title: Charlotte Man Sentenced For Illegal Firearm Possession After Assaulting Two U.S. Postal Service Mail Carriers On The Same Day

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dujuan Marquise McNeil, 39, of Charlotte, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm after he assaulted two U.S. Postal Service mail carriers on the same day, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. “My office will continue to aggressively prosecute those that threaten or harm our postal workers,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Postal workers are hard-working Americans that are vital to our way of life and essential to our system of commerce.” “A core mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to provide a safe environment for Postal employees and the American public. Illegal weapons threaten the safety of all our communities,” said Inspector in Charge Hopkins. “We extend our utmost appreciation to our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina for supporting our mission and bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion.” According to court records, on June 1, 2023, McNeil, used firearms to threaten two U.S. Postal Service mail carriers. In both instances, McNeil used his vehicle to block a mail truck, before threatening the carrier inside with his guns. McNeil believed someone with the post office stole an unidentified item from his package. McNeil also went to a local post-office complain about the alleged theft. Clerks at that office reported that McNeil stated he would kill whichever carrier was responsible for the alleged theft. During the investigation, law enforcement determined the McNeil had multiple prior criminal convictions, including Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Discharge of a Weapon into Occupied Property, and Domestic Violence Protective Order Violation, and was prohibited from possessing firearms. On June 14, 2023, a federal search warrant was executed at McNeil’s residence, where law enforcement found and seized multiple firearms, including: three 9mm semi-automatic pistols (one fitted with an extended magazine); a Polymer 80 9mm semi-automatic pistol (commonly referred to as a “ghost gun”) with an extended magazine; an AR15 semi-automatic rifle; multiple magazines; and nearly 300 rounds of ammunition. On October 30, 2024, McNeil pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended USPIS for their work in this investigation and thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their assistance. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Austin Felon Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Possession

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

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man was sentenced in a federal court in Austin to 144 months in federal prison for one count of felon in possession. According to court documents, Steven Moreno Briseno, 38, was arrested by Austin Police when he surrendered during a barricaded standoff at his family’s residence on Nov. 30, 2023. Briseno had allegedly been under the influence of methamphetamine and got into an altercation with his wife, physically assaulting her and then fleeing on foot when officers arrived in response to a 911 call. Briseno ran into a vacant apartment across the street then sprinted back to his residence, where he barricaded himself inside. Briseno’s aggressive behavior escalated as he refused the officers’ commands to exit the residence, made comments about arming himself, and threatened to start shooting if the officers did not back away from his residence. Officers observed Briseno fashioning a tripod through a window and mounting a long rifle on top. He was also seen smoking from a glass pipe that resembled a meth pipe while he loaded numerous rounds into rifles, handguns, and at least one shotgun. Additionally, officers watched Briseno exit the residence with a gun in his hand while wearing a camouflaged tactical vest. When APD SWAT arrived on the scene, Briseno was instructed to exit the residence with his hands up and empty. Subsequently, he fired at least one round from one of his firearms from inside the residence to an unspecified location outside the residence. After several minutes of speaking via loudspeaker, Briseno surrendered to APD. Inside the residence, officers located numerous firearms, loaded magazines, and boxes of ammunition in plain view, including on top of the kitchen table and staged near the front door and multiple windows in the front of the house. Briseno had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including burglary on Nov. 30, 2022. He pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm on Jan. 15, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Austin Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Sparks prosecuted the case. ###


title: Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Involving Sale of Loaded AR-Style Pistol

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Derrick Nutter, 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit drug trafficking in federal court. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). According to the guilty plea, Nutter unknowingly met with undercover agents on multiple occasions to sell methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and a loaded AR-style pistol. On June 12, 2024, Nutter sold an undercover agent approximately 109 grams of cocaine for $3,600, approximately seven grams of methamphetamine for $100, and a free sample of fentanyl. Then on June 20, 2024, Nutter sold the undercover agent approximately 85 grams of suspected fentanyl for $3,300, and approximately 79 grams of cocaine for $2,700. Additionally, on the same date, Nutter sold the undercover agent a 5.56 caliber AR-style privately made pistol with no serial number. It was equipped with an Axeon optic and loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition. The substance Nutter described as fentanyl was actually Schedule I ortho-Methylfentanyl – a fentanyl analogue. Nutter sold cocaine and MDMA to a second undercover on June 25, 2024, and August 22, 2024. He also explained that his “girl” was receiving a package of drugs in the mail. Investigators identified Nutter’s “girl” as co-conspirator Khristina Williams. On September 3, 2024, Nutter was at Williams’ residence and then he drove to a planned meeting location to sell the second undercover agent drugs. Nutter met the undercover agent and sold approximately 223 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $4,000. He returned to his vehicle where authorities observed Williams seated in the front passenger seat. Then on September 10, 2024, Nutter met with two undercover agents and sold them approximately 525 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $6,100. He also provided a free sample of fentanyl. Nutter agreed to sell the undercover agents additional fentanyl if they came to his home. While in route to his home, Nutter called Williams multiple times. After arriving at his residence, Nutter sold the undercover agents several hundred fentanyl pills. Eventually, Nutter and the undercover agents walked outside and met with Williams, who had arrived in her vehicle. Nutter retrieved several hundred additional fentanyl pills from Williams and handed them to the undercovers. The undercover agents paid Nutter $3,900 in exchange for the drugs, including nearly 800 fentanyl pills. On October 3, 2024, the two undercover agents met Nutter in a public parking lot. After Nutter sold them approximately 830 grams of methamphetamine, authorities arrested him. During the undercover operation, Nutter sold agents approximately 1,595 grams of methamphetamine, 298 grams of cocaine, 90 grams of fentanyl, 85 grams of fentanyl analogue, and the loaded AR-style pistol. Nutter faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, September 17, at 11 a.m. 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. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James O’Donohue who is prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division Dismisses Biden-Era Police Investigations and Proposed Police Consent Decrees in Louisville and Minneapolis

