title: Two Maryland Men Sentenced to Imprisonment for Participating in a Romance Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: BISMARCK – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that on December 17, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel M. Traynor sentenced Chinedu Ikenna Nwafor, age 42, from Bowie, Maryland, to serve 25 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and payment of $180,000.00 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud for participating in a romance fraud scheme that targeted elderly women. Additionally, on August 8, 2024, Judge Traynor sentenced Nwafor’s codefendant, Vitus Uzoma Uzowuru, age 56, from Glendale, Maryland, to time served imprisonment, which amounted to approximately 10 months’ imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and payment of $50,000.00 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to Aiding and Abetting Mail Fraud for participating in a romance fraud scheme that targeted elderly women. Finally, on April 12, 2023, a federal grand jury located within the District of North Dakota returned an Indictment charging Juliet Chinyere Molenda with Wire Fraud related to her participation in a romance fraud scheme. The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota has scheduled her trial date for July 24, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland. An indictment is an accusation and notice of charges. Juliet Molenda is presumed innocent under the law unless and until proven guilty. As noted in court documents filed by the United States Attorney’s Office—which documents the nature and extent of this romance fraud scheme—foreign actors falsely and fraudulently posed as high-ranking United States military members, stated they were deployed to a foreign country, and created fake social media or internet profiles, which advanced these falsehoods. Thereafter, the foreign actors, while falsely pretending to be military members, targeted elderly females by contacting them through social media or internet profiles and entered into what the romance fraud victims believed were legitimate romantic relationships. Over time, the foreign actors cultivated the romance fraud victims trust and fraudulently induced them to send money at their request to United States based coconspirators, including Nwafor, Uzowuru, and Molenda, normally by concocting elaborate and false stories that convinced the victims to send money to these coconspirators—such as requesting that the victims pay for a sudden legal issue or customs dispute that prevented the purported military officer or his property from traveling to the United States. Nwafor served as a United States based middleman to the foreign actors by obtaining money from romance fraud victims and then sent a large portion of these funds to the international actors. As noted in court documents, Nwafor admitted that he received a package from a New Town, North Dakota, victim that contained a $150,000.00 cashier’s check, which foreign actors fraudulently obtained from this New Town victim as part of a romance fraud scheme by posing as either a “General Joseph Martins” or a “Diplomat David Jones.” Uzowuru also served as a United States based middleman to both Nwafor and the foreign actors. As noted in court documents, Uzowuru admitted that he also received a package from the New Town, North Dakota, victim that contained $50,000.00, which foreign actors fraudulently obtained from this New Town, North Dakota, victim. “This sentence shows that romance scammers will face justice in United States District Court when they target the hard-earned savings of North Dakotans,” Schneider said. “It’s also a reminder to be vigilant about protecting yourself and your loved ones against schemes like this one. Fraudsters will be pursued by law enforcement and prosecuted federally for their crimes, but the best course is to prevent fraud before it occurs.” "These individuals preyed on the trust and emotions of vulnerable victims, exploiting their desire for connection," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. "Today's sentencing serves as a reminder that the FBI will continue to investigate and dismantle these scams, working to safeguard the American people from such exploitation." To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov . To learn more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s elder justice efforts, please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page HERE. Further, please visit the US Attorney’s Office’s press release on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day for awareness and increased understanding of the many forms of elder abuse, as well as resources available to those at-risk HERE . This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Williams County Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan J. O’Konek. ######


title: Irving Man Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy Fraud After Filing 10 Times

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: An Irving man who filed 10 bankruptcies in 12 years in an effort to stave off foreclosure pleaded guilty Tuesday to bankruptcy fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Michael Shaub, 62, was charged via felony information and pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of bankruptcy fraud. According to court documents, Mr. Shaub and his spouse purchased a house in Irving, Texas, incurring a mortgage loan secured by their ownership interest in the property. In January 2012, he filed a Chapter 13 voluntary bankruptcy petition, which was dismissed without prejudice for failing to timely pay the Bankruptcy Trustee as specified in the Debtor’s Plan. Over the ensuing seven years, he filed five additional bankruptcy petitions, the last of which was dismissed with prejudice, barring him from filing any more bankruptcies for two years, through May 2021. Less than five months after the dismissal, however, Mr. Shaub filed a seventh bankruptcy petition under his wife’s name without her knowledge or consent. The fraudulent petition – which Mr. Shaub admitted was intended to circumvent the court order prohibiting him from filing bankruptcies for two years – was dismissed without prejudice in October 2019. Roughly two months after that dismissal, Mr. Shaub filed an eighth bankruptcy petition in contravention of the order barring him from filing through May 2021. In that petition, in response to a question asking whether he had filed any bankruptcies within the last eight years, Mr. Shaub listed only one of his bankruptcies and not the bankruptcy that resulted in the order barring him from filing. In February 2020, a month after the eighth petition was filed, the Bankruptcy Court dismissed it with prejudice and barred Mr. Shaub from filing any more bankruptcies for a period of five years, through February 2025. Roughly two years after that dismissal, Mr. Shaub filed a ninth bankruptcy, which was also dismissed with prejudice. This time, the Court barred Mr. Shaub from filing any bankruptcies for a period of ten years, through June 2032. And yet just 14 months later, in August 2023, Mr. Shaub filed his tenth bankruptcy petition, which was dismissed with prejudice the same day. Mr. Shaub now faces up to five years in federal prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu is prosecuting the case.


