title: District Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Producing Child Pornography and Sexually Abusing a Young Girl

body_text: WASHINGTON – Charles Hilton, 40, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced October 7, 2025, in U.S. District Court to 25 years in federal prison in connection with producing child pornography and sexually abusing a young girl, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Hilton pleaded guilty March 27, 2025, before Judge Ana C. Reyes to a criminal Information charging him with one count of coercion and enticement of a child and one count of first degree sexual abuse of a child with aggravating cirmcumstances. In addition to the prison term, Judge Reyes ordered Hilton to serve 15 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Joining in the announcement of the sentencing was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. On November 21, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received three separate tips regarding possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM). The reports referenced more than 1,000 files of child pornography stored on a server connected with accounts linked to Hilton. About 20 of the CSAM files appeared to have been homemade. The tipster provided Hilton’s name, phone number, email address and mailing address to the NCMEC. On Nov. 26, 2024, law enforcement obtained an arrest warrant for Hilton, as well as a warrant to search his residence in Northeast. Officers recovered numerous digital devices from the residence. In an interview with investigators, Hilton initially claimed his accounts had been hacked. Investigators confronted Hilton with a specific video showing the sexual abuse of a minor victim. Hilton then admitted to having made it. Investigators recovered text messages from Hilton’s devices. The texts indicated that Hilton blackmailed the minor victim. In them, Hilton coerced the victim to engage in sexual activity by threatening to share embarrassing information about her. Hilton eventually produced photos and videos of himself sexual abusing the minor victim. This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard S. Kelley and Jocelyn Bond. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . 24cr554 Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Former MPD Administrative Clerk Pleads Guilty to Defrauding U.S. Small Business Administration

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Diamond T. Ransome, 34, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty October 21, 2025, in D.C. Superior Court to one felony count of fraud in the first degree for obtaining more than $26,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in 2020 and 2021. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. The Honorable Carmen McLean accepted Ransome’s plea and scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2026. According to court documents, Ransome admitted that in 2020, she submitted applications to two SBA small-business loan programs while working in a full-time civilian position at the Metropolitan Police Department. Her first application, submitted on July 3, 2020, sought a loan from the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which was intended to provide emergency financial relief to small businesses suffering economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. In her EIDL application, Ransome falsely claimed that she operated a hair and nail salon, even though she had no registered business at that time and provided only limited beauty services to a few acquaintances. Through her fraudulent application, Ransome secured a $1,000 cash advance and a $6,500 business loan from the SBA. She admitted that she did not intend to repay more than $5,600 still owed on that loan. Her second application, submitted on July 24, 2020, sought a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), another SBA pandemic relief program administered through private lenders. In that application, Ransome falsely stated that she was a “Lash Extensionist” and attached a falsified tax document listing her gross business income for the previous year as more than $117,000. Based on those misrepresentations, the SBA issued Ransome a $20,833 PPP loan. In August 2021, she applied for and received forgiveness of that loan, falsely asserting that she used the proceeds for eligible business expenses. As a result, the SBA reimbursed Ransome’s private lender the full PPP loan amount plus interest. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was investigated by Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah Bluming. Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Charles Hilton, 40, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced October 24, 2025, in U.S. District Court to 25 years in federal prison in connection with producing child pornography and sexually abusing a young girl, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Hilton pleaded guilty March 27, 2025, before Judge Ana C. Reyes to a criminal Information charging him with one count of coercion and enticement of a child and one count of first degree sexual abuse of a child with aggravating cirmcumstances. In addition to the prison term, Judge Reyes ordered Hilton to serve 15 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Joining in the announcement of the sentencing was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. On November 21, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received three separate tips regarding possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM). The reports referenced more than 1,000 files of child pornography stored on a server connected with accounts linked to Hilton. About 20 of the CSAM files appeared to have been homemade. The tipster provided Hilton’s name, phone number, email address and mailing address to the NCMEC. On Nov. 26, 2024, law enforcement obtained an arrest warrant for Hilton, as well as a warrant to search his residence in Northeast. Officers recovered numerous digital devices from the residence. In an interview with investigators, Hilton initially claimed his accounts had been hacked. Investigators confronted Hilton with a specific video showing the sexual abuse of a minor victim. Hilton then admitted to having made it. Investigators recovered text messages from Hilton’s devices. The texts indicated that Hilton blackmailed the minor victim. In them, Hilton coerced the victim to engage in sexual activity by threatening to share embarrassing information about her. Hilton eventually produced photos and videos of himself sexual abusing the minor victim. This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard S. Kelley and Jocelyn Bond. This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . 24cr554 Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Felon Sentenced to 24 Months for Unlawful Possession of Pistol and Ammo Found in an Abandoned Crashed Car

body_text: WASHINGTON - Demontra Harris , 31, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced October 24, 2025, to 24 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a .40 caliber pistol and 17 rounds of ammunition that police discovered after he had abandoned a vehicle following a car crash, announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. On April 15, 2024, Harris pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 24-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Harris to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on March 1, 2024, at 10 p.m., officers were responding to an unrelated case when they saw a black Toyota RAV-4 run a red light. A nearby detective in another car witnessed the RAV-4 lose control and crash on the 1800 block of Alabama Avenue, SE. Harris, who was the sole occupant, abandoned the disabled vehicle. At the scene of the crash, officers immediately spotted a Glock 22, .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine that had been left on the driver’s seat and a nearly empty open bottle of tequila. During a search of the vehicle officers found one shoe on the driver side. Officers also found a D.C. Driver’s License, a D.C. identification card, and a rental agreement that all had the name “Demontra Harris” on them. Soon after the accident, an officer saw a man nearby wearing one shoe. The shoe matched the other half of the pair found in the crashed vehicle. Police placed Harris under arrest and learned Harris had prior felony convictions for weapons counts. As a previously convicted felon, Harris is prohibited from possessing a firearm. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar with valuable assistance from Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Schneider and Rachel Craft. 24cr180 Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Mother Sentenced To Forty-One Years Incarceration For Felony Murder Of Her 16-Month-Old Daughter

body_text: WASHINGTON – Faneisha Scott, 39, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced October 24, 2025, in D.C. Superior Court, to forty-one years in prison for the murder of her 16-month-old daughter, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Scott was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on June 11, 2025 of first-degree cruelty to children, first-degree felony murder with aggravating circumstances, and second-degree cruelty to children for the death of her 16-month-old daughter, Rhythm Fields, in March 2017. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 2:45 p.m., on March 21, 2017, Scott’s friend, who is the child’s godmother, went over to the defendant’s home in the 5400 block of C Street, SE. While there, the friend’s eight-year-old child asked to play with Rhythm. The defendant then found Rhythm in her playpen, unresponsive, and cold. The defendant went out and flagged down a mail carrier, who called 911 and followed the defendant back to the apartment and observed Rhythm on the couch, lifeless. The child’s body was cold, stiff, and her eyes were fixed. While on the phone with 911, the mail carrier followed the operator’s instructions when two other individuals entered the residence to administer CPR – one was an experienced former firefighter and knew that the child was dead immediately upon seeing her. First responders were surprised to learn that the defendant claimed to have no contact with the child since 9:00 a.m. that morning. The child was pronounced dead. On March 22, 2017, the D.C. Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on Rhythm’s remains and ruled on February 5, 2018 that the manner of death was homicide and the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. The blunt force injuries included: (1) contusions and abrasions of the head, neck, torso, and extremities; (2) subdural hemorrhage; (3) cerebral edema, subarachnoid hemorrhage and acute hypoxia-ischemia; (4) retinal and optic nerve sheath hemorrhage; and (5) 23 bilateral rib fractures (there was evidence of both healing and new rib fractures). Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Andrea Antonelli. Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Court Sentences Man to 22 Year Prison Term for Broad Daylight Killing of a Man Outside a Northeast DC Gas Station

