title: Health Net Federal Services, LLC and Centene Corporation Agree to Pay Over $11 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability for Cybersecurity Violations

body_text: Note : View the settlement agreement here . Health Net Federal Services Inc. (HNFS) of Rancho Cordova, California and its corporate parent, St. Louis-based Centene Corporation, have agreed to pay $11,253,400 to resolve claims that HNFS falsely certified compliance with cybersecurity requirements in a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to administer the Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) TRICARE health benefits program for servicemembers and their families. In 2016, Centene acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Health Net Inc., HNFS’s corporate parent, and assumed the liabilities of HNFS. “Companies that hold sensitive government information, including sensitive information of the nation’s servicemembers and their families, must meet their contractual obligations to protect it,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue knowing violations of cybersecurity requirements by federal contractors and grantees to protect Americans’ privacy and economic and national security.” “Safeguarding sensitive government information, particularly when it relates to the health and well-being of millions of service members and their families, is of paramount importance,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “When HNFS failed to uphold its cybersecurity obligations, it didn’t just breach its contract with the government, it breached its duty to the people who sacrifice so much in defense of our nation.” “This settlement reflects the significance of protecting TRICARE, and the service members and their families who depend on the health care program, from risks of exploitation,” said Cyber Field Office Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General. “DCIS will not be deterred from investigating contractors that fail to comply with federal cybersecurity requirements and risk exposing protected information vulnerable to criminal hackers. The U.S. taxpayers who fund these government contracts expect no less.” The settlement resolves allegations that, between 2015 and 2018, HNFS failed to meet certain cybersecurity controls and falsely certified compliance with them in annual reports to DHA that were required under its contract to administer the TRICARE program. The United States alleged that HNFS failed to timely scan for known vulnerabilities and to remedy security flaws on its networks and systems, in accordance with its System Security Plan and the response times HNFS had established. Furthermore, the United States alleged HNFS ignored reports from third-party security auditors and its internal audit department of cybersecurity risks on HNFS’ networks and systems related to asset management; access controls; configuration settings; firewalls; end-of-life hardware and software in use; patch management (i.e., installing critical security updates released by vendors to counter known threats); vulnerability scanning; and password policies. The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California handled the matter, with assistance from DoD’s Office of Inspector General, including the DCIS, Cyber Field Office Western Region and the Inspector General’s Office of Audits, Cyberspace Operations Directorate, and DoD’s Defense Contract Management Agency, Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center. Trial Attorneys Christopher Wilson, Laura Hill, and Jonathan Thrope of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Tennyson for the Eastern District of California represented the United States in this matter. The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.


title: Guatemalan Citizen Pleads Guilty To Illegally Transporting Undocumented Aliens

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Fredi Herrera-Sontay (42, Guatemala) has pleaded guilty to being paid to transport an undocumented alien to further his illegal presence in the United States. Herrera faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, the U.S. Border Patrol received information that a grey truck with a Georgia license plate traveling southbound on I-75 was transporting undocumented aliens between Atlanta, Georgia, and South Florida. Border Patrol agents patrolling I-75 observed the truck and determined that Herrera was the registered owner and was illegally present in the United States. Agents stopped the vehicle in the early morning hours of January 29, 2025. Upon questioning, Herrera and a passenger in the truck stated that they were citizens of Guatemala. Neither of them had any documents establishing that they were legally authorized to be in the United States. Database checks for the vehicle reflected that it was purchased by Herrera on February 4, 2022, and that the mileage at the time of the purchase was 88,054. The vehicle’s odometer showed that the mileage at the time of the stop was 435,814, meaning that the vehicle had been driven 347,760 miles—or, on average, about 9,660 miles per month—since Herrera had purchased it. Both Herrera and the passenger were administratively arrested and transported to the Jacksonville Border Patrol Station for immigration processing. During processing, agents learned that Herrera had multiple previous immigration encounters and had been removed from the United States on July 11, 2018. No results returned for the passenger, indicating no prior encounters. During an interview, Herrera stated that that he was taking the passenger to Miami, for which he was paid $250, and that he was generally paid $250 for each person he transported. When he was asked how many times he had transported aliens, he replied that he did not know, that he did not have a clue how many times. This case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.


title: Rapid City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Cruz Mario Lara Larios, age 38, was sentenced on February 14, 2025, to 10 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Lara Larios was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 22, 2024. On March 17, 2024, Lara Larios was the driver and sole occupant of a vehicle on Interstate 90 near Spearfish, South Dakota. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Lara Larios’ vehicle for speeding. During the traffic stop officers located nearly 24 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the vehicle, which Lara Larios had been transporting from Washington to South Dakota with the intention of distributing some or all of the methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET). UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case. Lara Larios was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following the sentencing.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Collects nearly $3.5 Million in Debts Owed to Federal Victims of Crime and the United States in Fiscal Year 2024

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota collected $3,496,288.47 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $1,584,408.91 was collected in criminal actions and $1,911,879.56 was collected in civil actions. The District of South Dakota office worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices elsewhere in the country and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $775,964.79. Excluded from these totals are significant recoveries obtained at the end of Calendar Year 2024, such as the $12.7M settlement to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations relating to improper financial relationships between Dunes Surgical Hospital and two physician groups , and the $1.4M paid toward restitution in a pandemic fraud prosecution . “Ensuring the collection of federal debt restores justice to victims of crime and reinforces the integrity of our governmental institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. In addition to filing 14 new garnishment actions, the Financial Litigation Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office closed 44 civil and criminal restitution cases where the federal debt or victims were paid in full. For example, in a civil case involving the Farm Service Agency (FSA), the Financial Litigation Unit recovered $52,561.75 from a borrower who sold calves in violation of his loan agreement with a local bank. In a criminal case arising from a wire fraud conviction, the same Financial Litigation Unit recovered $36,773.79 from an inheritance the defendant received while in custody, thus providing a substantial recovery to the victims of the defendant’s wire fraud. United States Attorney’s Offices, along with the Department of Justice’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.


title: Lebanon County Man Indicted For Sex Offense Involving Minor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Chase Lawrence, age 23, of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 5, 2025, for travelling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The case was unsealed following Lawrence’s initial appearance. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between on or about December 18, 2022 and October 6, 2023, Lawrence travelled from Lebanon County, Pennsylvania to the State of Ohio, with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a female who was under 16 years old. The case was investigated by the Camden Ohio Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Wesley (Wes) Mishoe is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The maximum penalties under federal law for the indicted offense are 30 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release after imprisonment, a fine, and a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Maine Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison after Methamphetamine Recovered from Safe in Biddeford Apartment

