title: Nampa Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Felony for Selling Over $4.4 Million in Unapproved Steroid-Like Drugs

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE – Michael Terry Little, 51, of Nampa, pleaded guilty to introduction of unapproved new drugs in interstate commerce, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, Little ran a business selling Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs). Little primarily sold SARMs products via a website, https://sarm.tech under the name SARMTECH. SARMs are synthetic chemicals designed to mimic the effects of testosterone and other anabolic steroids. SARMs are “new drugs” under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and therefore not approved for sale. Little knew the SARMs products were not FDA approved. Little manufactured his SARMs products at a business in Nampa. There, he processed the bulk ingredients he imported from China—encapsulating, bottling, and preparing them for shipment. To avoid government seizures of SARMs shipped to other countries, Little offered a stealth shipping option for an additional fee that intentionally mispackaged and falsely declared SARMs shipments as vitamins and supplements. Law enforcement made multiple undercover purchases of SARMs products from SARMTECH, including products containing Ostarine (MK-2866), Ligandrol (LGD-4033), and other SARMs compounds. Between March 2018 and January 2022, little sold at least $4,499,197.46 of SARMs products. Little is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, 2023 and faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. “I am grateful to the team of attorneys and law enforcement agents who unraveled this illegal and dangerous scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We are committed to protecting the public from those who sell unapproved drugs, especially when the ingredients used are imported from China without any way to verify their safety.” “Unapproved drugs that are sold online present serious risks to consumers,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those whose actions threaten the public health.” U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement, which led to the charges. ###


title: Son of Murder Victim and a Co-Conspirator Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder-for-Hire Committed at McDonald's Drive-Thru

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Anthony Zottola, Sr. and Himen Ross were sentenced by United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez to mandatory life imprisonment plus 112 years for their roles in the October 4, 2018 killing of 71-year-old Sylvester Zottola, the father of Anthony Zottola, Sr. The additional years represent 41 years for Salvatore Zottola’s age when he was shot and 71 years for Sylvester Zottola’s age when he was killed. In October 2022, following a six-week trial, a federal jury found the defendants guilty of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and firearms offenses. Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the sentence. “Over the course of more than a year, the elderly victim, Sylvester Zottola, was stalked, beaten, and stabbed, never knowing who orchestrated the attacks. It was his own son, who was so determined to control the family’s lucrative real estate business, that he hired a gang of hit men to murder his father,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “For sentencing his father to a violent death, Anthony Zottola and his co-defendant will spend the rest of their lives in prison. I commend our prosecutors, the FBI Special Agents and NYPD detectives for their tremendous investigative work solving this cold-blooded crime and bringing the defendants to justice.” “Today’s sentence justly punishes Mr. Zottola and Mr. Ross to life imprisonment for their roles in the heartless murder of Sylvester Zottola. The FBI and the NYPD worked relentlessly to investigate this case and ensure the defendants paid the price for their senseless actions. Today’s result is a direct reflection of their effort, as well as that of the skilled and dedicated professionals from the Eastern District of New York who prosecuted the case,” stated Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. Sylvester Zottola controlled a residential real estate portfolio consisting of multi-family rental properties that was valued at tens of millions of dollars at the time of his death. Defendant Anthony Zottola helped manage his father Sylvester Zottola’s real estate business by maintaining the properties, collecting rent, and helping to run A&S Maintenance, a company that was jointly owned by Anthony and his brother Salvatore Zottola. Anthony Zottola plotted to kill his father and his brother so that he could take control of the family business. As proven at trial, Anthony Zottola hired co-conspirator Bushawn Shelton to kill his father and his brother, Salvatore. Shelton recruited others to commit the murders, and together they engaged in a year-long conspiracy to carry out a series of violent attacks against Sylvester and Salvatore Zottola. Among other attempts, on November 26, 2017, Sylvester Zottola was menaced at gunpoint by a masked individual. On December 27, 2017, three men invaded Sylvester Zottola’s residence, struck him on the head with a gun, stabbed him multiple times, and slashed his throat. Zottola survived the attack. Then on July 11, 2018, a gunman shot Salvatore Zottola in the head, chest, and hand in front of his residence. Zottola survived the shooting. The conspirators placed a tracking device on Sylvester Zottola’s car, allowing Ross to track him to a McDonald’s restaurant on Webster Avenue in the Bronx where Ross fatally shot the victim multiple times while the victim waited to pick up a cup of coffee in the drive-through. Ross and Shelton exchanged texts immediately after the hit, and then Shelton and Anthony Zottola exchanged texts, in which Anthony was informed that his father had just been murdered. Shelton texted Anthony Zottola: “Can we party today or tomorrow?” Anthony Zottola assured Shelton that he would have Shelton’s payment for carrying out the murder ready soon: “I have the cases of water in a day or so.” A photograph later recovered from one of Shelton’s cellular telephones shows a cardboard box of bottled water, as well as over $200,000 in banded currency. Shelton pleaded guilty in August 2022 to murder-for-hire conspiracy and murder-for-hire. He is awaiting sentencing. Co-defendants Herman Blanco, Arthur Codner, Jason Cummings, and Branden Peterson previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment, 228 months’ imprisonment, 204 months’ imprisonment, and 192 months’ imprisonment, respectively. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Kayla C. Bensing, Emily J. Dean, Devon Lash, and Andrew M. Roddin are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of paralegal specialist Brittany Wissel. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Morris assisted with forfeiture matters. The Defendants : HIMEN ROSS (also known as “Ace” and “A Boggie”) Age: 37 Bronx, New York ANTHONY ZOTTOLA, SR. Age: 45 Larchmont, New York Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty: HERMAN BLANCO (also known as “Taliban” and “L”) Age: 38 Bronx, New York ARTHUR CODNER (also known as “Feddi,” “Feddi Bossgod,” and “Scary”) Age: 34 New Hampton, New York JASON CUMMINGS (also known as “The Hat” and “Stacks”) Age: 34 Brooklyn, New York KALIK MCFARLANE (also known as “Dottkom” and “Dot”) Age: 40 Brooklyn, New York BUSHAWN SHELTON (also known as “Shelz”) Age: 38 Brooklyn, New York JULIAN SNIPE (also known as “Biz” and “Bizzzy”) Age: 37 Bronx, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-609 (S-3) (HG)


title: Career Offender Who Led Authorities on a High-Speed Chase on I-95 Found Guilty of Firearm and Narcotic Charges