body_text: WASHINGTON – Damon McQuarters, 45, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced October 24, 2025, to 22 years in prison for the August 2024 shooting murder of Michael Simpson, on the sidewalk in front of a gas station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. On May 30, 2025, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In sentencing McQuarters, the Honorable Danya Dayson accepted the agreed-to sentencing range of 21 to 25 years and sentenced the defendant to 22 years of in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:35 p.m., on August 24, 2024, McQuarters approached Mr. Simpson, who was sitting in a tree box in front of the Citgo gas station, located at 3820 Minnesota Ave. NE, Washington, socializing with friends. McQuarters retrieved a handgun from his shorts pocket and shot Mr. Simpson a single time in the head. The defendant placed the handgun back into his front right shorts pocket and walked away. Mr. Simpson was transported from the scene of the shooting to an area hospital where he died the following day. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney, and Victim/Witness Advocate Latrice Washington-Williams. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Coronado, who investigated and prosecuted the case. Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: District Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing a Relative

body_text: WASHINGTON – A 23-year-old man, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced October 24, 2025, to a 17-year prison term for sexually abusing his grandmother, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The man, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, pleaded guilty on August 21, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of first-degree sexual abuse while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon 17-year prison term. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly. The Court ordered a lifetime period of supervised release to follow his prison term, and the man will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. According to the government’s evidence, on November 28, 2023, the defendant entered the victim’s bedroom, carrying a knife. The defendant dragged the victim to his bedroom, where he held her against her will for several hours. During that time, he subjected her to numerous acts of physical and sexual abuse. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marco Crocetti and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Houck, who investigated and prosecuted the case. Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: District Man Sentenced to Nearly 29 Years For Two Murders Committed One Month Apart in 2020

body_text: WASHINGTON – Michael Mason, 21, was sentenced October 31, 2025, to 28 years and eight months in prison in connection with the shooting death of Brea Moon in April 2020 in Southeast Washington and the shooting death of Antwuan Roach in May 2020 in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Mason pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder while armed on October 31, 2025. With respect to the April 2020 homicide, according to the government’s evidence, Mason was riding in a stolen white vehicle that pulled into the BP gas station located at 4101 Alabama Avenue SE shortly before 10:30 p.m. on April 7, 2020. Minutes later, a gray sedan pulled into that same gas station with the victim, Brea Moon, in the front passenger seat. When the gray sedan left the gas station, the white vehicle followed. Shortly thereafter, the white vehicle pulled up beside the gray sedan and the defendant fired multiple gunshots at the gray sedan, including one that struck the victim and killed her. With respect to the May 2020 homicide, according to the government’s evidence, on May 22, 2020, defendant Mason learned of Mr. Roach’s location and tracked him to the unit block of Anacostia Road NE shortly before 5:00 p.m. After locating Mr. Roach, the defendant’s vehicle pulled into an alley behind the 3800 block of East Capitol Street NE. As Mr. Roach stepped into the alley, the defendant fired at him and killed him. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal, Julia Cosans, Sarah Folse, Yasmin Emrani, and Daniel Bromwich, who investigated and prosecuted the case, along with former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Kimak and Alec Levy. Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Imprisoned Sex Offender Sentenced to 16 More Months for Threatening Vengance on Minor Victim’s Mother

body_text: WASHINGTON – Franklin Jovany Torres, 42, a convicted sex offender serving time in federal prison, was sentenced November 5 to an additional 16 months for vowing revenge and mailing death threats to the mother of a teenage boy who he had sexually abused, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Torres pleaded guilty August 27 before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to one count of mailing threatening communications. The 16-months will be served consecutively to the earlier imposed 21-year prison term. Torres will be deported to El Salvador at the completion of the sentences. Joining in the announcement was FBI Special Agent in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. According to the plea agreement, on Mar. 11, 2015, following a jury trial, Torres was convicted in the District of producing child pornography, distributing child pornography, possessing child pornography, and first degree sexual abuse of a minor. For those crimes he was sentenced to 252 months in prison. On July 2, 2015, Torres mailed a handwritten letter from a Federal Corrections Institute in South Carolina to the Northwest Washington D.C. home of the minor victim’s mother. The letter, written in Spanish, threatened, “I’m going to get out one day, and when that day comes is when you are going to shed tears of blood because that day I’m going to get rid of your whole family – cousins, nephews and nieces, granmother, children – even the dog at your home I’ll get rid of.” The boy victim’s parents had allowed Torres to stay in their apartment after Torres lost his job and needed a place to stay. After Torres had lived with the family for several months, the victim’s mother discovered a naked photo of a male child with his face obscured on the defendant’s Facebook page. The boy in the photo turned out to be the victim. The photo was taken by Torres during an incident in which Torres had sexually abused the boy. The mother and her son reported the sexual abuse to the police several months later, after Torres moved out of their apartment. This case was investigated by FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 20cr268 Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: Ukrainian Pleads Guilty in DC in Laptop Farm Scheme That Generated Income for North Korean IT Workers

body_text: WASHINGTON – Oleksandr Didenko, 28, of Kyiv, Ukraine, pleaded guilty November 10 in U.S. District Court in connection with a years-long scheme that stole the identities of U.S. citizens and sold them to North Korean IT workers so they could fraudulently gain employment at 40 U.S. companies, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Didenko, aka “Alexander Didenko,” pleaded guilty before Judge Randolph D. Moss to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Didenko agreed to forfeit more than $1.4 million, which includes approximately $181,438 in USD and cryptocurrency seized from Didenko and his co-conspirators. Judge Moss scheduled sentencing for Feb. 19, 2026. According to court documents, Didenko ran a website using a U.S.-based domain, "Upworksell.com," designed to help overseas IT workers buy or rent stolen or borrowed identities. Beginning in 2021, the IT workers used the identities to get hired on online freelance work platforms based in California and Pennsylvania. The work platforms allowed users to advertise themselves as contract gig workers, create free accounts, advertise their skills, and bid on IT work contracts. Didenko paid individuals in the United States to receive and host computers at residences in Virginia, Tennessee, and Califomia. In September-October, 2023, one of Didenko’s customers was unhappy with the services provided by his laptop farm in Virginia. The customer directed Didenko to send the computer to a laptop farm operated in Arizona by Christina Chapman. Chapman was sentenced on July 24, 2025, to 102 months of imprisonment for her involvement in a similar scheme involving IT workers from North Korea. Through his company Didenko managed as many as 871 proxy identities and facilitated the operation of at least three U.S.-based “laptop farms.” He enabled his overseas clients to access the U.S. financial system through Money Service Transmitters rather than having to physically open an account at a bank within the United States, which was then used to facilitate the transfer of employment income to foreign bank accounts. The IT worker clients were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their work, much of which was falsely reported to DHS, the IRS and Social Security Administration in the names of actual U.S. persons whose identities had been stolen. On May 16, 2024, the Justice Department seized the online domain, Upworksell.com, and diverted all traffic to the FBI. Polish authorities arrested Didenko and on Dec. 31, 2024, extradited him to the United States. This case was investigated by the FBI New York Field Office, with assistance from the FBI Norfolk, San Diego, and Knoxville Field Offices.. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert and Steven Wasserman for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of California, Eastern District of Tennessee, and Eastern District of Virginia, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Trial Attorney Jacques-Singer Emory of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section provided valuable assistance. 24cr0261 Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.