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is beginning the process of dismissing lawsuits against the Louisville, Kentucky and Minneapolis, Minnesota police departments. These lawsuits, which were filed at the last minute by the Biden administration after President Donald Trump’s reelection, accused Louisville and Minneapolis of widespread patterns of unconstitutional policing practices by wrongly equating statistical disparities with intentional discrimination and heavily relying on flawed methodologies and incomplete data. They also sought to subject the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments to sweeping consent decrees that went far beyond the Biden administration’s accusations of unconstitutional conduct; the decrees would have governed many aspects of those police departments, including their management, supervision, training, performance evaluations, discipline, staffing, recruitment, and hiring. In short, these sweeping consent decrees would have imposed years of micromanagement of local police departments by federal courts and expensive independent monitors, and potentially hundreds of millions of dollars of compliance costs, without a legally or factually adequate basis for doing so. “Overbroad police consent decrees divest local control of policing from communities where it belongs, turning that power over to unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats, often with an anti-police agenda,” added Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Today, we are ending the Biden Civil Rights Division’s failed experiment of handcuffing local leaders and police departments with factually unjustified consent decrees.” The Civil Rights Division will be taking all necessary steps to dismiss the Louisville and Minneapolis lawsuits with prejudice, to close the underlying investigations into the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments, and to retract the Biden administration’s findings of constitutional violations. The Civil Rights Division will also be closing its investigations into, and retracting the Biden administration’s findings of constitutional violations on the part of, the following additional local police departments: Phoenix, Arizona Trenton, New Jersey Memphis, Tennessee Mount Vernon, New York Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Louisiana State Police The Department of Justice will continue to offer its full support to police departments across the country, including through grants and technical assistance. The Department is confident that the vast majority of police officers across the Nation will continue to vigorously enforce the law and protect the public in full compliance with the Constitution and all applicable federal laws. When bad actors in uniform fail to do so, the Department stands ready to take all necessary action to address any resulting constitutional or civil-rights violations, including via criminal prosecution.


title: Silver Spring Man Pleads Guilty to “Sextortion” of More Than 100 Minors Located Throughout the United States and Abroad

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – Chase William Mulligan, 28, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pled guilty to two counts of producing child sexual abuse material in federal court. The charges are in connection with a scheme in which he met young girls through social media and internet chat rooms and eventually “sextorted” them. Specifically, through the scheme, Mulligan coerced at least 108 girls — ranging from ages 5-17 — to send him sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves. When the girls told him they no longer wanted to send him sexually graphic images, Mulligan threatened to post the images online or come to their house. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. “Mulligan used manipulation, fear, and intimidation to exploit over 100 young victims. Now we must ensure that we send a clear message to Mulligan, and others, that those who abuse the most vulnerable members of our communities will pay a steep price,” Hayes said. “We’re committed to working with our law-enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue, prosecute, and bring to justice those who engage in these deplorable acts.” “Chase Mulligan is a depraved and dangerous predator. He used social media to target, viciously threaten, and horribly abuse more than 100 minor victims – one as young as five years old,” DelBagno said. “His abhorrent behavior is not diminished by the fact he was thousands of miles away and never met his victims, rather, it’s the opposite. Despite his distance, he presents a serious threat to any child he can access through the internet. The FBI works diligently every day to find and arrest predators like Mulligan so they can no longer prey on innocent children.” As detailed in the plea agreement, between at least 2019 and December 2023, Mulligan used numerous Snapchat, Discord, Roblox, Skype, Omegle, and Instagram accounts to target young girls. He convinced minors living in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Philippines, Australia, and United Kingdom to produce and send him sexually explicit images. Mulligan also directed minors to expose their genital areas and engage in sexual conduct. Additionally, Mulligan coerced multiple girls to urinate on camera, insert objects into their genitalia, and participate in sexual acts with dogs. After some victims informed Mulligan that they no longer wished to send him sexually explicit images, he threatened to publicly post the images or come to their homes. Mulligan wanted the victims to send more images depicting increasingly graphic sexual conduct. As part of his plea agreement, Mulligan must register as a sex offender in places where he resides, is an employee, and is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Mulligan is facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a statutory maximum of 60 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Theodore C. Chuang scheduled sentencing for Wednesday, August 27, at 2:30 p.m. 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 Attorney’s 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc . Click the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page to learn about Internet safety education. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Elizabeth Wright 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, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Jury Convicts Savannah Felon in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: A jury convicted a Savannah man at trial for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ronald Lamont Milton, 74, Savannah, GA, was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person following a jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker presided over the trial. In July 2023, law enforcement obtained a warrant for Milton’s arrest on a felony offense involving a firearm. While executing the arrest warrant, law enforcement found a .357 revolver in Milton’s waistband. As described in courtroom testimony, Milton has a history of offenses in the Savannah area that span over a 30-year period. At the time of his arrest, he was on state probation for Aggravated Battery, Burglary, and False Imprisonment convictions from the Superior Court of Chatham County. Milton awaits sentencing upon the U.S. Probation Services completing a presentence investigation. “With our law enforcement partners, we continue the work of removing firearms from the hands of those who can’t legally possess them – especially those convicted of prior felonies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “This effort is a vital step in reducing gun violence in our communities.” “This conviction reinforces a clear message: if you are prohibited from possessing a firearm and choose to ignore that law, you will be held accountable,” said ASAC Beau Kolodka. “ATF will continue to stand with our local and federal partners to combat gun crime and keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals.” “I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this case,” said Chief Lenny B. Gunther, Savannah Police Department. “Getting guns out of the hands of those who have no business possessing them is, and will remain, one of our highest priorities.” The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorney Timothy P. Dean and Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese. For any questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.


title: Mission Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison  for Larceny and Failure to Appear

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota woman convicted of Larceny and Failure to Appear. The sentencing took place on May 19, 2025. Kylie Leader Charge, age 19, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Leader Charge was further ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $1,000 in restitution. Leader Charge was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024. She pleaded guilty on February 20, 2025. The conviction for Larceny stemmed from an incident that occurred in November of 2023, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, when Leader Charge and a co-defendant stole a vehicle near Mission, drove it in a reckless manner, and caused damage to the vehicle. Following her Indictment, Leader Charge was released on bond. On March 21, 2024, Leader Charge failed to appear for a bail review hearing as required by her bond conditions. She was subsequently indicted for Failure to Appear. These matters were prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. These cases were investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the cases. Leader Charge was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 4 ½ Years in Federal Prison  for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on May 19, 2025. Norman Ray Red Legs, age 38, was sentenced to four years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Red Legs was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 30, 2024. During the early morning hours of March 11, 2024, a 46-year-old woman awoke to Red Legs punching her in the face. When she cried for him to cease, Red Legs struck the woman several times in the knees with a pot. Red Legs desisted only when his girlfriend told him to stop. The woman sustained extensive bruising to her face, right arm, and legs and was wheelchair-bound for several weeks. The assault occurred at a mutual acquaintance’s home in McLaughlin, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Red Legs was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rockford Woman Pleads Guilty to Preparing and Filing False Income Tax Returns

