregon. Efrain Roberto Diaz-Rangel, 35, a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Portland, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. According to court documents, in April 2023, the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN) began investigating a suspected fentanyl overdose of the adult male victim in Washington County. In May 2023, WIN requested investigative assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT), and Portland Police Bureau (PPB). Investigators determined that several people were involved in a distribution chain responsible for selling counterfeit Oxycodone pills manufactured with illicit fentanyl. Investigators identified Diaz-Rangel as an originating source of fentanyl in Oregon and learned that he trafficked fentanyl and heroin for a Mexico-based drug dispatcher. On June 27, 2023, as part of a controlled buy, HSI special agents arrested Diaz-Rangel. At the time of his arrest, Diaz-Rangel possessed approximately 1,000 counterfeit pills and a small quantity of heroin. Later that day, investigators executed a search warrant on Diaz-Rangel’s residence and located an additional 30,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, four pounds of heroin, and more than $10,000 in cash. On June 27, 2023, Diaz-Rangel was charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. On March 4, 2025, Diaz-Rangel pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. This case was jointly investigated by WIN and HSI with assistance from the HIDTA HIT and PPB. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 3-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org . Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.


title: Big Island Attorneys and Businessman Found Guilty of Bribery

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – After a three-week trial before United States District Judge Jill A. Otake, a federal jury today found Paul Joseph Sulla, Jr., 78, Gary Charles Zamber, 55, and Rajesh P. Budhabhatti, 65, guilty of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and nine counts of honest services wire fraud. Sulla was additionally convicted of money laundering. Sentencing is set for October 7, 2025 for Zamber, October 8, 2025 for Budhabhatti, and October 21, 2025 for Sulla. The defendants were permitted to remain released on bail pending sentencing. At trial, the evidence showed that Sulla and Zamber, both attorneys living on the island of Hawaii (“Big Island”), and Budhabhatti, a private businessman on the Big Island, paid bribes and kickbacks to Alan Rudo, a Housing Specialist for the Hawaii County Office of Housing and Community Development, in exchange for Rudo using his official position to ensure the County approved three affordable housing agreements (AHAs) benefitting the defendants’ development companies Luna Loa Developments, LLC, West View Developments, LLC and Plumeria at Waikoloa, LLC. Although the defendants promised in the AHAs to build affordable housing for the citizens of Hawaii County, their development companies never built a single unit. Through the AHAs, the defendants fraudulently obtained at least $10,980,000 worth of land and excess affordable housing credits (AHCs). From that amount, the defendants paid or attempted to pay Rudo approximately $1,931,778 in bribes and kickbacks. The defendants were convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, and nine counts of honest services wire fraud, each of which also carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. Sulla alone was charged with and convicted of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Alan Rudo, who testified at trial, previously pled guilty in July 2022 to conspiring to commit honest services wire fraud in connection with the bribery and kickback scheme. Rudo is scheduled to be sentenced on August 13, 2025. “Today’s verdict reiterates our unwavering message to those who bribe and attempt to buy the discretion of Hawaii’s public officials at the expense of the public’s trust and the integrity of our public institutions—you will be federally prosecuted and brought to justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Our office will continue to root out and vigorously pursue those who engage in public corruption or who violate their positions of public trust.” “The defendants in this investigation defrauded their own community for personal financial gain,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “The corruption of government officials corrodes public trust and weakens our communities. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue these cases to protect and maintain public trust and hold criminals accountable.” “This verdict marks an important step toward accountability and reinforces the importance of integrity in public service,” said County of Hawaii Mayor Kimo Alameda. “We understand the impact this case has had on our community and remain committed to restoring trust. Since the initial findings, the Office of Housing and Community Development has taken concrete actions to strengthen internal controls, improve oversight, and ensure that public resources are managed responsibly and transparently. These changes reflect our commitment to kuleana— our shared responsibility—to serve with integrity and protect community resources.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mohammad Khatib and Margaret Nammar and Trial Attorney William Gullota, of the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Public Integrity Section, prosecuted the case.