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Wilson-based United Blood Nation gang member on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. “Vick recklessly led police on a high-speed chase on a busy interstate across multiple counties in Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “He endangered the lives of law enforcement and other drivers in his efforts to elude capture and continue his criminal activity. Now, he is facing time in a federal prison.” According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nazeer Vick, 32, was found in possession of a firearm and marijuana during a traffic stop in Wilson after a K9 unit detected the odor of marijuana. Vick was arrested but quickly bonded out of custody. Nearly six months later, on October 7, 2020, Nash County deputies encountered a car being driven by Vick that was driving erratically on Interstate 95, weaving in and out of traffic and reaching speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour. Vick fled from Nash County, into Wilson County and then into Johnston County where he crashed on I-95 after colliding with a transfer truck. Vick then crawled out of a window of the mangled car with a black bookbag and fled on foot to a nearby motel. Vick was captured by hotel security cameras running around the hotel attempting to open hotel room doors. He threw the bookbag into a trashcan and then hid in an electrical closet where he was later found by law enforcement. Officers recovered the discarded bookbag which contained cocaine, cocaine base, marijuana, various pills, a digital scale, a loaded firearm, and documents associated with Vick. Vick is a validated member of the United Blood Nation street gang and has a lengthy criminal history including voluntary manslaughter, selling heroin, possession with intent to sell or deliver heroin, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He will face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life imprisonment when sentenced during the July 24, 2023, term of court. Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Wilson Police Department, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, Rocky Mount Police Department, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Foxx and Robert Dodson prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00485-D. ###


title: Former North Shore Resident Pleads Guilty to COVID-Relief Fraud

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former North Shore resident pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to charges that he filed fraudulent applications for more than $660,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds and used those funds for personal expenses, including the purchase of an alpaca farm in Vermont. Dana L. McIntyre, 59, of Grafton, Vt. and previously of Beverly and Essex, Mass., pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2023. McIntyre was arrested and charged by criminal complaint and later indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2021. McIntyre is the former owner of Rasta Pasta Pizzeria in Beverly. In March 2020, McIntyre used the names of his adult children to submit two fraudulent applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for fictitious businesses. Beginning in April 2020, McIntyre submitted an application and weekly certifications in order to receive Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits. In these filings, McIntyre falsely claimed that he was not working or receiving income as a result of the pandemic, while McIntyre in fact was still operating the restaurant and paying himself income from the business. By September 2020, when McIntyre sold the restaurant, he had received over $17,000 in PUA and related benefits that he was not entitled to receive. In April 2020, McIntyre submitted a fraudulent application for a PPP loan of over $660,000 through an SBA-approved lender. In the application, McIntyre inflated information about the pizzeria’s employees and payroll expenses and falsified an official tax form in an effort to qualify the business for a larger loan amount. After receiving a PPP loan of over $660,000, McIntyre sold the pizzeria and used nearly all the funds to purchase and improve an alpaca farm in Vermont and on other personal expenses, including two vehicles and air time for his crypto-currency themed radio show. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property. 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 Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Holcomb and Mackenzie A. Queenin of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud 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, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: California Man Sentenced for Threatening Merriam-Webster with Anti-LGBTQ Violence

body_text: BOSTON – A California man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for making threats to commit anti-LGBTQ violence against Springfield-based dictionary company Merriam-Webster, Inc. and others. Jeremy David Hanson, 34, of Rossmoor, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. In September 2022, Hanson pleaded guilty to one count of interstate communication of threatening communications to commit violence against the employees of Merriam-Webster, and to another count charging the same offense, initially filed in the Eastern District of Texas, targeting the President of the University of North Texas. As part of his plea agreement, Hanson also admitted to sending threatening communications to various corporations, politicians, and others, including the Walt Disney Co., the Governor of California, the Mayor of New York City, a New York rabbi and professors at Loyola Marymount University. Many of these threatening communications specified the race, gender, gender identity and/or sexual orientation of various persons. Hanson persisted in his communications in spite of repeated interactions with law enforcement officers. “Hate has no place in Massachusetts. Every person has a right to live their life authentically and without fear. I hope today’s sentence will demonstrate to members of the LGBTQ+ community that this office will hold those who engage in threatening, hateful acts accountable. Mr. Hanson made numerous, anonymous hate-fueled threats of violence to intimidate and instill fear. Hateful and bigoted acts, even if only spoken like those committed by Mr. Hanson, terrorize communities and are destructive to our society,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Hate motivated acts of any kind will never be tolerated in our Commonwealth and perpetrators – including those who think they can hide behind a keyboard need to know we will find you and prosecute you. Members of the public are strongly encouraged to call the 1-83-END-H8-NOW (1-833-634-8669) line if they have information about concerning or troubling incidents of hate, potential hate crimes or threats.” “Despite repeated interactions with law enforcement directing Jeremy Hanson to stop his hateful tirades threatening violence, he continued to make them. In doing so, his bias against the LGBTQ+ community instilled real fear and safety concerns, causing Merriam-Webster to close its offices in Springfield and New York City for almost five days,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s sentence cannot undo the damage Hanson did, but it can provide some comfort in knowing that threats to life are not protected free speech but criminal acts, and the FBI and our partners will vigorously pursue those who commit them. If you are a victim or witness to similar conduct, we’d ask you to report it to us by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.” Between Oct. 2 and Oct. 8, 2021, Springfield-based Merriam-Webster, Inc. received various threatening messages and comments demonstrating bias against specific gender identities submitted through its website’s “Contact Us” page and in the comments section on its webpages that corresponded to the word entries for “Girl” and “Woman.” Authorities later identified the user as Hanson. Specifically, on Oct. 2, 2021, Hanson used the handle “@anonYmous” to post the following comment on the dictionary’s website definition of “female.” “It is absolutely sickening that Merriam-Webster now tells blatant lies and promotes anti-science propaganda. There is no such thing as ‘gender identity.’ The imbecile who wrote this entry should be hunted down and shot.” That same day, Hanson also sent threatening messages via the website’s “Contact Us” page. On Oct. 8, 2021, Hanson posted another threatening comment on the dictionary’s website and a threatening message via the “Contact Us” page that read: “I am going to shoot up and bomb your offices for lying and creating fake definitions in order to pander to the tranny mafia. Boys aren’t girls, and girls aren’t boys. The only good Marxist is a dead Marxist. I will assassinate your top editor. You sickening, vile tranny freaks.” As a result of the threats, Merriam-Webster temporarily closed its offices in Springfield, Mass. and New York City. In addition, on March 3, 2022, Hanson sent a threatening email to the President of the University of North Texas. The title of the email read: “You ought to be shot in the head and have your offices set on fire for supporting child genital mutilation and transgenderism.” The body of the email read: “YOU LEFTIST FREAKS are the intolerant ones. Trannies are disgusting PERVERTS. Every single tranny freak should be gassed, along with their supporters. I will personally go to your university and start executing tyrannical leftist students and faculty who oppress conservatives. The only good Democrat is a dead Democrat.” In August 2022, U.S. Attorney Rollins announced the creation of the “End Hate Now” hotline - 1-83-END-H8-NOW (1-833-634-8669) - for reporting hate-based incidents or potential criminal activity. Massachusetts residents and visitors are encouraged to call the hotline to report concerning or troubling incidents of hate, potential hate crimes, or concerns regarding individuals believed to be espousing the hate-filled views or actions we learn of far too often in the wake of mass shootings and/or acts of hate-based violent extremism. Callers are encouraged to leave their contact information but may remain anonymous. At this time, the hotline is available in English, Spanish, Cantonese and French. U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: Chelmsford Dentist Pleads Guilty to Medicaid Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Chelmsford dentist pleaded guilty yesterday to engaging in a Medicaid Fraud Scheme. Scott Cale, 68, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud and one count of health care fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for July 20, 2023. Cale was indicted by a grand jury and arrested in January 2020 along with co-conspirator Anthony DiStefano. Charges against the DiStefano were dismissed. DiStefano was barred from participating in the MassHealth insurance program because of significant concerns concerning the quality of dental care DiStefano delivered to patients. In order to circumvent his exclusion from the MassHealth provider network, DiStefano recruited Cale to join his practice. From 2014 to 2018, dental services that DiStefano personally delivered were billed to MassHealth using Cale’s provider identification credentials. Cale then paid DiStefano a share of the money that MassHealth had paid Cale. The purpose of this arrangement was to deceive MassHealth into paying for dental services that were not reimbursable (because MassHealth had terminated DiStefano from the MassHealth program). As a result of this scheme, multiple MassHealth patients were harmed and received dangerously poor care from DiStefano. The charges of health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, one year 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 Rachael S. Rollins; Andrea Joy Campbell, Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan Panich and Chris Looney of Rollins’ Healthcare Fraud Unit and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Lownds, detailed from Campbell’s office, are prosecuting the case.