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Rockford woman pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court to preparing and filing false income tax returns for others. GRETCHEN ALVAREZ, 49, operated a tax preparation business called Sick Credit Repair Tax and Legal Services. Alvarez represented herself as an income tax preparer and held herself out to clients as a person trained in and knowledgeable about the preparation and filing of federal income tax returns. Alvarez did not have an IRS-issued Preparer Tax Identification Number to prepare federal income tax returns. Alvarez admitted in a plea agreement that in 2019 and 2020 she misrepresented taxpayers’ eligibility for education tax credits and deducted fictitious business expenses from their taxable income. Alvarez fraudulently reduced the taxpayers’ tax liabilities and improperly qualified taxpayers for refunds that were greater than those to which the taxpayers were entitled. The total tax loss was $356,881.00. Alvarez faces a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment. This offense also carries a maximum fine of $100,000. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston set sentencing for Sept. 17, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.


title: St. Augustine Felon Sentenced To More Than Four Years For Illegally Possessing And Selling Firearms

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger has sentenced Alton Wayne Cope, III (64, St. Augustine) to four years and three months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and conspiring to deal firearms without a license. Cope entered a guilty plea in October 2024. According to court documents, agents began investigating Cope and a co-conspirator when agents learned that Cope may have been illegally selling firearms. During the summer of 2024, agents conducted multiple controlled purchase operations during which they purchased 11 firearms from Cope and a co-conspirator. Throughout the investigation, agents learned that Braden Hobbs was the original purchaser of multiple firearms purchased from Cope and a co-conspirator. Cellphone records later showed that the co-conspirator regularly purchased firearms from Hobbs. Additionally, at least two of the firearms sold by Cope and a co-conspirator had previously been reported stolen. In August 2024, agents executed a federal search warrant at Cope’s residence. During the search, agents found an additional firearm in his bedroom. Although he engaged in the business of dealing firearms, Cope is not a federally licensed firearms dealer, as required by federal law. Additionally, Cope was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including two counts of possession of cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. In related court proceedings, co-conspirator Braden Hobbs has been charged by indictment and is scheduled for trial later this year. If convicted, Hobbs faces a minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 95 years, in federal prison. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the North Florida HIDTA Tri-County Narcotics Task Force with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Honduran National Guilty of Re-Entry of Removed Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ (“AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ”) , age 29, a native of Honduras, pled guilty on May 13, 2025, to an indictment charging him with re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. His sentencing is set for June 17, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long. According to court documents, AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ re-entered the United States after being previously deported on June 8, 2018. On December 22, 2024, AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ , was booked into the Orleans Justice Center after being arrested for several state charges. Thereafter, on March 5, 2023, The Pacific Enforcement Response Center issued a detainer for AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ , after he was arrested in Jefferson Parish on municipal and traffic attachments. Enforcement and Removal Operations New Orleans picked up AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, on March 7, 2025, after his release from local custody and turned him over to immigration authorities. EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: International Diamond Dealer Charged With Fraudulent Scheme To Obtain Over $3 Million Of Diamonds

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging business man and diamond dealer EDWARD CARLOS ST. MARY III with wire fraud in connection with his scheme to fraudulently obtain diamonds belonging to an international exporter and manufacturer of natural diamonds (the “Diamond Company”). ST. MARY was arrested yesterday morning and was presented yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. “As alleged, Edward Carlos St. Mary orchestrated an international scheme to steal over $3 million of uncut diamonds,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He falsified bank records and repeatedly lied to line his own pockets. New York’s Diamond District is one of the world’s foremost destinations for the sale of precious gems, and this Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to ensuring both wholesale and retail buyers can engage in the market free from fraud.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Edward Carlos St. Mary allegedly unlawfully procured hundreds of carats of diamonds worth millions of dollars with fabricated documents and promises of payment that were never upheld. The defendant allegedly disrupted the operations of an international company, and utilized our city to do so. The FBI remains committed to investigating anyone who orchestrates illicit surreptitious schemes to enrich themselves.” As alleged in the Complaint: [1] In or about April 2021, ST. MARY met with the owner of the Diamond Company in India and agreed to purchase uncut diamonds from the Diamond Company. Between in or about April 2021 and in or about June 2021, ST. MARY and the owner of the Diamond Company exchanged numerous messages regarding the sale of diamonds to ST. MARY. They eventually agreed that ST. MARY would buy approximately 287 carats of diamonds (the “Diamonds”) from the Diamond Company for approximately $3.275 million. During that time, ST. MARY sent fraudulent documents and made numerous misrepresentations to the owner of the Diamond Company regarding his communications with his bank (“Bank-1”), the funds in his accounts at Bank-1, and his ability to pay the Diamond Company for uncut diamonds. On or about June 11, 2021, the owner of the Diamond Company delivered the Diamonds to a company specializing in secure transportation and the handling of valuable goods (the “Security Company”) to transport the Diamonds to the U.S. and provide them to ST. MARY once he made the necessary payments. The Diamonds arrived in the U.S. the following week. After the Diamonds arrived in the U.S., ST. MARY made numerous false statements to the owner of the Diamond Company to explain why he had not yet paid for or picked up the Diamonds. On or about August 4, 2021, ST. MARY picked up the Diamonds from the Security Company’s New York City location—without paying for them and without the Diamond Company’s knowledge or authorization. Thereafter, ST. MARY continued to make false statements to the owner of the Diamond Company to suggest that the Diamonds were still in the care of the Security Company and to provide various explanations for why he had not yet paid the Diamond Company. By November 2021, ST. MARY began making false statements to suggest that he had, in fact, paid for the Diamonds and sent the owner of the Diamond Company a fraudulent account statement purporting to show a wire transfer of over $3 million from ST. MARY to the Diamond Company. No such wire transfer was ever made. On or about December 7, 2021, ST. MARY sent a message to the owner of the Diamond Company admitting that he had not paid for the Diamonds and falsely stating, in substance and in part, “this entire time my banker has told me that the funds were in your account. He assured me that you had already been paid. I will have it done as quick as I possibly can.” However, there are no records of ST. MARY communicating with anyone at Bank-1 about a payment for the Diamonds. To date, ST. MARY has neither paid for nor returned the Diamonds. * * * ST. MARY, 55, of Houston, Texas, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI on this case. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Remy Grosbard and Ariana Bloom are in charge of the prosecution. [1] The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Browning man pleads guilty to drug possession on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Browning man accused of possessing methamphetamine on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to charges yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Clay Darwin Flamand, 54, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Flamand faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 1, 2025. Flamand was released pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement learned Flamand was rumored to be providing a large quantity of methamphetamine to the Blackfeet Reservation in June and July 2024. On June 20, 2024, law enforcement arranged a controlled purchase of meth from Flamand. On June 26, 2024, another controlled purchase was attempted. The sale did not occur, but law enforcement learned Flamand’s source of supply had just left for California to pick up methamphetamine On July 11, 2024, law enforcement officers with the Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted a traffic stop. The driver told law enforcement his friend received methamphetamine from Flamand in the last couple of days and was planning to get more that evening. The friend of the driver reported Flamand had 10 pounds of methamphetamine at his residence. Also on July 11, 2024, a different witness contacted law enforcement and said Flamand’s source of supply had just returned to the Blackfeet reservation from California, was at Flamand’s residence, and had brought 10 pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement obtained a tribal search warrant for Flamand’s residence. When they executed the warrant, Flamand was at the residence. Law enforcement seized over 400 grams of methamphetamine, $6,590 in U.S. currency, firearms, and drug paraphernalia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek prosecuted the case. The BIA, DEA and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn . XXX