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Tyrone Fleurimont, 36, to 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. According to court records, in April 2024, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigators executed a search warrant at a Biddeford apartment used by Fleurimont. Agents seized approximately 180 grams of methamphetamine pills, 90 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 293 grams of cocaine, and 66 grams of cocaine base, along with cash, a 9mm handgun and a loaded 18-round magazine. Individually wrapped baggies containing approximately 14 grams of cocaine were also later recovered from Fleurimont’s person. Fleurimont has prior criminal convictions in both Massachusetts and Maine, including a 2013 conviction for possessing a Class A drug with intent to distribute, a 2016 conviction for possessing a firearm without a permit, and a 2019 conviction for unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs. DEA investigated the case with the assistance of the Biddeford Police Department. ###


title: First Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot is now Acting U.S. Attorney

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS--The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana announced today that First Assistant Timothy J. Racicot is now the Acting U.S. Attorney following the departure of former U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich. As Acting U.S. Attorney, Racicot is the chief federal law enforcement official in the state of Montana. Racicot is a career prosecutor who became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in October 2005. He has served as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney since August 2022. Racicot received an undergraduate degree from Carroll College and a law degree from the University of Notre Dame. XXX


title: Los Angeles Man Sentenced To 41 Months’ Imprisonment For Conspiring To Launder Money

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A California man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for conspiring to launder money obtained from internet-related fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Charles Singleton, 65, of Los Angeles, California, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo, to Count One of an Indictment, which charged him with conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From September 2018 to August 2020, Singleton worked with conspirators to launder money obtained through business email compromises, which is a method of wire fraud often targeting businesses or individuals working on business transactions involving high-dollar wire transactions. The fraud is carried out by compromising, hacking, and/or “spoofing” legitimate email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques to cause employees of a target company, or other individuals involved in legitimate business transactions, to conduct unauthorized transfers of funds, most often to accounts controlled by the fraud perpetrators. Singleton opened several business bank accounts in the names of companies he controlled and received proceeds of wire fraud in those accounts. Singleton and his conspirators then withdrew and transferred money from various bank accounts and shared the bank account information. Singleton also executed at least one fraudulent contract with a conspirator for a wire of $70,000. In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Singleton to three years of supervised release, ordered forfeiture of over $1.1 million constituting proceeds derived from the conspiracy, and ordered $1,469,003 in restitution to the victims. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, Woodland Park Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. singleton.indictment.pdf


title: Federal Jury Finds Dauphin County Man Guilty of Attempted Coercion and  Enticement of a Minor

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Melad Fahmy, age 44, of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was convicted on February 13, 2025, for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor following a four-day jury trial before United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson. The jury deliberated approximately 45 minutes before returning its verdict. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, this case was the result of a multi-agency undercover operation designed to combat human trafficking and child exploitation. Fahmy responded to an advertisement FBI had placed on a website known to advertise prostitution and escort service. Fahmy then communicated with an undercover agent posing as an aunt and acting as the pimp for her minor niece to entice the child to engage in illegal sexual acts for $100. Fahmy was arrested after arriving at a Harrisburg hotel with $100 in cash. "Cases like this are brought together through the diligent work of law enforcement and their dedication to protecting all children from exploitation," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "The FBI will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to locate, apprehend, and bring to justice those who prey on our most vulnerable." The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Dauphin County Drug Task Force, and Lower Paxton Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Haugsby and Stephen Dukes prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is a life of imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of 10 years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. ###


title: Delta Man Sentenced to Prison for His Role  in Firearms Trafficking Conspiracy

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

body_text: Aberdeen, MS – Jarvis Hood, 23 of Belzoni, was sentenced on Tuesday to five years in prison for conspiring to transfer firearms to Chicago, Illinois residents and making false statements to federal firearms licensees during the purchase of multiple firearms. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the investigation began after agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives noticed that a high volume of firearms recovered in crimes in the City of Chicago had been purchased in the Northern District of Mississippi. Some of the firearms involved in new crimes had been purchased as recent as one day prior to use in a new offense. Several of the firearms were recovered in violent crimes and had machinegun devices attached that converted the firearms to be able to fire automatically. In total, investigators identified over 60 firearms that were purchased illegally and transported to Chicago for resale. Five defendants pled guilty for their roles in the offense. After a five-day trial in October 2024, a federal jury returned a verdict finding Hood guilty of the offense. On February 18, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Hood to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence imposed will run consecutive to a sentence that Hood is currently serving in an unrelated state court case. There is no parole in the federal system. “Hood absolutely deserves this time in prison after he participated in a scheme to illegally traffic firearms to Chicago for personal profit without any concern that these guns would be used by violent criminals to create more victims,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We will continue to hold accountable those who place innocent citizens at risk by putting guns in the hands of people who do not have any respect for human life.” “Machineguns cannot be tolerated on the streets of any community, and this defendant, alongside his codefendants, are guilty of trafficking these dangerous weapons between Mississippi and Chicago,” remarked ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “I commend the agents, officers and the United States Attorney’s Office for their commitment in investigating and prosecuting this case, holding the defendants accountable for trafficking over 60 firearms which ended up in the hands of dangerous individuals.” The case was investigated by the Chicago Field Division of ATF, with assistance from the ATF Oxford, Mississippi Field Office. Valuable contributions were made by the Chicago Police Department, Wilmette Police Department, and Amtrak Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Addison and Samuel Stringfellow 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.