title: Columbia Man Who Threatened the Use of a Firearm During a Social Media Livestream Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: Columbia, SOUTH CAROLINA — Paul Burton, 27, of Columbia, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on February 15, 2022, around 12:30am, Burton posted a livestream video on social media at a Columbia gas station. In the video, Burton bragged about successfully robbing a rival gang member of a gold chain, which he displayed. Additional portions of the livestream show Burton going into the gas station and threatening the rival gang member a second time by displaying the firearm and spitting in his direction in the presence of the store clerk. Later that same day, the City of Columbia Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a car driven by Burton. Because the car smelled of marijuana, police officers conducted a search and found a loaded pistol. On February 16, 2022, members of the Midlands Gang Task Force interviewed Burton, and he admitted the same pistol in his car was the one he used during the robbery at the gas station. Federal law prohibits Burton from possessing a firearm or ammunition based on prior convictions for Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature, Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Burton to 51 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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. This case was investigated by the City of Columbia Police Department, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Haverhill Pill Distributor Indicted for Trafficking Tens of Thousands of Pills Containing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

body_text: BOSTON – A Haverhill man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly distributing tens of thousands of pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Angel Joel Diaz, a/k/a “Guero,” 34, was indicted on one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and methadone. Diaz was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Feb. 15, 2023. According to the charging documents, in January 2023, an investigation began into Diaz’s fentanyl pill manufacturing and distribution operation. On Jan. 10, 2023, an undercover officer contacted Diaz posing as a potential drug customer seeking to purchase counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl. It is alleged that after Diaz agreed to meet the following day, on Jan. 11, 2023, he then provided the undercover officer with 208 fentanyl pills weighing approximately 26 grams. Half of the pills allegedly contained methamphetamine in addition to fentanyl. During the meeting, it is alleged that Diaz told the officer that he manufactures his own fentanyl pills, which he distributes in Lawrence and Boston as well as in New York via mail shipments. Following the meeting, Diaz allegedly maintained communication with the undercover officer regarding additional fentanyl pill purchases. During the communications, it is alleged that Diaz sent several photos depicting his manufacturing process including images of a blue substance in tin pans, wrapped bricks of suspected fentanyl and blue pills with “M-30” stamps commonly used to manufacture counterfeit pills. It is further alleged that on two subsequent occasions, Jan. 27, 2023 and Feb. 7, 2023, Diaz distributed thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing suspected fentanyl to the undercover officer. On Feb. 14, 2023, Diaz allegedly sent a photo of suspected fentanyl pills to the undercover officer saying that, “even making it with a mask makes you want to vomit and everything.” According to court documents on Feb. 15, 2023, Diaz was arrested while carrying a shopping bag containing tens of thousands of fentanyl pills separated into seven plastic bags. During a subsequent search of Diaz’s Haverhill residence two pill presses; thousands of pills; pill stamps; several masks; loose powder of various colors; and suspected fentanyl powder and chemicals used in manufacturing pills were recovered. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and methadone provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Everett Man Pleads Guilty to Securities Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – An Everett man pleaded guilty on April 12, 2023 to exerting secret control over a Massachusetts-based company, Cannabiz Mobile, Inc., as part of a pump-and-dump securities fraud scheme. Christopher R. Esposito, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris who scheduled sentencing for July 26, 2023. Esposito was charged in August 2022. Esposito and a co-conspirator, Anthony Jay Pignatello, worked together between 2012 and 2015 to conceal their control over Cannabiz Mobile, Inc. and to use backdated promissory notes to fraudulently obtain free-trading shares in the company. Among other steps taken to conceal their control, Esposito caused another individual to be installed as the company’s chairman, president, and CEO. In reality, the executive reported to Esposito. Esposito and Pignatello then arranged for a promotional campaign in October 2014 to artificially inflate the value and trading volume of Cannabiz Mobile’s stock so that they could secretly sell their shares. In total, between September 2014 and February 2015, Esposito personally sold over 1.3 million shares fraudulently obtained as part of the scheme. Pignatello separately pleaded guilty in March 2021 to conspiracy to commit securities fraud for his role in the scheme. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 12, 2023 before U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. The charging statute for securities fraud provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. The charging statute for conspiracy to commit securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. 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 Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Daycare CEO Sentenced to Prison, Ordered to Pay $1.3 Million Restitution for Check Kiting Scheme and Unpaid Taxes