title: Havre man sentenced to over 5 years in prison for drug and gun charges on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Havre man who admitted trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl while possessing a firearm on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 66 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Bradley Lynn Perkins, 25, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances (methamphetamine and fentanyl) and possession of an unregistered firearm. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that on February 15, 2023, in Hill County, the Tri-Agency Task Force arranged a controlled purchase of roughly 27 grams of methamphetamine from the Perkins. One week later, Perkins was in state custody on other narcotics charges. He was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted he bought 500 fentanyl pills from someone on February 18, 2023, and he had previously purchased meth from the same person. Perkins also said he had been selling fentanyl pills for the last month or two and estimated he sold about 100 pills for $10 each. In March 2023, two witnesses said they had purchased fentanyl pills from Perkins. Another witness described selling between 500 and 700 fentanyl pills to Perkins between August and December 2022. On May 17, 2023, the Task Force and FBI arranged another controlled purchase of about 30 grams of methamphetamine from Perkins. On December 13, 2023, an FBI agent interviewed a witness who had gotten methamphetamine from Perkins and had previously paid him for meth. The witness also said Perkins gave them a shortened shotgun prior to a probation search; the FBI seized the shotgun and found the barrel was less than 18 inches in length. Perkins claimed ownership of the gun, and it had not been registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Tri-Agency Task Force. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced To Prison For Carjacking On College Campus Using A “Ghost Gun”

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A man who used a privately made and unregistered firearm, commonly known as a “ghost gun,” to carjack a vehicle on a college campus was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison for a firearms offense, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Mark Jordan Williams, 37, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following the completion of his prison term. Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and court proceedings, on March 23, 2023, an individual identified as L.C. was sitting in a Jeep Wrangler, parked on the campus of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Court records show that Williams approached the vehicle, pointed a handgun at L.C. and ordered L.C. out of the car. Williams then took L.C.’s phone, got into the Jeep, and drove away. Williams was located and arrested later that evening while inside the Jeep. When Williams was arrested, a .40 caliber Polymer 80 handgun was recovered from inside the vehicle as well. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Williams has multiple prior criminal convictions and he prohibited from possessing a firearm. On January 9, 2025, Williams pleaded guilty to possession and brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The ATF investigated the case and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.


title: Washington State Man Who Livestreamed Threats is Convicted of Weapons and Other Charges

body_text: WASHINGTON – Taylor Taranto, 39, of Pasco, Washington, was convicted by a federal judge yesterday of illegally carrying two firearms without a license, unlawfully possessing ammunition, and false information and hoaxes, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Crimes. U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols found Taranto guilty of all charges and will schedule a sentencing hearing after ruling on the defense’s request to release Taranto pending sentencing. On June 28, 2023, near National Harbor, Maryland, Taranto broadcast a livestream of himself as he sat behind the wheel of his van. He stated that he had been “working on a detonator” and indicated to his audience that he would drive a car bomb into the National Institute of Standards and Technology. His target was a neutron reactor housed at the NIST campus. He then drove over the Wilson Bridge to Alexandria, Virginia, where he parked his van in the middle of the street and ran away from it, demonstrating to his audience how he would create the appearance of an emergency. The FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Joint Terrorism Task Force mobilized immediately to find Taranto, alerting regional law enforcement agencies of the potential bomb threat. The following day, the FBI discovered Taranto’s location when he broadcast another livestream that showed him driving around D.C.’s Kalorama neighborhood. Law enforcement officers arrested Taranto at Kalorama and discovered that the bomb threat was a hoax. When law enforcement officers searched his vehicle, they found two firearms, multiple magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White.


title: Dominican Republic National Was Sentenced To 30 Months In Prison For  Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Rafael Polo-Sanchez, age 43, a Dominican Republic national residing in Patterson, New Jersey, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for illegal reentry. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Jose Rafael Polo-Sanchez, a citizen and national of the Dominican Republic, was removed from the United States on December 3, 2019. Following his removal, he illegally reentered the United States on an unknown date and at an unknown location. On October 31, 2024, he was found in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Indian National Indicted for Transportation and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on May 8, 2025, ASHISH KAPOOR, a/k/a “ Romy Kapoor ,” (“ KAPOOR ” ) ,age 28, a national of India, was charged in a superseding indictment Transportation of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(1), (a)(4)(B), (b)(1), and (b)(2). If convicted of Transportation of Child Pornography, KAPOOR faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to 250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. If convicted of Possession of Child Pornography, KAPOOR faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to 250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. According to the superseding indictment, on or about February 21, 2024, KAPOOR transported a cellular phone containing digital videos and computer images containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On or about December 20, 2024, KAPOOR possessed digital videos and computer images containing visual depictions of prepubescent minors under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the superseding 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 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. The case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, the United States Customs and Border Protection, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit. * * *


title: Republic of Indonesia National Guilty of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, that REZA HETA PRATAMA (“PRATAMA”) , age 28, a foreign national of the Republic of Indonesia, pleaded guilty to Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2). PRATAMA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release of up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. The U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion will sentence PRATAMA on September 9, 2025. According to court documents, PRATAMA was previously employed by Carnival Cruise Lines and was arrested in July 2024 by U.S. Department of Homeland Security -Homeland Security Investigations agents, after being found in possession of child pornography at the Erato Street Cruise Terminal in New Orleans. 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 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. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crimes Unit. * * *


title: Richmond felon sentenced to five years in prison for latest firearms conviction