title: APPOINTMENT OF NEW UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: The U.S. Department of Justice, Offices of the United States Attorneys, is pleased to announce the appointment of Kurt Wall as the new United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana. Mr. Wall officially took office on October 14, 2025. U.S. Attorney Wall brings a wealth of experience and a commitment to justice, having previously served as Assistant District Attorney in East Baton Rouge Parish where he remained for 13 years before being hired as the Director of the Criminal Division at the Louisiana Department of Justice. After serving in that position for just over seven years, Mr. Wall returned to the courtroom as the Chief Felony Prosecutor in the 21st Judicial District which is comprised of Livingston, Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes. Throughout his career as a prosecutor, Mr. Wall has successfully handled a wide variety of cases which include numerous violent crimes such as capital murders, sex offenses and robberies. He has also successfully prosecuted hundreds of cases involving child pornography, white collar crimes and public corruption. His extensive background and relevant experience positions him to effectively lead the Middle District of Louisiana in the pursuit of justice and the enforcement of federal laws. In his new role, Mr. Wall will oversee all federal prosecutions within the Middle District of Louisiana, collaborate with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, and work on initiatives to combat all aspects of federal crimes. U.S. Attorney Wall stated, “I am honored to have been selected by President Trump to serve as the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana. I look forward to working closely with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to implement a plan that will make a real impact on reducing crime in our community.”


title: GONZALES MAN SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR SCHEME TO DEFRAUD THE COVID-19-ERA EMPLOYEE RETENTION CREDIT PROGRAM

body_text: United States Attorney Kurt Wall announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Damian R. Raby, age 42, of Gonzales, Louisiana, to 216 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to launder money and obstructing the administration of the internal revenue laws, relating to a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud a COVID-19 economic relief program. The Court further ordered Raby to serve three years of supervised release after completing his term of imprisonment. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court ordered Raby to pay $2,603,678.04 in restitution to the U.S. Treasury and forfeit an additional $2,045,241.58. According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Raby devised a scheme to defraud the United States, through the Internal Revenue Service, by preparing and filing tax forms fraudulently claiming Employee Retention Credit (ERC) refundable tax credits on behalf of numerous businesses purportedly located in the Baton Rouge area—businesses that either did not exist during the COVID-19 pandemic or that did not have any legitimate business activity prior to the pandemic. The ERC program was a tax credit provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES” Act), intended to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the scheme, Raby filed documents with the IRS asking the IRS to assign Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) to the fraudulent businesses, he opened bank accounts in the names of the fraudulent businesses, and he filed tax forms in which he falsely represented the businesses’ number of employees and payroll amounts and falsely claimed that the businesses were entitled to large tax credits. In total, Raby filed fraudulent applications on behalf of dozens of businesses and caused the IRS to issue more than 30 checks totaling approximately $4.4 million. As Raby and his associates received the proceeds of the fraudulent scheme, they would try to conceal and disguise the proceeds by quickly making additional financial transactions and moving the fraudulent proceeds among the various bank accounts Raby controlled. Raby then used the proceeds to make large payments on numerous luxury vehicles, the mortgage of his personal residence, and numerous other large purchases. Later, after Raby became aware of a pending investigation into his conduct, he obstructed and impeded the investigation, including by making false statements to an IRS agent, sending fictitious documents to the IRS, and encouraging one of the witnesses to provide false information to the IRS. U.S. Attorney Wall stated, “My office has emphasized that efforts to prosecute COVID-19-related fraud are critical to maintaining the integrity of government relief programs. This sentence is a demonstration of our commitment to protecting public funds from fraudsters using deceptive tactics.” “Damian Raby is one of many people who defrauded a program designed to help businesses retain employees during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “He then tried to hide his ill-gotten gains through money laundering. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are skilled financial investigators who can unravel complex financial transactions and money laundering schemes.” “This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), along with our law enforcement partners, to aggressively investigate those who commit financial crimes that harm the tax administration system and victimize law abiding Americans," stated Special Agent in Charge Joel Weaver. “This case highlights the expertise and dedication of TIGTA special agents, who are determined to protect the financial infrastructure of the United States." Meanwhile, as part of the investigation, the United States has lawfully seized more than $600,000 from bank accounts controlled by Raby and seized and forfeited a single-family residence in Gonzales, Louisiana that Raby largely acquired with fraudulent proceeds. In addition, and previously in this investigation, the United States convicted Kenyall Williams, age 39, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and make unlawful monetary transactions. As Williams admitted as part of her guilty plea, she became aware that Raby was involved in a criminal scheme and she knowingly became involved in the scheme, by assisting Raby and making financial transactions at his direction in exchange for a small share of the proceeds. The Court sentenced Williams to serve a three-year term of probation, pay $555,069.47 in restitution, and forfeit an additional $41,756.70. This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, with valuable assistance from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel, and Assistant United States Attorneys Brad Casey and Katherine Green.


title: COURT PROCEEDINGS DURING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

body_text: Despite the recent government shutdown, federal courts across the nation utilized various resources to guarantee the continuity of justice and continued to operate on essential cases, including criminal prosecutions, immigration hearings, and civil rights violations. This press release outlines the significant court hearings that were conducted in the Middle District of Louisiana during this period, highlighting their importance in maintaining legal processes and upholding citizens’ rights. Damian R. Raby, age 42, of Gonzales, Louisiana, was sentenced by U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to 216 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to launder money and obstructing the administration of the internal revenue laws, relating to a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud a COVID-19 economic relief program. Raby must serve three years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Raby was ordered to pay $2,603,678,04 in restitution to the U.S. Treasury and forfeit an additional $2,045,241.58. Trisha Milstead, age 53, of Newport, Tennessee, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to 21 months in federal prison following her conviction for wire fraud. Milstead must serve three years of supervised release upon completing her term of imprisonment. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Milstead was ordered to pay $2,623.58 in restitution. Antonio Felipe Belda, age 39, of Ontario, Canada, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to 120 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of child pornography. Belda must serve five years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court imposed a fine of $17,000, ordered Belda to pay $6,000 in restitution, and ordered him to register as a sex offender upon his release. Belda may also be deported from the United States upon completing his sentence. Quarles James Harris, age 51, of Zachary, Louisiana, pled guilty before Chief Judge Shelly Dick to bank robbery and related firearms offenses. Six individuals pled guilty before Judge Brian A. Jackson to various charges, including firearm and drug trafficking offenses resulting from an investigation into a drug trafficking organization based out of Ascension Parish. This case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . Leroy Miles, age 46, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and oxycodone, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; Joseph Brown, age 38, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and oxycodone, and distribution of heroin and fentanyl; James Miles, age 48, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and oxycodone; Corey Powe, age 56, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; Marishell Ealem, age 39, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and oxycodone, and distribution of heroin and fentanyl; and Destiny Renee McBride, age 35, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment charging Anisha Devall Hunter, age 47, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, with wire fraud. Hunter appeared for her arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges. An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea. U.S. Attorney Kurt Wall stated, “The resilience exhibited by my office and the judiciary during this challenging time underscores the commitment to maintaining the rule of law. We remain committed in our service to the communities within the Middle District of Louisiana.”


title: ILLEGAL ALIEN CONVICTED FOR PARTICIPATION IN SCHEME TO DEFRAUD ELDERLY VICTIMS OF MILLIONS IN CASH AND GOLD

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Atharva Shailesh Sathawane, 22, of India, was found guilty by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful prosecution was made possible by the outstanding investigative work of our local and federal law enforcement partners, and this criminal alien will be held accountable for his role in the financial exploitation of several vulnerable, elderly victims. I am incredibly proud of the work by my office to pursue justice on behalf of the defrauded victims in this case, and we will see to it that fraudsters are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Trial testimony and court documents demonstrated that the defendant was a courier in an international fraud scheme that defrauded elderly victims of approximately $8 million. As part of the scheme, elderly victims were convinced to liquidate their retirement accounts to obtain cash and/or gold. While illegally in the United States, the defendant picked up the cash and gold from the elderly victims and then delivered the assets to unknown individuals in parking lots. To coordinate the transfers of cash and gold, the defendant worked with other individuals, some of which were in India, the defendant’s native country. After an elderly victim suspected the fraud, local law enforcement coordinated a ruse to apprehend the courier in Gainesville, Florida. Law enforcement arrested the defendant upon his arrival at the elderly man’s residence to pick up more gold. A subsequent search of the defendant’s cellular phone confirmed his involvement in the extensive elder fraud scheme, including the defendant’s participation in over 30 transactions in numerous states. Numerous American citizens had lost their entire life savings or experienced substantial financial hardship. Sathawane faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each count. The case involved a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner. Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2025, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor. More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice . For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: PENSACOLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHARGES FOR ATTEMPTING TO KILL AN ESCAMBIA COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY