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MACON, Ga. – The CEO of a Georgia-based daycare business was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution this week for conducting a check kiting and tax scheme. Ilene Farley, 62, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $514,240.89 in restitution to Bank of America and $844,091.77 in restitution to the IRS by U.S. District Marc T. Treadwell on April 12 after she previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud and failure to pay over trust fund taxes on Nov. 16. 2022. There is no parole in the federal system. “These type of criminal schemes—whether the harm is directed to individuals or businesses—will not be ignored by this office or our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “We will unravel the fraud and hold wrongdoers accountable for their crimes.” “Ilene Farley believed she had found a shortcut to put money in her pocket, and now she will pay for her criminal behavior,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Today’s guilty plea reflects the FBI’s commitment to work with our partners to bring fraudsters who steal from banks to justice.” “Employers have a lawful duty and responsibility to withhold income taxes from their employees’ payroll check; failure to do so negatively impacts the U.S. Government and the employees,” said James E. Dorsey, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to finding and holding those employers engaging in employment tax evasion accountable so that American taxpayers who are entitled can enjoy the benefits of Medicare and social security.” According to court documents, Farley was the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tender Years Learning Corporation (TYLC). TYLC operated several daycare centers within the Middle District of Georgia and elsewhere in the state of Georgia and had a registered office at 1010 N. Houston Road, Warner Robins, Georgia. Farley handled its financial affairs. The business had several bank accounts, including with Bank of America and Citizens Trust Bank. When a customer presents a check for deposit into an account, it can take anywhere from 24 hours to seven days for the check to clear. The time between presentment and clearing of a check is called the “float.” The term “check kiting” refers to a form of check fraud which involves taking advantage of the float—the time between presentment of a check and the actual receipt of funds—to make use of non-existent funds in a checking or other bank account. The purpose of check kiting is to falsely inflate the balance of a checking account to allow written checks that would otherwise bounce to clear. From April 2018 until July 2019, Farley executed a check kiting scheme using the TYLC bank accounts with Bank of America and Citizens Trust Bank, sending more than $75,000,000 to banks which were unfunded amounts and were the equivalent of obtaining money from banks without secured loans. All told, 19 checks bounced during the scheme in the amount of $2,202,162.41. Bank of America ended up with a loss of $514,240.89. In addition, Farley was required to collect, account for and pay so-called “trust fund taxes” for TYLC’s employees, which includes Social Security, Medicare and federal income taxes. Employers are required to remit these withheld trust fund taxes to the IRS on a quarterly basis. Between 2015 and 2019, Farley failed to pay the IRS $844,091.77 of the TYLC employees’ trust fund taxes which had been withheld from the employees’ paychecks. Through her guilty plea, Farley admitted that she knowingly carried out a scheme to defraud Bank of America and Citizens Trust Bank; in addition, she admitted that she did not pay her employee trust fund taxes. The case was investigated by FBI and IRS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard prosecuted the case for the government.


title: Canton Man Sentenced for Online Fraud Conspiracy and Obstruction of Justice

body_text: BOSTON – A Canton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his involvement in romance scams and other online fraud schemes targeting individuals in the United States. Mark Arome Okuo, 43, was sentenced by District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 55 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Okuo was also ordered to pay restitution of nearly $ 1.1 million. On Jan. 27, 2023, Okuo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Okuo was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2021. Okuo participated in a conspiracy involving romance scams and other online frauds designed to deceive victims into sending money to accounts he controlled. Criminals perpetrating romance scams create fictitious profiles on online dating or social media websites, gain the trust of potential victims and then direct those victims to transfer money under false pretenses. To further the conspiracy, Okuo used fake passports in the names of four aliases to open more than a dozen bank accounts in and around Boston to receive the proceeds of the romance scams. Okuo received approximately $1.1 million of victims’ money in the bank accounts he controlled. He then executed large cash withdrawals from these accounts, generally structured in amounts less than $10,000, in an effort to evade detection. In text messages, Okuo called his victims “mugu,” which is a Nigerian slang word for “fools.” As the court found at sentencing, Okuo obstructed justice after his arrest in several different ways, including by instructing a potential cooperating witness to lie to law enforcement agents. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian J. Stearns of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Owner of the Sportsmans Grille in Williamsburg  Charged with Tax Fraud

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Williamsburg man with nine counts of tax fraud. According to the indictment, Stephen G. Genakos, 62, is the sole owner and managing director of Sarantos, Inc., a Virginia Subchapter S corporation that does business as a restaurant, the Sportsmans Grille, in James City County. The indictment alleges that since 2016, Genakos skimmed more than $670,000 in U.S. currency from the Sportsmans Grille. During this period, he is alleged to have deposited more than $112,000 in currency in his personal bank accounts and gambled more than $502,000 with the Virginia Lottery. The indictment further alleges that in 2020, Genakos listed the Sportsmans Grille for sale. In 2021, undercover agents from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made contact with Genakos. During this operation, Genakos allegedly joked about his “magic book” and ultimately provided IRS agents the chance to view the true books and records of the Sportsmans Grille. The indictment further alleges that for tax years 2016 through 2020, Genakos filed materially false tax returns for himself and his business, Sarantos Inc. He is charged with filing nine returns that understate his taxable income by more than $670,000 and caused a tax loss to the United States of approximately $113,163. Genakos is charged with aiding and assisting in the preparation of materially false tax returns. If convicted, Genakos faces a maximum of 3 years in prison on each of the nine counts. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mack Coleman and Brian Samuels are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-37. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Martin County Man Convicted of Producing and Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: PIKEVILLE, Ky. - A Beauty, Ky., man was convicted on Wednesday. by a federal jury sitting in Pikeville. of six counts of child pornography-related offenses. After two hours of deliberation, following a three-day trial, the jury convicted Donald York, 60, for four counts of the production of child pornography and two counts of receiving child pornography. According to the evidence presented, York used a minor female victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct, for the purpose of producing images of that conduct. The United States further established that York uploaded some of the victim’s photos to a pornographic website. York was indicted in June 2022. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office; Col. Phillip Burnett, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff John Kirk, Martin County Sherriff’s Office, jointly announced the conviction. The investigation was conducted by FBI, KSP, and the Martin County Sherriff’s Office. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Blankenship and Jason Parman. York will appear for sentencing on August 24, 2023. He faces a minimum of five years, up to 20 years in prison, on each count of conviction. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . — END —


title: Two South Florida Residents Indicted for Stealing Millions in COVID-19 Relief Funds