title: United States Attorney’s Office Announces Departure of Jaime Esparza

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas announced today the departure of Jaime Esparza as U.S. Attorney. Esparza was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December 2022. He came to the Western District of Texas after serving as the District Attorney for the 34th Judicial District of Texas, in El Paso, from 1993 to 2020. As U.S. Attorney, Esparza led the handling of more than 41,000 federal criminal prosecutions—including immigration, drugs, firearm, white collar, and violent crime—and more than 10,000 civil cases in this southern border district. He made it a priority to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations, including gangs, cartels and smuggling organizations. He also led and elevated outreach programs to educate the public on the dangers of fentanyl and machinegun conversion devices, and to bring awareness to domestic violence issues, among others. Under Esparza’s leadership, the civil section defended the United States in numerous civil actions and sought and obtained civil penalties against numerous individuals and entities under the False Claims Act. Additionally, his team of asset recovery lawyers obtained millions of dollars in restitution for victims and forfeited millions of dollars in property that were used to commit crimes or were obtained with proceeds of crime. The Western District of Texas is comprised of 93,000 square miles, 68 counties, covers 660 miles of U.S./Mexico border, and has divisional offices in El Paso, Del Rio, Waco, San Antonio, Austin, Pecos-Alpine, and Midland-Odessa. Its civil and criminal attorneys practice in District, Magistrate, and Bankruptcy Courts throughout the District, as well as in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Under the Vacancy Reform Act, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman now serves as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas. Leachman has been with the Western District of Texas for more than 30 years and has served in numerous roles, including as Senior Litigation Counsel, Chief of the Criminal Division, Chief of the El Paso Division, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Appellate and Major Crimes sections. ###


title: Alleged High-Level Human Smuggler Extradited to El Paso

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national was extradited from Mexico City to El Paso on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in human smuggling operations through the El Paso corridor. According to court documents, Osvaldo Coronel-Fernandez aka “Omero,” of Ciudad Juarez, is charged with one count of aiding and abetting, bringing in aliens without authorization for financial gain and one count of conspiracy to encourage and induce aliens to come to the United States for financial gain. Coronel-Fernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso on Nov. 20, 2019 for offenses that allegedly occurred between July 2015 and August 2016. If convicted, he faces three to 10 years in federal prison for the aiding and abetting charge and up to 10 years in prison for the conspiracy charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Coronel-Fernandez. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting and extraditing Coronel-Fernandez. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Watts is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Washington, D.C. Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Armed Robberies of Four Maryland Cell Phone Stores

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Xavier Jones, 26, of Washington, D.C., to 22 years in federal prison and three years of supervised release for his role in robbing four cell phone stores in Baltimore County, Howard County, and Prince George’s County, Maryland. Jones was also ordered to pay $74,141.26 in restitution. Phil Selden, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department. According to the parties’ plea agreement, Jones and his co-conspirators brandished firearms during the robberies, threatened to kill employees and customers, physically moved victims throughout the stores, and pepper sprayed victims during one of the robberies. The final robbery occurred on December 23, 2020, at an AT&T store in Owings Mills, Maryland. Co-conspirator Rico Dashiell, 26, of Fort Washington, Maryland, entered the AT&T store pretending to be a customer. After Jones and co-conspirator Donte Herring, 25, of Washington, DC, entered the store, Dashiell brandished a firearm announcing a robbery. Jones and Herring stole $48,767 worth of Apple and Samsung Galaxy devices, 76 in total. Additionally, Dashiell directed an employee to open the store’s cash register before stealing $322. The perpetrators forced three victims into a room containing a safe and then proceeded to pepper spray them. The robbers then fled the store in a stolen Kia Niro with registration tags from another vehicle. During the course of their conduct, the robbers inadvertently took a 3SI GPS tracker which was in one of the stolen cell phone boxes. As the perpetrators fled, the tracker was activated. Law enforcement tracked the stolen vehicle to a single-family residence in Catonsville, Maryland where a friend of Jones lived. Aviation units observed and filmed the robbers outside of the residence unloading the stolen AT&T merchandise and taking the items into the residence. Law enforcement also found a stolen Dodge Caravan from a previous robbery at the residence. The initial robbery happened on October 23, 2020, at a Verizon store in College Park, Maryland. Jones and a co-conspirator forced victims into a backroom before directing an employee to open a safe. The robbers then proceeded to steal $21,440.93 in mobile devices. Then on December 8, 2020, Jones and a co-conspirator robbed the Russell Cellular Verizon store in Columbia, Maryland. Jones and a co-conspirator initially posed as customers before pulling a firearm on an employee. The robbers then moved the employee into a backroom, ordering him to open the safe. Jones and his co-conspirator stole $22,000.33 worth of mobile devices — including numerous iPhones — and $1,273, from the safe. On December 17, 2020, Jones and Herring robbed another Russell Cellular Verizon store – this time in Halethorpe, Maryland. The perpetrators again initially posed as customers before brandishing firearms and pointing them at an employee. Herring ordered the employee to open a safe and then they proceeded to steal various electronic devices — including multiple boxes of Apple cellular phones, watches, and iPads — worth approximately $27,940. Additionally, Herring forced the employee to give him $1,313 from the cash register. They then fled in a stolen Dodge Caravan. Dashiell previously pleaded guilty for his role in the robbery and was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. Herring was convicted at trial and has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Selden commended the FBI, Baltimore County Police Department, Howard County Police Department, and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Selden also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Michael F. Aubin 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Lexington Woman Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington, woman, Amy Lynn Cook, 38, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, to 276 months, for production of child pornography. According to her plea agreement, on December 1, 2023, law enforcement received a tip that a Google user, later identified as Cook, had uploaded child sexual abuse material to the platform. Law enforcement also identified additional tips that indicated that Cook had uploaded child pornography images to various other social media platforms, including Facebook. In an interview with law enforcement, Cook admitted that she would sell images, including sexually explicit images of minors, to others on the internet. Search warrants obtained for Cook’s social media accounts and electronic devices led to the discovery of child pornography images, including images of infant that had been produced by Cook. Cook stated that someone requested the image via the internet and that she had been paid to produce and send it. Under federal law, Cook must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon Cook’s release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HSI and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . — END —


title: New Kensington Felon Sentenced to Prison for Theft of Two Dozen Firearms

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 20 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of federal firearms charges, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Michael Guin, 27. According to information presented to the Court, on or about January 22, 2024, Guin and his co-defendant, Steyn Sarduy, conspired to steal a truck and used the stolen vehicle to crash into and gain access to a firearms store in New Kensington. The defendants broke multiple display cases and stole 24 firearms. As a previously convicted felon, Guin was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Guin.


title: Guatemalan national sentenced for illegal reentry in Eastern District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas –A Guatemalan national has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Carlos Rodriguez-Torres, 42, pleaded guilty to reenty of deported alien and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on February 18, 2025. According to information presented in court, on April 18, 2024, Rodriguez-Torres was found in Lumberton. Data system checks revealed Rodriguez-Torres is a citizen and national of Guatemala and illegally present in the United States. Further investigation revealed Rodriguez-Torres had been previously deported or removed to Guatemala on March 14, 2012; October 9, 2012; March 12, 2013; and January 8, 2019. Rodriguez-Torres had also been previously convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien on February 20, 2018, in the Eastern District of Texas. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Lumberton Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn. ###


title: Violations of the False Claims Act as the Result of Fraudulent Payment Protection Program Loans Settled in United States District Court