title: Hardin man admits promoting prostitution of minor girl

body_text: BILLINGS — A Hardin man accused of offering to pay a minor girl for sexual contact and providing her alcohol admitted today to a prostitution-related crime, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, William Serges Joseph, 76, pleaded guilty to use of a facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering. Joseph faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Under the terms of plea agreement, the parties agree that a sentence of not less than one year in prison is appropriate. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court set sentencing for April 18, 2025. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Joseph was detained pending further proceedings. In court documents, the government alleged that during an interview in March 2023 in Hardin, a juvenile girl, identified as Jane Doe, discussed that she began showing her breasts to Joseph in September 2022. The two messaged each other on Facebook, and Joseph was aware of Doe’s age. Doe disclosed that she allowed Joseph to touch her sexually in exchange for alcohol, and that he asked her for pictures of her naked. In a later interview, Doe said Joseph continued to message her and offered her $50 for sexual contact. A review of Doe’s cellular phone identified a February 2023 message from Joseph with a picture of male genitalia. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC . XXX


title: Springfield Business Owner Sentenced for $14 Million Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., business owner was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a nearly $14 million wire fraud conspiracy that utilized his businesses, as well as fake businesses, to fraudulently receive loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. John Michael Felts, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Felts to pay $8,173,736 in restitution. Felts also must forfeit to the government personal property and real estate purchased with the proceeds of the wire fraud conspiracy as asserted in two civil forfeiture complaints. That property includes four parcels of real estate in Springfield, six vehicles, a yacht, two Rolex watches, five additional pieces of valuable jewelry, a 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson baseball card, a 1980-1981 Topps Larry Bird, Julius Erving, and Magic Johnson card (signed by all three players), and a 1909-1911 Ty Cobb baseball card. On July 31, 2023, Felts pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. Felts was the owner of several restaurants, including Taco Habitat in Springfield and Branson, Mo. Felts admitted that he participated in a wire fraud conspiracy that fraudulently attempted to obtain $13,925,534 through commercial loans as well as Paycheck Protection Program loans and Economic Injury Disaster loans and grants under the CARES Act from January 2018 to Sept. 13, 2022. Although Felts admitted that he attempted to obtain almost $14 million, the court today ruled that the actual loss amount was $8,173,736, for which Felts must pay restitution. The purpose of the CARES Act was to provide emergency financial assistance due to the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans to eligible small businesses that experienced substantial financial disruption due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized forgivable loans to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, and make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. Under the PPP, both the principal and interest on those loans were eligible for forgiveness. Felts and another person, a San Antonio, Texas, resident identified in court documents as “Individual-1,” applied for PPP loans and Economic Injury Disaster loans and grants for various businesses they controlled. The conspirators made material misrepresentations about the businesses in the applications, including the purpose of the funding, and submitted fake and forged documents as a part of the application process. Felts and Individual-1 also created fake businesses that they controlled, under fake identities they created. The conspirators then used these fake businesses and identities, as well as false financial and business documents, to apply for loans. Felts did not utilize the loan proceeds for the purpose he represented to the lenders in the application process. Instead, he utilized proceeds for his own personal benefit (including vehicles, a yacht, jewelry, rare sports cards, and construction related to personal residences) and for the benefit of other businesses he controlled. According to a parallel federal civil complaint filed on Sept. 13, 2022, Felts applied for 12 PPP loans using several different companies under his ownership or control. Most of these companies did not have employees and were not in operation at the time of application. Felts also applied for 13 PPP loans using synthesized or fabricated identities and companies under his control. $2 Million Fraudulent Diagnostic Equipment, Inc., Loans For example, in January 2020 Felts and Individual-1 set up a business, Diagnostic Equipment, Inc., for the purpose of representing it as a legitimate business, when in fact it was not and did not have any business operations. On April 26, 2020, they submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application for Diagnostic Equipment. Felts, using a fake identity, submitted false materials in support of the PPP loan application, such as false tax statements and payroll summaries. On June 18, 2020, they applied for an EIDL in the name of Diagnostic Equipment. After receiving $1,029,100 in PPP and EIDL proceeds, Felt spent $157,000 of the proceeds to pay off a personal real estate loan, spent $39,000 to pay off a loan for a 2018 Cadillac CT6, spent $40,000 to pay off a loan for a 2018 Jeep Wrangler (which he gave as a gift to a relative), and spent $5,000 to make a down payment for the purchase of personal real estate. On April 25, 2021, Felts submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application for Diagnostic Equipment for a second round of PPP loans. Felts received $1,054,494 in PPP loan proceeds and spent $150,000 for a corporate suite sponsorship with the Kansas City Chiefs, spent $213,000 to pay a loan on a 2021 Galeon 470SKY Yacht, spent $30,000 for construction on his personal residence, and spent $12,180 on sports memorabilia. $310,000 Fraudulent Taco Habitat Loan In May 2020, Felts and Indivdiual-1 submitted a PPP loan application for Taco Habitat in Branson. This application contained material misrepresentations, including the number of employees for the business. After Felts received $310,000 in PPP proceeds for Taco Habitat in Branson, he spent $58,594 to purchase a 2020 Jeep Wrangler (which he gave as a gift to another individual) and spent $125,707 for the purchase of personal real estate. This criminal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark and the civil case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony M. Brown. Both the criminal and civil cases were investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.


title: Lexington Doctor Sentenced for Engaging in International Money Laundering Scheme and Importing Illegal and Misbranded Drugs

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lexington, Mass. doctor was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for an international money laundering scheme involving importing illegal, misbranded drugs. Rahim Shafa, 66, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Shafa was also ordered to pay $115,765 in restitution and a fine of $150,000. In February 2024, Shafa was convicted after a 14-day jury trial of international money laundering, illegally importing merchandise contrary to law and receiving and delivering misbranded drugs. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2020 and subsequently charged in a superseding indictment in June 2021 . Shafa was a psychiatrist who owned and operated Novel Psychopharmacology (Novel). From approximately January 2008 through January 2018, Shafa engaged in an international money laundering scheme to purchase naltrexone pellet implants as well as disulfiram pellet implants and injections from Hong Kong. Naltrexone and disulfiram are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in certain forms for the treatment of alcohol dependence and alcohol and opioid dependence, respectively. However, the implantable pellet form of the drug that Shafa purchased are not approved by the FDA. Shafa falsified shipping documents to conceal that the packages containing the drugs were shipped from Hong Kong to Shafa in Massachusetts. For example, packages containing naltrexone pellet implants were falsely declared as ‘plastic beads in plastic tubes’ in shipping documents. Shafa sold these drugs to patients of Novel and implanted them into patients, without fully understanding the risks of the drugs. Patients testified at trial regarding infections and complications they experienced from the pellet implantation procedure. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Fernando P. McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations and Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, the Milford Police Department and the Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy, Howard Locker and Kaitlin J. Brown of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Heart Butte man admits manslaughter charge in fatal crash on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Heart Butte man today admitted to causing a fatal crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation after he had been drinking and driving, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Chasen James Kipp, 25, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Kipp faces a maximum of eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for April 23, 2025. Kipp was released pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on Oct. 31, 2023, Kipp was driving a 2022 Dodge Charger near the Cut Bank airport on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation when he crossed the center line of traffic and collided with a sedan. The crash killed the sedan’s driver, identified as Jane Doe. Law enforcement responded and observed Kipp. An officer described Kipp staggering and could smell alcohol on him. A toxicology report showed Kipp had a blood alcohol concentration of .114 and had cocaine in his system. A crash investigation determined that Kipp was going 82 mph in a 65-mph zone when he crossed the center line and struck Doe’s vehicle. Doe was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt force trauma suffered in the crash. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, Cut Bank Police Department, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol and FBI conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Hastings Man Charged in Child Exploitation Case