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

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Darrion K. Finley, 21, of Pensacola, Florida, has pled guilty in federal court on charges related to a shooting incident in late 2024. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea. The Indictment charged Finley with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Attempting to Kill an Escambia County Sheriff’s Deputy to Prevent Certain Communications, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case shows the deadly threats our brave men and women in law enforcement face every day as they fight to remove violent criminals from our communities. My office remains firmly committed to aggressively prosecuting those violent offenders, and we will stand shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners in the fight to keep our streets safe.” Court documents reveal that on December 17, 2024, the defendant was driving in Pensacola in a stolen vehicle. When the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the defendant, he accelerated and law enforcement began its vehicle pursuit. The defendant was eventually stopped when a Deputy Sheriff conducted a precision immobilization technique on the stolen vehicle. As the defendant and his vehicle were being stopped, he fired a 9 millimeter round into the Deputy’s vehicle. The defendant then attempted to escape on foot, with his Glock 9 millimeter pistol and loaded extended magazine still in hand, but the Deputy released his K9 partner, who put the defendant down onto the ground. The defendant, still armed, then tried to run but was shot by the Deputy. The defendant survived his wounds and was thereafter indicted by a federal grand jury for his crimes. Sentencing is scheduled on January 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II. Finley faces up to life imprisonment. The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the State Attorney’s Office; and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: GULF BREEZE MAN CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTED ENTICEMENT OF A MINOR

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Brock A. Westrom, 36, of Gulf Breeze, Florida, was found guilty in federal court of attempted enticement of a minor. The conviction was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am incredibly appreciative of the invaluable investigative work performed by our state and federal law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and arrest the predators who seek to sexually exploit and victimize children, like this defendant. My office stands ready to aggressively prosecute these sick individuals to the fullest extent, and we will not rest until we can all be assured that the most vulnerable members of our communities are safe from these types of threats to their safety and innocence.” Evidence at trial demonstrated that in July 2024, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, along with other law enforcement partners, conducted an undercover operation, directed at finding people who were soliciting minors online for sex. On July 19, 2024, the defendant began talking with someone he believed was a fifteen-year-old child. He told the purported child the sexual acts he wanted the child to perform, the price he was willing to pay for those sexual acts, and he arranged a meeting location. When the defendant traveled to meet the purported child at the agreed upon location, he was arrested by law enforcement. Electronic evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant confirmed the defendant had, in fact, talked to the person he believed was a child and traveled to meet them. This conviction was the result of an investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith Steer and Eric W. Welch. 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS PANAMA CITY BEACH MAN OF POSSESSING METHAMPHETAMINE WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jerry Thomas McCarigie, 49, of Panama City Beach, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. The verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am incredibly proud of this successful prosecution, which was made possible by the excellent investigative work of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office with the support of our federal law enforcement partners. Methamphetamine has been a scourge on our communities for far too long, but my office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting these crimes to deliver on the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the criminals who have flooded our streets with drugs and violence.” Evidence and testimony admitted at trial established that on November 15, 2023, the Bay County Sheriff's Office’s Special Investigations Division conducted a drug trafficking investigation at a motel located in Panama City Beach. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s motel room. During the execution of the warrant, the defendant was detained and searched. Law enforcement located fentanyl, multiple baggies containing more than 48 grams of methamphetamine, and a digital scale in the defendant’s pockets. Sentencing is scheduled for January 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. The defendant faces a minimum mandatory term of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment. The verdict was the result of a joint investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Inmate sentenced to additional time in prison for attacking federal officer

body_text: ATLANTA - Fabian Taylor, Jr. has been sentenced to additional time in prison for headbutting a federal correctional officer while Taylor was an inmate at the federal prison in Atlanta. “Corrections officers have a demanding job, and they must be allowed to perform their duties free of violent attacks,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Inmates are not beyond the reach of the law, and they may not perpetrate assaults or other crimes with impunity while in custody. Anyone who assaults a federal officer in North Georgia, whether on the street or in a prison, will be prosecuted and held accountable.” “Every day, corrections officers go to work not knowing what dangers they may face,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The FBI stands ready to investigate such crimes against federal officers and we thank our law enforcement partners for their collaboration. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Fabian Taylor, Jr. was serving a sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Atlanta for unlawfully possessing a firearm, violating conditions of release, and escape. Correctional officers noticed Taylor had covered the window on his cell door with paper. As officers approached to investigate, Taylor threw urine on one officer. When the officers entered his cell, Taylor swung his arms and kicked his legs. Once guards restrained Taylor, prison staff performed medical checks to ensure his safety Taylor then berated all of the officers verbally and headbutted one in the face. The officer who Taylor attacked suffered from headaches, dizziness, vomiting, sleepiness, and was later diagnosed with a concussion. On November 12, 2025, Fabian Taylor, Jr., 38, of Columbia Heights, Minnesota, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Geraghty to one year, four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Taylor was convicted of assault on a federal officer on July 31, 2025, after he pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Boylan prosecuted the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones Receives Key to the City of Miami from Mayor Francis Suarez

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – At the City of Miami Commission meeting on October 23, 2025, Mayor Francis Suarez presented U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones with the Key to the City of Miami in recognition of his deep hometown roots and more than 22 years of service to the community and nation. A proud Miami native and the son of a Cuban political refugee, U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones has devoted his career to protecting and serving the people of South Florida, as a national security official, prosecutor, military officer, trial judge, and now as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Florida. Mayor Suarez commended him for his steadfast dedication to justice and for leading one of the nation’s busiest and most impactful U.S. Attorney’s Offices. “This is an incredible honor from our incredible city, and I’m proud to serve the people who make Miami safe,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “The safety of our community is a shared responsibility between state, local, and federal partners. Mayor Suarez’s leadership and unwavering commitment to public safety have made our city stronger, and I’m deeply grateful to accept this recognition on behalf of all who dedicate their lives to serving our community.” Mayor Suarez praised Reding Quiñones for his long record of integrity, professionalism, and commitment to safeguarding Miami’s residents. He highlighted the partnership between the City of Miami and federal law enforcement in addressing violent crime, public corruption, and emerging public safety challenges. The Key to the City of Miami is among the city’s most distinguished honors, tracing its roots to the medieval tradition of granting trusted individuals freedom to enter the city’s gates. Today, it symbolizes the highest civic gratitude, bestowed on those who, through leadership, sacrifice, and public service, have earned the confidence and respect of the community. Recipients are recognized not only for their professional accomplishments, but for their lasting impact on the city’s safety, integrity, and spirit. As United States Attorney, Reding Quiñones leads one of the largest and most complex federal districts in the nation, overseeing offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce. Before his presidential appointment and Senate confirmation, he served as a state court trial judge presiding over civil and criminal domestic violence cases in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida. ###


title: U.S. Attorney highlights essential public safety work continued during shutdown