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that the United States has obtained consent or default judgments in five civil fraud lawsuits alleging the individuals obtained loans for fictitious companies or fictitious self-employment under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The defendants named in the lawsuits are Antoinette Kennedy, Andre Lane, Dieudonne Nlend, Tracey Thompson and Rashinda Harris . These defendants obtained forgiveness of their loans in violation of the False Claims Act. This litigation resulted in judgments in favor of the United States in the total amount of $138,413.72. The PPP was an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act and administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). The PPP was created to provide forgivable loans to support small businesses struggling to pay employees and other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the requested loan and that the information provided in the loan application was true and accurate. To receive forgiveness, borrowers were required to submit signed loan forgiveness applications and documents containing certain information and certifications. The case involving defendant Kennedy began in May 2024 when agents began investigating a fraudulent PPP loan received by her. Investigators with the Army Criminal Investigation Unit learned that Kennedy had no business, business income, or business expenses as she falsely stated on her application for the PPP loan. Their investigation further revealed that Kennedy had learned about a scheme on Instagram and obtained loans on her own behalf and prepared the false paperwork. The government filed a complaint to recover damages and civil penalties under the False Claims Act for PPP funds which Kennedy received which she was not entitled to. A default judgment was obtained by the United States against Kennedy in the amount of $48,813.72. Thompson and Harris were small business owners and allowed someone to assist them with the creating of their false PPP loan applications. Their applications exaggerated the amount of business income that each of them actually had. Both defendants were responsible for submitting false loan applications and received PPP loans to which they would have not been entitled to receive. Similarly, Lane was self-employed and submitted a false self-employment income claim. Lane’s application exaggerated his self-employment income. A settlement was reached with each of these three defendants, and consent judgments were obtained by the United States in the amounts of $23,516, $23,415, and $23,435, respectively. During the investigation of Dieudonne Nlend , agents interviewed him, and he admitted to falsifying self-employment income amounts. Nlend told agents that he used the proceeds from the PPP loan to assist a family member with a medical issue in another country. A consent judgment in the amount of $19,234 was obtained by the United States against Nlend. “The United States Attorney’s Office will use every tool at our disposal - to include civil litigation - to root out fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. “We are proud to work with our law enforcement partners to hold these wrongdoers accountable.” The resolutions obtained were the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General, and for certain defendants, the Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division. The cases were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa L. Theriot. # # #


title: East Conemaugh Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine and Firearms Charges

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of East Conemaugh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Kari Ameen Wheeler, 38, pleaded guilty to Counts One and Two of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about August 21, 2024, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Wheeler distributed and possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Further, on August 23, 2024, Wheeler possessed two firearms and ammunition after previously having been convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and Cambria County Drug Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Wheeler.


title: Houston felon sentenced for federal firearms violation in Eastern District of Texas

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Houston convicted felon has been sentenced to prison for a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Bobby Ray Emanis, 40, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on February 18, 2025. According to information presented in court, in September 2023, a deputy with the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a suspicious vehicle on County Road 2286 in Cleveland. The vehicle was parked in the roadway with its lights off. The truck had no front license plate and no registration sticker in the windshield. Emanis was identified as the driver and informed the deputy there was a sawed-off shotgun behind the seat. The loaded shotgun was recovered. Further investigation revealed Emanis was a convicted felon, having been previously convicted of numerous violations in Liberty County, Nacogdoches County, and Harris County. As a convicted felon, Emanis knew he was prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn. ###


title: Former Great Falls woman sentenced to prison for 2021 crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation that seriously injured passenger

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A former Great Falls woman who was convicted by a federal judge for a December 2021 crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in which a juvenile passenger suffered serious injuries was sentenced on Feb. 12 to 14 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said today. After a one-day bench trial on Aug. 27, 2024, Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris found the defendant, Noblee Rose Littledog, 23, currently of Aberdeen, Washington, guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily injury as charged in an indictment. At sentencing, the court allowed Littledog to self-report to prison. In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Dec. 1, 2021, Littledog was driving a 2019 Jeep Cherokee on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation with the victim, a passenger identified as Jane Doe, who was 17 years old. While driving on Badger Creek Road, Littledog attempted to pass two vehicles at the same time while driving 105 mph. Littledog lost control of the vehicle and overcorrected, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and roll several times before coming to rest right side up. Both Littledog and the victim were seriously injured. Jane Doe suffered severe trauma to her lower extremities, underwent multiple surgeries and has permanent damage. The government presented evidence at trial that seconds before the crash, Littledog was traveling at a minimum speed of 105 mph. The evidence also showed that both occupants were restrained at the time of the crash. Jane Doe reported that Littledog had consumed alcohol on the drive, and Littledog told law enforcement at the hospital that she had consumed two alcoholic beverages approximately 30 to 40 minutes before the crash. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, the Montana Highway Patrol and the FBI, with assistance from the Cut Bank Police Department, conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Will Thompson Concludes His Service as United States Attorney