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Hastings man has been charged with multiple counts related to the production and possession of child sexual abuse material, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on May 19, 2022, Hunter James Geidl, 27, knowingly possessed a video file of a minor victim engaging in sexually explicit activities. From approximately July 29, 2022, until March 22, 2024, Geidl employed and used minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing sexually explicit video images. Investigators believe there may be other victims relevant to this investigation. If your minor dependent(s) have been in contact with Hunter James Geidl, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov. The indictment charges Geidl with three counts of production and attempted production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Geidl made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on December 13, 2024. He was ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings at his detention hearing today by Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Hastings Police Department. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing 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: New York City Man Arrested for Drug Distribution

body_text: BOSTON – A New York City man has been arrested and charged for allegedly distributing multiple kilograms of fentanyl in the greater Boston area that he transported from New York. Cesar Nunez Lopez, 42, was charged with three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Lopez was arrested on Dec. 13, 2024 and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston later that day, agreed to voluntary detention. According to the charging documents, in November 2024, Lopez was identified as a fentanyl trafficker. On Nov. 15, 2024, in a supermarket parking lot in the greater Boston area, Lopez distributed 99.4 grams of fentanyl wrapped in a clear plastic bag inside a black sock. It is further alleged that on Nov. 25, 2024, Lopez distributed approximately 500 grams of suspected fentanyl at a store parking lot in Watertown. On the morning of Dec. 13, 2024, Lopez allegedly travelled from New York to a parking lot in Watertown where he distributed approximately 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl inside shopping bag. The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Hassink of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This investigation was led by members of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Boston Strike Force. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Postal Employees

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to the armed robbery of U.S. Postal Service employees on two separate occasions, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on November 18, 2023, Rubin David Adams, 26, assisted another person who approached a letter carrier in Edina, pointed a handgun at them, and demanded the “mailbox key,” which the victim did not have. Instead, the victim handed over two sets of USPS vehicle keys. The following day, Adams himself approached another USPS letter carrier in Brooklyn Center. Adams pointed a handgun at the victim’s head, demanded and then stole two USPS mailbox keys. Mailbox keys are valuable to criminals who use them to steal mail, cash, checks, and other financial instruments. Mailbox keys are the property of the USPS, and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. Adams pleaded guilty today to two counts of armed robbery of a mail carrier in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, Hennepin County Violent Offenders Task Force, Edina Police Department, the Brooklyn Center Police Department, the St. Louis Park Police Department, and the Minnesota Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Polachek is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Tampa Resident Sentenced to Two Decades in Prison for Transporting and Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Tampa, Florida, has been sentenced in federal court to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter imposed the sentence on Thomas Edward Grossman III, 49, also ordering Grossman to pay $3,000 in restitution and a $5,200 special assessment. According to information presented to the Court, Grossman transported a female minor from Pennsylvania to West Virginia with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Grossman also persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct and enticing a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, West Virginia State Police, and the Summersville, West Virginia, Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Grossman. 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Coraopolis Man Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay More Than $1 Million in Restitution for Filing False Tax Return

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 24 months of imprisonment on his conviction for filing a false tax return, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Albert Boyd Jr., 53, also ordering Boyd to pay more than $1 million in restitution. According to information presented to the Court, Boyd failed to deposit income from the sale of scrap metal into the bank account for his business, Boyd Roll-Off Services, Inc., from 2017 through 2022 both by not depositing cash payments received and depositing checks received from those sales into accounts other than the business account. He then ensured that the business’s tax returns for those same tax years only reflected income that was deposited into the business bank account, failing to fully account for the income of the business and resulting in a tax loss to the United States of at least $1,030,000. Assistant United States Attorney William B. Guappone prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Boyd.


title: Two Washington Men Found Guilty of Producing and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced that a jury returned a verdict in the trial of Tony J. Bolen, age 43, and Casey Allen Greer, age 47. Bolen and Greer were found guilty of Production of Child Pornography, Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography, and Commission of a Felony Sex Offense by an Individual Required to Register as a Sex Offender. Greer was additionally found guilty of Distribution of Child Pornography, and Bolen was found guilty of one count each of Receipt and Transportation of Child Pornography. Based on court documents and evidence presented at trial, beginning in October 2021, and continuing to December 2021, Bolen and Greer worked together to produce child sexual abuse material of a young child that Greer had been sexually abusing since as early as May 2021. Both Bolen and Greer discussed when Greer would have access to the minor and how Greer would medicate the victim to ensure the victim’s compliance during the sexual abuse. Greer also repeatedly sent images and videos of the sexual abuse to Bolen. In written text messages, Bolen also directed Greer to sexually abuse the victim in a specific way, record the abuse, and send it to him. Bolen and Greer both have prior Washington State convictions for Child Molestation. Because of these convictions, Bolen and Greer were required under state and federal law to register as sex offenders. “My heart goes out to the young victim in this case. The harm and trauma that Mr. Bolen and Mr. Greer caused will last long after this trial, but I am hopeful the guilty verdicts provide some comfort and closure to the victim and their loved ones. I am grateful for the investigators and prosecutors that work every day to prevent horrific victimization of children, remove dangerous offenders from our community, and protect the most vulnerable among us.” “HSI special agents won’t ever relent when it comes to protecting children and arresting individuals like Bolen and Greer who prey on the most vulnerable population,” said Matthew Murphy acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI Seattle. “Child sex abuse is one of the most serious crimes HSI investigates due to the lasting psychological and physical damage it can inflict on victims. We are proud to work closely with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to make Washington safer from predators like these.” “The Washington State Patrol is honored to be a part of the team that successfully worked this case. We will always do our best to protect our vulnerable children and make our communities safer,” said Chief John R. Batiste. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke presided over the trial for Bolen and Greer, which began December 9, 2024. Sentencing in this matter is set April 23, 2025, in Spokane, Washington. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations, the Washington State Patrol, and Spokane Police Department, as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ann T. Wick and Laurel J. Holland. 2:23-cr-00074-MKD


title: Billings man admits possessing stolen firearm after breaking into police vehicles

