title: Alabama Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Violating U.S. Sanctions on Iran

body_text: Ray Hunt, also known as Abdolrahman Hantoosh, Rahman Hantoosh, and Rahman Natooshas, 71, of Owens Cross Roads, Alabama, has been sentenced to five years in prison for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In July 2024, Hunt pleaded guilty to conspiring to export U.S.-origin goods to the Islamic Republic of Iran in violation of the U.S. trade sanctions. According to court documents, in May 2014, Hunt registered Vega Tools LLC with the Alabama Secretary of State, listing the nature of the business as “the purchase/resale of equipment for the energy sector.” He operated Vega Tools, including purchasing, receiving, and shipping U.S.-origin goods, from locations in Madison County, Alabama. Beginning at least as early as 2015 and continuing to the time of his arrest in November 2022, Hunt conspired with two Iranian companies located in Tehran, Iran, to illegally export U.S.-manufactured industrial equipment for use in Iran’s oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. Hunt engaged in a series of deceptive practices to avoid detection by U.S. authorities, including using third-party transshipment companies in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and routing payments through UAE banks, as well as lying to shipping companies about the value of his exports to prevent the filing of Electronic Export Information to U.S. authorities. Hunt lied to suppliers and shippers by claiming the items he purchased on behalf of the Iranian co-conspirators were destined for end-users in Turkey and UAE, while knowing the exports were ultimately destined for Iran. Hunt also lied to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers regarding the nature and existence of his business when questioned upon his return from a March 2020 trip to Iran. Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama; Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement John Sonderman of the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS); and Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division announced the sentence. BIS investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Cross and Henry Cornelius for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Emma Ellenrieder and Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.


title: Alabama Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Violating Iran Sanctions

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Ray Hunt, also known as Abdolrahman Hantoosh, Rahman Hantoosh, and Rahman Natooshas, 71, of Owens Cross Roads, Alabama, has been sentenced for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. In July 2024, Hunt pleaded guilty to conspiring to export U.S.-origin goods to the Islamic Republic of Iran in violation of the U.S. trade sanctions. According to court documents, in May 2014, Hunt registered Vega Tools, LLC with the Alabama Secretary of State, listing the nature of the business as “the purchase/resale of equipment for the energy sector.” He operated Vega Tools, including purchasing, receiving, and shipping U.S.-origin goods, from locations in Madison County, Alabama. Beginning at least as early as 2015 and continuing to the time of his arrest in November 2022, Hunt conspired with two Iranian companies located in Tehran, Iran, to illegally export U.S.-manufactured industrial equipment for use in Iran’s oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. Hunt engaged in a series of deceptive practices to avoid detection by U.S. authorities, including using third-party transshipment companies in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), routing payments through UAE banks, and lying to shipping companies about the value of his exports to prevent the filing of Electronic Export Information to U.S. authorities. Hunt lied to suppliers and shippers by claiming the items he purchased on behalf of the Iranian co-conspirators were destined for end-users in Turkey and UAE, while knowing the exports were ultimately destined for Iran. Hunt lied also to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers regarding the nature and existence of his business when questioned upon his return from a March 2020 trip to Iran. Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama, Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement John Sonderman of the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security, and Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division announced the sentence. BIS investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Cross and Henry Cornelius for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Emma Ellenrieder and Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.


title: Arizona woman pleads guilty to transporting 50 kilograms of cocaine

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Arizona woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to a narcotics crime related to driving a moving truck filled with 50 kilogram-bricks of cocaine from Arizona to Ohio. Andrea Celaya-Rodriguez, 28, of Tucson, pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, Celaya-Rodriguez was stopped by Ohio State Highway Patrol on 1-70 in Madison County on March 22, 2024. She was driving a Penske box truck that she rented a few days prior in Tucson and, according to her rental agreement, was set to return the vehicle to Arizona within the next four days. A drug canine positively alerted to the presence of cocaine and troopers subsequently searched the moving truck. The cargo space of the truck had in it a sectional couch, a suitcase and a produce bin with a blanket over it. Within the produce bin there were three duffel bags, which contained 50 individually wrapped kilogram-packages of cocaine. After being arrested, Celaya-Rodriguez told DEA agents she was driving the drugs from Arizona to New York in exchange for $50,000 from a man she had met in Mexico two weeks prior. The defendant met the man on a rural road in Arizona, where she was given the cocaine in shoe boxes to be re-packaged for transportation. The plea agreement includes a sentencing recommendation of 33 to 41 months in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit Field Division; and Col. Charles A Jones, Superintendent, Ohio State Highway Patrol, announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Nicole Pakiz are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: High-level drug trafficker tied to Mexico sentenced to 10 years in prison

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Francisco Villegas-Garcia, 37, a Mexican national who is here illegally, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Columbus today to 120 months in prison for his role in a fentanyl conspiracy. Villegas-Garcia was a high-level drug trafficker in a large-scale drug trafficking organization tied to Mexico that transported and distributed multi-kilogram quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. According to court documents, Villegas-Garcia often traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Columbus as part of his drug trafficking. During one traffic stop in Charlotte, agents seized $100,000 in cash from Villegas-Garcia. DEA field offices in Charlotte and Columbus coordinated additional investigation, which revealed that Villegas-Garcia often spoke to other members of the drug trafficking organization about their supply of drugs, drug sales, wiring money to Mexico, and securing couriers to transfer money to Mexico. He was often in communication with the source of drug supply in Mexico. When agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s Columbus home on Willowswitch Lane in January 2023, they discovered eight kilograms of fentanyl and fentanyl analogue and $120,000 in cash. These items were hidden inside the wall. Agents detained and then arrested Villegas-Garcia in January 2023, at the Los Gauchos Taqueria on South Hamilton Road in Columbus. At the time, he had 28 grams of cocaine and more than $10,000 in cash on his person. He pleaded guilty in March 2024 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit Field Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz is representing the United States in this case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . # # #


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Exceeds 900 Immigration Cases Filed in Western District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman announced today that federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas have filed more than 900 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases since Jan. 20. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners. Along with enhanced interdiction efforts at the border, federal law enforcement has been also prioritizing immigration enforcement operations and prosecutions of aliens unlawfully in the interior of the country and also those otherwise engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, who have active warrants for their arrest, or who have outstanding final orders of removal from the U.S., issued by an immigration judge. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect us all. Cases of interest include the arrest of Juan Ramon Hernandez-Limon in San Antonio, who had been previously convicted on April 28, 2021 for illegal re-entry into the United States and alien in possession of a firearm, and a second time on Feb. 8, 2024 for illegal re-entry. Hernandez-Limon repeatedly attempted to evade arrest during an ICE ERO operation on Jan. 26, 2025, and was eventually taken into custody. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted. Guatemalan nationals Anderson Morales-Calderon and Ever Morales-Calderon were arrested on Jan. 24 in Waco on criminal charges related to their alleged aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm as undocumented noncitizens. Troy Police Department and Lorena Police Department officers were responding to a road rage complaint called into 911. The 911 caller alleged that an individual pointed a rifle at a semi-truck on IH-35. During the traffic stop, officers observed two air rifles and one .22 caliber rifle in plain view in the back seat and on the back floorboard of the vehicle. Further investigation revealed that both Anderson and Ever Morales-Calderon were unlawfully present in the United States. If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in federal prison. Honduran national Melvin Armando Funes-Canales was transferred to federal custody after he was located in the Williamson County jail, where he had been detained for alleged possession of a controlled substance. An investigation revealed Funes-Canales had been previously removed from the U.S. to Honduras on or about Oct. 9, 2020, and had also been deported on five other occasions. Additionally, Funes-Canales was previously convicted of burglary, grand theft and illegal re-entry. He now faces up to 10 years in federal prison for illegal re-entry, if convicted. Four individuals illegally present in the U.S. were arrested in El Paso and face up to 10 years in federal prison each for criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in a human smuggling conspiracy. Yair Alejandro Aguilar-Flores, Angel Eduardo Carrillo-Carrillo, Jorge Alfredo Lopez-Acevedo, and Jesus David Reyes-Villagran allegedly conspired to harbor 12 illegal aliens in two El Paso hotels. A Mexican national was indicted by a federal grand jury in Austin for one count of possession of a firearm by illegal alien. Marcelo Olvera-Moreno was stopped while driving in Hutto, Jan. 24. A Williamson Country Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted the traffic stop after allegedly observing the passenger in Olvera-Moreno’s vehicle fire a handgun from the front passenger window. Olvera-Moreno admitted to law enforcement that he knew that he was illegally and unlawfully in the U.S. and that he had purchased the pistol at a flea market approximately three months prior. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison. “Because the Western District of Texas shares 660 miles of common border with Mexico and is home to three of Texas’ largest cities and an estimated 7.6 million people, prosecuting immigration and border-related crimes has long been and remains a priority within this district,” said Leachman. “With the valuable investigative and enforcement efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, this U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting immigration-related crimes in the interest of the nation and our citizens.” Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Man Charged in Federal Court With Trafficking Firearm in Chicago

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

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been charged in federal court with trafficking a firearm in Chicago. OSCAR GIL-IZQUIERDO sold a pistol, a drum magazine, two additional magazines, and a ballistic vest to a buyer on Feb. 20, 2025, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The transaction occurred in a parking lot on the Southwest Side of Chicago, the complaint states. Unbeknownst to Gil-Izquierdo, the individual to whom he sold the gun and other items was an undercover law enforcement agent, the complaint states. The complaint charges Gil-Izquierdo, 25, of Chicago, with attempting to transfer a firearm to a person he knew could not legally possess it. The undercover agent had informed Gil-Izguierdo that the agent was a convicted felon and could not legally purchase a firearm, the complaint states. On Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes ordered Gil-Izquierdo detained in federal custody without bond pending trial. The complaint was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Maione. The charge in the complaint is punishable by a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 0002_-_0000_-_complaint_signed_by_honorable_gabriel_a_fuentes.pdf


title: National Sales Director for New York-Based Mobile Diagnostic Company Charged in Kickback Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New York national sales director was charged on Feb 20, 2025 in federal court in Boston for allegedly conspiring to offer and pay kickbacks to doctors in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans. David Fuhrmann, 59, of Port Jefferson, N.Y. was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the charging documents, it is alleged that from at least June 2013 through at least September 2020, Fuhrmann conspired with others, including two managers for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, to enter into kickback agreements with various doctors. It is alleged that Fuhrmann and his co-conspirators agreed to offer and pay doctors kickbacks based on the number of TCD ultrasounds the doctors ordered. It is further alleged that some doctors were paid in cash and others by check. Fuhrmann and his co-conspirators allegedly created rental and administrative service agreements. On paper, these agreements made it appear as if doctors were compensated for the TCD company’s use of space and administrative resources based on fair market value and not based on the volume or value of referrals. These agreements were allegedly shams that hid the true nature of the arrangement of paying per test. According to the charging documents, the scheme resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $70.6 million to Medicare. The charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Mackenzie Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case. he 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: Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley’s Family

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A Missouri woman pleaded guilty today in the Western District of Tennessee for her role in a scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family of millions of dollars and to steal the family’s ownership interest in Graceland, Elvis Presley’s former home in Memphis, Tennessee. According to court documents, Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, of Kimberling City, orchestrated a scheme to conduct a fraudulent sale of Graceland — using a fake company, forged documents, and false court filings — by falsely claiming that Elvis Presley’s daughter had pledged Graceland as collateral for a loan that she failed to repay before her death. Findley threatened to foreclose on Graceland and auction it to the highest bidder if Elvis Presley’s family did not pay or settle the claim against the estate. Findley pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Taylor Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee, Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office made the announcement. The USPIS and FBI Nashville Field Office are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Aaron Henricks of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case. Fraud Section Assistant Chief Cory E. Jacobs and Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton provided substantial assistance with the investigation and prosecution. ### CRM 25-192 Do not reply to this message. If you have questions, please use the contacts in the message or call the Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Possessing a Machinegun