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Will Thompson announced today that he has concluded his tenure as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, effective immediately. “Serving as the United States Attorney has genuinely been a career highlight,” Thompson said. “Thinking that a boy who grew up in Boone County, West Virginia, would be able to serve his country in such a prestigious and vital role leaves me in awe. I am proud of the office’s work under my leadership and that my team has strengthened its relationship and reputation with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, as well as with the judiciary and general public.” Thompson was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., on August 10, 2021. The United States Senate confirmed Thompson by voice vote on October 5, 2021. After taking his oath of office on October 13, 2021, Thompson led an office of 34 attorneys and 41 non-attorney personnel located in offices in Charleston, Huntington, and Beckley. Thompson appreciates the role that former Senator Joe Manchin played in securing his nomination from President Biden, and the role that Manchin and Senator Shelley Moore Capito played in getting him confirmed by the United States Senate. Thompson also appreciates the relationships he built and strengthened with state officials and the district’s state prosecutors, sheriffs, and chiefs of police. Thompson commends the Assistant United States Attorneys and support personnel who served with him. He appreciates the career people who there when he entered the office and the employees he hired during his tenure. “The people of this office are the true backbone of federal prosecution and representation in this district,” Thompson said. “They all serve with dignity and respect for the rule of law. They are vital to the mission of the Department of Justice, which is to keep our communities safe.” Thompson is most proud of three accomplishments while he was in office. The first is the significant decline in overdose deaths. He attributes that to his office’s change of strategy from targeting street-level drug dealers to mid- and upper-level drug distributors. This strategy has removed hundreds of pounds of this poison from communities throughout the district. His office has disrupted supply chains of fentanyl that were coming directly into the district from China and methamphetamine that was coming directly from the cartels in Mexico. As part of his plan to lower the overdose rates, Thompson also championed prevention and treatment opportunities across the district. Thompson is also proud of his work in reducing violent crime and overall crime in the district. Thompson attributes this reduction to several factors. He improved communications and relationships with the office’s law enforcement partners. Thompson also worked with state and local partners to obtain federal grants to give them more resources to their jobs more. Finally, given that the majority of crimes in West Virginia are connected to the drug trade, the office’s revised strategy has helped reduce the crime rate. The third accomplishment that Thompson is proud of is using his skills as a former trial court judge to instigate a vigorous review process of cases to ensure there were no evidentiary issues. Thompson met with law enforcement partners throughout the district and informed them of this new review process. He had his office work more closely with the officers to address the issues, assist with writing search warrants, and help with other search and seizure issues. As United States Attorney, Thompson was the chief federal law enforcement officer in the southern half of West Virginia. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States. The results of the revised approach to drug cases under Thompson include Operation Smoke and Mirrors , which dismantled a high-volume drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area and yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Following the trail of methamphetamine in West Virginia back to Los Angeles, California, and the U.S. southern border, investigators seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine, 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms, and $935,000 in cash. The DTO was directly involved in price fixing in the methamphetamine trade by raising the price of methamphetamine coming into the United States from Mexico based on fluctuations in the currency conversion rate. Four separate indictments led to the convictions of 31 defendants, including the DTO’s in-state leaders and California-based suppliers. Over 20 defendants have been sentenced to prison, including eight to terms of more than 10 years. Three low-level defendants were referred to the Alternative Treatment Court (ATC). Thompson also supported the ATC program , which provides a blend of treatment that focuses on drug and mental health treatment, and alternative sanctions to effectively address offender behavior, rehabilitation, and education and job skills training. Thompson also led the prosecution of a Kanawha County man who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. The defendant set up a workshop in a rented St. Albans apartment were he made fake 30-milligram oxycodone pills. The defendant admitted that the fentanyl came from a source outside the United States and that the pill press came from China. Investigators seized over 10,000 pills and nearly $80,000 in this case. Thompson’s office also obtained guilty verdicts against a Logan County physician for four counts of distribution of a controlled substance. The defendant had previously pleaded guilty to using a registration number in violation of federal law and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. His medical license and office are subject to forfeit to the government as a result of the latest convictions. The office under Thompson also secured convictions against the majority of the defendants in prosecutions that dismantled a Huntington-area DTO responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl and a Beckley-area DTO that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” While having the utmost respect for law enforcement officers, Thompson had zero tolerance for officers who break the law and violate people’s civil rights. In what Thompson considered the most critical civil rights case during his tenure, he personally participated in the investigation and prosecution of eight former West Virginia correctional officers who were charged and convicted in connection with a March 1, 2022, assault that resulted in the death of a Southern Regional Jail inmate and the subsequent cover-up. After four days of trial, the final defendant was found guilty on January 27, 2025. A former Fayette County law enforcement officer was sentenced to 25 years in prison , to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution for sex trafficking a 17-year-old minor female and obstructing the resulting investigation. Following four days of trial, a federal jury found the defendant guilty on April 28, 2023, of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, sex trafficking of a minor via coercion, and two counts of obstruction of justice. A former Nicholas County deputy sheriff was convicted of the production of child pornography and sentenced to 20 years in prison . The defendant took two videos of the child victim, who was under the age of 12 and was sleeping on a couch. In the first video, he walked toward her and zoomed in on her buttocks. In the second video, he recorded his exposed penis and him masturbating near the sleeping girl. He then used Snapchat to distribute the videos to multiple users. When Snapchat shut down his account, he created another Snapchat account to distribute child pornography. A former Logan police officer was sentenced to nine years in prison after a jury convicted him of using excessive force against an arrestee. At the trial, the jury heard evidence that he assaulted the victim in a bathroom, then dragged him into another room and rammed his head against a door frame, leaving the victim unconscious and lying in a pool of his own blood. The office successfully prosecuted 18 individuals in connection with a scheme to traffic over 140 firearms from southern West Virginia to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over 50 of the firearms were recovered at crime scenes, primarily in Philadelphia, and were connected to two homicides, crimes of domestic violence, and other violent offenses. The ringleader was sentenced to 25 years in prison , to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Southern District of West Virginia became a national leader in prosecuting bankruptcy fraud under Thompson’s leadership. Among those cases, a Charleston developer was sentenced to one year and one day in prison , followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $730,326.43 in restitution for falsifying bankruptcy records. The former chief executive officer of the entity that operated the West Virginia Courtesy Patrol was sentenced to five years of federal probation and ordered to pay $205,802.49 for fraudulent receipt of property from a debtor. A Putnam County man was sentenced to 30 days in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, including five months on home detention, and ordered to pay $24,662.56 in restitution for knowingly and fraudulently making a false declaration in a bankruptcy case. The office successfully prosecuted other forms of white-collar crime under Thompson. A Kentucky businessman pleaded guilty on behalf of himself and two limited liability companies for their roles in the January 2018 discharge of oil into the Big Sandy River. The defendants were sentenced to terms of probation and also ordered to pay $1,856,957.92 in restitution. The LLC defendants cannot conduct or operate any business during their five-year terms of corporate probation. Nine defendants were convicted in connection with multiple internet-based fraud schemes operated in the Huntington area that defrauded hundreds of individuals across the country. The schemes defrauded at least 200 victims, many of whom are elderly, of at least $2.5 million. The final convicted defendant was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, ordered to pay $904,126.96 in restitution, and participated in a digital awareness campaign to alert West Virginians to online fraud scams. The office also secured 20 convictions related to COVID-19 benefits fraud under Thompson, with court-ordered restitution and a civil penalty in these cases exceeding $1,330,000. Under Thompson’s leadership, the office secured a 15-count indictment charging a Kanawha County man with wire fraud, money laundering, and obstruction. The indictment alleges the defendant conceived and carried out two real estate-related investment fraud schemes that caused losses of between $395,000 and $434,501.42. The defendant’s mother pleaded guilty late last year to aiding and abetting the sale and offer of unregistered securities as a result of the investigation in this case. The office also secured an 18-count indictment charging the former maintenance director for Boone County Schools with mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and money laundering. The indictment alleges the defendant used his position to defraud the Boone County Board of Education out of approximately $3,400,000. To date, three other individuals have been charged as a result of this investigation. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Before taking office as United States Attorney, Thompson was a Circuit Court Judge in West Virginia’s 25th Judicial Circuit. He was appointed to that position in 2007 and re-elected in 2008 and 2016. Thompson presided over several treatment courts, including the first family treatment court in West Virginia. Before becoming a Circuit Court Judge, Thompson practiced law at the Cook and Cook law firm in Boone County. There, he focused on litigation, which included representing several hundred indigent clients in criminal defense and other matters. Thompson also previously served as President of Madison Healthcare, Inc. and as Vice President of Danville Lumber Company. Thompson was born in Charleston and raised in Boone County, West Virginia. He earned a degree in civil engineering from West Virginia University and a law degree from West Virginia University College of Law. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. ###