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

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man accused of breaking into police vehicles and stealing a shotgun, body armor and medical supplies admitted to a firearm crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Jacob Charles Berger, 28, pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm. Berger faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Berger was released pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that in March, the Billings Police Department began an investigation into the vandalism of five law enforcement vehicles that occurred March 5, 2024 to March 15, 2024 in which multiple items were stolen, including medical kits, body armor and, on one occasion, a 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition. Surveillance video from of one of the thefts showed a suspect wearing black shoes and riding a black and red bicycle with skinny tires. Investigators recovered the bicycle and identified three latent fingerprints on the bike as Berger’s. Law enforcement arrested Berger at his residence on an unrelated warrant. Berger admitted to breaking into police vehicles and taking body armor, medical supplies and a shotgun. Officers served a search warrant on Berger’s garage and, along with the shotgun, they located seven other firearms that had been reported stolen between July 2023 and March 2024. Officers also located the medical kits and body armor Berger had taken from the police vehicles. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Billings Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Tunica Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison  for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Aberdeen, MS – A Tunica man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material by U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock. According to court documents, Michael Ray Hall, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023, and charged in a two count Indictment with distribution of child sexual abuse material on or about October 12, 2022, and possession of child sexual abuse material on or about October 26, 2022. On August 27, 2024, Hall pled guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment. “People like this defendant who possess and disseminate images of the sexual abuse of young children belong in prison – period,” stated US Attorney Clay Joyner. “This case serves as an example of what the continued cooperation between this office, the FBI, and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office can accomplish.” “Working together, the FBI, my office, and the U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner’s office have helped put another predator behind bars before he could do more harm,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “My office is dedicated to removing these predators from our communities and serving justice to their victims, and we are grateful to have such strong partners in these efforts.” "The FBI is committed to ensuring that predators who seek to exploit the youth of our communities will not go unpunished,” said FBI SAC Robert A. Eikhoff. “Mr. Hall 's deliberate actions in targeting children is a danger to society. The FBI, USAO, and the Mississippi AGO will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those that prey on our most vulnerable population- our children." The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force Officers David Allen and Brian Taylor investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Roberts prosecuted the case.


title: Camden Man Pleads Guilty to Two South Philadelphia Carjackings

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Zamer Williams, 19, of Camden, N.J., entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Chief Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg to two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a crime of violence. Williams was charged with these offenses by superseding indictment in April of this year, in connection with two November 2023 carjackings in South Philadelphia. As described in the superseding indictment and other publicly filed documents in this case, on November 11, 2023, at approximately 9 p.m., the first victim, an Uber driver, was picking up a passenger at the Ikea on Columbus Boulevard in South Philadelphia. The driver had briefly stepped out of his vehicle, a 2016 Mazda CX-5, when the defendant and another person approached him, demanding his car keys at gunpoint. The victim handed over his keys and the defendant and his accomplice fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. The victim borrowed an Ikea worker’s phone and called 911. Two days later, on November 13, 2023, the second victim entered the Wawa on Columbus Boulevard in South Philadelphia, leaving her car running. When she observed the defendant getting into the driver seat of her vehicle, a 2016 Ford Fusion SE, she went outside to confront him. The defendant drove the victim’s car away from the Wawa, with the victim holding onto the driver’s side door. After hanging on for about nine to 10 feet, the victim let go and the defendant fled in her car. Williams is set to be sentenced on March 25, 2025, and faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of seven years’ imprisonment. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kwambina I. Coker and Robert E. Eckert.


title: California Man Sentenced for Employment Tax Violations

component: Tax Division

body_text: A California man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for failing to pay over employment taxes withheld from the wages of his company’s employees. According to court documents and statements made in court, Shane Brightpath Mike owned and was the president and chief operating officer of Excel Behavioral Services Inc., a business located in Campbell, California, that provided home care to persons with disabilities. Mike was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from his employees’ wages and paying over those funds to the IRS. For the fourth quarter of 2014 through the third quarter of 2015, Mike did not pay any of the withheld taxes to the IRS. And for the third quarter of 2014, Mike only paid part of the withheld funds. In total, Mike did not pay more than $1 million in taxes owed to the IRS during these five quarters. During the same time, Mike used Excel’s funds to pay his personal expenses. Mike also filed false personal income tax returns for tax years 2014 and 2015. On those returns, Mike falsely claimed credit for federal tax withholdings from wages he received from Excel, knowing that these withholdings had not been paid over to the IRS. In total, Mike caused a tax loss to the IRS of $1,177,947. In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman ordered Mike to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $1,177,947 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Griswold for the Northern District of California prosecuted the case.


title: Placer County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Charges

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Randy Anger, 57, of Carnelian Bay, pleaded guilty today to distribution and receipt of child pornography, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in May 2021, Anger distributed and received child sexual abuse material on the Kik Messenger app while communicating with Brent Hooton. Hooton was separately charged and convicted in the Eastern District of California with production and distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to 27 years in prison. In November 2021, Anger also received several images of child sexual abuse material on the Wickr app. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance by Homeland Security Investigations and the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case. Anger is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. On both the distribution and receipt counts, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison per count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Louisville Man Sentenced to Over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and a Machinegun