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

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dock Lee Shoemaker, age 60, of Calera, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, punishable by up to ten years in prison. The Indictment alleged that Shoemaker was convicted of felony Sexual Battery in the State of Oklahoma on February 3, 2016, and was required to register as a sex offender, and that from August 2020 until April 16, 2025, Shoemaker failed to register and update his registration while entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Shoemaker will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.


title: June Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments Announced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Mitchell Lee Keene. Escape from Federal Custody. Keene, 63, of Rose, is charged with escaping federal custody and knowingly departing the Turley Residential Center without permission. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-186 Jose Gledin Ramires-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramires-Lopez, 28, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Aug. 2018. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-195 Jose Luis Rodriguez Cornejo. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rodriguez Cornejo, 43, a Mexican national, is charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He is further charged with maintaining a residence to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. Additionally, he is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2001. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-187 Odell Carl Stokes; Arthur Lee Hudgens, Jr.; Roderick Dale Favors; Cornelius James Artis. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 2 and 3); Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Stokes, 49, Hudgens, 46, Favors, 43, and Artis, 44, of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine from Oct. 2024 through May 2025. Hudgens, Favors, Artis, and Stokes are additionally charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Lastly, Stokes is charged with possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-188 John Edgar Williams, IV; Jeremy Mindez Ruff; Savannah D’naisha May Gage; Nevaeh Charise Cox; Trinity Rinique Goudeau; Shavari Melton; Vanessa Lashay Bell; Ashley Charles. Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking (Count 1); Transporting an Individual for Prostitution (Counts 2 & 3); Interstate Travel to Aid Racketeering (Count 4); Distribution of Child Pornography (Count 5). Williams, 38, Gage, 25, Cox, 39, Goudeau, 24, Melton, 20, Bell, 20, Charles, 37, of Tulsa, and Ruff, 39, of Dallas, Texas, are charged with conspiring with each other to recruit, entice, and harbor a person by threats of force to engage in a commercial sex act for payment. Williams and Gage are charged separately for transporting people to engage in prostitution and other sexual activities. Additionally, Williams, Ruff, Gage, Cox, Goudeau, Melton, and Charles are charged with using interstate and foreign commerce to promote and manage a business enterprise involving prostitution. Lastly, Cox is further charged with knowingly distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. The Tulsa Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore, John Brasher, and John W. Dowdell are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-197 Juan Rojo Yanez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Yanez, AGE, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 1999. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-196


title: Ohio Man Charged with Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Steven Scott Gordon, 53, of Curtice, Ohio has been charged by a superseding indictment with production of child pornography announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph. H Thompson. According to court documents, the defendant posed online as a 20-year-old woman to publish online erotica about the sexual abuse of children. The defendant, using his alias, encouraged and directed a Minnesota man to create images and videos of sexual abuse of a child in Minnesota. According to court documents, Steven Scott Gordon’s electronic devices were obtained from the FBI in Ohio. Investigators found Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) on the defendant’s computer, including CSAM that was produced by the Minnesota man who transmitted them to Gordon. “Child sexual predators are among the dangerous of criminal defendants,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Anyone who victimizes and sexually abuses Minnesota children should be prepared to serve decades in federal prison.” “Every child deserves a safe and innocent childhood,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Gordon’s heinous actions shattered that innocence and caused unimaginable harm. Protecting children and holding vile predators accountable is one of the FBI’s highest priorities. Anyone who exploits a child should expect to face the unflinching efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners." Gordon was arraigned in U.S. District Court on May 21, 2025, before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz, and was ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI in partnership with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and the Rosemount Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Mattessich is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: United Kingdom National Charged with Unlawful Entry