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II announced today numerous arrests, indictments, guilty pleas and sentencings that occurred during the recent 43-day lapse in government appropriations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remained active during the shutdown, completing excepted duties related to national security, violations of federal law and essential public safety functions. “The arrests and case proceedings detailed below provide just a small snapshot of the work continued by this office during the lapse in federal funding. The Southern District of Ohio is comprised of committed public servants dedicated to our office’s essential function of protecting public safety at all times. Our staff came to work each day and continued the mission of pursuing justice,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. On Oct. 2, three defendants from Colorado and Oregon were indicted by a federal grand jury in Columbus for allegedly operating an online drug trafficking business that shipped methamphetamine, cocaine, and a host of other controlled substances to buyers around the country. Jesse Wasson , 27, of Parker, Colorado, Amandra Heffelfinger , 40, and Jennifer Blake , 39, both of Lebanon, Oregon, were arrested on Oct. 6. In Dayton, on Oct. 2, the former commander of a local AMVETS Post pleaded guilty to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars. Danny Dale Gordon , 49, of Kettering, defrauded AMVETS Post #24 in Dayton of approximately $622,000. He used the money at various local gambling casinos, for travel and hotel expenses, and frequenting a Dayton-area “gentlemen’s club.” He pleaded guilty to wire fraud and will be sentenced at a future date. Drey E. Lewis, 30, and Tyler J. Watkins, 35, of Middletown, were each sentenced to 10 years in prison for narcotics and money laundering crimes. Lewis, an inmate, coordinated drug activity from federal prison, including with a Mexican source of supply, and Watkins handled the drugs and money outside of prison. On Oct. 6, Timothy Farr , 43, of Dayton, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to armed robbery. Farr was indicted in January 2025 and charged with 12 armed robberies throughout southwest Ohio in December 2024. His plea agreement recommends a sentence of 15 to 25 years in prison. In Cincinnati, on Oct. 7, Darias Jackson , 35, of Cheviot, was sentenced in federal court to more than 13 years in prison. Jackson was a convicted felon and on supervised release for a federal drug-trafficking crime when he tried to murder his friend. Jackson shot the victim multiple times before leaving him in an apartment complex parking lot. Jackson tried to bribe the friend with $15,000 to recant his report to law enforcement that Jackson had shot him. The defendant obstructed justice and attempted to tamper with multiple witnesses. Eric L. Bell , 36, of Columbus, is a convicted felon who was on community control when he engaged in methamphetamine trafficking. He was sentenced in federal court in Columbus on Oct. 7 to more than 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Myron Nichols , 29, of Mt. Healthy, pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati to fentanyl and firearms crimes. When stopped by Cincinnati police in November 2024 for multiple traffic violations, Nichols fled in the stolen vehicle he was driving and later fled on foot. Officers located fentanyl and a pistol in the vehicle. On Oct. 8, William Kisor , 57, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in federal court in Columbus to attempted coercion and enticement. Kisor had served more than 11 years in federal prison for child pornography crimes. After being released from prison, Kisor contacted the same online undercover agent with whom he communicated prior to his 2012 conviction, never realizing that the person was an agent of law enforcement. The undercover agent used the persona of an adult mother with minor daughters. The defendant contacted the agent in hopes of beginning an incestuous relationship with the “mother” and “daughters.” In federal court in Columbus on Oct. 8, a Morrow County man pleaded guilty to two armed bank robberies. James T. Scurlock , 45, of Cardington, admitted to robbing the same bank, Huntington Bank on Gemini Place, on two different occasions in March and May 2025. His plea agreement includes a sentence recommendation of 144 to 171 months in prison. Anicleto Olvera-Sanchez , 35, of Columbus, was the target of a drug trafficking investigation. When law enforcement officers searched his residence, they recovered fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. A search of Olvera-Sanchez’s cell phone revealed evidence that he paid a teenage girl to create and send him sexually explicit videos and images. On Oct. 8, he pleaded guilty in federal court in Columbus to sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of child pornography, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. His plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 188 to 206 months in prison. Ronald Allen Meadows , 54, of Chillicothe, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Columbus on Oct. 8 to 10 years in prison for drug and firearms crimes. Meadows was convicted in this district in 2017 for drug and firearm offenses and was on supervised release during the commission of his latest crimes. Federal agents arrested Rooble D. Adan , 31, of Minneapolis, on Oct. 10, on charges alleging he robbed a bank in Columbus on Oct. 8. According to the charging documents, at approximately 9am, Adan entered the Chase Bank on Cleveland Avenue and handed a financial advisor a note claiming Adan had placed bombs on himself and on the building. The note also indicated a link to foreign terrorists. Adan allegedly smacked a female teller in the face and took nearly $3,000 in cash from tellers’ drawers before fleeing the bank. Adan was arrested by Columbus police officers shortly after leaving the bank. On Oct. 20, Dwayne K. Funderburke , 41, of Columbus, appeared in federal court in Cincinnati on charges alleging he caused damage to federal property by breaking into the U.S. Courthouse in Columbus. Funderburke allegedly crashed his car into the pop-up vehicle barriers outside the Joseph P. Kinneary U.S. Courthouse on Marconi Blvd. on Sept. 22. After crashing, Funderburke allegedly broke into the courthouse garage, picked up a trash can and used it to smash a glass door leading into the courthouse. Officers located him in a lower garage stairwell and took him into local custody. Shaheed Russell , 29, of Columbus, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Columbus on Oct. 21. Surveillance video shows Russell allegedly fleeing the scene of a homicide near North High Street and East 4th Avenue. Russell is currently on supervised release following a conviction in the Southern District of Ohio for a federal firearm offense. He was charged on Oct. 21 with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and, if convicted, faces up to 15 years in prison. An indictment was filed in Cincinnati on Oct. 22 charging two defendants in a violent carjacking. Trevor J. Lancaster , 20, of Covington, Kentucky, and Deondre A. Burgin , 21, of Cincinnati, allegedly aided and abetted each other in the theft of a Mercedes-Benz in June 2025. The defendants allegedly used force, violence and intimidation – including the use of a firearm – resulting in serious bodily injury. In Cincinnati, on Oct. 22, a local man admitted to committing federal crimes when he defrauded victims out of more than $6.5 million through an online laundry and dry-cleaning pickup and delivery business. Benjamin Cantey , 41, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud. Cantey lied about his business experience and prior business success to recruit and defraud investors. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris announced this guilty plea. On Oct. 30, Ramiro Mendoza , 29, of Santa Maria, California, pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati to participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that involved more than 300 pounds of methamphetamine. In January 2025, Mendoza drove a box truck to pick up six pallets of narcotics that had been shipped to Middletown as purported paver stones imported from Mexico. Mendoza faces at least 10 years in prison. Four co-defendants pleaded guilty throughout the month of October to crimes committed as part of a multi-state narcotics conspiracy involving nearly $25 million in laundered drug proceeds. Charles Wooden , 47, of Pickerington; Courtney Musick , 38, of Pickerington; Alexis Ortega , 32, of Columbus; and Gregory Fountain , 30, of Columbus and Chicago, pleaded guilty to participating in fentanyl and cocaine trafficking conspiracies and money laundering. The narcotics conspiracy in this case is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Money laundering carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. On Oct. 31, Ciriaco Garcia-Yerena , 46, an illegal alien from Mexico, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Columbus to illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony. Garcia-Yerena has a prior drug trafficking conviction in the Southern District of Ohio. Hussein Mohamed , 27, of Dublin, Ohio, was sentenced on Nov. 3 to more than 10 years in prison for committing three bank robberies in Columbus. During the third robbery, Mohamed possessed a firearm. On Nov. 4, Wilbert Romero-Natera , 25, of Columbus, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for committing a string of armed robberies of hotels in 2021. The defendant committed four robberies in Grove City, Columbus and Hebron, and brandished a firearm during three of those robberies. Also in Columbus, on Nov. 4, Mexican national Jose Adin Benjume-Gutierrez , 45, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States and to distributing cocaine. Benjume-Gutierrez was arrested after fleeing from immigration officers. He faces up to 20 years in prison for the federal drug crime and up to two years in prison for the immigration offense. On Nov. 6, Jermaine Dorsey , 25, of Hamilton, was sentenced in federal court in Cincinnati to 96 months in prison for conspiring to and attempting to traffic firearms and illegally possessing machine guns. In a two-week timeframe in November 2024, Dorsey sold 15 firearms, two machinegun conversion devices and more than 150 rounds of ammunition. Eric Campbell , 48, of Groveport, was sentenced on Nov. 6 in Columbus to 15 years in prison for child pornography crimes. Campbell was on supervised release in this district for a prior conviction of coercion and enticement of a minor when he committed new offenses, namely, receiving and possessing child pornography. On Nov. 6, former Kroger head replenishment buyer, Mark Disbennett , 40, of West Chester, pleaded guilty to charges related to a kickback scheme that caused consumers to pay higher prices for produce. Disbennett disclosed to co-conspirator produce vendors Chris Farley , 66, of Happy Valley Oregon, and Craig Sono , 68, of Portland, Oregon, the highest price Kroger was willing to pay for certain produce. During the height of the pandemic, Disbennett received more than $147,000 from the co-conspirators. Katrina D. Favret , of Tennessee, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Columbus on Nov. 7 to her involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys. On Nov. 10, federal agents arrested a Dayton man on federal charges alleging he participated in a shootout on the University of Dayton campus on Nov. 1. Dylan Hiner , 19 is charged with illegally receiving a firearm while under indictment of another felony crime. Myron Billups , 46, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in federal court on Nov. 12 to 126 months in prison for possessing 26 pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers observed Billups receive a plastic storage bin and place it in the trunk of a car. Billups was stopped for a traffic violation and a K9 alerted to the vehicle, leading officers to discover approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine in the storage bin. On Nov. 12, a criminal complaint was unsealed in Columbus that charges Hector Velandia-Anaya , 18, with forcibly assaulting federal officers and resisting arrest. The Venezualan national allegedly attempted to flee from immigration officials, dragging two officers with his vehicle while he began to drive away, before stopping. Indictments and criminal complaints merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Neo-Nazi Guilty of Hate Crimes Targeting Georgia Rabbi, State House Rep.