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to five years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, on March 16, 2023, Richmond Police detectives performed a traffic stop on a vehicle with no front license plate. James Marvin Smith, 43, was driving the vehicle. While speaking with Smith and a passenger, the detectives observed a crumpled lottery ticket near the cupholders and noticed that the passenger had white powder on his nose. The detectives asked Smith and the passenger to get out of the car. While searching the vehicle for drug evidence, a detective found a firearm and a detached extended magazine. The firearm had one round of ammunition in the chamber and the magazine was loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. Prior to his arrest, Smith had been convicted of, among other crimes, possession of heroin, obstruction of justice, resisting arrest with force, possession of cocaine, breaking and entering, using a firearm in the commission of a felony, robbery, unlawful wounding, illegal possession of a firearm, assault and battery, possession of a firearm by a convicted violent felon, and grand larceny. As a previously convicted felon, Smith cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the 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. 3:24-cr-23.


title: United States Files Civil Enforcement Action and Obtains Temporary Restraining Order to Stop Queens-Based Logistics Company and Others from Shipping Packages from China with Counterfeit Postage Labels

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Edward Gallashaw, Acting Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) announced today that the United States has obtained a temporary restraining order barring two logistics companies, one based in Queens, New York, and the other in Los Angeles, California, and their owner from using the United States Postal Service (USPS) to ship packages containing counterfeit postage. On May 15, 2025, the United States filed a civil complaint in federal court in Brooklyn against the two shipping logistics companies and the companies’ owner (collectively Defendants), alleging that Defendants have committed mail fraud and conspired to commit mail fraud for years by shipping thousands of parcels through USPS using counterfeit USPS postage labels. Defendants, YDH Express, Inc., YDH Int’l Inc., and their owner/operator Yizhao Hou, also known as Harvey Hou, receive these parcels from their customers, which are companies located in China. The complaint seeks injunctive relief under the Anti-Fraud Injunction Act, as well as additional relief to remedy financial losses incurred by USPS. The United States also sought a temporary restraining order immediately barring Defendants from using USPS to mail parcels pending further order of the Court. On May 16, 2025, United States District Judge Natasha C. Merle entered a temporary restraining order against Defendants. “The Postal Service provides essential services to Americans, and we will not tolerate attempts by unscrupulous overseas businesses using fake postage to unlawfully deprive USPS of revenue it is entitled to,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “My Office is working diligently with our partners at the United States Postal Inspection Service to stop this ongoing fraud against the Postal Service.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the United States Postal Inspection Service and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) for their work on the case. “Hou allegedly cared only about making a profit at the expense of the USPS. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have a shared commitment in identifying individuals like Yizhou Hou who allegedly facilitate and perpetuate the use of fraudulent or counterfeit postage,” stated USPIS Acting Inspector in Charge of the New York Division Gallashaw. “Postal Inspectors will use all of our resources to put an end to the use of counterfeit postage and hold accountable all who seek to defraud the USPS. We will fulfill our mission to strengthen the American public’s trust in the U.S. Mail.” As alleged in the complaint, Defendants have conspired to ship thousands of parcels bearing counterfeit USPS labels, which they receive in bulk from their customers, sellers of goods located in China. Defendants have allegedly deprived USPS of substantial revenue through their use of counterfeit postage labels. The complaint alleges that Defendants have committed mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and violated the False Claims Act (FCA), as a result of their misconduct. The FCA allows the government to seek treble damages and penalties against those who defraud the United States, including by knowingly failing to pay obligations to the government. The complaint seeks injunctive relief, damages, and penalties. As set forth in the May 16, 2025 temporary restraining order (TRO), the Court found that there is “probable cause to believe that defendants are still engaged in the ongoing commission of mail fraud, and are still engaged in the ongoing conspiracy to commit mail fraud,” and that USPS would suffer “irreparable harm” absent a TRO because it “would continue to be defrauded by defendants’ use of counterfeit or invalid postage labels, or both.” You can report mail theft, identity theft, fraud, or other crimes involving the U.S. mail by calling the Postal Inspection Service’s national toll-free number: 877-876-2455 or at http://uspis.gov/report. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Division. Assistant United States Attorneys David A. Cooper and Logan J. Gowdicott are in charge of the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Loan Nguyen. E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CV-2719 (NCM)


title: Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting a Child and for Failing to Appear in Court