title: St. Louis County Man Accused of Child Sex Trafficking

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Northwoods, in St. Louis County, Missouri, has been accused of child sex trafficking. Rodarius Servick, 50, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Thursday on one count of child sex trafficking and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He appeared in court and pleaded not guilty Tuesday. The indictment accuses Servick of recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting or providing a minor for a commercial sex act between August 19, 2024, and Sept. 13, 2024, and transporting that minor across state lines for the purpose of prostitution on August 19. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. A motion seeking to have Servick held in jail until trial says law enforcement learned on Sept. 13, 2024, of a runaway juvenile that was being trafficked. Detectives found an advertisement with her picture online, and the St. Louis County Police Department conducted an undercover operation that recovered the girl days later. The FBI, the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Sylmar Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Using Instagram to Advertise and Distribute Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for using Instagram to advertise sexually explicit images of high school girls without their permission, to distribute child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and to threaten victims who objected to his behavior. Alejandro Garcia Aranda, 23, of Sylmar, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., who also ordered him to pay $45,000 total restitution to 15 victims. In sentencing Garcia Aranda, Judge Blumenfeld emphasized the “cruel,” “callous,” and “monstrous” nature of the offense. Garcia Aranda pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of distribution of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since July 2024. In April and May of 2020, Garcia Aranda used the Instagram handle “valleyhoezzz818” with the self-proclaimed goal of “[e]xposing all valley hoes with their @’s” to target local girls who attended schools in the San Fernando Valley. Using Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle, Garcia Aranda received payments from customers who wanted to obtain sexually explicit content of the victims that he had advertised and offered to sell on the Instagram account. After receiving and confirming payment, using the Instagram account, Garcia Aranda then sent a direct message to customers and provided a link to a zip file containing the CSAM. When victims discovered that sexually explicit materials depicting them were being advertised and disseminated by Garcia Aranda and requested that he stop and remove them, Garcia Aranda attempted to extract further additional sexually explicit material from them, including by threatening to post additional photographs. Garcia Aranda admitted to knowingly distributing CSAM – three sexually explicit videos and one sexually explicit image involving children – in May 2020. Garcia Aranda further admitted to possessing more than 600 images of CSAM. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kathy Yu prosecuted this case.


title: Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Ampless Ray Lilly, 52, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession of child pornography. According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about February 20, 2023, through on or about April 23, 2024, Lilly knowingly received approximately 2,900 images and 1,100 videos containing child pornography on his mobile phone while accessing the internet from his Huntington residence. Lilly admitted that the child pornography he downloaded included depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and depictions of minor children subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence. Lilly further admitted that he distributed images and videos containing child pornography through the internet. Lilly is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Lilly is a registered sex offender as a result of his guilty plea to first-degree sexual assault in Lincoln County Circuit Court on January 22, 1993. During the time period of the current offense, Lilly began serving a five-year term of probation imposed on November 13, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 14, 2023. A petition to revoke that probation has been filed and is currently pending. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-15. ###


title: Romanian Man Guilty of Access Device Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson announced that DORU ADAMESC , a/k/a “Petru Golban,” (“ADAMESC”) , age 32, a national of Romania, pled guilty on February 13, 2025 before Chief United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown, to conspiracy to commit access device fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(b)(2). According to court documents, on May 19, 2024 and May 20, 2024, ADAMESC, and a co-conspirator, purchased items at retail establishments so that they could approach the credit card reading machines. ADAMESC’s co-conspirator then distracted the cashiers while ADAMESC covertly installed card skimmers on the credit card reading machines. ADAMESC was arrested on June 5, 2024, when he returned to one of the stores to attempt to retrieve a skimming device. A search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of two large magnets, commonly used to activate the Bluetooth capabilities on skimming devices. ADAMESC’s cellular phones were seized; one phone contained a photo of approximately 60 gift cards spread out on a counter. Such gift cards are typically re-encoded with stolen card numbers in order to make fraudulent purchases or withdrawals. Law enforcement officers also seized six credit card skimmers before ADAMESC was able to retrieve them. These skimmers captured approximately 421 credit, debit, and Electronic Benefit Transfer (“EBT”) cards. ADAMESC faces up to 7.5 years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee. Sentencing before Chief Judge Brown has been scheduled for May 22, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Special Agents of the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; Special Agents with the United States Secret Service; Deputies with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; Deputies with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office; Deputies with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office; and Officers of the New Orleans Police Department, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Atlanta-Area Return Preparers

component: Tax Division

body_text: The Justice Department filed a complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia seeking to bar three Atlanta-area tax return preparers from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing federal tax returns for others, as well as to require the defendants to disgorge the fees they received for fraudulently prepared returns. The civil complaint was filed against Mabika Ilunga; Simon Ilunga; Simon Ilunga Jr.; Mabilus Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service; Big Cheez Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service and SN Tax Services Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service. According to the complaint, the defendants prepared and filed tax returns that falsely understated their customers’ federal income tax liabilities by fabricating, among other things: Businesses and related business expenses and losses; Education and qualified electric vehicle credits; Unreimbursed employee business expenses and Dependents and filing status. The defendants fabricated these items to inflate their customers’ refunds and increase their eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit. According to the complaint, the defendants prepared thousands of tax returns for 2020 through 2023, and already prepared over 400 returns between the start of the 2025 filing season and today’s filing. The complaint alleges that the IRS reviewed income tax returns for 34 of the defendants’ customers and found that returns for 33 of those customers had errors that required an adjustment, often included without the customers’ knowledge or consent. As a result, the complaint alleges that the defendants have cost the United States lost tax revenue as well as the time and resources necessary to investigate the false returns. The complaint further alleges that the defendants harmed their customers who could potentially face large income tax debts and may be liable for penalties and interest. The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here .) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers , whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns in 2025. In addition, IRS Free File , a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $84,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details. Ilunga et al Complaint.pdf