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal magistrate judge in Fort Lauderdale has unsealed an indictment today charging Carl Henry Charles, 43, of Miramar, Fla., and Patrick Charles, 41, of Lake Worth, Fla., for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in COVID-19 pandemic relief loans and advances from the Small Business Administration (SBA) through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. According to the indictment, from March 2020 through December 2021, Carl Charles and his brother, Patrick Charles, submitted applications to the SBA for EIDL program loans seeking nearly $5 million for purported businesses that did not exist before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and did not have any revenue or other business activity. As a result of the false and fraudulent applications, the SBA disbursed approximately $2.5 million in loan proceeds and advances to the defendants, who in turn used the funds to enrich themselves and others. The indictment charges each defendant with multiple counts of wire fraud. If convicted, Carl Charles faces up to 80 years in prison and Patrick Charles faces up to 60 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Mark H. Morini Jr. of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Southern Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), Investigations Division’s Eastern Region, made the announcement. FBI Miami, TIGTA, and SBA-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Snider for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Samad Pardesi and Ariel Glasner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture. An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred. EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-60072. ###


title: New York Man Indicted in St. Louis, Accused of Selling Counterfeit Xanax on Dark Web

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from New York state has been indicted in federal court in St. Louis and accused of selling counterfeit Xanax on the dark web. John Cruz, 29, of Rochester, was indicted March 1 on one count of conspiracy to misbrand, introduce misbranded drugs and sell counterfeit drugs. He was arrested March 15 and appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Friday by Zoom. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge. The indictment alleges that using cryptocurrency, Cruz bought bulk quantities of counterfeit generic alprazolam, an anti-anxiety drug, from another person on the dark web who has sold millions of the pills. That person manufactured the pills using active drug ingredients from China, a pill press and stamps that would mimic the markings used on pills produced by manufacturers licensed and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The pills were delivered to Cruz in Rochester, New York and he then redistributed the pills to various customers, the indictment alleges. The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ware and Kyle Bateman are prosecuting the case.


title: Essex County Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud in Connection with Romance Scam

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was convicted of conspiring to commit wire fraud and wire fraud in connection with an online romance scam, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today. Mahmoud Bowler, 40, of Newark, was convicted on April 13, 2023, of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud following a four-day trial before U.S. Circuit Court Judge Joseph A. Greenaway Jr., sitting by designation to hold a District Court within the Circuit. According to documents filed in this case and the evidence presented at trial: From February 2015 through June 2019, Bowler and a conspirator participated in an online romance scheme. Bowler’s conspirator created a fraudulent profile on an online dating site and then pretended to strike up a romantic relationship with a woman living in Florida. In the online profile, Bowler’s conspirator falsely represented that he, and a company he owned, had been awarded multimillion-dollar oil contract. After establishing a virtual romantic relationship with the victim, the conspirator repeatedly solicited alleged loans from the victim, claiming that he could not access his own accounts because a foreign government had frozen his assets. From April 2018 to September 2018, the victim was directed to wire money to Bowler’s bank account on four separate occasions. After receiving the funds, Bowler withdrew a portion of the funds in cash, sent money to other individuals in Ghana through a money remitter, and wired some of the money to family members in Ghana. The conspiracy to commit wire fraud and the wire fraud counts each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The maximum fine for each count is $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 15, 2023. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy; detectives from the New York City Police Department Intelligence and Counterterrorism Unit, under the direction of Chief Thomas Galati; detectives from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens; and detectives from the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police, Edward Cetnar, with the investigation leading to the conviction. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the Special Prosecutions Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Criminal Division.


title: Hazelwood Man Sentenced to 224 Months in Prison for St. Louis Carjacking, Other Crimes

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a man to 18 years and eight months in prison for a carjacking and other crimes. Joshua Thomas, 31, admitted being one of two men who stole a 2020 Jeep Cherokee from a woman outside a home in the 4100 block of Camellia Avenue in St. Louis on Oct. 19, 2019. Thomas, who was armed with an AR-15-style firearm, demanded entry to a nearby home and searched it before stealing the car. Two days later, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department detectives spotted Thomas and tried to stop him at a market located at the intersection of South Spring Avenue and Delor Street. Thomas sped off in a Kia Optima. Police used a spike strip to deflate the tires, but Thomas kept going, eventually crashing near the intersection of Walsh Avenue and South Grand Boulevard. Thomas discarded a Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol before running away. Police also found drugs, an AR-style pistol loaded with 59 rounds of ammunition and a stolen AK-style pistol loaded with 31 rounds in the car. Thomas also admitted possessing ammunition on Sept. 30, 2019, the same day a man who was hiding in some bushes in the 3800 block of South Spring Avenue in St. Louis began firing shots at a group of people, hitting one person. Witnesses identified Thomas as the shooter, his plea agreement says. Thomas pleaded guilty in January to six felonies: carjacking, possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a stolen firearm and being a felon in possession of both a firearm and ammunition. In August, Judge Pitlyk sentenced Thomas’ co-defendant, Jeremiah Couch, 32, to 15 years in prison. Couch pleaded guilty to two carjacking charges, a charge of possession of a stolen firearm and a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted involvement in the Jeep Cherokee carjacking, as well as carjacking a man’s 2007 Ford Edge and his money at gunpoint on October 21, 2019 in the 4700 block of South Spring Avenue in St. Louis. Couch also admitted stealing the AK-47-style pistol from the shooting victim on Oct. 17, 2019. The case was investigated by the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinksi prosecuted the case.