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Child Abuse and Failure to Appear. The sentencing took place on May 19, 2025. Angela Young, age 32, was sentenced to one year and four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Young was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024. She pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025. The conviction for Child Abuse stemmed from an incident that occurred in April 2024 within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation when at a residence near Mission, South Dakota, Young assaulted a nine-year-old child by repeatedly punching the child with her fists. Following her indictment, Young was released on bond. On September 30, 2024, Young did not attend a mandatory court hearing, and she was subsequently indicted for Failure to Appear. These matters were prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. These cases were investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement and the United States Marshals Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the cases. Young was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Meth Conspiracy Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to public court documents, Jason Douglas Ringold, 26, while on parole through the State of Iowa, was responsible for the distribution of more than ten pounds of methamphetamine and illegally possessing and selling firearms. Ringold conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Quad Cities with co-conspirators, Rosston Tate, 40, and Kyle Ogden Antle, 23, both Quad Cities residents. After completing his term of imprisonment, Ringold will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In December 2024 , Tate received a 20-year sentence, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. In March 2025 , Antle also received a 20-year prison sentence and a five-year term of supervised release. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department, Iowa Department of Public Safety—Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Rock Island Police Department, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, and Bettendorf Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Taunton Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for  $1 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Taunton man, formerly of Brockton, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for orchestrating a scheme to defraud various health insurance companies of over $1 million in false reimbursement claims for bogus medical expenses purportedly incurred during international travel. Henry Ezeonyido, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 27 months in prison, to be followed by three of supervised release. Ezeonyido was also ordered to pay $655,313 in restitution and to forfeit $396,998 in criminal proceeds. In February 2025, Ezeonyido pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and six counts of health care fraud. Ezeonyido was arrested and charged in July 2024 along with co-conspirators Brendon Ashe, Aqiyla Atherton, Darline Cobbler and Ariel Lambert. Ezeonyido was later indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. All four of Ezeonyido’s co-defendants pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme and were subsequently sentenced to probation. From approximately October 2019 to February 2022, Ezeonyido submitted fraudulent health insurance claims – on his own behalf and on behalf of at least seven other individuals, including Ashe, Atherton, Cobbler and Lambert – to five different health insurance companies for expensive medical treatment that they purportedly received and paid for out-of-pocket while traveling overseas. Many of the claims included fake traumatic injuries such as stabbings, gunshot wounds and hit and run car accidents that the defendants and others purportedly suffered requiring their hospitalization abroad. In nearly all instances, the individuals were actually in the United States at the time of the purported international medical events. Some of the individuals on whose behalf Ezeonyido submitted claims were knowing and willful participants in the scheme, while others either had no knowledge of the claims submitted on their behalf or were manipulated into providing their health insurance information, which Ezeonyido then used to submit fraudulent claims, later demanding a cut of the proceeds. Ezeonyido submitted fabricated documents to the victim health insurance companies in support of the fraudulent claims, including fabricated medical records purporting to show the medical care received, fabricated bank records purporting to show payment to the international treatment facilities and, where the claim related to a fake traumatic injury, fabricated police reports describing the circumstances of the alleged event. In many instances, the details of the claims – including the purported dates of service, country where the alleged medical event occurred, and nature and circumstances of the alleged injuries – and the fabricated records submitted in support of the claims were nearly identical to one another. As a result of these fraudulent claims, the victim health insurance companies were billed over $1 million for services that were never provided, resulting in payments totaling approximately $655,313. Upon receiving these payments from their health insurance companies, Ashe, Cobbler, Lambert and others, paid a portion of the proceeds to Ezeonyido and other co-conspirators, including Atherton, who acted as an intermediary, bringing others into the scheme in exchange for a cut of their paid claims. In total, Ezeonyido retained approximately $396,998 in fraud proceeds. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; and Anthony DiPaolo, Insurance Fraud Bureau Executive Director made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie A. Wright of the Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Watertown Man Sentenced to Nearly 16 Years in Federal Prison  for Unlawful Firearm Possession

body_text: SIOUX FALLS—United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Watertown, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on May 19, 2025. Anthony Thomas Lee Baker, 43, was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture of the firearm was also ordered. Baker was indicted for Felon in Possession of a Firearm by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 30, 2024. The charges arose from an incident when Baker, driving a vehicle, was stopped by law enforcement in Watertown, South Dakota. He was found to be in possession of a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Baker is prohibited from possessing any firearm based on a prior felony conviction. More specifically, Baker has at least three prior violent felony convictions, including one for possession of another firearm following his conviction for a crime of violence in Ramsey County, Minnesota, in 2017. This case was investigated by the ATF and the Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case. Baker was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Postal Employee Sentenced to Two Years Probation for Delay of U.S. Mail

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – CHRISTOPHER WASHINGTON (“WASHINGTON”) , age 32, of Houma, La. was sentenced, on May 15, 2025, to 2 years probation after previously pleading guilty to delay of U.S. Mail matter by postal employee, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 1703(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court documents, on or about June 2021, WASHINGTON delayed U.S. mail, which was intended to be conveyed by mail. The United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General ("OIG") was notified about missing mail on certain Postal Routes in Houma, Louisiana. On June 16, 2021, the mail for the City Route 40 in Houma, was found discarded in bushes in the 700 block of Maple Avenue in Houma. WASHINGTON was the postal carrier assigned to the route on that date. On June 21, 2021, discarded mail was also discovered in a trash can in the1100 block of Daspit Street in Houma. This City Route, number 35, was also assigned to WASHINGTON on the approximate date on which the mail was found. The total number of mail items recovered from both locations include 379 first class letters, 353 standard letters and 2 first class parcels. WASHINGTON , instead of delivering the mail, unlawfully disposed of it by hiding it in bushes and garbage cans on his assigned routes. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 2 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Burglary of a Home within the Standing Rock Reservation

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of First Degree Burglary. The sentencing took place on May 19, 2025. Brian Wallace Taken Alive, age 34, was sentenced to two years and sixth months months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Taken Alive was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 21, 2024. Shortly after nightfall on July 5, 2023, Taken Alive and two co-defendants went to a woman’s home in McLaughlin, South Dakota, to assault a man they believed had inappropriately touched a girl. McLaughlin lies within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. As the woman yelled at them to go away, Taken Alive kicked in her front door. Taken Alive and another co-defendant rushed into the house while their accomplice stood on the stoop. Although the man they came to find was passed out, Taken Alive repeatedly kicked him in the face and struck him with a bar while a co-defendant illumined the scene with a cell phone flashlight. The victim incurred a broken nose and shattered orbital and sinus bones in the affray. He still struggles with his vision and headaches today. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Taken Alive was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Covington Man Guilty of Violating Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JAYLON CARTER (“CARTER”) , age 24, a resident of Covington, Louisiana, pled guilty on May 15, 2025 to an indictment charging him with three counts of distribution of forty (40) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court documents, in January 2024, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office (“TPSO”) received information that CARTER sold “M30 blue pills” from both an apartment complex in Covington, La. or from his vehicle. After TPSO detectives confirmed that CARTER lived in the apartment complex, TPSO organized and conducted three controlled purchases of fentanyl pills from CARTER at the apartment complex. CARTER faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five years, up to a maximum term of imprisonment of forty years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, a term of supervised release of at least four years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $300.00. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Mid-State Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison for Million Dollar Investment Scheme

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – Gregory Michael Vogel a/k/a Gregory Michael Schneider, 52, formerly of Hendersonville, Tenn. and Gallatin, Tenn., was sentenced yesterday to 51 months in federal prison after having previously pleaded guilty to eight counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering for carrying out an investment scheme that defrauded investors of over one million dollars, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Our office will continue to vigorously pursue fraud and prosecute fraudsters like Vogel in order to vindicate the victims of their schemes,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “Prison sentences like this one send a clear message to fraudsters: we will not tolerate those who pray on victims to steal their money. We will find you, we will stop you, and we will hold you accountable.” “We are committed to unraveling intricate financial transactions and money laundering schemes where individuals attempt to conceal the original source of their money,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “Our special agents will continue to use their financial expertise to find and investigate allegations of investor fraud schemes alongside our law enforcement partners.” According to court documents, between April 2015 and May 2019, Vogel devised a scheme to defraud victims whom he had solicited to invest money with his company in foreign currency exchange websites and software (“forex websites”). Vogel claimed that these forex websites would generate substantial revenue, providing investors with thousands of dollars in monthly profits, and that they would eventually being sold to a third party, so that Vogel and the investors both could realize an even greater return on the investment. Vogel induced victims to make investments in the forex websites by making false representations about the investments, his management of the forex websites, and the actual ownership structure of the forex websites. Vogel also concealed material information from victims, including information about his background and investment history and his breaches of promises and contractual provisions to investors. Some of the concealed material information included that Vogel, under his prior name of Gregory Michael Schneider, had been sued by prior investors for a different investment offering and was found liable for committing fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and conversion, among other acts. As a result of that lawsuit, Vogel was permanently enjoined from soliciting or providing any business investments or investment advice in the future. Vogel had also been sued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and entered into a consent order in which he was permanently enjoined from trading or participating in certain transactions supervised by the CFTC. Following his term of incarceration, Vogel will be on supervised release for 3 years. Vogel is also subject to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $1,177,540 for Counts One through Eight, and a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $120,000 for Count Nine. This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Suedekum prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Possessing AR-15 Pistol Inside Hospital