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Danny Gabriel Rooney, 19, of the United Kingdom, has been charged by criminal complaint with entering the United States at a time or place other than designated for entering the country by immigration authorities. On Tuesday, May 27, 2025, Rooney appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Rooney be detained during the pendency of this matter. According to court documents, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended Rooney after he was observed walking southbound in an area of Highgate, Vermont, that is frequently travelled by persons attempting to enter the United States illegally from Canada. Law enforcement’s records review revealed that Rooney has no legal status in the United States. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Rooney is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Rooney faces up to six months’ incarceration if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Arra. Rooney is represented by Stephanie M. Greenlees , Esq. 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).


title: St. Paul Man Sentenced in Twin Cities Stuffed Animal Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to his part in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. According to court documents, between August 2022 through December 2023, Quijuan Hosea Bankhead, 31, and others conspired to distribute fentanyl in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. To accomplish their scheme, several of the co-defendants traveled to Phoenix to obtain fentanyl pills from suppliers, hid the pills inside stuffed animals, and then mailed them to addresses in and around the Twin Cities. Law enforcement in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties became aware of the trafficking and initiated a joint investigation, which resulted in the seizure of six packages containing over 30,000 grams of fentanyl pills. Bankhead was sentenced on May 29, 2025, in U.S District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan. “Bankhead and his network smuggled deadly fentanyl into Minnesota and had the gall to hide this poison inside of children’s toys—stuffed animals,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Bankhead will now serve a well-deserved decade in federal prison.” This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Washington County Drug Task Force, and the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.


title: Ambridge Resident Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material While on Supervised Release for Earlier Conviction for Same Offense

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Ambridge, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 132 months and one day of imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor and violation of the terms of his supervised release, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Bradley J. Schrott, 43, on June 2, 2025, sentencing Schrott to 120 months in prison on the possession of material count, and to an additional 12 months and one day of imprisonment to be served consecutively for violating the terms of his supervised release from an earlier federal conviction for the same offense. According to information presented to the Court, on February 17, 2023, Schrott possessed a video depicting the sexual exploitation of a prepubescent minor. At the time of the offense, Schrott was serving a term of supervised release imposed following an earlier federal conviction for possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, for which he had been sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Fischer highlighted that Congress treats repeat sex offenders very seriously and encouraged Schrott to take full advantage of mental health, sex offender, and drug treatment programs while serving his significant sentence of imprisonment. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Department of Homeland Security for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Schrott. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Houston doctor pays six figures to settle False Claims Act liability involving neurostimulator devices

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 68-year-old Houston man has agreed to pay $390,082 to resolve allegations he submitted false claims to Medicare for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Dr. Benjamin Tiongson is a pain management doctor who practices in Houston, Sugar Land and Katy. Pain Reduction Center P.A. is an entity Tiongson used to conduct his medical practice. From Dec. 7, 2021, to Dec. 14, 2022, Tiongson billed Medicare for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes. These are invasive procedures usually requiring use of an operating room. As a result, Medicare pays thousands of dollars per procedure. However, neither Tiongson nor his staff performed these surgical procedures, according to the allegations. Instead, patients allegedly received devices used for electro-acupuncture, which only involved inserting monofilament wire a few millimeters into patients’ ears and taping the neurostimulator behind the ear with an adhesive. All device placements took place in Tiongson’s clinic, not a hospital or surgical center, and no incision was made on a patient, according to the allegations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation with Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura E. Collins handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Machinegun and a Firearm

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing two firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. Kelvontae Rashad Wallace, 26, of Pell City, Alabama, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machinegun. According to the plea agreement, between December 2023 and January 2024, Wallace illegally possessed a firearm and a machinegun on two separate occasions: On December 15, 2023, Talladega police officers responded to a call of a person shot at the Orange #1 gas station. Officers responded to the scene and found a victim lying on the ground that had been shot in the stomach, back, and both legs. Officers collected five .45 caliber spent shell casings from the scene and there were at least three bullet holes in the glass on the store windows and door. Surveillance video from the store showed Wallace drive up to the store, exit his vehicle, and shoot the victim with a Glock pistol that had been converted to a machinegun using machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch.” On January 2, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force and the Pell City Police Department went to Wallace’s apartment to arrest him for warrants for Assault, Fist Degree and Shooting into an Occupied Building arising from the December incident in Talladega. When the officers arrived, Wallace attempted to flee out the back door of the apartment, but the officers were able to apprehend and arrest him. Officers recovered a Century Arms Micro VSKA 7.62x39mm pistol with a round chambered and a loaded magazine from Wallace’s apartment. ATF investigated the case along with the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force, Pell City Police Department, Talladega Police Department, and Anniston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy M. Peoples prosecuted the case.