title: Salvadoran Man Convicted of Illegally Reentering U.S. After Removal

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a citizen of El Salvador today of illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Victor Manuel Romero-Diaz, 40, of El Salvador, was removed from the United States on December 12, 2011, after he was convicted of a felony offense for cocaine possession and distribution. In October 2022, immigration authorities found Romero-Diaz living in North Chesterfield, without having obtained permission to apply for reentry into the United States. Romero-Diaz faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on September 5, 2023. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director, for U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Gang Section provided assistance in this case. The Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería of El Salvador also provided significant assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla Jordan-Detamore and Kaitlin G. Cooke are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-177.


title: Woodbridge Man Sentenced for Distributing Narcotics to 14-Year-Old

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man was sentenced today to 52 months in prison for distributing a Schedule II controlled substance to a person under age twenty-one. According to court documents, in April of 2022, Latae'veion Woods, 21, sold pills purporting to be Percocet to a 14-year-old, who died of a fentanyl overdose approximately five days after the distribution. Following the overdose death, officers found a clear plastic baggie containing four blue pills with markings consistent with 30 milligram Percocet pills in the juvenile’s pants. Analysis later showed that the pills actually contained fentanyl. Police also discovered text messages on the 14-year-old’s phone which revealed that Woods distributed pills to the juvenile on multiple occasions during March and April 2022. The messages further established that Woods instructed the juvenile how to redistribute the pills and directed him to resell the pills for a specific amount of money. No other messages were located on the juvenile’s phone to suggest he had any other source of supply for Percocet. Messages also demonstrated that Woods offered to sell the juvenile a firearm, specifically, a Glock 19 or Glock 48 semiautomatic handgun. During a search warrant of Woods’ residence, law enforcement seized a Glock 48 handgun and a Glock-style semi-automatic “ghost” gun, both of which Woods admitted belonged to him. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis, III. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hahn prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-226.


title: Sioux City Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Robbery

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Sioux City, Iowa man who brutally robbed a marijuana dealer was sentenced April 5, 2023, to 7 years in federal prison for robbery. Alejandro Bautista, age 21, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 24, 2022, guilty plea. Evidence in the case showed that on October 28, 2020, Bautista tricked a marijuana dealer into allowing him into his home to buy marijuana. Once inside, Bautista shouted a signal and armed gunman entered the home. The marijuana dealer, a 20-year old man, his brother and girlfriend were home at the time, where they were restrained, beaten, brutalized and robbed of marijuana, cash, a firearm and other valuables. Bautista was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 84 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Bautista is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 21-04029. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.


title: Colorado Woman and Arizona Man Plead Guilty to Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOANNA MANZANO , age 33, a resident of Colorado, and KABIEN CORTES , age 34, a resident of Phoenix, Arizona, pled guilty on April 12, 2023 to superseding bills of information charging them each with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841 (b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, on March 16, 2020 during a DEA investigation, a drug supplier arranged the delivery of methamphetamine to the New Orleans area. On March 19, 2020, the DEA determined that a driver (MANZANO) was travelling from Phoenix, Arizona to New Orleans with the methamphetamine and would need money for expenses. The DEA also determined that the methamphetamine was in liquid form and that another individual would arrive in New Orleans at a later date to convert the liquid methamphetamine into solid form. The investigation disclosed that MANZANO , accompanied by CORTES , traveled to New Orleans. After MANZANO and CORTES arrived in Louisiana, law enforcement officers identified their vehicle and maintained surveillance on them until they arrived in Metairie. On March 20, 2020, at approximately 11:50 p.m., Louisiana State Troopers conducted a traffic stop of MANZANO and CORTES . After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, troopers noticed that the bed-liner of the truck had been removed and was being held in place by a rubber cord. A continued search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of approximately 4,576 grams of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tank of the vehicle. MANZANO and CORTES each face a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, a term of supervised release of at least three (3) years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit .


title: Oswego County Woman Pleads Guilty to Charges  Related to Theft of Social Security Benefits

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Lisa Waldron, age 44, of Palermo, New York, pled guilty today to eleven counts of Theft of Government Property, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Sharon B. MacDermott, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office. The charges to which Waldron pled guilty relate to her theft of Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) benefits intended for her disabled son, Jordan Brooks, while Waldron was acting as Brooks’s representative payee. A representative payee is a person or organization who receives Social Security benefits on another person’s behalf and is required to ensure the benefits are used only to support the beneficiary. As part of her guilty plea, Waldron admitted that, after Brooks died on May 9, 2021, Waldron continued to receive SSI benefits intended for Brooks. Instead of properly notifying SSA of the issue and knowing she was not entitled to Brooks’s benefit payments, Waldron nonetheless used Brooks’s SSI benefits to pay her own personal expenses until SSA independently learned of the issue and terminated Brooks’s benefits. Unrelated to the federal charges to which Waldron pled guilty today, Waldron is also facing state murder charges related to her involvement in Brooks’s death. On the federal charges, Waldron faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised of up to three years. As part of her plea agreement, Waldron has also agreed to pay full restitution. She is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 2023, by Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes in Syracuse, New York.A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. This case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Tuck.


title: Plaquemines Parish Man Sentenced to 190 Months for Violations of  the Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that CARL BLAKE RILEY, JR. , age 47, a resident of Plaquemines Parish, was sentenced on April 13, 2023 to 190 months imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, after he pled guilty to a two-count indictment charging him with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(C). According to court documents, during a search of RILEY’s home, police found approximately 880 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 25 grams of heroin. RILEY received the narcotics from California and distributed them in the Plaquemines Parish area. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney J. Benjamin Myers of the Narcotics Unit.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced After Conviction at Trial for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – GEORGE BENNETT, aka “G ,” age 40, from the greater New Orleans area, was sentenced on April 13, 2023 by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to one hundred twenty-one (121) months’ imprisonment followed by a term of ten (10) years’ supervised release and a mandatory $300.00 special assessment fee after his conviction at trial for violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. After a four-day trial in November 2022, the jury found BENNETT guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute one-hundred (100) grams or more of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846, distribution of a quantity of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl, both in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys André Jones, Melissa Bücher, and Christopher D. Usher of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Nicaraguan National Pleads Guilty for Illegal Re-Entry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – ALEXANDER JOSUE REYES-RAMIREZ (“ REYES-RAMIREZ ”), age 37, pled guilty to a one-count indictment on April 13, 2023 for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court documents, REYES-REMIREZ admitted to reentering the United States after being previously deported on July 24, 2019. REYES-RAMIREZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of up to one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Rochester Resident Arrested, Charged With Production And Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Matthew Richardson a/k/a Skylar “Sky” Ravenwood, 35, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production and distribution of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a 250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in November 2022, the Greece Police Department received a report that a 16-year-old minor (minor victim) was missing, and that the minor victim had been seeing a person named “Sky.” Greece Police contacted “Sky” by telephone, who confirmed that he was with the minor victim. Greece Police also spoke with the minor victim who would not provide their location and stated that they did not want to return home. As a result, the minor victim was registered as a missing person in a law enforcement database. In early December 2022, Greece Police learned that Richardson and the minor victim were in an OnlyFans video and reached out to the FBI, which located the sexually explicit video. On December 9, 2022, Richardson and the minor victim were located by Ohio State Troopers in a vehicle Richardson had stolen in New York State. Richardson was arrested at that time. Richardson made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was held pending a detention hearing on April 18, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, New York State Police, under the direction of Major Brian J. Ratajczak, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty To Stealing Gift Cards And Money From The Mail

