title: Chinese National Indicted for Money Laundering Conspiracy Connected to Scam That Impersonated Federal Officers and Employees

body_text: A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Binghui Liu, 32, a citizen of China formerly residing in San Jose, charging him with a money laundering conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, between February 2024 and April 2025 Liu and other co‑conspirators engaged in a scheme to launder proceeds derived from a government impersonation fraud scam. Members of the conspiracy pretended to be federal law enforcement officers or employees when contacting target victims. To seek money, the scammers provided false information about the victim’s bank accounts, for example by claiming that charges had been wrongfully filed against the victims and that their bank accounts would be frozen. The scammers typically instructed victims to withdraw their savings in cash and then arranged for a fake law enforcement officer or federal employee to pick up the cash for supposed safekeeping. The scammers used fake names, code words, and instructed the victims to take pictures of themselves and the cash packaged for pickup. Liu served as a money launderer in the fraud scheme. He went to victims throughout California and Nevada to take their money. Liu used code words and fake names, and victims were falsely told he was either a federal employee or law enforcement officer. At no point was Liu a federal employee or law enforcement officer. In one example, an elderly victim was contacted by someone pretending to be a U.S. Marshal, who informed the victim of a fake arrest warrant and the possibility that the victim’s bank account would be frozen. The victim was instructed to give the money to federal reserve employees, supposedly to protect the funds. The scammers then coached the victim on withdrawing funds, what to say to their bank about the large withdrawals, and how to package the funds for multiple different pickups. On April 9, 2025, FBI agents set up a sting operation. Liu arrived at the elderly victim’s house and took what he believed was $20,000 but was, in fact, fake money. The agents arrested Liu shortly after he took the fake cash. In total, the elderly victim lost over $780,000 to the fraud scheme. If you have information related to this case or believe you may be a victim, please submit a report at tips.fbi.gov or call your local FBI office . This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case. If convicted, Liu faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Bank General Counsel Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for $7.4 Million Embezzlement Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES BLOSE, 56, of Fairfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses stemming from a decade-long embezzlement scheme at banks where he served as General Counsel and held other high-ranking positions. According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2013 to January 2022, Blose was an attorney and held high-ranking positions, including General Counsel, at Hudson Valley Bank and Sterling National Bank. From approximately January 2022, when Webster Bank acquired Sterling National Bank, until February 2023, Blose served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Webster Bank. From approximately 2013 until Webster Bank discovered his scheme and his employment was terminated in February 2023, Blose defrauded his employers (“The Bank”) in various ways. In certain commercial loan transactions where The Bank was the lender, Blose fraudulently retained for himself portions of closing costs, including legal fees. In certain real estate transactions in which The Bank was the seller, Blose retained portions of the sale proceeds for himself. For some of the real estate transactions, Blose created false documents in order to hide his theft from The Bank. Blose also stole from The Bank in other ways. As part of the scheme, Blose used his attorney trust accounts to make personal expenditures, and to transfer funds to accounts in the names of business entities he created and controlled, and then used those funds for his personal benefit. Through this scheme, Blose stole approximately $7.4 million from his employers, and used the stolen funds to purchase a vacation property on Kiawah Island in South Carolina, for construction of his Connecticut home, and for luxury vehicles, jewelry, private jets charters, multiple country club memberships, and other expenses. Judge Chatigny will determine restitution after additional court proceedings. On December 20, 2024, Blose pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions. Blose, who is released on a $250,000 bond, is required to report to prison on June 23 This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Office of the Inspector General. Financial crimes investigators from Webster Bank assisted the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Testifies Before D.C. Council in Support of the Peace DC Plan