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –RENARD SANTIAGO (“SANTIAGO”) , age 19, pleaded guilty on February 18, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court documents, SANTIAGO was wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department for an armed robbery and a separate shooting. During the course of the investigation into his whereabouts, law enforcement officers observed stories on SANTIAGO ’s Instagram account showing SANTIAGO in possession of a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device, posing with large amounts of cash, and advertising the sale of marijuana. The next day, officers executed a search warrant at SANTIAGO ’s residence. SANTIAGO hid in the attic for four hours before he was finally forced out of the house. Inside the attic, officers found SANTIAGO ’s handgun, with the machinegun conversion device still attached, a distributable quantity of marijuana, and over $400 in cash. Pursuant to the plea agreement, SANTIAGO will serve 15 years in prison. The Court took SANTIAGO ’s guilty plea but deferred its decision on whether to accept or reject the negotiated plea until sentencing. SANTIAGO also faces a term of supervised release of at least two years and up to life. Each count also carries a maximum $250,000 fine and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Three Plead Guilty for Roles in Conspiracy to Distribute Nine Kilograms of Cocaine

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Two others previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy. Leonardo Lara, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving five kilograms or more of cocaine. U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. Previously, co-defendants Merced Navarro Morfin, 44, of Lunenberg and Leandro Martinez, 43, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge. Navarro Morfin pleaded guilty to an additional count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Navarro Morfin’s sentencing is scheduled for May 6, 2025. Martinez’s sentencing is scheduled for May 7, 2025. A federal grand jury indicted Lara, Navarro Morfin and Martinez on Aug. 3, 2023. In April 2022 an investigation revealed that Lara was in possession of $230,000 in drug proceeds that he sought to send to Mexico. On April 20, 2022, Lara was stopped on Interstate-84 in Sturbridge and approximately $40,000 in drug proceeds was found hidden in baby-wipe containers in the trunk. Approximately 36 minutes after the traffic stop concluded, Martinez and Navarro Morfin were observed travelling to Lara’s residence and removing eight kilograms of cocaine. Another kilogram of cocaine, and approximately $196,000 in bundled cash, were found in the car Martinez and Navarro Morfin had traveled in. The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, involving five kilograms or more of cocaine, provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute cocaine provide for a maximum of 20 years in prison, at least three years 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 Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel R. Feldman and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Manchester Man Sentenced to 12 Months in Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced today in federal court for his failure to register as a sex offender, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Christopher Hodgeman, 33, of Manchester, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro to 12 months in federal prison and 15 years of supervised release. In November 2024, Hodgeman pleaded guilty one count of failure to register his online identifiers. On April 13, 2021, Hodgeman pled guilty to one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. As a result of this prior conviction, Hodgeman is required to register as a sex offender and to report any internet or online identifiers, including screen names or user profiles on social media accounts. In February 2023, Manchester police received a tip that an individual, later identified as Hodgeman, appeared to be exchanging sexually oriented chats online via Xbox with a 15-year-old child. Authorities determined that Hodgman had engaged in these chats using an unregistered online account. Through further investigation, authorities identified at least one additional online account that Hodgeman failed to report on his sex offender registration paperwork. “Prosecuting violations of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is critical in our effort to keep the most vulnerable members of our community safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “Today’s sentence reinforces this Office’s dedication to protecting the public and ensuring accountability for those who attempt to circumvent their sex offender registration requirements.” The United States Marshals Service and the Manchester Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew T. Hunter and Kasey Weiland prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. ###


title: Two Manchester Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute More Than 2 Pounds of Methamphetamine

body_text: CONCORD – Two men from Manchester pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Joseph Coffey, 31, and Zachary Austin, 41, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for June 9, 2025. The defendants were indicted on October 9, 2024. According to the court documents and statements made in court, between July 10, 2024 and September 19, 2024, the defendants sold more than 2 pounds of methamphetamine to law enforcement on five occasions. Most of the drug sales took place at both defendants’ shared residence in Manchester. Law enforcement later obtained a search warrant for the shared residence and recovered methamphetamine, firearms accessories, and empty rifle magazines and ammunition containers. In addition, on September 16, 2024, Austin was stopped in New Hampshire for a motor vehicle infraction on a return trip from Lawerence, Massachusetts. Law enforcement later searched his vehicle and discovered more than 1 pound of methamphetamine inside. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Former Maryland State Trooper Pleads Guilty to Drug and Bribery Charges

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Justin Riggs, 35, of Smithsburg, Maryland, pleaded guilty, yesterday, to federal charges of Conspiracy to Distribute and Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, Use of a Communication Facility in Causing or Facilitating the Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, and Travel Act-State of Maryland Bribery. Phil Selden, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Baltimore Field Division. “As a law enforcement officer, Justin Riggs violated his sworn duty to uphold the public trust and put a life in harm’s way,” stated Acting United States Attorney Selden. “The District of Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office will relentlessly pursue corrupt law-enforcement officers who try to dishonor their badge as we also work to support the many honorable officers whose reputations they unfairly tarnish.” “Not only did Riggs deliberately and willingly violate the oath he took as a sworn law enforcement officer, but he also put other lives at risk with his greed and deceit,” said SAC DelBagno. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to thoroughly investigate such cases to protect the American people and preserve public trust in law enforcement.” According to his guilty plea, in December 2022, Riggs — who was serving as a Maryland State Trooper — was part of a Maryland State Police team investigating drug-and-gun trafficking in Western Maryland. The team used at least one confidential human source during the investigation. Riggs created a fictitious Facebook account to contact a drug-distributor target. While corresponding with the drug distributor, Riggs informed the drug distributor that he worked “for a fed agency.” Riggs also told the drug distributor that he had “tons more info pertaining to your biggest informant.” The former Maryland state trooper initiated several electronic conversations with the drug distributor between 2022 and 2023, attempting to sell the informant’s identity. The parties have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Riggs will receive a sentence between 48 and 108 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher will schedule sentencing for a later date. Acting United States Attorney Selden commended the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Maryland State Police, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their work in the investigation. Mr. Selden also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Christine Goo and Sean Delaney who are prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Metairie Man Indicted for Possessing Materials Involving Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Federal Gun Control Act Violation