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Shalika Williams, 30, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to officer or employee of the United States converting property of another, less than $1000, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, and a $100,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that between September and November 4, 2022, Williams was employed by the United States Postal Service as a sales, service, and distribution associate at the Buffalo Processing and Distribution Center. During this time, Williams riffled through and opened sealed pieces of mail and stole approximately 10 to 15 gift cards valued at $360 and $300 in cash. The plea is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office. Sentencing is scheduled for August 21, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Pedersen. # # # #


title: Nine Defendants Sentenced in $126M Compounding Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Nine defendants – including three compounding pharmacy owners, a physician, two pharmacists, and three patient recruiters – were sentenced yesterday for their respective roles in a years-long, multi-state scheme to defraud the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) and TRICARE, the health care program for U.S. service members and their families. The sentences include: John Cruise, 52, of Houston, a former co-owner of Assurance Consolidated Pharmacy (ACP), a pharmacy located in Spring, Texas, as well as an owner of the Injured Federal Workers Advocate Association (IFWAA), an organization that purported to assist injured federal workers, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. LaShonia Johnson, 50, of Houston, a former co-owner of ACP with her husband and co-defendant Cruise, and director at IFWAA, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Kenny Ozoude, 48, of Houston, former owner of Compounding Solutions LLC, a Houston-based pharmacy, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. James Don Jackson, 63, of Tyler, Texas, a medical doctor licensed in Texas, was sentenced to five years in prison. Nirvana Hightower, 56, of Houston, a pharmacist licensed in Texas and pharmacist-in-charge at Compounding Solutions LLC, was sentenced to five years in prison. Keith Hudson, 55, of Humble, Texas, a pharmacist licensed in Texas and pharmacist-in-charge at ACP, was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Audra Jones, 46, of Houston, was sentenced to two years and six months in prison. Terrance Aice, 50, of Carrollton, Texas, a patient recruiter, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison. Sherod Johnson, 44, of Las Vegas, a patient recruiter, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison. The defendants submitted false and fraudulent claims to the OWCP and TRICARE for prescriptions for compounded and other drugs prescribed to injured federal workers and members of the armed forces. The defendants also paid kickbacks to patient recruiters and physicians to prescribe these drugs. The defendants chose the particular compounds and other drugs based not on the patients’ medical needs but in light of the amount of reimbursement for the drugs. The drugs were then mailed to patients, even though the patients often never requested, wanted, or needed them. Four additional defendants (Dr. Jay Bender, Dr. Deepak Chavda, Donathan Kemp, and Naresh Jivanji) are scheduled to be sentenced on May 25. Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Steve Grell of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DOD-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General (DVAO-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement. The USPS-OIG, DOD-OIG, and DOL-OIG investigated the case with assistance from the DVAO-OIG. Trial Attorneys Catherine Wagner and Patrick J. Queenan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant Chief Scott Armstrong, Assistant Chief John “Fritz” Scanlon, Trial Attorney Michael McCarthy, and former Trial Attorneys Jay McCormack and Sarah Edwards of the Fraud Section previously prosecuted the case.


title: Justice Department Announces Charges Against Sinaloa Cartel’s Global Operation