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A local man was sentenced this week to 7 years and 2 months prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and illegal possession of a machine gun. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. “I commend the work of ATF and LMPD in this case,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “The combined partnership of federal and state law enforcement in the Louisville Metro area continues to pay dividends as we continue to remove the most violent individuals from the streets and send them to federal prison.” According to court documents, Aaron Kidwell, 34, was sentenced to 7 years and 2 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a Glock, Model 17, 9-millimeter pistol, ammunition, and a Glock Switch device (machinegun conversion device). A Glock Switch device allows a semi-automatic handgun to function as an automatic and is defined as a machine gun under federal law. On February 19, 2024, Kidwell led detectives on a chase while driving a large Kubota tractor through residential areas while armed with the loaded Glock, Model 17, 9-millimeter pistol with a Glock Switch attached to it. Kidwell was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On December 7, 2009, in Floyd Superior Court No. 1, Floyd County, Indiana, Kidwell was convicted of criminal trespass. On February 27, 2014, in Floyd Superior Court No. 1, Floyd County, Indiana, Kidwell was convicted of dealing in marijuana. On February 12, 2018, in Floyd Superior Court No. 3, Floyd County, Indiana, Kidwell was convicted of strangulation. On September 17, 2018, in Clark Circuit Court No. 3, Clark County, Indiana, Kidwell was convicted of identity deception. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the ATF with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is also a part of the Prohibited Firearm Possessor Initiative (PFP), a collaborative partnership between all levels of law enforcement and prosecutors to reduce violent crime and firearm offenses. On January 23, 2024, Louisville Metro initiated a gun crime reduction initiative focused on investigating and prosecuting illegal firearm possession. The PFP partners include the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office, the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky. XXX


title: Tucson Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in Death

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Thomas Franklin Wilson, also known as “Tee Woopin,” 29, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. On March 13, 2024, Wilson pleaded guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl connected to the overdose death of a 17-year-old that occurred in April 2021. In April 2021, Wilson sold 13 pills to the teen and her friend, which caused the teen to overdose and die from fentanyl toxicity. Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Tohono O’odham Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefani Hepford, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-02452-TUC-RM RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-176_Wilson # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Browning man admits trafficking meth on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Browning man today admitted to trafficking methamphetamine on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation after an investigation in which law enforcement seized meth and five firearms from his residence, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, David William Sharp, 48, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute meth. Sharp faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, and at least five years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for April 23, 2025. Sharp was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that in the spring of 2023, law enforcement in Browning received information that Sharp was distributing meth in and around the community. Witnesses told investigators Sharp received drugs from a supplier in the Kalispell area with the intent of selling them on the Blackfeet Reservation. Law enforcement conducted three controlled buys of meth from Sharp at his residence. Following the last purchase in November 2023, law enforcement executed a tribal search warrant at Sharp’s residence. Investigators seized 296 grams of pure meth, packaged in 11 baggies, drug paraphernalia, and five firearms. The purchased and seized drugs totaled approximately 315 grams of meth. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tyrek Jacquez Carroway, 25, of Columbia, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Evidence presented to the court showed that undercover agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made 12 controlled purchases of narcotics from Carroway from November 2022 to May 2023. Carroway was trafficking narcotics from Texas and Georgia into South Carolina through hidden compartments in his vehicle. He was held responsible for possession with intent to distribute or distribution of varying quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and crack cocaine. Additionally, on 10 of these 12 controlled purchases, Carroway possessed or sold firearms while engaged in drug trafficking crimes. United States District Judge Sherri Lydon sentenced Carroway to 180 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Two KC Men Indicted for Illegally Trafficking Firearms

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Kansas City, Mo., men were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to illegally traffic firearms and for illegally possessing firearms. Ernest L. Hall, 61, and Rodney O. Ellison, 57, were charged in a 12-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces federal criminal complaints that charged Hall and Ellison separately on Nov. 27, 2024. Both Hall and Ellison remain in federal custody without bond. The indictment alleges that Hall and Ellison participated in a conspiracy to traffic firearms from June 15 to Nov. 26, 2024. The indictment also charges Hall and Ellison together with one count of engaging in firearm sales without a license, and charges Hall and Ellison separately with five counts each of trafficking firearms. Hall and Ellison each also are charged with being a felon in possession of firearms. According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, a confidential informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives purchased firearms from both Ellison and Hall on several occasions at their residences. Between June 18, 2024, and Nov. 25, 2024, the confidential informant allegedly purchased six firearms from Ellison and five firearms from Hall. On Nov. 26, 2024, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at the residences of both Hall and Ellison. Ellison was arrested at his residence but Hall left his residence carrying a large bag and drove away as officers were approaching. When law enforcement began to follow him, Hall turned off his headlights and drove into oncoming traffic to elude them. Investigators then executed the search warrant for Hall’s residence and seized one firearm. Officers seized seven firearms from Ellison’s residence, including two firearms with obliterated or missing serial numbers. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Hall has three prior felony convictions for armed criminal action, two prior felony convictions for robbery, and prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, voluntary manslaughter, unlawful use of a weapon, assault, and endangering the welfare of a child. Ellison has prior felony convictions for murder, armed criminal action, and tampering with service utility. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