title: Oregon Woman Pleads Guilty for Role in Sex Trafficking of Minor

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CORA BEUVING (“BEUVING”), age 26, of Oregon, pled guilty before United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon on May 29, 2025, to misprision of a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4. According to court documents, in May 2024, two adult men brought a fifteen-year-old girl (Minor Victim) from Houston, Texas to New Orleans, Louisiana, for the purpose of having her engage in commercial sex. BEUVING posted advertisements for commercial sex with Minor Victim on online classified ad service websites. In pleading guilty, BEUVING , faces a maximum penalty of three (3) years imprisonment, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release. BEUVING also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


body_text: Nine Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration Crimes BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Birmingham has charged nine individuals with immigration crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported: Jesus Malaquias Manuel-Marcos, 44, a citizen of Guatemala; Sergio Rogelio Sandoval-Luna, 26, a citizen of Mexico; Jose Medrano Aguilar-Rodriguez, 42, a citizen of Mexico; Jose Alberto Sanchez-Pineda, 35, a citizen of Mexico; Sergio Dominguez-Bautista, 42, a citizen of Mexico; Husaid Cruz-Santos, 28, a citizen of Mexico; Berenice Margarita Reyes-Rodriguez, 44, a citizen of Mexico; and Pedro Paz-Diaz, 36, a citizen of Guatemala Elvin Geovanny Lopez-Diaz, 19, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm. These cases are 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). Operation Take Back America partners Homeland Security Investigations – Atlanta and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division investigated these cases. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Cedar Rapids Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Cedar Rapids man who distributed thousands of fentanyl pills was sentenced on June 2, 2025, to more than six years in federal prison. Artadius Damon Robinson, age 24, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 31, 2024 guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that, between April 2022 and August 2023, Robinson distributed thousands of fentanyl pills in the Cedar Rapids area. At one point, Robinson bragged that he made $1,000 a day selling fentanyl. During the period he was distributing fentanyl, Robinson possessed a firearm with an extended drum magazine attached. Robinson had been ineligible to possess firearms since 2020 due to two firearm‑related felony convictions. Robinson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Robinson was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Robinson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Johnson County Drug Task Force, consisting of the Johnson County Sherriff’s Office, the Iowa City Police Department, the Coralville Police Department, the North Liberty Police Department, the University of Iowa Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24‑CR‑00057. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Illegal immigrant gets 12 years in prison for his part in India-based fraud targeting elderly victims across the Midwest