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –ERIC FALKINS (“FALKINS”) , age 19, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on May 8, 2025, before Chief U.S. District Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown, to conspiracy to distribute, and possess 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 with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D); and 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). According to court documents, FALKINS had been selling marijuana in New Orleans since at least 2023, and conspiring with others to help him sell drugs. On January 24, 2024, FALKINS went to Touro Infirmary hospital in New Orleans to visit a patient. FALKINS brought a backpack inside the hospital that smelled like marijuana. Inside the backpack, were two plastic bags containing distributable quantities of marijuana; 17 sealed, pre-packaged bags of marijuana; a sealed bag of marijuana edibles; two digital scales; and a Radical Firearms Model RF-15, multi-caliber semi-automatic pistol, loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition. As to each of his drug trafficking convictions, FALKINS faces up to 5 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and a minimum of two years of supervised release. As to his conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries 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. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Justice Department Seizes Domains Behind Major Information-Stealing Malware Operation

component: Criminal Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of two warrants authorizing the seizure of five internet domains used by malicious cyber actors to operate the LummaC2 information-stealing malware service. “The Department will continue to use its unique tools, authorities, and partnerships to disrupt malicious cyber operations and criminal networks,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s disruption is another instance where our prosecutors, agents, and private sector partners came together to protect us from the persistent cybersecurity threats targeting our country. We are grateful for their work and dedication.” “Malware like LummaC2 is deployed to steal sensitive information such as user login credentials from millions of victims in order to facilitate a host of crimes, including fraudulent bank transfers and cryptocurrency theft,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that the Justice Department is resolved to use court-ordered disruptions like this one to protect the public from the theft of their personal information and their assets. The Department is also committed to working with and appreciates the efforts of the private sector to safeguard the public from cybercrime.” “The FBI is committed to disrupting the key services that cyber criminals rely on,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of FBI’s Cyber Division. “That’s why, with our partners, we took action against the most popular infostealer service available in online criminal markets, which is responsible for millions of attacks against victims. Thanks to partnerships with the private sector, we were able to disrupt the LummaC2 infrastructure and seize user panels. Together, we are making it harder, and more painful, for cyber criminals to operate.” As alleged in the affidavits filed in support of the government’s seizure warrants, the administrators of LummaC2 used the seized websites to distribute LummaC2, an information-stealing malware, to their affiliates and other cyber criminals. According to court documents, common targets for cybercriminals using malware like LummaC2 include browser data, autofill information, login credentials for accessing email and banking services, as well as cryptocurrency seed phrases, which permit access to virtual currency wallets. As alleged in the affidavits, the FBI has identified at least 1.7 million instances where LummaC2 was used to steal this type of information. The government’s affidavit further alleges that the seized domains, also referred to as user panels, served as login pages for the LummaC2 malware, allowing credentialed users and administrators to access and deploy LummaC2. On May 19, 2025, the government seized two domains. On May 20, 2025, as detailed in court documents, the LummaC2 administrators informed their users of three new domains that they had set up to host the user panel. The next day, the government then seized those three domains. The seizure of these domains by the government will prevent the owners and cybercriminals from using the websites to access LummaC2 to compromise computers and steal victim information. Individuals who now visit the websites will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by the Justice Department, including the FBI. Concurrent with today’s actions and consistent with the Department’s approach to public-private operational coordination, Microsoft announced an independent civil action to take down 2,300 internet domains also claimed to be used by the LummaC2 actors or their proxies. FBI’s Dallas Field Office is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are handling the case. The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program , which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, offers a reward of up to $10 million for information on foreign government-linked individuals participating in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Anyone with information on any other foreign government-linked malicious cyber actors or activity targeting U.S. critical infrastructure should contact Rewards for Justice via the RFJ Tor-based tip line at: he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion (Tor browser required). Learn more about Rewards for Justice and their reward offers at RewardsforJustice.net. If you believe you have a compromised computer or device, please visit the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). You may also contact your local FBI field office directly.


title: Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery of Jewelry Store

body_text: BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to the December 2023 armed robbery of a jewelry store in Lawrence, where he stole over $500,000 worth of jewelry and precious metals. Rosnel Polanco, 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery). U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Aug. 12, 2025. In August 2024 , Polanco was charged along with two co-conspirators. On Dec. 15, 2023, Polanco, and allegedly his co-conspirators, entered a Lawrence jewelry store armed with firearms. Numerous employees of the store were present at the time, and it is alleged that the defendants robbed them of their jewelry and cell phones. Polanco and his alleged co-conspirators then allegedly pointed firearms at the victims’ heads and pressed the firearms to their backs as they brought the employees to the basement where the store’s office and safes were located. Once downstairs, Polanco and his alleged co-conspirators forced the owner of the store to open the safes containing the jewelry and other precious metals. In total, approximately $500,000 in jewelry and precious metals are alleged to have been taken. The second safe could not be successfully opened. Polanco and his alleged co-conspirators then fled the scene in a rented Nissan Altima that was later found burned and torched in a field in Maine the following day. The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 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. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lawrence Acting Chief of Police Millix Bonilla made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cumberland County (Maine) Sheriff’s Department and the Norway (Maine) and Oxford (Maine) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: FCI Danbury Prisoner Sentenced for Assaulting Another Inmate