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today the Indictment of ROBERT ANTHONY MARSH, JR. (“MARSH”) , age 59, of Metairie, was indicted on February 14, 2025, with Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B) and (a)(2), and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). If convicted of the possession of sexual exploitation materials, MARSH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. If convicted of firearm possession by a convicted felon, MARSH faces a maximum sentence of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, MARSH’s home was searched by state law enforcement officials and federal agents on December 19, 2024. At the time of this search, MARSH was on state supervised release for a previous state conviction of Pornography Involving Juveniles. On December 19, 2024, following the search of his home, MARSH was arrested by Louisiana State Probation and Parole for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of child pornography. Thereafter, MARSH was transferred from state to federal custody in connection with this federal indictment. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Jefferson Parish Police Department; and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, Probation and Parole. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: USAO Announces Sentencings in Connection with Violent Crime Reduction Initiative

body_text: YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Acting United States Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio has announced sentencings for several defendants who were charged in connection with a 2023 violent crime reduction initiative. The initiative was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to focus on the reduction of gun-crime violence. Malachi Berry, 22, Darvell Jackson, 21, Steven Armstrong, 20, Nimar Linder, 22, Terrez Wilson, 20, Maurice Hardman, 20, all of Cleveland, and Brandon Kimbrough, 24, of Euclid, were each sentenced to imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson after pleading guilty for their roles in a firearms-trafficking conspiracy. Each defendant’s prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. Malachi Berry was sentenced to 89 months in prison for conspiracy to possess machineguns and conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license. According to court documents, he was responsible for arranging the sales of 13 firearms, including ones that were reported stolen and had the serial numbers obliterated. Some of the items intended to be trafficked included machineguns. Berry brokered the firearms sales by recruiting others to sell them after he negotiated the prices. Darvell Jackson was sentenced to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to possess a machinegun, conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to court documents, he sold seven firearms, including at least one stolen firearm and one firearm with an obliterated serial number, some with high-capacity magazines, and four machinegun conversion devices. Nimar Linder was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Linder, a convicted felon, possessed and sold five firearms, including multi-caliber pistols with high-capacity magazines and a pistol with an obliterated serial number. Terrez Wilson was sentenced to 26 months in prison for possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, he sold a Glock, Model 22, .40 caliber pistol with a machinegun conversion device knowing that the firearm was intended to be trafficked. Maurice Hardman was sentenced to 33 months in prison for possession of a machinegun and conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license. According to court documents, he sold a Glock, Model 32Gen4, .357 caliber Sig-pistol with an affixed machinegun conversion device. In a separate transaction, Hardman sold a Glock, Model 19Gen5, 9mm pistol. Brandon Kimbrough was sentenced to 29 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Kimbrough, a convicted felon, possessed and sold a Taurus, Model G3, and a 9mm pistol with a high-capacity magazine. Steven Armstrong was sentenced to 26 months in prison for possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, he admitted he could acquire “buttons,” a term used for machinegun conversion devices, and “ghost Glocks,” a term used for privately made, unserialized firearms. Armstrong also sold a machinegun conversion device. The investigation preceding the indictment was led by the ATF, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police, the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI Cleveland Division, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio Investigative Unit, Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Division, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office. This operation was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Galvin and David Toepfer .


title: Grand jury indicts El Salvadoran national with illegally reentering United States after sex offense convictions, Honduran national with illegally possessing firearms

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury indicted two separate immigration cases here today involving a previously convicted felon and a repeat immigration crimes offender. Carlos Gonzales-Hernandez, 55, is charged with illegally reentering the United States after a conviction for an aggravated felony. Gonzales-Hernandez is a citizen of El Salvador. According to his court documents, Gonzales-Hernandez was detained in January 2025 following a traffic stop in Madison County. He was then transferred into ICE custody. The defendant had been removed from the United States following a local prison sentence for sex offenses. Gonzales-Hernandez was previously convicted in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas of three counts of gross sexual imposition and received a prison sentence of six years. Elmer Edison Rodriguez-Guzman, 46, is charged with possession of a firearm or ammunition of an illegal alien and with illegally reentering the United States. Rodriguez-Guzman is a citizen of Honduras and has no legal status in the United States. He has been removed from the United States on numerous prior occasions and either deported to Honduras or allowed to voluntarily return to Mexico. According to his court documents, Rodriguez-Guzman was in a vehicle that was stopped in Cambridge, Ohio, in July 2024 due to no taillights. Law enforcement officials discovered items including a handgun, a double-barrel shotgun and ammunition. Rodriguez-Guzman was arrested in Guernsey County and then transferred into federal custody. Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has multiple prior misdemeanor charges, the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the cases. Assistant United States Attorney Sheila G. Lafferty is representing the United States in these cases. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Southern District of Ohio Immigration Enforcement Task Force, which dedicates agents, attorneys and other staff to investigating and prosecuting immigration violations. # # #


title: Fort Duchesne Man Sentenced to Prison Following Gun Crime

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Kasey Todd Reed, 32, of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Utah, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment, and ordered by the court to three years’ supervised release after he committed a violent crime that involved shooting a firearm at his domestic partner’s home. The sentence, imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge David Sam comes after Reed pleaded guilty on December 6, 2024, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while within Indian Country. According to court documents, and statements made at Reed’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on May 30, 2022, Reed was involved in a domestic dispute with his partner, and after being pepper sprayed, Reed threatened to return to the victim’s home to harm her. Upon his return, Reed pointed a loaded .38 five-shot revolver at the victim’s residence and fired five rounds towards the home that housed multiple occupants as he drove past in his vehicle. Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Vernal Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Pead of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.


title: Federal Inmate Sentenced to Additional Nine Years in Prison for Assaulting Another Inmate

body_text: ROCKFORD — A federal inmate has been sentenced to an additional nine years in prison for assaulting another inmate. While incarcerated in 2022 at the Federal Correctional Institution in Thomson, Ill., JULIAN BREAL repeatedly kicked and punched the other inmate for several minutes, causing serious injuries. The victim was transported to an outside hospital for treatment, which included surgery. A jury last year convicted Breal, 47, of assault causing serious bodily injury. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Breal to nine years in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentence he is currently serving in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Maveus and Vincenza L. Tomlinson.