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – An illegal immigrant from India got 12 years in prison for his role in an imposter scam that defrauded elderly victims in three states out of more than $400,000. In February, a federal jury convicted Nirav B. Patel, 44, an Indian citizen, of one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of illegal entry into the U.S. by an alien. “This illegal alien admitted that he came to Illinois because the state would give him a driver’s license, and then he used that license to steal from the elderly all across the Midwest,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “We will continue to do all we can to remove this criminal element from our country.” In an imposter scam , fraudsters pose as government officials to manipulate and exploit elderly victims for money. This scheme targeted elderly victims with text messages and emails purportedly warning that their Amazon accounts had been compromised. When the victims followed up on the messages, they were redirected to scammers posing as federal agents who convinced the victims that they were victims of identity theft who needed to withdraw their life savings to be held in phony U.S. Treasury or FTC trust accounts for safekeeping. In reality, the money was stolen and ultimately transferred to accounts controlled by the scammers in India. The fraudsters kept the victims on the hook by calling them constantly, sometimes for up to 12 hours a day. The scammers also threatened victims with criminal liability if they told their friends or family what was going on. Patel traveled to the elderly victims’ residences to pick up cash and assets to support the crime. Trial testimony established that, in one instance, Patel picked up $177,000 in gold bars from an elderly resident at her assisted living facility, even though she was pushing a walker and on oxygen. In addition to the fraud charges, Patel was convicted for entering the U.S. illegally. Evidence showed that Patel snuck into the U.S. near Vancouver before connecting with the fraudsters in Georgia. Patel’s fraud operation was based in the Chicago, where he could get an Illinois driver’s license despite being in the U.S. unlawfully. From there, he drove hundreds of miles through Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana to take money and gold from elderly victims on behalf of the fraud scheme. In imposing the 12-year sentence, the Court rejected Patel’s claim that he had no idea what was going on, noting the scammers entrusted Patel with hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time. These scams need people on the ground in the U.S. in order to be successful, the court continued, and those willing to help them steal from elderly victims should receive stiff sentences to deter others from doing the same thing in the future. “This case highlights the serious public safety risks posed by individuals who enter the United States illegally and exploit our systems to target some of the most vulnerable among us,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “HSI remains committed to identifying and dismantling transnational criminal schemes, especially carried out by perpetrators who flout our immigration laws to defraud and target elderly Americans. HSI will continue working with our partners to ensure that those who abuse our country’s generosity are held accountable.” The Federal Trade Commission reported in March 2025 that imposter scams are now the most common type of consumer fraud against Americans. If you or a loved one has been a victim of this kind of fraud, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline by dialing 1-833-372-8311. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Edwardsville Police Department, the Merrill Wisconsin Police Department, the Lincoln County Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office, and the Franklin Indiana Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter T. Reed and Steve Weinhoeft prosecuted the case.


title: Chinese National at the University of Michigan  Charged with Illegally Voting in the 2024 Election

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – A criminal complaint was filed charging Haoxiang Gao, a citizen and national of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), with false claims to register or vote and voting by aliens, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division. According to the complaint, Gao was a college student attending the University of Michigan who illegally registered to vote in the days before the 2024 presidential election, apparently using his University of Michigan student ID, and then cast a ballot in the election at a polling location located at the University of Michigan Museum of Art, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The complaint further alleges that Gao made false statements regarding his citizenship on his voter registration application and his early voting application. After being charged with state offenses, the state court granted Gao a $5,000 personal bond with conditions, including that he does not leave the State of Michigan and that he surrenders his passport for the pendency of the case. Gao did surrender his passport but on January 19, 2025—the day before the new administration took office in Washington—Gao jumped bond and fled the country on a flight bound for Shanghai, China. Customs and Border Protection records show that Gao passed through Detroit Metropolitan Airport security using a PRC passport in his name but bearing a number different from the number on the passport that he surrendered to University of Michigan police. Relatedly, on Friday, May 30, 2025, a complaint was unsealed charging Gao with the federal offense of flight to avoid prosecution based on the allegations that he jumped bond and fled the country to avoid his state offenses. United States Attorney Gorgon stated, “Illegal voting is a serious crime that cast doubt on our elections and serves to disenfranchise United States citizens by diluting their power at the ballot box. But illegal voting by a foreign national who is from a country controlled by a communist party dictatorship – with no modern history or tradition of democratic government – is beyond the pale. I hope that today’s charges send a message to foreign nationals – including those who are students at our universities – that we will not tolerate illegal voting.” “The federal charges filed against Haoxiang Gao, a Chinese national, serve as a clear and unequivocal reminder that the FBI will investigate anyone who attempts to unlawfully interfere with the electoral process in the United States,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI treats all allegations of voter fraud with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to holding accountable those who violate our election laws. This case reflects the strength of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, whose prosecutorial leadership has been critical. I also want to commend the dedicated efforts of the FBI’s Ann Arbor Resident Agency, in close collaboration with the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety & Security, for their outstanding investigative work.” A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is completed, a determination will be made whether to seek a felony indictment. The FBI is investigating this case.