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN CRUZ-CARMONA, 34, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 12 months and one day of imprisonment for assaulting another inmate while imprisoned at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Danbury. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 18, 2023, while incarcerated at FCI Danbury, Cruz-Carmona used a weapon fashioned from a broken pencil and two razor blades to assault another inmate, causing wounds to the victim’s chin and neck. The injury was not life-threatening. On June 3, 2024, Cruz-Carmona pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. At the time of the offense, Cruz-Carmona was serving a 200-month federal sentence from the Western District of New York for murder with a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence imposed today will run consecutively to Cruz-Carmona’s previous sentence. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.


title: Virginia Attorney Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Return

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Virginia attorney pleaded guilty yesterday to filing a false tax return that concealed a significant portion of his income. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Asim Ghafoor, of Ashburn, was an attorney who operated a law practice in Virginia. His law practice had clients in various states, including Michigan. Ghafoor reported income from his practice on individual income tax returns that he personally prepared and signed. For 2012 through 2016, Ghafoor prepared and filed false tax returns that underreported the income he earned from his business. In total, Ghafoor caused a tax loss to the IRS of $354,634. Ghafoor is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for filing a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Richard J. Kelley and Jeffrey A. McLellan of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: Massachusetts Couple to Plead Guilty to  Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A couple from Randolph, Mass., has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded dozens of individual investors out of millions of dollars. Milendophe Duperier, 33, and Vanessa Joseph, 26, have agreed to plead guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Plea hearings for the defendants have not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the charging documents, Duperier acted as an investment advisor, soliciting investments from individuals and advising them that their funds would be invested in the securities markets. Joseph was allegedly Duperier’s girlfriend and business partner. It is alleged that, between early 2018 and December 2022, Duperier and Joseph defrauded dozens of individual investors by falsely representing that Duperier would use the entirety of their investments to purchase securities. However, instead of investing the funds in the securities markets as promised, Duperier and Joseph allegedly used the funds to pay prior investors and for personal purchases and expenses – including payments for luxury vehicles and mortgage and credit card debt. In total, the charging documents allege that Duperier and Joseph defrauded individual investors, some of whom had invested their life savings, of more than $3.2 million. As part of the alleged scheme, Duperier and Joseph allegedly applied for and received small business loans for various entities and used the loan proceeds to pay purported investment returns to victim investors. It is further alleged that Duperier made false statements and excuses to investors as to why he had not made promised interest payments and/or could not return the investors’ principal. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. 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. If you have questions, concerns or information about this case, please reach out to usama.victimassistance@usdoj.gov . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie A. Queenin and Leslie A. Wright of the Criminal Division are 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: Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty to Illegal Entry into the United States

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 20, 2025, Belvie Ikiela Lecka, 32, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ayse Gul Sakiner, 49, a citizen of Türkiye, pleaded guilty to a criminal complaint charging them with illegally entering the United States at a time or place other than designated for entering the country by immigration authorities. A third individual, Sajah Konateh, 51, a citizen of The Gambia, also made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday, and he is facing charges of illegal entry into the United States. According to court records, on May 19, 2025, at approximately 11:45 p.m., the United States Border Patrol received an image of three individuals, later identified as Ikiela Lecka, Sakiner, and Konateh walking south toward the bike path on North Derby Road in Derby, Vermont. This area is less than a tenth of a mile south of the United States/Canada border. Investigators believed that the three individuals had just entered the United States illegally from Canada. Border Patrol agents responded to the area, and found the three individuals, who appeared to be the same people in the image they had received, hiding in thick vegetation. The three defendants were placed under arrest. Border Patrol conducted records checks, which indicated that Ikiela Lecka, Sakiner, and Konateh had no current legal status in the United States. Ikiela Lecka, Sakiner, and Konateh had their initial court appearances before United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford on May 20, 2025, where they pleaded guilty, and both received time-served sentences. Konateh entered a not guilty plea, he faces up to 6 months’ imprisonment. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig. Ikiela Lecka is represented by Mark Oettinger, Esq., Sakiner is represented by Devin McLaughlin, Esq., and Konateh is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Shooter Gets Prison Sentence for Firing at a Couple Out Celebrating Their Anniversary

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Adrian Lee, 49, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 13 years in prison, for the shooting of two victims in April 2023 on Gresham Place, NW, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. A jury found Lee guilty, on September 24, 2024, of aggravated assault while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon and assault with significant bodily injury while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction). In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt also ordered five years supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:15 p.m. on April 18, 2023, the victims were driving home after celebrating their anniversary at a DC restaurant when the defendant’s wife sideswiped their car. Lee walked to the accident scene and provided an expired insurance card to the victim. While the victim was on the phone with the insurance company, the defendant became agitated that the process was taking too long and directed his wife to drive away from the scene of the accident. He too left the scene, running off on foot. When the victims followed the defendant to obtain valid insurance or vehicle information from him, the vehicle’s exterior video cameras captured the defendant running from the victims’ car. The victims flagged down a police officer, and, per the officer’s instructions, they returned to the site of the accident to make a police report. The victims then turned down Gresham Place, NW, to get back to the scene of the accident, and encountered Lee, who lived on that street. Lee retrieved a gun from his house and ran towards the victims. He pointed the gun at the female victim and then turned and shot the male victim one time in the torso. Lee and his wife then fled to Florida. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Rashmika Nedungadi and Sara Matar, who prosecuted the case.


title: Former IRS Employee Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud and Social Security Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employee pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to filing false tax returns in order to fraudulently obtain tax refunds and stealing Social Security benefits. Kathleen Mannion, 58, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to four counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return and one count of theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2025. Mannion was charged in March 2025. From 1998 to 2009, Mannion worked as an IRS contact representative in Andover, Mass. Between approximately July 2020 through April 2023, Mannion prepared and filed income tax returns for other individuals with the IRS. Even though Mannion prepared these returns on behalf of other individuals, she did not list herself as the tax return preparer. Instead, Mannion prepared the returns to appear as if the taxpayers prepared the returns on their own. Further, Mannion listed ineligible dependents on the tax returns, resulting in higher refund amounts for which the taxpayers did not qualify—all without the knowledge of the taxpayers. Mannion also filed forms with the IRS directing that a portion of the fraudulently obtained tax refunds be deposited in her personal bank accounts, which she then used for her personal benefit. Separately, between April and October 2020, Mannion applied for Social Security retirement, spouse and widow benefits with the Social Security Administration (SSA) via telephone for other individuals. Unbeknownst to these beneficiaries, Mannion directed SSA to deposit the Social Security benefits in her personal bank accounts, which she also used for her personal benefit. The charge of aiding and assisting the preparation and filing of a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.