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia testified today at a committee hearing before the Council of the District of Columbia on proposed legislation, including: Bill 26-0188 - the “Pretrial Detention Amendment Act of 2025;” Bill 26-0203 - the “Kidnapping Amendment Act of 2025;” and Bill 26-0027 - the “Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act of 2025.” USAO-DC strongly supports Bill 26-0188, the “Pretrial Detention Amendment Act of 2025,” which will make permanent the changes to adult pretrial detention that are already in place pursuant to the “Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024” (Secure DC). USAO-DC also supports Bill 26-0203, the “Kidnapping Amendment Act of 2025,” which will make crucial amendments to the District’s kidnapping statute in light of recent caselaw. We appreciate the goals of Bill 26-0027, addressing the “Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act of 2025,” however, we are concerned that certain provisions in practice may have the opposite of their intended effect. We recommend that the Council reconsider many of the provisions of the bill. In addition to appearing before the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, Elana Suttenberg, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, provided written remarks, available HERE .


title: Mexican National Guilty of Illegal Re-entry

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that SANTIAGO PUENTE-GARCIA (“PUENTE-GARCIA”), age 25, a native of Mexico, pled guilty on April 11, 2025 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to the indictment, PUENTE-GARCIA was previously removed from the United States on February 4, 2022. He was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on October 29, 2024 and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter. PUENTE-GARCIA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk set sentencing for Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Fugitive Captured After Brockton Shootout

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Early this morning, an indicted fugitive was apprehended in connection with his alleged participation in a violent shootout that left a female victim with a gunshot wound to her chest. Romeo Miller, 26, of Brockton, was arrested in Taunton on federal charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston Miller was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for May 5, 2025. In February 2025 , Miller was indicted by a federal grand jury along with three other Brockton men in connection with the shootout, all of whom remain in custody: Natalio Miranda, 33, charged with one count each of possession of a machinegun and being a felon in possession of ammunition; Jonathan Alves, 28, charged with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition; and Jahleil Monteiro, 25, charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact to Miller’s felon in possession charge. According to court filings, on June 2, 2024, at approximately 1:45 a.m., law enforcement responded to a “shots fired” call to a home in Brockton. Upon arrival, officers observed a large crowd outside the home and a 31-year-old female victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital and survived. It is alleged that numerous bullet casings were found scattered throughout the front yard and driveway of the Brockton residence. According to court documents, video footage obtained from the home’s surveillance system determined that a house party at the residence led to a physical altercation in the driveway and, allegedly, an exchange of gunfire between the victim and Miranda, Miller and Alves. Specifically, surveillance video allegedly captured Miranda as he discharged several bursts of ammunition from an automatic weapon in the front yard of the residence before leaving the scene. Miller and Alves are also allegedly seen firing towards the victim from the driveway. It is further alleged that Miller is later seen on the footage crossing the street to hide behind a parked car, where he shot the victim in the chest. Surveillance video then allegedly captured Miller returning to the driveway, where he passed his firearm off to Monteiro, before the two drove away in separate parked cars. According to court records, at the time of the shooting, Miranda was on federal supervised release for his fentanyl distribution conspiracy conviction and has a prior state conviction for cocaine distribution. Additionally, at the time of the shooting, Miller and Monteiro were on probation for prior state convictions for unlawfully possessing a firearm, possessing a high capacity feeding device, assault and battery on a police officer and/or fentanyl distribution. Alves has a prior state conviction of possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. The charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition each provide for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being an accessory after the fact to a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to half the maximum punishment for the underlying offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Division; Brian A. Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda I. Perez made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Five in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy that Used Semi-Trucks to Transport Liquid Meth from Mexico to Oklahoma