body_text: MACON, Ga. – U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes this month tried and won a hate crime conviction against a neo-Nazi who mailed separate antisemitic threats from North Carolina to Georgia’s only Jewish State House Representative and Temple Beth Israel’s Rabbi after both women publicly supported the passage of Georgia House Bill 30, the state’s first legislation defining antisemitism. Ariel E. Collazo Ramos, 32, of High Point, North Carolina, was found guilty of one count of mailing threatening communications with the addition of a hate crime enhancement on Nov. 4, following a two-day trial that began on Nov. 3, before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. The defendant faces a maximum of five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 8, 2026. There is no parole in the federal system. “The defendant was not exercising his free speech when he mailed antisemitic postcards to Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar and Georgia House Representative Esther Panitch—this neo-Nazi delivered a true threat to life and liberty,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Antisemitic threats and all threats made against the federally protected freedoms of our citizens will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia. We will utilize the full power of the federal government to protect our civil rights.” “Antisemitic hate has no place in Georgia or anywhere, and this verdict shows these hateful threats are clearly a crime,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “No person and no community should have to live in fear of hate-fueled violence. The conviction of Ariel E. Collazo Ramos shows the FBI’s commitment to root out these threats and ensure all people are protected in the expression of their faith.” According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, a neo-Nazi group gathered outside of Temple Beth Israel in Macon in 2023 as the congregation was inside observing the start of Sabbath. In January 2024, Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar of Temple Beth Israel testified before the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee in support of Georgia House Bill 30, a bill defining antisemitism. The bill was co-sponsored by State Representative Esther Panitch, the only Jewish member of the Georgia House of Representatives. The bill was signed into law on Jan. 31, 2024. Rep. Panitch received an antisemitic postcard from Ramos at her home the morning of the bill signing; Rabbi Bahar received an antisemitic postcard from Ramos at her home the following day, on Feb. 1, 2024. At the time, Ramos sold candles, postcards and other products depicting racial, antisemitic and white nationalist themes through his at-home business, “Patriot Candle Company.” Ramos mailed a threatening postcard to Rabbi Bahar’s home address from North Carolina. The postcard contained the handwritten statement, "Is there a child rape, torture, and murder tunnel under your house? We have the Zyklon B. Use Code ‘GASTHEJEWS’ for 10% off!" The reverse side of the postcard displayed a hand-drawn image depicting a purported Jewish male wearing a rat costume and the words “JEWS ARE RATS.” Rep. Panitch received an identical postcard to her home address. Both Rabbi Bahar and Rep. Panitch testified at trial the steps they took for their own safety in response to receiving the threatening postcards. Rabbi Bahar and Rep. Panitch had family members murdered by Nazis using Zyklon B during the Holocaust. The case was investigated by FBI. U.S. Attorney Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government with assistance from the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section. This press release about a case that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown is now available after the return to normal operations.


title: ICYMI: Charges, Pleas, Sentencings and Settlements During the Recent Government Shutdown