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Jalen Pearson, 31 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distributing 5 or more grams of methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Pearson was sentenced to 97 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in June 2023, Pearson distributed approximately 3 pounds of a high purity of methamphetamine for nearly $7,000. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration including the DEA North Central Laboratory with assistance from the Indiana State Police and the Mishawaka Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Cartel Cocaine Quality Tester Extradited from Mexico

body_text: ATLANTA - Irma Elvira Cruz, also known as “Huzipol” and “Madre,” 60, of Mexico, has been arraigned before Russell G. Vineyard, Chief United States Magistrate Judge, on federal charges of Conspiracy to Unlawfully Import Cocaine into the United States and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Cruz was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 14, 2017. “Cruz allegedly played a critical role in the trafficking of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Cruz’s extradition from Mexico is an important step in holding her accountable for her alleged role in bringing dangerous drugs into the United States and into our local communities. We thank our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their work in this investigation and our international partners for their cooperation in helping us bring Cruz to justice.” “Drug traffickers exploit vulnerable members of our community to generate profits,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “Cases like this clearly demonstrate the resolve of the DEA to hold drug traffickers accountable.” “The extradition and arraignment of Irma Elvira Cruz, an alleged key figure in an international cocaine trafficking organization, demonstrates the unwavering commitment of HSI and our partners to dismantling transnational criminal networks,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “By targeting those who facilitate the flow of dangerous narcotics into our communities, we are sending a strong message that we will pursue justice across borders and hold traffickers accountable.” According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, Jr., the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2013, United States law enforcement identified a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that, between approximately 2013 and 2016, imported large quantities of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and into the United States for distribution, and transported drug proceeds from the United States to Mexico. The investigation identified Irma Elvira Cruz as an associate of the drug trafficking organization, allegedly responsible for the quality control testing of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, sent from Colombia to Costa Rica and Mexico, and intended to be delivered into the United States. Cruz allegedly conspired with others in Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, and elsewhere to coordinate the transportation of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Colombia through the coast of Central America for distribution in Mexico and the United States, including Atlanta, Georgia. Specifically, Cruz was allegedly responsible for testing the quality of a large shipment of cocaine ultimately destined for Atlanta. The investigation revealed that on or about September 3, 2015, Cruz traveled to the organization’s stash house in Heredia, Belen, Asuncion, Costa Rica, to test the purity of the cocaine to be delivered into the United States. The following day, law enforcement authorities stopped vehicles driven by Cruz’s associates leaving the stash house and seized approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine. Law enforcement authorities then searched the stash house and seized approximately 221 kilograms of cocaine. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. Cruz is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Coast Guard, United States Navy, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, United States Border Patrol, DeKalb County Police Department, and Georgia State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Forsyth, III and Elizabeth M. Hathaway are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Tarvin contributed to the prosecution as well. Also, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs coordinated with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Cruz. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies and eliminates 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 . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Owner of Boston Area Pizzerias Pleads Guilty to Defrauding U.S. Small Business Administration

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of Stash’s Pizza has pleaded guilty to submitting false information to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain a loan on behalf of a business he no longer owned. Stavros Papantoniadis, a/k/a “Steve Papantoniadis,” 49, of Westwood, pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging one count of false statements. U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for April 2, 2025. Papantoniadis has remained in custody since his arrest on March 16, 2023. Papantoniadis is the owner and operator of Stash’s Pizza, a chain of pizzerias in greater Boston. In April 2021, Papantoniadis sold one of his pizzerias located in Randolph, Mass., and the Secretary of State subsequently cancelled the limited liability company through which Papantoniadis owned the Randolph pizzeria. Between November 2021 and January 2022, Papantoniadis applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the SBA. These loans were designed to provide relief for existing small businesses that suffered substantial economic injury during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his submissions to the SBA, Papantoniadis falsely stated that he still owned and operated the pizzeria in Randolph, even claiming that he then had 18 employees at the location. However, in reality, Papantoniadis had sold the business several months before he applied for the loan. Based on Papantoniadis’ false representations, the SBA approved the loan and sent Papantoniadis $499,900. In June 2024, Papantoniadis was convicted by a federal jury of three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor. Based on evidence introduced at trial, Papantoniadis forced or attempted to force five men and one woman to work for him through violent physical abuse, threats of abuse and repeated threats to report victims to immigration authorities to have them deported. In October 2024, he was sentenced to 102 months in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a $35,000 fine. The false statement charge provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran, Chief of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Brian A. Fogerty of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit are prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form .


title: United States Sues Skilled Nursing Company, Executives and Consultant for Fraudulent Billing

body_text: BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed a joint complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office under the federal and Massachusetts False Claims Acts against 19 skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) in Massachusetts and Connecticut and their present and former management companies, RegalCare Management Group, LLC and RegalCare Management 2.0 (together “RegalCare”); RegalCare’s owner, Eliyahu Mirlis and an executive, Hector Caraballo; and RegalCare’s therapy consultant, Stern Therapy Consultants (Stern). SNFs are inpatient facilities that provide transitional care to patients following a hospital stay. Federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, reimburse providers for medically reasonable and necessary services rendered to SNF patients. Both the federal and Massachusetts False Claims Acts prohibit individuals or entities from submitting, or causing the submission of, false claims for payment and false statements material to a claim for payment from the respective governments. The complaint alleges that, between 2017 and 2023, RegalCare – at the direction of Mirlis and Caraballo and aided by Stern – fraudulently caused the submission of claims to Medicare and Medicaid (via MassHealth and its managed care organizations) for medically unreasonable and unnecessary services to patients of RegalCare’s SNFs. The defendants’ scheme allegedly resulted in millions of dollars in damages to the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Specifically, the complaint alleges that RegalCare, at Mirlis’ direction, systematically caused Medicare to be billed for the highest level of skilled rehabilitation therapy services at RegalCare’s SNFs in Massachusetts and Connecticut, despite patients not clinically needing those services. Caraballo facilitated Mirlis’ plan by ensuring that RegalCare’s patient records supported billing for such services – including altering and amending records despite knowing he was not authorized to do so at his licensing level, without having assessed or spoken to the patients, and often without having spoken to clinicians about the changes he personally made. The United States also alleges that RegalCare, through Mirlis and Caraballo, improperly directed RegalCare’s third-party billing company to bill Medicare for the highest-level skilled rehabilitation therapy services before the underlying necessary clinical documentation was even complete. The complaint further alleges that Stern, a New York long-term care consulting company, conspired with RegalCare to cause the submission of fraudulent claims to Medicare by scheduling therapists to provide unnecessary services, contrary to patients’ medical needs, to justify billing at the highest-level. When Stern therapists refused to provide services they deemed unnecessary or unreasonable, Stern managers threatened to take employment action against those therapists to pressure them to capitulate. “As alleged, these defendants drained Medicare and Medicaid of millions of dollars and put vulnerable patients at risk – making them undergo unnecessary, and sometimes painful, services,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “When facilities prioritize profits over patient well-being, they endanger those in their care and undermine the integrity of our healthcare system. This office will continue to hold accountable those who exploit federal healthcare programs at the expense of patients and taxpayers alike.” “I am proud of our team’s partnership with the USAO in this case, which advances elder justice and safeguards crucial nursing home funds,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “My office will continue to work aggressively to protect our elders and hold companies accountable that seek to harm them or violate our false claim laws.” “Taxpayers who fund the Medicare and Medicaid programs expect skilled nursing facilities to bill those programs honestly and accurately,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “The integrity of our federal health care system is undermined when that expectation is not met, and we will continue to thoroughly pursue allegations of False Claims Act violations.” Massachusetts contends that RegalCare, directed by Mirlis and Caraballo, submitted inflated claims to MassHealth for long-term care services performed for patients of RegalCare’s SNFs in Massachusetts. Between 2017 and 2023, RegalCare operated SNFs in Amesbury, Danvers, Greenfield, Harwich, Holyoke, Lowell, Quincy, Saugus, Taunton and Worcester. The complaint alleges that RegalCare, Mirlis and Caraballo altered documentation to support billing for increased long term care services even though the patient did not clinically need the additional services. The governments filed their complaint in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Acts. Under those laws, a private citizen can sue on behalf of the United Staes or Massachusetts and share in any recovery. The United States and Massachusetts also are entitled to intervene in the lawsuit, as they have done in this case, which is captioned United States and Commonwealth of Massachusetts ex rel. McCormick v. RegalCare Management 2.0, LLC, et al. U.S. Attorney Foley, AG Campbell and HHS-OIG SAC Coviello made the announcement today. This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Sharobem, Andrew Caffrey, Olivia Benjamin and Diane Seol of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit and Assistant Attorney General Scott Grannemann of the Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Division. The claims in which the United States and Massachusetts have intervened are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Waterbury Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Offense