title: Mexican National Guilty of Illegal Re-Entry of a Removed Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that RAUDEL MIRANDA-MARTINEZ , age 44, pled guilty to reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326. According to court records, on or about January 11, 2023, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents encountered MIRANDA-MARTINEZ at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center where he was being held for public intoxication. Records checks revealed MIRANDA-MARTINEZ unlawfully reentered the United States after he was previously deported on September 9, 2004. MIRANDA-MARTINEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three (3) years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney M. Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Seven Chilean Nationals Charged Following Nationwide Burglaries Of Several Professional Athletes

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Pablo Zuniga Cartes (24, Chile), Ignacio Zuniga Cartes (20, Chile), Bastian Jimenez Freraut (27, Chile), Jordan Quiroga Sanchez (22, Chile), Bastian Orellano Morales (23, Chile), Alexander Huiaguil Chavez (24, Chile), and Sergio Ortega Cabello (38, Chile) with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. According to the complaint, the individuals were members of a South American Theft Group that burglarized the homes of professional athletes around the country. These individuals targeted high-profile athletes in the National Football League (“NFL”) and National Basketball Association (“NBA”), all of whom were away or playing in professional games at the times of the burglaries. These individuals stole valuables worth over $2 million. On October 5 and 7, 2024, in the Kansas City area, the homes of two Kansas City Chiefs football players were burglarized and jewelry, watches, cash, and other luxury merchandise was taken. The October 7 burglary occurred while the team played in Kansas City, Missouri. As detailed in the complaint, in Tampa on October 21, 2024, the home of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player was burglarized while the team played in Tampa. Jewelry, designer watches, a luxury suitcase, and a firearm were stolen. On November 2, 2024, the Wisconsin home of a Milwaukee Bucks player was burglarized during a game in Milwaukee. A safe containing several watches, chains, personal items, jewelry, and cash was stolen, along with a designer suitcase and designer bags. The total value of property stolen was approximately $1.484 million. The below photograph depicts Pablo Zuniga Cartes, Ignacio Zuniga Cartes, Bastian Jimenez Freraut, and a fourth individual posing with the stolen safe and jewelry taken shortly after the theft: On December 9, 2024, the Cincinnati home of a Cincinnati Bengals player was burglarized while the team played Arlington, Texas. Designer luggage, glasses, watches, and jewelry valued at about $300,000 was stolen. Sergio Ortega Cabello rented a vehicle used in the burglary. Between the late afternoon on December 19, 2024, and the early morning of December 20, 2024, the Tennessee home of a Memphis Grizzlies player was burglarized while the team played in Memphis, Tennessee. Jewelry, watches, and luxury bags valued at about $1 million were stolen. A complaint 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Patrol, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Hamilton County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office, the Shelby County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office, the Dallas (Texas) Police Department, the Indian Hill (Ohio) Police Department, the Leawood (Kansas) Police Department, the River Hills (Wisconsin) Police Department. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious transnational criminal organizations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Special Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Haynes. Criminal Complaint


title: 52-Month Prison Sentence for a D.C. Convicted Felon Who Traveled to the Jersey Shore to Rob an Overnight Pharmacy

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ashawntea Henderson, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. to 52 months in federal prison for participating in an early morning robbery of a drug store at the Jersey Shore. During the May 2020 robbery, he and his co-conspirators jumped the counter, overpowered the night pharmacist, stole thousands of prescription narcotics, and then – as they attempted to flee to the District – crashed into a responding police cruiser. The sentencing was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly of the Newark Field Office. Henderson pleaded guilty on October 30, 2024, to interference of commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery). In addition to the 52-month prison sentence, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Henderson to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, Henderson and his co-conspirators researched potential targets including Walgreens and CVS pharmacies which were open all night. On May 9, 2020, Henderson and others drove more than 200 miles from Washington, D.C. to a Walgreens Pharmacy on State Road 33, in Neptune, New Jersey. At 3:09 a.m., Henderson and two others dressed in masks and gloves entered the Walgreens. All three jumped over the pharmacy counter and demanded codeine, Adderall, and Percocet. One of the co-conspirators grabbed the night pharmacist, demanded that he open the locked cabinets containing additional pills, and forced the pharmacist to assist them. After grabbing thousands of prescription medicines – including Oxycodone, morphine, amphetamine, and Nucynta – Henderson and the two co-conspirators fled in a black Nissan Altima operated by a fourth co-conspirator. At one point, the Nissan collided with a responding police officer’s patrol car but continued at high speed back to Washington D.C. After returning to the District, as they celebrated at a hotel, one of the co-conspirators received a text from a known drug distributor asking the price for a drug of the same type stolen from Neptune, New Jersey. The co-conspirator and the drug distributor continued to exchange texts about the sale of drugs for the following weeks. Henderson is currently serving a five-year prison sentence in Maryland in connection with his 2022 possession of a firearm. The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the Neptune Township Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by AUSAs Justin Song, Sarah Martin and Cameron Tepfer. 23cr190


title: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Charleston Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tres Avery Davis, 36, of Charleston, was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. Davis admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 7, 2023, Davis delivered approximately 2,000 blue pills containing fentanyl to a Kemp Avenue residence in Charleston. Law enforcement seized the pills at the residence on March 9, 2023. Davis admitted that he intended to distribute at least some of these pills to other people. Davis is among 31 defendants convicted of federal crimes as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash. Davis dealt directly with a fentanyl supplier and personally acquired fentanyl pills for redistribution as part of his role in the DTO. Davis also recruited a co-conspirator to act as a courier to transport fentanyl pills from Columbus, Ohio, to Charleston, West Virginia. Davis also distributed methamphetamine as part of his role in the DTO. He was responsible for 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine that were seized from a location in Charleston, and performed several methamphetamine transactions during the course of the investigation. Davis admitted that he sold methamphetamine in one-half pound to one pound quantities. Davis has a long criminal history that includes more than a dozen prior convictions for such offenses as being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, distribution of cocaine base, possession of a controlled substance, and domestic battery. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31. ###