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: During the lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s offices in St. Louis and Cape Girardeau were working hard to continue their mission. Here are just some of the things that happened that we weren’t able to discuss at the time: Wed. Oct. 1 Starr Lumos , 54, admitted committing over $201,000 in fraud by pretending to be disabled and unable to work. Despite those claims, she was working multiple jobs and running multiple businesses, including an event planning company. Lumos is scheduled to be sentenced in January and faces up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000. Friday Oct. 3 A former doctor who pleaded guilty in 2020 to a charge of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or forgery admitted seeking employment using a stolen identity. Angela K. Williams, 40, pleaded guilty to identity theft and admitted seeking employment on the medical staff of the Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority in Oklahoma and in other locations by stealing the identity of a St. Louis doctor. Williams submitted forged diplomas with the doctor’s name and a forged State of Missouri medical license with her application. She could face up to five years in prison when sentenced in January. Monday Oct. 6 Victoria Isgriggs , 45, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and admitted stealing over $164,000 from her employer, a Franklin County nursery and florist, in a variety of ways. Sentencing for Isgriggs, formerly known as Victoria Denise Missey, is set for January. Tuesday Oct. 7 The United States reached a settlement with Fiserv Inc. and Fiserv Solutions LLC in which the companies agreed to pay $8.99 million to resolve allegations – brought forth by a whistleblower - that Fiserv took improper discounts on postage from the U.S. Postal Service. Four men were indicted in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau and accused of involvement in an arson that destroyed the Midway restaurant in Puxico, Missouri and damaged two other businesses. Two of the men, Steven D. Phillips and his son Matthew S. Phillips, are co-owners of the restaurant and one, Larry D. Doublin, is the Chief of the Puxico Volunteer Fire Department, the indictment says. All have pleaded not guilty and are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Patrick Neistat, 24, of Florissant, pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and admitted soliciting and receiving child sexual abuse material from a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old and engaging in sexual contact with a minor male. Neistat faces between five and 20 years in prison at his January 29 sentencing hearing. Carlan Travis Penney Jr., 46, pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and transportation of a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity. He admitted exchanging nude photos with a 15-year-old Missouri teen that he’d met online. Penney then brought the victim from Missouri to his home state of Georgia. He now faces at least 10 years in prison and a maximum prison term of life. Edgar Love, a felon caught by St. Louis police with ammunition after his girlfriend accused him of assault, was sentenced to 137 months in prison. U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig found that Love obstructed the police investigation by flushing drugs down the toilet and disposing of two guns and ammunition before police could arrest him. Evidence and testimony showed that Love assaulted his girlfriend multiple times and repeatedly threatened her and her relatives with guns. Evidence and testimony also showed that Love possessed a firearm when he was wounded during a gun battle in August of 2022, about 30 days after his release from prison. Anthony Justin Snelson , 39, of Arnold, was sentenced to 65 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for trying to meet with a 16-year-old to engage in sexual activity. Wednesday Oct. 8 A superseding indictment was handed down accusing St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery of retaliating against persons he thought were cooperating with a federal investigation. He has pleaded not guilty and is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Sharon Dolisi , 79, of St. James, Missouri was arrested after having been indicted and accused of acting as a “money mule” and receiving $2.1 million from lottery and sweepstakes fraud victims across the U.S. She has pleaded not guilty and is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Darryl Jaspering, 62, of Warrenton, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with federally protected activities and admitted threatening the St. Louis office of the NAACP. Jaspering admitted writing a racist, profane and threatening message on the NAACP’s online contact page, including threats to “blow your… head off” and “bust you… with a… Hatchet.” Jaspering is scheduled to be sentenced on February 5. Friday Oct. 10 Brian K. Ditch , 45, of Salem, Missouri, pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted neglecting his uncle, a U.S. Army veteran with quadriplegia, for years and then concealing his death so that he could fraudulently obtain his uncle’s $1.8 million in disability benefits. Bridgette Johnson, 61, of Berkeley, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and admitted fraudulently applying for and receiving $120,000 from the COVID-19 pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program. She also admitted fraudulently applying for $1 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans and receiving $9,000 in advances on those applications. She faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced. Tuesday Oct. 14 Timothy Kelley, 60, of Sullivan, Missouri, was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. He was also ordered to pay $45,000 to victims who have been identified in the CSAM he collected. RWS/Hayes. Maurice Dowell, 70, of Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography and admitted downloading and sharing child sexual abuse material on a peer-to-peer network. Stanley E. Alford , 58, of St. Louis, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the armed robbery of a Fenton, Missouri store on Jan. 24, 2024, and a pawnshop in St. Louis County two days later. He was also ordered to pay $3,172 in restitution. Wednesday Oct. 15 A jury found Carl Bowman, 37, guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence and testimony at the two-day trial showed that the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Bowman Aug. 8, 2023, on a supervised release violation warrant at his residence in St. Louis County. At the time, Bowman was in possession of an AK-style rifle with a large capacity magazine, a stolen AR-15 rifle with a large capacity magazine and two semi-automatic pistols, both with large capacity magazines. Bowman is scheduled to be sentenced in January. Reginald M. Miller , a registered sex offender who molested a 14-year-old boy and provided cash and marijuana in exchange for child sexual abuse material, was sentenced to 400 months in prison. Miller, 57, lived in Park Hills, Missouri. Jonniece Wilson, 20, of St. Louis, admitted stealing a Hyundai Accent at gunpoint on March 12, 2024, in St. Louis. She was a passenger in that stolen car when it fled from police minutes later before crashing and injuring a pedestrian. Wilson was arrested with a handgun in her backpack. She now faces up to 15 years in prison for carjacking and a mandatory, consecutive term of seven years for brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Rachel Burns, 35, of Franklin County, Missouri, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the sexual abuse of a one-year-old. Her husband, William Burns , 41, was sentenced to 40 years in prison in September. Thursday Oct. 16 After a two-day bench trial, U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine found Roosevelt Easley, 40, of St. Louis, guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence and testimony at trial showed that on March 29, 2022, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers stopped a vehicle driven by Easley. Marijuana and a firearm were in plain view in the vehicle. On Sept. 10, 2022, St. Louis police attempted to make a traffic stop of Easley’s vehicle, but he sped off. Easley eventually crashed the vehicle into a tree before running away. Officers found two firearms in the vehicle. Judge Divine also found that Easley had at least three previous convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses. At sentencing, if Judge Divine rules that the enhanced penalty provisions of the Armed Career Criminal Act apply, Easley will face at least 15 years in prison. Registered sex offender Leland Paster, 42, of St. Louis, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he admitted possessing child sexual abuse material on a hidden SD card and searching for and viewing CSAM while on supervised release from a prior CSAM conviction in Alaska. Tuesday Oct. 21 Jeremy S. Crocker, 46, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau and admitted setting a fire on March 2, 2025, in the Mark Twain National Forest in Iron County, Missouri. The fire consumed more than one acre of timber before firefighters were able to put it out. Crocker is scheduled to be sentenced in January. Wednesday Oct. 22 Steve Allen Hall, 38, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. He admitted unlawfully trying to buy a handgun in Caruthersville, Missouri in June of 2025 while he was facing pending charges of child molestation. The sale was blocked by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Hall is scheduled to be sentenced in January and could face up to five years in prison. Sean Paul II, 22, of Bonne Terre, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted viewing and possessing child sexual abuse material, including before and after he was interviewed by law enforcement. While on bond, Paul received nude images and images of self-harm from someone purporting to be a 16-year-old girl. At sentencing, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Errion Lavonte-Stallings, 25, of St. Louis County, and four others were indicted and accused of involvement in a conspiracy that stole checks from the mail and then attempted to deposit more than $250,000 in fraudulent checks into bank accounts. Lavonte-Stallings and two others have been arrested and have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Johnika Davis, 37, and Jimmie Moorehead, 47, were indicted on one count of conspiracy and eight counts of making false statements related to health care matters. The indictment accuses them of falsely claiming to have physical disabilities and need Medicaid-funded personal care services in exchange for kickbacks from a co-conspirator. The St. Louis residents have pleaded not guilty to the charges, which are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Thursday Oct. 23 Connie Bobo , 46, of St. Charles, Missouri, was convicted by a jury of three counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and two counts of obstruction of an official proceeding after a three-day trial. Evidence and testimony at the trial showed that Bobo, who was executive director of New Heights Community Resource Center at the time, stole $19.7 million from a program meant to feed the most vulnerable children in the state of Missouri. That loss is the largest theft of child nutrition funds in state history, evidence showed. Bobo spent the money on luxury goods, homes for relatives, a new home for herself, a $200,000 Mercedes for a romantic partner and a $2.2 million commercial real estate investment, evidence and testimony showed. Bobo is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2026. The wire fraud and obstruction charges each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a penalty of two years in prison, consecutive to any other charge. Bobo will also be ordered to pay restitution. Pavel “Supreme” Gil, 35, of New York City, was sentenced to 132 months in prison and ordered to repay $517,900 to victims of a bank fraud conspiracy that he masterminded. Gil obtained the names and account information of the customers of regional banks across the country. Giovanni Resto, 34, of New York City, then manufactured