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MELQUAWN JAMISON, 26, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for a firearm possession offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, Jamison was arrested on August 23, 2023, after Waterbury Police had made controlled purchases narcotics from him, or from a third party acting at Jamison’s direction, at his residence. On that date, a court-authorized search of Jamison’s residence revealed cocaine and fentanyl that he intended to distribute, a loaded Ruger SR .45 caliber handgun, and a Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun with extended magazine and fitted with a Glock switch auto sear device, which converted the gun to an automatic weapon. Jamison’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for sale of narcotics, escape in the first degree, burglary in the third degree, and larceny in the first degree. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Jamison has been detained since his arrest. On September 26, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Waterbury Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Freismuth. This prosecution was brought through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice 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 www.justice.gov/psn .


title: U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Announce Federal Charges in Domestic Altercation

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinedale man faces federal charges for assault with a dangerous weapon following an altercation on the Navajo Nation. According to the indictment, on February 17, 2025, Laberto Curley , 26, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly attacked the victim with a razor blade knife at a residence in Pinedale, New Mexico, after a verbal argument escalated into a physical altercation. As a result, the victim sustained a laceration to the neck and was transported to the hospital. Curley will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Curley faces up to 10 years in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Sentencing of New York Man for Role in Scheme Defrauding Bernalillo County

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A New York man was sentenced today in federal court for his role in a business email compromise scheme that defrauded Bernalillo County of over $447,000. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, Oscar Kipikirui Ngeno , a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Kenya, was involved in a business email compromise scheme targeting the government of Bernalillo County, New Mexico. Between October and December 2019, while residing in New York on an immigrant visa, Ngeno allowed others to have access to his bank account, which was used for fraudulent transfers. The scheme involved a spoofed email sent to Bernalillo County, purportedly from a legitimate vendor, containing falsified payment information and a phone number controlled by Ngeno . As a result, the county transferred a total of $447,372.89 to Ngeno 's account over several months. Ngeno became aware of the illegal nature of these transfers and the criminal origin of the funds in his account. On November 6, 2019, he used approximately $13,090.82 of the fraudulently obtained money to pay off a personal vehicle loan with Capital One Auto. On November 15, 2024, Ngeno pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, acknowledging his role in the scheme. Ngeno was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $15,000 to Bernalillo County. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Buffalo Field Office, the Rochester Resident Agency, Richmond FBI Field Office and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley is prosecuting the case.


title: Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley’s Family

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Missouri woman pleaded guilty today in the Western District of Tennessee for her role in a scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family of millions of dollars and to steal the family’s ownership interest in Graceland, Elvis Presley’s former home in Memphis, Tennessee. According to court documents, Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, of Kimberling City, orchestrated a scheme to conduct a fraudulent sale of Graceland — using a fake company, forged documents, and false court filings — by falsely claiming that Elvis Presley’s daughter had pledged Graceland as collateral for a loan that she failed to repay before her death. Findley threatened to foreclose on Graceland and auction it to the highest bidder if Elvis Presley’s family did not pay or settle the claim against the estate. Findley pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Taylor Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee, Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office made the announcement. The USPIS and FBI Nashville Field Office are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Aaron Henricks of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case. Fraud Section Assistant Chief Cory E. Jacobs and Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton provided substantial assistance with the investigation and prosecution.