body_text: The Justice Department today announced charges unsealed in the Southern District of New York, Northern District of Illinois, and District of Columbia, against several leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, a transnational drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico, and its facilitators across the globe. “Today, the Justice Department is announcing significant enforcement actions against the largest, most violent, and most prolific fentanyl trafficking operation in the world – run by the Sinaloa Cartel, and fueled by Chinese precursor chemical and pharmaceutical companies,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Families and communities across our country are being devastated by the fentanyl epidemic. Today’s actions demonstrate the comprehensive approach the Justice Department is taking to disrupt fentanyl trafficking and save American lives.” “The fentanyl crisis in America – fueled in large part by the Sinaloa cartel – threatens our public health, our public safety, and our national security,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Today’s indictments target every element of the Sinaloa Cartel's trafficking network and reflect the Justice Department's commitment to attacking every aspect of this threat: from the chemical companies in China that spawn fentanyl precursors, to the illicit labs that produce the poison, to the networks and money launderers and murderers that facilitate its distribution. Just as we have gone on offense against terrorists and cyber criminals around the globe, the Department is now waging a relentless campaign to disrupt the production and trafficking of fentanyl – before it can reach its victims.” “Today’s indictments send a clear message to the Chapitos, the Sinaloa Cartel, and criminal drug networks around the world that the DEA will stop at nothing to protect the national security of the United States and the safety and health of the American people,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The Chapitos pioneered the manufacture and trafficking of fentanyl – the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced – flooded it into the United States for the past eight years and killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. Over the last year and a half, the DEA proactively infiltrated the Sinaloa Cartel and the Chapitos network, obtained unprecedented access to the organization’s highest levels, and followed them across the world. I am grateful to the men and women of the DEA for their exceptional work on this case, which is the beginning of our work as ‘One DEA’ to dismantle every part of the criminal cartels that are killing Americans at record rates.” “Far too many Americans have become victims in the national fentanyl crisis. These cartels have shown us they will stop at nothing to manufacture, traffic, and push these dangerous drugs to every corner of our country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Today’s indictments show that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will never tire in our pursuit not only to shut down their criminal enterprises, but also to go after individuals in their network. I want to thank the FBI team continuing to work on these cases everyday as we join with our law enforcement partners to tackle this national epidemic.” “This indictment is another example of how this administration is taking on the cartels and their transnational criminal networks, and sending a clear message that we are going to hold them accountable,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “I commend our workforce at Homeland Security Investigations and our federal partners who are relentless in their efforts to stop the scourge of fentanyl. Today’s announcement exemplifies a whole-of-government approach to protecting our homeland that is yielding results.” The Sinaloa Cartel is one of the most powerful drug cartels in the world and is largely responsible for the manufacturing and importing of fentanyl for distribution in the United States. Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic opioid that is more than 50 times more potent than heroin. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49, and it has fueled the opioid epidemic that has been ravaging families and communities across the United States for approximately the past eight years. Between 2019 and 2021, fatal overdoses increased by approximately 94%, with an estimated 196 Americans dying each day from fentanyl. The Sinaloa Cartel operated as an affiliation of drug traffickers and money launderers who obtain precursor chemicals – largely from China – for the manufacture of synthetic drugs, manufacture drugs in Mexico, move those drugs into the United States, and collect, launder, and transfer the proceeds of drug trafficking. Once led by Joaquin Guzman Loera, aka El Chapo, and Ismael Zambada Garcia, aka El Mayo, the Sinaloa Cartel’s members and associates – allegedly including the sons of Guzman Loera, collectively known as the Chapitos – smuggled significant quantities of drugs through Mexico and into the United States. The Chapitos are Ivan Guzman Salazar, 40, Alfredo Guzman Salazar, 37, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, 36, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 33. Following Guzman Loera’s arrest in January 2016 and extradition to the United States in January 2017, the Chapitos allegedly assumed their father’s former role as leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, along with Zambada Garcia and Damaso Lopez Nunez, aka Licenciado. The Chapitos subsequently amassed greater control over the Sinaloa Cartel by allegedly threatening and causing violence against Lopez Nunez, his family, and his associates and, as a result, became principal leaders and drug traffickers within the Sinaloa Cartel. The indictments being unsealed today demonstrate that the Sinaloa Cartel has been engaged in drug trafficking activities into the United States, and violence, spanning over a decade and a half. The Chapitos are alleged to have repeatedly and consistently transported lethal amounts of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. The Chapitos allegedly used cargo aircraft, private aircraft, submarines and other submersible and semi-submersible vessels, container ships, supply vessels, go-fast boats, fishing vessels, buses, rail cars, tractor trailers, automobiles, and private and commercial interstate and foreign carriers to transport their drugs and precursor chemicals. They allegedly maintained a network of couriers, tunnels, and stash houses throughout Mexico and the United States to further their drug-trafficking activities. The Chapitos allegedly used these networks to import the drugs into the United States. Southern District of New York Fentanyl trafficking, weapons, and money laundering charges were unsealed today in the Southern District of New York against 28 defendants, including three of the Chapitos; top lieutenants and leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel; alleged manufacturers and distributors of the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl; the managers of the violent armed security apparatus that protects the Sinaloa Cartel’s drug trafficking operations; the sophisticated money launderers who repatriate the Sinaloa Cartel’s drug proceeds back to Mexico; and multiple chemical precursor suppliers in China that fuel the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl distribution operation. According to court documents, Ivan Guzman Salazar, Alfredo Guzman Salazar, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, and their co-conspirators allegedly controlled extensive, multi-faceted, and international operations covering the fentanyl trade. Through these efforts, the Chapitos and the Sinaloa Cartel allegedly reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in profits by flooding the United States with fentanyl. Seven defendants are in custody pending extradition proceedings. Ovidio Guzman Lopez is charged in a separate indictment alleging the same offenses. The DEA investigated the case with assistance from the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle A. Wirshba, Nicholas S. Bradley, Sarah L. Kushner, David J. Robles, and Alexander Li for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided substantial assistance. Northern District of Illinois Narcotics, money laundering, and firearms charges were unsealed today in the Northern District of Illinois against four of the Chapitos: Ivan Guzman Salazar, Alfredo Guzman Salazar, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez. According to court documents, the charges stem from a decades-long, collaborative, multi-district effort between the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of California, and their law enforcement partners. The indictment alleges that between May 2008 and April 5, 2023, the Chapitos operated a drug trafficking Continuing Criminal Enterprise (CCE), along with additional drug, money laundering, and firearms charges. Ovidio Guzman Lopez is charged in a separate indictment alleging the same offenses, dating from May 2008 until October 2021, when Mexican authorities arrested him on Jan. 5 in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico. Ovidio Guzman Lopez remains detained in Mexico pending extradition proceedings. The FBI Washington Field Office and San Diego Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Nogales Office, DEA’s Chicago Division and San Diego Division, and IRS Criminal Investigations Chicago Office are investigating the case. Acting Deputy Chief Katharine Wagner and Trial Attorney Kirk Handrich of NDDS, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Erskine and Erika Csicsila for the Northern District of Illinois, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sutton for the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case. OIA provided substantial assistance. This case is supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). District of Columbia Narcotics, firearms, and witness retaliation charges were unsealed today in the District of Columbia against Nestor Isidro Perez Salas, aka Nini, 31, allegedly one of the Chapitos’ lead sicarios, or assassins. According to court documents, Perez Salas is allegedly a leader and commander of the “Ninis,” a violent group charged with providing security for the Chapitos. From at least 2012 until February 2021, Perez Salas allegedly conspired to distribute and manufacture cocaine and methamphetamine for unlawful importation into the United States, used a firearm in furtherance of the alleged drug-trafficking offense, and killed, attempted to kill, threatened, and caused bodily injury to another to intimidate a government witness and informant. The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Kate Naseef of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case. This case is supported by the OCDETF. * * * * * The U.S. Department of State, through its Narcotics Rewards Program, is offering rewards of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ivan Guzman Salazar, Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Ovidio Guzman Lopez, and up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Joaquin Guzman Lopez. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman of the Southern District for California, Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual for the Northern District of Illinois, and Acting Deputy Director PJ Lechleitner of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made the announcement. Photos of the fugitives can be obtained at www.dea.gov/fugitives . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.