body_text: Public Lands Violations Yellowstone National Park Joshua P. Carney , 40, of Marble Falls, Texas, had his current probation revoked and reinstated for five years for violating his probation on multiple occasions, camping without a permit, and having an illegal fire. He was also sentenced to 90 days in jail for resisting arrest. According to court documents, Carney was cited on Sept. 22 for, food storage violation, and out-of-bounds camping. On Oct 8, he was sentenced to pay fines and placed on two years of unsupervised probation with standard terms, including a ban from Yellowstone National Park (YNP) during that time. On Nov. 25, the defendant was found in YNP, in violation of his probation terms. He was arrested and charged with camping without a permit, food storage violation, and illegal fire. He pleaded not guilty. On Dec. 8, the defendant was again located in YNP and arrested. He was additionally charged with camping without a permit, abandoning property, and resisting arrest. On Dec. 9, Carney pleaded guilty to violating his probation, camping without a permit, and having an illegal fire. He also pleaded guilty to resisting arrest for which he received 90 days in jail. He was also sentenced to five years of probation in his September 22 and November 25 cases, with concurrent sentences. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes prosecuted the crime and U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on Dec. 9, in Mammoth. Sandra Pappas , age 31, of Arvada, Colorado, was convicted of driving under the influence and sentenced to pay a fine of $750 and placed on one year of unsupervised probation, the terms of which include a ban on her entering Yellowstone National Park during that time. She was also convicted of refusing an official breath test and sentenced to a 7-day term of incarceration. Mandatory court costs were also ordered in the case. Grand Teton National Park Michael Brockman , 55, of Wilson, Wyoming, was convicted of driving under the influence and sentenced to pay a fine of $750 and placed on two years of unsupervised probation, the terms of which include a ban on him entering Grand Teton National Park during that time. He was also convicted of interfering with a law enforcement officer and sentenced to 3 days in jail; refusing an official breath test and sentenced to 7 days in jail; convicted of contempt of court for refusing to comply with a search warrant for his blood that was issued by a United States Magistrate Judge and sentenced to 10 days in jail; convicted of leaving the scene of an accident and ordered to pay a fine of $650. Mandatory court costs were also ordered in the case. In both park cases, because the operator of a motor vehicle refused a breath test, under 18 U.S.C. 3118 the defendants are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on all federal lands for a period of one year from the date of refusal. Drug Trafficking Whitney Wesaw , 25, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was sentenced to 142 days incarceration with three years’ supervised release to follow, for distribution of fentanyl and aiding and abetting drug distribution. According to court documents, in January of 2024, agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) were conducting controlled purchases of illegal substances from known and suspected drug dealers on the Wind River Reservation. On Jan. 17 agents successfully purchased fentanyl from Wesaw. Wesaw was indicted on July 18. She was arrested on Aug. 23 and subsequently detained. She pleaded guilty on Oct. 2 and U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Dec. 12, in Cheyenne. DCI and the FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00120 Greyson Redman , 23, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to time served with three years’ supervised release to follow, for distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, in December 2023, agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) were conducting controlled purchases of illegal substances from known and suspected drug dealers on the Wind River Reservation. On Dec. 19, 2023, agents successfully purchased fentanyl from Redman. Redman was indicted on July 18, brought into federal custody on July 30, pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, and Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Dec. 13, in Casper. DCI and the FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00119 Firearm Offenses Jarred Luther Pacheco , 39, with no permanent residency, was sentenced to 41 months, with three years’ supervised release to follow, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He will serve his sentence consecutive to a Colorado sentence. According to court documents, on October 14, 2023, the Cheyenne Police Department (CPD) attempted to pull over the defendant because the car he was driving was reported stolen out of Colorado. The defendant fled at high rates of speed. CPD caught up with the vehicle and stopped Pacheco. During their contact with Pacheco. they found a 12-gauge shotgun between the driver’s door and the driver’s seat. Pacheco was previously convicted of a felony and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Pacheco was indicted on July 18, pleaded guilty on Sept. 19 and U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Dec. 13, in Cheyenne. The Bureau of Alcohol, , Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the CPD investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-CR-00111 Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien Victor Hugo Lira Tepca , 37, of Tlaxcala, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on June 14, Lira Tepca was arrested by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office for driving while under the influence. The defendant claimed to be a citizen of Mexico and agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were contacted. They determined that Lira Tepca had previously been removed from the U.S. in March of 2010 and had not applied for permission to reenter the U. S. ICE investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Dec. 9, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00105


title: Man Who Conspired to Sexually Exploit a Child Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who conspired to sexually exploit a child and who possessed child sexual abuse material pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Benjamin Paul Egli, age 30, from North Liberty, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to sexually exploit a child and one count of possession of child pornography. At court hearings and in a plea agreement, Egli admitted that on multiple occasions in 2023, he used Snapchat to make video calls to another person. In those video calls, at Egli’s request, the other person engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a toddler. Egli screen-recorded the sexual conduct and saved those videos on his phone. He also possessed other images and videos of child sexual abuse material on his phone, including images of children performing sexual acts on animals and sadistic and masochistic conduct. 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.” Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Egli remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Egli faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $77,200 in special assessments, and a life term of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Tipton Police Department, and the Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-53. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Brazilian Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Brazilian man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Jose Antonio Moreira Martins Desouza, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2024, Desouza pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Desouza was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024. Desouza was previously deported from the United States on Nov. 14, 2012. Sometime after his November 2012 removal, Desouza illegally reentered the United States. He was arrested by local police on May 22, 2023 and detained by immigration authorities on June 26, 2024. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Rutherfordton Man On State Probation Is Sentenced To Prison For Illegal Possession Of Multiple Firearms

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Kailyn Leroy Flack, 29, of Rutherfordton, N.C., was sentenced today to 92 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. According to court documents and court proceedings, on September 26, 2022, North Carolina probation officers were attempting to locate Flack, after the defendant, who was on state probation for a drug trafficking conviction, had removed his electronic ankle monitor. When the probation officers arrived at Flack’s residence, they observed Flack’s vehicle in the driveway with all the doors open. The probation officers drove to a nearby location and waited for back up. While they were waiting, Flack drove up to the probation officers and was subsequently placed under arrest. When law enforcement searched Flack, they found a handgun holster on his hip. Law enforcement then searched Flack’s vehicle, where they found multiple firearms, including a Smith & Wesson, model M&P, .40 caliber pistol, a Sig Sauer, model 516, 556/.223 caliber rifle loaded with a 30-round magazine, a Smith & Wesson, .38 special revolver, and a Taurus, model The Judge, .45/.410 caliber revolver. Three of the four recovered firearms had been reported stolen. On June 27, 2024, Flack was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon following a bench trial. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The investigation was handled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s Division of Community Supervision, and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Restaurant Owner Indicted for Arson and Related Charges