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: 18 Now Convicted as Part of Drug Trafficking Organization Responsible for Approximately 16,000 Kilos of Methamphetamine with Estimated Street Value of $64,000,000 OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted JUAN HERNANDEZ , 49, a Mexican-national living in Oklahoma City, JESSICA MUNIZ , 32, of Oklahoma City, and DENIS LEAL GUTIERREZ , 59, CESAR AZAMAR , 52, and ADRIAN NARVAEZ , 58, of Texas, for their roles in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that specialized in transporting liquid methamphetamine by semi-truck from Mexico, through Texas, to Oklahoma City, and laundering the subsequent drug proceeds, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Coordinating their drug trafficking scheme across international borders and state lines, these defendants flooded our state with methamphetamine worth millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “I praise the exceptional work of the federal and state law enforcement, and the federal prosecutors, for untangling and disrupting this major drug operation and for stopping its flow of lethal drugs into our communities.” “This multi-year collaboration among the FBI, DEA, IRS, Oklahoma City Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office has effectively dismantled a major drug trafficking organization that had been poisoning our community with deadly narcotics for years,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “Together, we will continue to ensure those who participate in these dangerous criminal networks face the full weight of the American justice system.” On December 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a 16-count Second Superseding Indictment, charging the defendants for their respective roles in the DTO. The Second Superseding Indictment charged Gutierrez, Azamar, and Narvaez with drug conspiracy, Muniz with money laundering conspiracy, two counts of domestic money laundering, and five counts of international money laundering, and Hernandez with money laundering conspiracy, three counts of domestic money laundering, and three counts of international money laundering. On April 18, 2025, following a nine-day trial, a federal jury convicted the defendants on all counts. According to evidence presented at trial, the defendants and other co-conspirators worked with high-ranking members of a Mexico-based DTO to import liquid methamphetamine into the U.S. hidden in the gas tanks of semi-trucks. Gutierrez’s trucking company, DGC Express Co., had been responsible for transporting shipments of liquid methamphetamine to Oklahoma as far back as February 2021. Another trucking company owned by Gutierrez, Dare Express Co., assumed responsibility for transporting the liquid methamphetamine to Oklahoma and Georgia starting in at least May of 2023. Evidence at trial further showed that Azamar was responsible for facilitating the transfer of the liquid methamphetamine from the Mexico-based semi-truck into the Dare Express semi-truck, which first occurred at a property rented by Gutierrez in Alamo, Texas, and later at the main business location of Dare Express in Edinburg, Texas. The Dare Express semi-truck used throughout 2023 to deliver liquid methamphetamine to Oklahoma and Georgia was registered under Narvaez’s name, and both Gutierrez and Narvaez instructed the truck drivers to deliver this liquid methamphetamine to Oklahoma and elsewhere. At trial, evidence also established that law enforcement seized significant amounts of methamphetamine during the investigation, including: 907 kilograms on March 3, 2021, in Tecumseh, Oklahoma; 92 kilograms on September 6, 2023, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; 615 kilograms on December 8, 2023, in Wellston, Oklahoma; 42 kilograms on April 1, 2024, in Tecumseh, Oklahoma; and 86 kilograms on April 2, 2024, in Newalla, Oklahoma. There was also evidence presented at trial about the DTO’s money laundering activities. A high-ranking member of this DTO in Mexico directed family members in Oklahoma, specifically his brother, Hernandez, and his niece, Muniz, to launder drug proceeds on his behalf. Testimony and other evidence, including court documents, CashApp records, international wire remitter service records, and records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons and Oklahoma Department of Corrections, also established that this DTO supplied Oklahoma prison gangs with methamphetamine, specifically the Irish Mob Gang, the Universal Aryan Brotherhood, and the Sureños. These gang members or their associates then sent payments for methamphetamine disguised as CashApp payments to Hernandez and Muniz, who then wired the money to close associates of the DTO’s head in Mexico. At sentencing, Gutierrez, Azamar, and Narvaez each face up to life in federal prison and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Following their convictions for money laundering conspiracy, domestic money laundering, and international money laundering, Hernandez and Muniz face up to 20 years in federal prison and fines of up to $500,000 per charge. As part of the overall investigation and prosecution of this DTO, two additional defendants have previously been sentenced and 11 additional codefendants have already pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy. In total, law enforcement has attributed responsibility to this DTO for bringing approximately 16,000 kilograms of methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico at an estimated street value of $64,000,000. In November 2024: EVER ALONSO PANDO , 47, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 96 months in federal prison, and three years of supervised release, for two counts of maintaining a drug-involved premises, and HECTOR REYES , 43, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 90 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The remaining defendants have pleaded guilty as follows: ADAN GARCIA MIRANDA , 29, of Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. At sentencing, Miranda faces up to 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5,000,000; JORGE RAUL VEGA GARCIA , 30, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. At sentencing, Garcia faces up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $10,000,000; LUIS ALBERTO ROJAS PRECIADO , 28, of Illinois, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. At sentencing, Preciado faces up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $10,000,000; JOSE ALFREDO EQUIHUA , 39, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. At sentencing, Equihua faces up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $10,000,000; EDGAR RODRIGUEZ ONTIVEROS , 32, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. At sentencing, Ontiveros faces up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $10,000,000; ADRIAN PEREZ , 39, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Public record shows that Perez has previous felony convictions that include being a felon in possession of a firearm in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2022-4831 and using a vehicle to facilitate the intentional discharge of a firearm in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2003-1656. At sentencing, Perez faces up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $10,250,000; PHILLIP RAY HOWARD , 53, of Newalla, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Public record shows that Howard has previous felony convictions that include possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2005-878. At sentencing, Howard faces up to 40 years in prison for the conspiracy charge, 15 years in prison for the firearm possession charge, and fines of up to $5,250,000; RAY DAVID LARA , JR. , 44, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. At sentencing, Perez faces up to life in federal prison and a fine of up to $10,250,000; HERIBERTO DONAN OCHOA , 33, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. At sentencing, Ochoa faces up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $10,000,000; BRAULIO PADILLA , 50, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Public record reflects that Howard has several felony convictions, including for possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a child under 12 and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in Oklahoma County District Court case numbers CF-2010-4880 and CF-2019-155, respectively. At sentencing, Padilla faces up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $10,250,000; and MICHAEL J. ESTRADA , 36, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. At sentencing, Estrada faces up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $10,000,000. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve Six Years in Federal Prison after Domestic Violence Call Leads to Illegal Firearm and Ammunition Possession Conviction