title: King County man who dealt narcotics on the dark web and kept a cache of weapons at his RV sentenced to 8 years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A King County man, arrested after law enforcement discovered a drug lab and cache of firearms and explosives inside an RV near a state park, was sentenced today to eight years in prison for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a machinegun, and unlawful possession of destructive devices, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Braiden F. Wilson, 29, and his partner, 30- year-old Chandler B. Bennett were arrested following a May 12, 2024, shooting in rural King County. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, the crimes “were egregious… You distributed a large amount of drugs that cause a danger to our community.” “Mr. Wilson used the dark web to advertise his potentially deadly wares, shipping fentanyl pills across the country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “He further placed the lives of the community in danger by stockpiling a cache of weapons and explosives, which he stored adjacent to a state park frequented by the public.” According to records filed in the case, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) was investigating Wilson for dealing drugs on the dark web, when King County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the RV near Olallie State Park when Wilson was shot. The deputies noticed that the RV had surveillance cameras and asked to get access to the recorded video to identify the assailant. Bennett refused to allow law enforcement to enter the RV, so they sought a warrant from a King County Judge. When law enforcement entered the RV, they found a large cache of weapons as well as fentanyl powder, tablets containing fentanyl, and sundry items associated with the manufacture of tablets, including a manual pill press. Law enforcement located more than two and a half kilograms of fentanyl-laced pills. Law enforcement seized 16 firearms, body armor, silencers, and ballistic shields. They also found gun parts made from 3D printers – making them untraceable. There were multiple destructive devices and literature on the chemistry and manufacturing of explosives, as well as literature on how to convert firearms to fully automatic capability. Agents and officers also searched two storage units associated with Wilson and found two additional pill presses, more controlled substances, and mailing supplies. In all law enforcement seized more than two kilos of fentanyl-laced pills, nearly a kilo of fentanyl powder, and more than three kilos of methamphetamine. Computer and bank records reveal that Wilson distributed controlled substances via his dark web identity more than 2,000 times and he took in more than $287,000 in crypto currency. Wilson pleaded guilty in October 2024. Asking for an eight-year prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Wilson engaged in a comprehensive enterprise to distribute fentanyl-laced pills throughout the country by offering his products for sale on dark web marketplaces… He maintained a veritable armory while engaged in his drug distribution business. Inside the motorhomes Wilson shared with his co-defendant, investigators found an operable machinegun; silencers designed to muffle the report of a discharged firearm; a shotgun stored in a case designed to look like it carried a musical instrument; destructive devices commonly called pipe bombs; and materials to make more destructive devices.” “This is another example of great work by our patrol deputies, as they went above and beyond on a call that resulted in taking two dangerous criminals off the street,” said King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall. “Additionally, I am so proud of the work done by our Gun Violence Reduction Unit. That team was able to ensure the proper steps were taken in this investigation, and in partnership with several federal agencies, were able to hold these people accountable and ensure justice was served.” The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with assistance from the Washington State Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne.


title: Convicted Felon Caught with Firearm During Traffic Stop Sentenced to 30 Months

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Keon Shine (aka Keylin Hall), 35, to 30 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Shine pleaded guilty on July 29, 2024. According to court records, in June 2023, the Lewiston Police Department stopped a vehicle in which Shine was a passenger. A check of the vehicle’s occupants revealed that Shine had previously served six and a half years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm and was on federal probation. When questioned by law enforcement, the vehicle’s driver said there was a firearm in the vehicle’s center console. Shine later admitted when questioned by investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that the Glock firearm recovered belonged to him. Shine’s 2017 conviction in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine precluded him from possessing a firearm. The Lewiston Police Department and ATF investigated the case. 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn . ###


title: Lexington County Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kenneth J. Brown, 45, and Nicholas R. Shepard, 46, both of Lexington, have each been sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud for their involvement in business email compromise and romance scams. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Brown and Shepard coordinated with others to receive checks from victims of the business email compromise and romance scams through the United States mail to their business, Golden Eagle Precious Metals Exchange in Irmo. After receiving the checks, Brown and Shepard deposited them into their business account and then converted the money into cryptocurrency. Senior United States District Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Brown and Shepard to 16 months imprisonment each, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Although a potential fine was waived, they were ordered to pay $415,196.66 in restitution to the victims of their crimes. Brown and Shepard are jointly and severally liable for the restitution. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Matthews and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Orleans Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

body_text: BOSTON – An Orleans man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for child pornography offenses. Anthony Argo, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Argo pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Argo was arrested and charged in July 2024 . Argo was identified as the user of a chat application who was expressing sexual interest in minors and sharing CSAM. During a search of his residence, Argo was found in possession of an SD card and multiple USB drives containing thousands of images depicting child pornography. The files depicted children as young as infants. According to court documents, Argo was previously convicted in Barnstable District Court for indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over and in Orleans District Court for kidnapping, enticement of a child under 16 and distributing obscene matter to a minor. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Frederick, Maryland and the Orleans Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Maryland Man Convicted of Fentanyl Distribution

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – After a seven-day trial, a federal jury returned a verdict against OJ Rashad Green, also known as “Ice” age 36, of Accokeek, finding him guilty of knowingly and intentionally distributing fentanyl, a controlled substance, on multiple occasions. The guilty verdict was announced by Phil Selden, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department, Sheriff Troy Berry of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, and Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., of the Maryland State Police. “As proven at Defendant Green’s federal trial he sold fentanyl that fueled the opioid crisis in Southern Maryland,” stated Acting United States Attorney Phil Selden. “Maryland has been deeply impacted by the opioid crisis, and the District of Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with our federal, state and local partners, will continue our tireless efforts to prosecute drug traffickers responsible for this crisis.” Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division stated that “to protect the American public, it is the mission of the DEA to investigate and take down violent drug traffickers like Mr. Green, that are preying on our citizens illegally distributing fake pills containing lethal amounts of fentanyl with no regard for human lives. Today’s guilty verdict emphasizes our commitment to the tireless work of investigating and prosecuting those responsible for fueling addiction and deadly overdoses and poisonings in our area – saving lives in our communities.” According to the evidence presented at trial, from on or about January 21, 2022 through September 28, 2022 the Defendant, OJ Rashad Green, repeatedly distributed fentanyl in the Accokeek, Maryland area. These distributions happened at both a home he controlled in Accokeek and during in-person deliveries at various locations to users and other dealers. The Defendant employed individuals as both testers of the fentanyl that the Defendant mixed with various other substances, and as runners to meet customers outside the home. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow scheduled sentencing for a future date. Acting United States Attorney Phil Selden commended the DEA and PGPD, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Selden thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darren S. Gardner and Brooke Oki, who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach .