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 17, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Arletta Allen (age 43) of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The indictment charges Allen with arson of a commercial building in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(i) (Count One); wire fraud and attempted wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 1349 (Count Two); arson in connection with a federal felony in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 844(h)(Count Three); and making false statements to law enforcement, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(Count Four). According to the indictment, on or about October 10, 2021, Allen maliciously damaged by fire a restaurant known as “A Family Affair Soulfood Kitchen” located at 417 S. Main Street in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The indictment further alleges that Allen executed a scheme to defraud Germantown Mutual Insurance Company by setting fire to the restaurant and signing a sworn proof of loss claim seeking insurance proceeds for losses caused by the fire, while falsely representing that she did not cause or procure the fire. The indictment also alleges that Allen lied to law enforcement officers on multiple occasions about her activities and location prior to the fire. If convicted, Allen faces the following penalties: Count One, mandatory minimum of 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment; Count Two, up to 20 years’ imprisonment; Count Three, mandatory minimum 10 years’ imprisonment which must run consecutive to any other sentence; and Count Four, up to 5 years’ imprisonment. The case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly B. Watzka and Porchia S. Lewand. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove her guilty of each offense beyond a reasonable doubt. ### For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov (414) 297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Chinese National Pleads Guilty To Access Device Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Donghui Liao (32, China) has pleaded guilty to possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices (gift cards). Liao faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. According to the plea agreement, a large-scale retail store has been the victim of an ongoing organized gift card fraud scheme. The structure of the scheme involved individuals stealing gift cards from the store, obtaining the account information from the back of the cards, resealing the cards in their original packaging, and placing the gift cards back onto the shelves of a different store location for customers to purchase. Once a customer purchased the gift card and loaded a monetary amount onto it, the fraudsters had access to the funds without the customer’s knowledge. On October 17, 2023, an officer with the Ocala Police Department observed Liao retrieving numerous gift cards from a black shoulder bag he was wearing and placing those gift cards on the retailer’s gift card display. Liao was also observed taking gift cards off the shelves and concealing them inside his bag before leaving the store. Seventy-one of the gift cards that Liao had placed on the shelves showed signs of alteration and forgery. A search of Liao’s vehicle revealed 6,032 additional stolen gift cards. The combined value of the gift cards in Liao’s vehicle, if purchased and activated by customers, would have been $1.886 million. Store surveillance identified Liao performing this same scheme on multiple occasions at different stores in Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.


title: Shelby Man Is Sentenced To Prison For Two Armed Robberies

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Raymond Tracy Mintz, III, 32, of Shelby, N.C., was sentenced today to 178 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for the armed robberies of two local businesses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Brad Fraser of the Shelby Police Department, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on November 10, 2022, Mintz entered the Vape and Brew store in Shelby. Mintz was armed with a firearm and was wearing gloves, a beanie, and a bandana over his mouth. He also wore black sweatpants with a small “Tasmanian Devil” cartoon character on one pant leg and sneaker-style shoes with distinct gold accents. Mintz brandished his firearm at two employees and threatened to shoot them. Court records show that Mintz then walked behind the counter and stole more than $1,600 before he fled the scene. Officers located Mintz at an area hotel where he was staying two days later. Mintz was arrested and the pistol Mintz was suspected of using during the robbery was recovered. During the investigation, law enforcement reviewed the hotel’s video surveillance footage from the day of the robbery which showed Mintz walking towards the dumpster with a distinctly colored trash bag and then returning to his room without it. Law enforcement located the trash bag which contained the black sweatpants with a small “Tasmanian Devil” emblem and the sneaker shoes that Mintz wore during the Vape and Brew robbery. According to filed court documents, the second armed robbery occurred on December 1, 2023. On that date, Mintz robbed the Curve View Express in Shelby. Court records show that Mintz entered the store, brandished a black handgun with an extended magazine at two store clerks, and fled on foot with $1,604, which he had placed in a black grocery-style bag. An officer found Mintz shortly after the robbery near the Curve View Express carrying the black grocery-style bag. Mintz ran from the officer when the officer attempted to speak to him. The officer caught up to Mintz who was now openly carrying a firearm down by his side. Mintz then threw the black handgun with an extended magazine into the nearby grass. Officers arrested Mintz and recovered the stolen $1,604 from the black bag, as well as the firearm that Mintz used during the robbery. On August 14, 2024, Mintz pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery and possessing and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The investigation was handled by HSI and the Shelby Police Department, with the assistance of the Kings Mountain Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Repeat Offender Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for distributing methamphetamine hydrochloride (“crystal meth”). Vincent Lambert, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In June 2024, Lambert pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In June 2023, Lambert was indicted by a federal grand jury. In August 2022, Lambert was identified as a supplier of crystal meth in the Boston area by a cooperating source. Lambert distributed 24 grams of crystal meth to the cooperating source in Boston on Feb. 15, 2023. On March 2, 2023, Lambert distributed another 110 grams of crystal meth in Cambridge to the cooperator. On April 4, 2023, Lambert distributed another 83 grams of crystal meth in Dorchester to the cooperator. On June 7, 2023, 1,102 grams of crystal meth; 4,437 grams of butanediol; 100 grams of fentanyl; 43 grams of ketamine; 39 grams of cocaine; and 25 grams of MDMA were seized during a search of Lambert’s residence. Lambert, a career offender, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for drug charges in West Roxbury District Court in 2017. In 2019, Lambert was sentenced to one year in prison for drug charges in Cambridge District Court. Later in 2019, Lambert was also sentenced to 3.5-5 years in prison for additional drug charges in Suffolk Superior Court. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: International Cocaine Trafficker from Colombia Sentenced in D.C. to 70 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: WASHINGTON – Gilberto Javier Apraez-Munoz, 55, of Puerto Milan Caquetá, Colombia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. to 70 months in prison for using his relatively complex drug trafficking network, which included drug facilities in the Colombian jungle, to prepare and distribute large amounts of cocaine into the United States, specifically Washington, D.C. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves of the District of Columbia and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. Apraez-Munoz, aka “Veneno,” was extradited from Colombia on March 15, 2024, and pleaded guilty on September 17, 2024, to unlawful distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine for importation into the United States. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Apraez-Munoz to serve 60 months of supervised release. He will also face deportation proceedings upon completion of his prison sentence. According to court documents, in 2019 the FBI began a long-term investigation coordinated alongside Colombian law enforcement into narcotics trafficking intended for distribution into the United States. In August 2019, a confidential source (CS) and an undercover officer (UC) met with Apraez-Munoz in a café in Palmira, Colombia, to discuss a potential cocaine deal. During the meeting, Apraez-Munoz said he had been selling cocaine since 1996 and that most of his cocaine had been destined for Europe, but that he also sold cocaine sent to the United States. He added that he was familiar with drug routes, pricing, and the need for quality control related to his product. Apraez-Munoz noted his experience in producing significant amounts of high-quality cocaine because he operated his own cocaine production facility. He was aware that the cocaine would ultimately reach the District of Columbia. Apraez-Munoz told the CS and UC that the price would be $4,800,00 Colombian Pesos (COP) or approximately $1,300 per kilogram. The UC gave Apraez-Munoz a downpayment of $20,000,000 COP for a 10-kilo purchase. Before completing the transaction, Apraez-Munoz drove the UC to his manufacturing facility in the Colombian jungle to show him the operation, which included mixing and production labs. Ten days later, Apraez-Munoz brought 10 bricks of cocaine to a hotel room in Colombia. He reassured the UC of that the cocaine was high quality because of its intended destination of Washington, D.C. The UC gave Apraez-Munoz an addition $28,000,000 COP in exchange for the cocaine. The cocaine was later transported to a DEA laboratory in the U.S. for testing where it was confirmed that the substance was approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. The matter is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernesto J. Alvarado and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty with the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 21cr471