title: Utah Man Accused of Bank Robbery in Custody

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City after he allegedly robbed two banks on two different days in Salt Lake County. Robert Buckley Hardy, 47, of Salt Lake County, Utah, was originally charged by complaint on February 7, 2025, and taken into custody. According to court documents, Hardy, entered a Chase Bank in Cottonwood Heights on January 30, 2025, at approximately 3:17 p.m. Hardy allegedly asked the bank teller if an appointment was necessary and was told no. Hardy then handed the teller a manila envelope with several documents and left the bank. The documents referenced several United States and government actions regarding money laundering, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and corruption. One document also stated, “assume that this is an active bomb threat.” One document read, “I need $2001 for it to be considered a felony and get the un-kompromised FBI bank robbery division to respond.” Court documents allege, on February 6, 2025, Hardy entered a Chase Bank in Salt Lake City at approximately 2:04 p.m. Hardy allegedly told the teller it was a robbery and gave the teller various manila envelopes with documents inside and a typed note that read, “poor people steal because they are hungry. Rich people steal because they are greedy.” The note also said, “I need this evidence chain in the hands of the FBI bank robbery division and the local and federal police.” The note read, “please stuff at least $2001 into the bag for me. And make certain the FBI gets this.” The teller complied and gave Hardy $2001.00. Surveillance footage from the investigation and a Utah Driver's License photo identified Hardy. Hardy was taken into custody without incident. Hardy is charged with bank robbery. His initial appearance on the indictment is February 21, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal felon pleads guilty to committing drug and gun crimes while still on supervised release

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A federal felon, still on supervision for a 2012 conviction, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to four federal felonies concerning drug and gun crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Barry Tremain, 58, of Gold Bar, Washington, was found with guns and drugs on two different occasions in May 2024. U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead scheduled Tremain’s sentencing for May 22, 2025. According to records filed in the case, on May 7, 2024, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Deputies attempted to stop a vehicle Tremain was driving for a traffic violation. Tremain attempted to flee but was apprehended. Officers found Tremain with methamphetamine, scales, and $16,000 cash. In the car deputies found a 9mm handgun and additional methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and three cell phones. Tremain was taken into local custody and released a short time later. Tremain was on supervision for a 2012 conviction for drug and firearms crimes, so federal probation visited Tremain’s Gold Bar residence on May 15, 2024. Tremain was found to have a .44 caliber revolver and additional methamphetamine. He had a drug ledger and more than $10,000 in cash. Tremain pleaded guilty today to two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. Tremain is prohibited from possessing firearms due to 2012 convictions for three counts of distribution of heroin, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession of heroin with intent to distribute and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The drug charges are punishable by up to 40 years in prison and the gun charges are punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Whitehead after considering the sentencing guidelines and other factors. The case was investigated by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Probation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs.


title: Leader Of One Of Newark’s Largest Open-Air Drug Markets And Last Of 26 Defendants Sentenced To 168 Months’ Imprisonment

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – a Newark, New Jersey man was sentenced today for his role as the leader of an expansive drug trafficking organization that distributed significant quantities of drugs and used firearms to protect their drug operation in Newark, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Shaheed Blake, a/k/a “Sha Gotti,” a/k/a “Sha,” a/k/a “Bruh,” 41, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment followed by 5 years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark, New Jersey. He was the last among his 25 co-defendants to be sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark. Blake’s 25 conspirators were previously sentenced as follows: Anderson Hutchinson was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment; Jabaar Blake was sentenced to 163 months’ imprisonment; Jason Colon was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment; Keyenn Rodgers was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment; William Teal was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment; Brian White was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment; Todd Garrett was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment; Anthony Bowens was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment; Dorrell Blake was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment; Daquan Lockhart was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment; Aldoray McClain was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment; Sharif Davis was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment; Roger Thomas was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment; Lamont Pugh was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment; David Rogers was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment; Hanif Yarrell was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment; Aaron Watson was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment; Marquise O’Neal was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment; Jaleel Metz was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment; Bernard Brown was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment; Jesse Scott was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment; Rasheem Langley was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment; Shadesasha Ford was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment; Linwood Lyles was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment; and Andrew Knox was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment. This case was the result of a long-running wiretap investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Newark Police Department. According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Defendants were members and associates of a Bloods-affiliated gang that called itself the “CKarter Boys,” a play on “the Carter”—the name of the drug distribution building in the 1991 film New Jack City . As Bloods members, the CKarter Boys used the letters “CK” to signify “Crip Killer,” a sign of disrespect to their rival street gang, the Crips. The investigation revealed that the organization’s leaders—Blake and Anderson Hutchinson, a/k/a “Murda Rah”—operated a massive drug market that flooded the streets of Newark with heroin and crack cocaine 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Blake, Hutchinson, and members of their organization sold heroin and crack cocaine to customers out of two neighboring houses near the Newark-Irvington border. These drug dens were located in the heart of a residential community, just two blocks from the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, a public school serving children from Pre-K to Fifth Grade. On average, just one of these locations, which Blake controlled, generated approximately $10,000 per day in revenue from narcotics sales, and, on at least one occasion, revenue exceeded $13,000 in a single shift. One of the abandoned residences was virtually impenetrable due to the organization’s efforts to fortify the structure by boarding up all doors and windows. The defendants gained access to the residence through a second-floor window by way of a ladder that conspirators then brought inside the residence. Once inside the abandoned residence, the defendants would sell heroin and crack cocaine through a small hole that was cut out on a first-floor outer wall, allowing customers to purchase narcotics in exchange for cash, similar to a restaurant’s drive-through window. In a backyard shed, the defendants stored narcotics, a communal cell phone that was used to operate the business, multiple firearms, and several boxes of ammunition. The investigation resulted in charges against 26 defendants, including Blake, two other leaders, middlemen who assisted with transporting drugs and drug proceeds, distributors, and suppliers. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of ATF, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. in Newark, and members of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director Emanuel Miranda, with the investigation. He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the Irvington Police Department, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the Belleville Police Department, the West Orange Police Department, the Livingston Police Department, the Nutley Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Verona Police Department. The CKarter Boys were prosecuted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”). The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Essex County Correctional Facility, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri and Jake A. Nasar of the Criminal Division in Newark. ###