title: Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Grain Valley, Mo., police officer pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child. August Price Gildehaus, 28, of Blue Springs, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to one count of enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of producing child pornography. Gildehaus, a Grain Valley police officer at the time of the offenses, was originally charged by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office. By pleading guilty today, Gildehaus admitted that he engaged in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old female victim. Gildehaus and the victim met on an online social media platform. Gildehaus met with the victim on five separate occasions between Aug. 5, 2022, and Jan. 5, 2023, to engage in illicit sexual activity at different locations, including a middle school parking lot. Gildehaus admitted that the child victim took photographs of herself when she was home, and he took photographs of himself that he sent to her. Gildehaus also admitted that he recorded videos of their sexual encounters. Under federal statutes, Gildehaus is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Brackett. It was investigated by the Grain Valley, Mo., Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Former NOPD Sergeant Sentenced to 5 Years Probation After Pleading Guilty to Six Counts of Wire Fraud tor Double Billing and Billing for Time Not Worked

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced former New Orleans Police Department Sergeant TODD F. MORRELL , age 57, a resident of New Orleans, to 5 years of probation, 8 months of home confinement, 150 hours of community service, a $5,000 fine, and payment of a mandatory $600 special assessment fee after he previously pleaded guilty to six (6) counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, for perpetrating a multi-year scheme to defraud NOPD and the New Orleans Fair Grounds, an entity that paid him to provide off-duty police details. A restitution hearing is set for April 29, 2025. According to court documents, MORRELL was a NOPD Sergeant with NOPD’s Special Operations Division, serving both on a Tactical Platoon and the Bomb Disposal Unit. He supplemented his NOPD income with security-oriented secondary employment ( i.e. , “police details”) while off-duty, including a detail with the New Orleans Fair Grounds Neighborhood Patrol (“Fair Grounds Patrol”). The Fair Grounds Patrol was created by city ordinance to enhance police service around the New Orleans Fair Grounds Racecourse. The Fair Grounds Patrol consisted of two patrol cars operating 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, with one off-duty NOPD officer per car. MORRELL signed annual certifications attesting to his understanding of NOPD policies, including the secondary employment policy, and acknowledging that he would “actively monitor my hours” and would “not engage in activities or personal business which would cause them to neglect or be inattentive to duty.” Notwithstanding these annual certifications, on numerous occasions between early 2017 and November 30, 2021, MORRELL submitted and certified timecards to NOPD and time sheets to the Fair Grounds Patrol,falsely claiming to have been on duty (for NOPD) and on detail (for the Fair Grounds Patrol) when, in actuality, MORRELL was not present for duty. Instead, MORRELL engaged in personal, recreational activities unrelated to his work duties. Often, MORRELL was engaged in recreational race car driving in Avondale, Louisiana, and Austin, Texas, while claiming to be on duty and on detail. Additionally, MORRELL “double billed” NOPD and the Fair Grounds Patrol by submitting time sheets to both entities reflecting that he was working for both entities simultaneously. The six counts to which MORRELL pled guilty, are representative examples of his scheme. These counts related to individual payments MORRELL received for submitting false and fraudulent time sheets for on duty and secondary employment shifts while a part of the Fair Grounds Patrol. The various dates he falsely claimed to work that constituted the six counts were: July 1, 2019, December 21, 2020, January 23, 2021, March 13, 2021, March 14, 2021, April 25, 2021, April 30, 2021, and October 23, 2021. “When anyone willfully commits fraud, our office will investigate, and if warranted, prosecute,” stated Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson. “Mr. Morrell’s sentencing is an acknowledgment of the betrayal, and breach of public trust, as well as the resultant harm stemming therefrom, that his serial fraudulent acts have caused the New Orleans Police Department, and the citizens of New Orleans. This successful investigation and prosecution, exemplify the strong partnership between our office, the FBI, the New Orleans Office of Inspector General and the New Orleans Public Integrity Bureau.” “The FBI will continue to investigate fraud and corruption at all levels of government and individuals like Mr. Morrell who exploit the public's trust for personal gain,” said FBI New Orleans Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus. “We thank the New Orleans Inspector General's Office and the New Orleans Public Integrity Bureau for their assistance in bringing this misconduct to light.” Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and expressed appreciation for the support provided by the City of New Orleans Office of Inspector General and the New Orleans Public Integrity Bureau. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, and Brittany L. Reed also of the Public Integrity Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Haven Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for 2 Gunpoint Robberies in 2023

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GARY GIBSON, JR., 25, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for a firearm offense stemming from his armed robberies of two convenience stores in May 2023. According to court documents and statements made in court, shortly after midnight on May 7, 2023, Gibson, brandishing a Glock semiautomatic handgun, robbed the Star Food & Convenience Store, located at 193 Boston Post Road in West Haven. Gibson took approximately $1,860 cash from the register and took cash and an iPhone from an employee of the store. In the afternoon of May 8, 2023, Gibson entered the 7th Haven Convenience Store, located at 129 Sylvan Avenue in New Haven, and forced an employee to the ground at gunpoint. After taking approximately $5,700 cash from the register and rent money, Gibson fired a shot into the ceiling during a struggle with the employee. Gibson then fled. New Haven Police, with the assistance of West Haven Police, arrested Gibson in Milford shortly after the New Haven robbery and seized from him the handgun used during the robberies. The gun had an attached laser sight and a loaded 15-round magazine. Gibson’s criminal history includes six felony convictions for weapon possession, robbery, and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Gibson has been detained since May 8, 2023. On July 15, 2024, he pleaded guilty to carrying, using, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Judge Chatigny ordered Gibson to pay $7,560 in restitution. This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, the New Haven Police Department, and the West Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Natchitoches Man Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, La. – Christopher Aaron Stanfield , 37, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell sentenced Stanfield to 97 months (8 years, 1 month) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for the offense. On October 6, 2020, officers with the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office executed an arrest warrant at Stanfield’s residence in Natchitoches. Prior to the execution of the arrest warrant, a search warrant had also been secured for Stanfield’s apartment in connection with a separate and ongoing investigation. During the arrest and search, law enforcement officers collected several electronic devices, including iPads, a laptop, and an iPhone. Stanfield was interviewed by law enforcement officers and admitted to committing several criminal offenses, including theft and identity theft. He further admitted that he had been using the “dark web” to commit these offenses. A subsequent forensic review of Stanfield’s seized electronic equipment was conducted by the Bossier City Marshal’s Office, Cybercrime Unit, and revealed that there were approximately 513 still images and 6 videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minor children. These images and videos included the rape of infants and toddlers. Stanfield pleaded guilty to the charge on March 14, 2024. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office and Bossier City Marshal’s Office, Cybercrime Unit, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678 . # # #