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to 2 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Jeffrey Cooley, age 36, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Cooley was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024 and pleaded guilty on September 20, 2024. Cooley was part of a drug conspiracy to distribute cocaine in South Dakota. He obtained the cocaine from a co-conspirator on multiple occasions and distributed it to others in South Dakota. The co-conspirator would send packages containing cocaine to Cooley’s home. In April 2023, law enforcement intercepted one of these packages, which contained approximately half a pound of cocaine. In total, the group moved multiple kilograms of cocaine during Cooley’s involvement. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team from Rapid City, and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Cooley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 12 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Transportation of Child Pornography

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Transportation of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on December 16, 2024. Jeffrey Michael Dicus, age 40, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $3,000, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from federal prison, Dicus must register as a sex offender. Dicus was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 24, 2024. The conviction stemmed from incidents between January 5, 2017, and February 8, 2023, when Dicus transported child pornography using his Dropbox account. Dicus created his Dropbox account in 2017 and used the online platform to trade images and videos of child pornography with other individuals. He was found in possession of over 5,000 videos and almost 20,000 images of child pornography. The videos and images contained depictions of victims as young as toddler-age engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case. Dicus was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on December 16, 2024. Asha Graystone, age 34, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $6,000, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from federal prison, Graystone must register as a sex offender. Graystone was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023. She pleaded guilty on October 2, 2024. The conviction stemmed from incidents between December 6, 2022, and January 10, 2023, when Graystone knowingly possessed digital files depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Graystone has a prior state-level conviction for possession of child pornography out of Minnehaha County, South Dakota in 2020 for which she received a probation sentence. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case. Graystone was allowed to self-surrender to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on or before January 6, 2024.


title: St. Francis Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on December 16, 2024. Martin Metcalf, age 52, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Metcalf was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 19, 2024. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on November 24, 2023, in Todd County, South Dakota, within the boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On that date, Metcalf entered his girlfriend’s home and threatened to kill her and her children with an AR-15-style rifle. At one point, Metcalf struck his girlfriend on the arm with the rifle. One of the children called 911 while Metcalf was distracted, and law enforcement responded shortly thereafter. Metcalf will forfeit ownership of the firearm to the United States. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. 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. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Senior Litigation Counsel Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Metcalf was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Securities Trader Sentenced for Market Manipulation Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A securities trader was sentenced yesterday for his role in a sophisticated, multi-year market manipulation conspiracy involving securities traded on exchanges within the United States, including the New York Stock Exchange and NADSAQ. Xiaosong Wang, 36, of Upton, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 30 days in prison. Wang was also ordered to forfeit $1,041,084 in illicit proceeds and ordered removed to China upon completion of his prison sentence. On Sept. 12, 2024, Wang pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. From approximately 2013 through 2018, Wang participated in the manipulative trading activity of a group of securities traders located in China and, at times, in Massachusetts. Specifically, Xiaosong Wang and his co-conspirators, including Jiali Wang, used several brokerage accounts in their names, and in the names of others with whom Xiaosong Wang and Jiali Wang had relationships, to artificially depress or inflate the prices of thinly traded securities. They did so by repeatedly placing relatively small sell (or buy) orders designed to send a false signal about a security’s supply (or demand) and to depress (or inflate) the security’s price. Xiaosong Wang and his co-conspirators then immediately placed relatively large buy (or sell) orders on the other side of the market to take advantage of their manipulations. Once the large orders executed, Xiaosong Wang and his co-conspirators canceled their outstanding manipulative orders. Jiali Wang pleaded guilty in August 2022 and was sentenced in December 2022 to time served (three months in prison) and nine months of home detention. Jiali Wang was also ordered to forfeit $7.75 million in illicit proceeds and was later ordered removed to China. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Nearly Four Years for Possessing and Selling a Firearm as a Felon

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on December 16, 2024. Jerad Wade Olson, 35, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Olson was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty in September 2024. In December 2023, Olson was identified by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as a seller of firearms in the Sioux Falls area. Olson is prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous felony convictions. ATF conducted an operation targeting Olson on December 13, 2023, during which an agent established contact with Olson and posed as a buyer of firearms. Olson agreed to sell the agent a Walther 9mm pistol for $500. The agent met with Olson and completed the sale later that day at Olson’s residence in Vermillion. 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. This case was investigated by the ATF and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case. Olson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Cryptocurrency Firm Executive Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing $4.46 Million from Employer

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DYLAN MEISSNER, 31, of Westport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for stealing more than $4 million from his former employer. According to court documents and statements made in court, Meissner was employed at a cryptocurrency research firm as Vice President of Finance with access to the firm’s cryptocurrency wallets and bank accounts. In approximately January 2022, Meissner obtained a 50 Ethereum (approximately $170,000) loan from his employer, stating that he would use the funds in an attempt to avoid a substantial loss in certain cryptocurrency investments he had made using his personal funds. Then, from February 2022 until his termination in November 2022, in continued attempts to counteract significant personal trading losses, Meissner fraudulently diverted his employer’s funds to his own use and covered up his conduct through false entries in the firm’s books and records. Through this scheme, Meissner stole approximately $4,461,828 from his employer. Judge Shea ordered Meissner to pay restitution of $4,633,424.99, which includes the money he stole from his employer and the loan he failed to repay. Meissner, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on February 21. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.