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – TRAYVEON RAMON CALDWELL , 34, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 72 months in federal prison for illegal possession of ammunition and a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On July 2, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a three-count Indictment against Caldwell, charging him with two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to public record, on August 28, 2023, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to Caldwell’s home on a reported domestic violence incident. The victim told OCPD Caldwell threatened to kill her, attempted to choke her, struck her head, and fired a gun near her head inside the home. Officers searched the home, found a spent shell casing on Caldwell’s bed, and arrested Caldwell on domestic abuse allegations. That same day, OCPD executed a search warrant on Caldwell’s home following two controlled purchases of crack cocaine from the house. During the search, OCPD seized a handgun and several live rounds of ammunition. On December 12, 2024, Caldwell pleaded guilty to the Indictment, and admitted he possessed a firearm, spent shell casing, and other live rounds of ammunition despite his previous felony convictions. At the sentencing hearing on April 23, 2025, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Caldwell to serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the violent circumstances surrounding the offense and Caldwell’s criminal history. Public record reflects that Caldwell has felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court for possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of drug proceeds, and possession of an offensive weapon while committing a felony in case number CF-2011-331, and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in case number CF-2012-4320. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and OCPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gridley prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. In October 2017, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop crime-reduction strategies that incorporate lessons federal law enforcement have learned since the program’s launch in 2001. This case is also part of “Operation 922,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, which prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to  Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Dubuque, Iowa, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Juan Jose Ruiz, age 29, from California, was convicted of conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and 50 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine. In a plea agreement, Ruiz admitted that between January 2021 and December 2021, he agreed with others to distribute methamphetamine. On December 14, 2021, in Clear Creek County, Colorado, law enforcement officers stopped Ruiz as he was driving to Dubuque. Officers found over 25 pounds of ice methamphetamine in his car. Ruiz intended to distribute the methamphetamine to a co-conspirator in Dubuque. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Ruiz remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Ruiz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-1006. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Illegal alien’s “sole” mistake during armed robbery lands him nearly 13-year prison sentence