counterfeit ID cards containing the photos of co-conspirators and the victims' names and birthdates. Oladiran Ajayi-Obe, 29, Jersey City, new Jersey, ran a crew of conspirators that traveled from the New York metropolitan area to banks around the country to make withdrawals from the victims' bank accounts. Gil and 15 others have pleaded guilty to charges connected to the case. Jemek'treon Lebrandon Easton, 28, of Charleston, Missouri pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession of a machine gun. Easton admitted that a Charleston Police Department officer caught him on May 17, 2025, with a .45-caliber Glock handgun equipped with a “switch,” or auto sear, that enables it to fire as a fully automatic weapon. Shell casings from the gun match those recovered from a shooting that injured three on April 26, 2025. Easton now faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced. Friday Oct. 24 A St. Louis County company, E&A Auto Cores LLC, pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of stolen goods and admitted buying stolen catalytic converters from Missouri, Tennessee, Nevada, Washington and Idaho. The company also agreed to pay a $90,000 fine, a forfeiture money judgement of $50,000 and agreed to forfeit 269 catalytic converters that were seized by the St. Louis County Police Department on Sept. 24, 2020. Monday Oct. 27 Donald Held , 51, of Warren County, who possessed and shared child sexual abuse material online, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Corey M. Felton, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that during a dispute with a woman on Nov. 27, 2024, he took the woman’s gun and then carjacked her. He also admitted robbing a man he met via Grindr on December 2. Felton also stipulated that prosecutors could prove by a preponderance of the evidence that on November 28, he robbed another man he met on Grindr, and on December 10, he exchanged gunfire with others in the 3500 block of South Grand Boulevard in St. Louis, using the stolen gun. Felton is scheduled to be sentenced February 19. The felon in possession charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison and the robbery charge has a maximum term of 20 years. The brandishing charge carries a penalty of at least seven years in prison, consecutive to any other charge. Tuesday Oct. 28 Gordon Lee Smith, 52, of Washington County, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of the possession of unregistered firearms. He admitted illegally possessing five machine guns and seven silencers. He now faces up to 10 years in prison. Carlos Romero-Salazar, 40, of St. Charles County, Missouri, and five of his nine co-defendants were arrested after having been indicted and accused of involvement in a “jackpotting” conspiracy that stole cash from ATMs. The indictment says Romero-Salazar, a technician for an ATM maintenance service company, installed malware on ATM hard drives that allowed others to take control and force the ATMs to dispense more than $940,000 in one week. Romero-Salazar has pleaded not guilty, as have the others arrested. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Wednesday Oct. 29 A jury found Irven l. White, 47, of St. Louis, guilty of six felonies: two counts each of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence and testimony showed that on Nov. 1, 2023, a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer saw White conducting what appeared to be a hand-to-hand drug transaction in the 4400 block of Farlin Avenue. When other officers approached, White fled, discarding a firearm, and was immediately detained. Officers found fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base. On August 26, 2024, officers were notified that White, who had an outstanding warrant for the November 1 incident, was again conducting a hand-to-hand drug transaction. He fled officers again, leaving behind a bag containing two guns. He was arrested in a nearby home, where officers found fentanyl and cocaine base. White is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing firearms. Among his prior convictions is one for second degree murder. Dillon Miller, 31, of Farmington, pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography and admitted possessing thousands of images of child sexual abuse material, making images available online and sexually abusing minors when he was a minor. Alexander Sampson, 39, and Dana Kelly, 47, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and two counts of making a false statement. The indictment accuses them of fraudulently obtaining a $397,210 pandemic relief loan for Reign Restaurant LLC in 2021. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Thursday Oct. 30 Antony C. Campise, 39, of St. Peters, Missouri, was sentenced to 130 months in prison. Campise pleaded guilty in May to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and admitted possessing multiple firearms. During the sentencing hearing, witness testimony showed that Campise possessed the firearm during a violent domestic assault and did so to exert power and control over the victim. Anton Bolden , 31, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced to 138 months in prison for selling fentanyl to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in 2023, as well as Glock handguns equipped with a “switch” or auto sear that convert them into a machine gun and a standalone conversion device. Thirteen firearms, including one machine gun and three conversion devices, were later found at the home of Bolden, a convicted felon. Deionte Grice, 31, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted stealing a 2020 Kia Optima at gunpoint from a woman in the 5300 block of Devonshire Avenue in St. Louis on Jan. 5, 2024. Grice also stole the victim’s phone and purse. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers caught Grice on a bus with two handguns in the stolen purse. He now faces up to 15 years in prison for the carjacking charge and a mandatory, consecutive term of seven years for the brandishing charge. Corie M. Boyer , 50, of Jefferson County, Missouri, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and admitted embezzling more than $550,000 from the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in DeSoto, including by stealing cash from the offertory. Boyer was parish bookkeeper and secretary at the time of her crimes. She faces up to 20 years in prison at her January 30 sentencing. Monday Nov. 3 Anthony Virdure , a former U.S. Postal Service mail handler who stole checks from the mail and committed pandemic fraud, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to repay his fraudulently-obtained Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan of $20,832. Virdure, 31, pleaded guilty in July to mail theft and wire fraud. Tuesday Nov. 4 A St. Louis area contractor, Coretta “Cory” Elliott, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and admitted fraudulently obtaining pandemic loans totaling $1.7 million. Elliott obtained a first draw Paycheck Protection Program loan of $875,000 in 2020 and a second draw loan of $833,333 in 2021 by falsely certifying that the loans would be used for business-related purposes and by inflating her company’s monthly payroll. She then received loan forgiveness by falsely claiming that she used the money for payroll and other legitimate business expenses when she really used it for impermissible personal purposes. Elliott faces up to 30 years in prison at her sentencing in February and will be ordered to repay the money. Elder scammer Jiacheng Chen , 21, was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Chen was the fifth defendant in the case to be sentenced. Yu-chieh Huang, 24, was sentenced to 40 months in prison, Tsz Kan, 43, received 54 months, Liang Jin, 26, received a 48-month sentence, Kaiyu Wen, 27, received 72 months. Huang, Jin and Wen were each ordered to pay $90,000 in restitution and Jin was fined $120,000. Scammers targeted older Americans with tech support fraud, romance fraud, and imposter schemes and tricked their victims into handing over large amounts of cash to money mules. Dorian Scott, a convicted felon who was caught by St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers in 2024 with a handgun and nearly 5,000 pills containing fentanyl, was sentenced to 126 months in prison. Scott pleaded guilty in July possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wednesday Nov. 5 Alexander Gardiner , 24, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and admitted the sextortion of a Missouri teen. Gardiner, who is a citizen of both the United States and the Turks and Caicos, admitted meeting a 15-year-old Missouri boy via Snapchat. After multiple requests by Gardiner, the teen sent photos of his genitals to Gardiner, believing he would be left alone after doing so. Gardiner instead threatened to send those images to the victim’s family and friends if the victim did not continue to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) for Gardiner. Gardiner also admitted directing an unidentified 14-year-old to produce CSAM in 2021. Gardiner posted CSAM on Twitter and a link to a Telegram group that targeted minors in attempts to have them produce CSAM. Gardiner could face 10 years to life prison when sentenced in February. Talito Amos, 32, of Beverly Hills, Missouri, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for selling drugs as part of the “ 55 Boyz ” south St. Louis drug gang. Amos pleaded guilty in August and admitted sourcing fentanyl and meth for the drug trafficking organization, coordinating drug sales and selling directly to drug users. A superseding indictment added defendants and charges to an indictment alleging a conspiracy to employ and harbor illegal aliens. Guo Liang Ye , 56, of St. Charles County, De Jin Ye, 56, Feng Ye, 34, and Maria Cruz-Cortes, 30, are accused of employing illegal aliens at the Golden Apple Buffet in St. Charles, housing them and providing them fraudulent Social Security cards and immigration documents. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Thursday Nov. 6 Dameon G. Christian, 42, of Washington Park, Illinois, pleaded guilty and admitted posting public threats on his Facebook page in May of 2025 to kill two people. He also admitted that prosecutors can prove that he fired multiple gunshots at a north St. Louis church and at a home in East St. Louis. Christian pleaded guilty to two counts of sending a threat in interstate commerce and one count of transporting a firearm across state lines with the intent to commit a felony. At his sentencing in February, he could face up to five years in prison for the threat changes and up to 10 years in prison for the gun charge. Wednesday Nov. 12 Daniel Paulino , the former police chief and city administrator of Velda City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and admitted embezzling at least $158,000 from the city in multiple ways while admitting additional fraud yet to be finally calculated by the Court. Without the knowledge and authority of the city: Paulino caused three checks totaling $1,800 and 20 direct deposits of $30,677 to be issued to himself. Paulino used a city credit card to transfer $37,550 to businesses owned by himself and his spouse. He triggered the payment of direct deposits of city funds totaling $54,693 to his personal bank account, falsely represented as the salary of his spouse for purportedly working in the city’s public works division. Paulino also admitted using city funds to pay for additional personal expenses, including $25,500 to buy a tow truck for his company, $3,956 for a Caribbean vacation and $4,000 that went to an Audi dealer. Paulino, 51, is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 10, 2026. Each wire fraud count is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The total amount of restitution that Paulino will be ordered to pay has not yet been determined. Robert Nelson Howell, 60, of Madison County, Kentucky, was sentenced to 90 months in prison after being convicted at trial in August of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Howell was caught with duffel bags containing a gun and $12,000 in cash. Howell was driving a stolen vehicle with fake license plates and a fake vehicle identification number and admitted being Involved in drug trafficking.