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 21-year-old Honduran man illegally residing in Houston has been sentenced for his role in the armed robbery of a local Family Dollar store, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Carlos Gonzalez-Vargas pleaded guilty Feb. 7 to discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal has now ordered Gonzalez-Vargas to serve 150 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard he was affiliated with a gang, posted Instagram selfies with the firearm and fired the weapon at a 13-year-old child one month after the robbery. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that the mandatory minimum sentence does not adequately address the seriousness of his conduct. On Jan. 16, 2023, Gonzalez-Vargas entered the discount store along with three others, brandished a firearm and demanded cash from the register. When the employee did not act fast enough, Gonzalez-Vargas shot her in the leg. They stole cash from the register and fled on foot. Surveillance captured Gonzalez-Vargas wearing a distinctive pair of sneakers. Approximately one month later, Gonzalez-Vargas fired the same weapon used in the robbery during a street fight with a 13-year-old minor. Law enforcement took him into custody, at which time he was wearing the same distinctive sneakers seen in the robbery footage. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Tallichet prosecuted the case. This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.


title: Defendant Charged with Illegal Gun Possession in Superior Court Now Faces Federal Firearm Charge

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Kevin Hopkins, 39, a resident of the District of Columbia, was indicted today in U.S. District Court, on a firearms charge, as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. Hopkins is charged in an indictment in federal court with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. According to court documents, in November 2024, members of the MPD Violent Crime Suppression Division – Robbery Suppression Unit and the DEA Task Force executed a search warrant in the 4300 block of 3rd Street, SE. During the search, they recovered a 9mm handgun wedged between that sofa cushions. There was ammunition in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine. No firearms were registered to the address. At the time, Hopkins was on supervised release from a trial conviction for assault, burglary and stalking stemming from a 2016 case. He was arrested and initially charged in D.C. Superior Court. This case is being investigated by the DEA Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Convicted felon sentenced to 10 years in prison on drug and gun charges

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS – A convicted felon from Belgrade who possessed methamphetamine and a firearm was sentenced today to 121 months in prison to be followed by 5 years supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Robert Stuart Quam, 44, pleaded guilty in July 2024 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that on March 27, 2023, agents with the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) received information Robert Quam was distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl in Montana. Given this intel, a DCI Agent, acting in an undercover capacity, began speaking to Quam via social media. During their conversations, Quam agreed to sell one ounce of methamphetamine for $500. On March 31, 2023, the undercover agent and Quam agreed to meet at the Scheel’s parking lot in Billings to conduct the transaction. Quam arrived at the parking lot and entered the agent’s vehicle. During the transaction, the agent observed Quam with a black bag. Quam removed another bag from inside of the black bag which contained numerous smaller bags with suspected methamphetamine. Quam provided one of the smaller bags containing approximately one ounce of methamphetamine to the agent and the agent provided Quam with $500. Toward the end of the transaction, Quam pulled a pistol from his pocket and placed it onto floorboard of the car. Quam then placed the pistol into the black bag and left the vehicle. The undercover agent and Quam spoke over the phone again after the transaction. During the conversation, Quam began talking about firearms. Quam told the agent there are a lot of people getting robbed, and he does not like guns, however, he knows he needs a firearm for protection. Quam advised the agent his pistol was a “.45 caliber.” On September 20, 2023, a Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in Belgrade. Quam was identified as the passenger in the vehicle and had a safe on the floorboard at his feet. During the interaction, the deputy uncovered a loaded firearm in Quam’s left pocket. Quam was detained. GCSO deployed a canine to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle and the dog alerted to the presence of drugs inside the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle told law enforcement the safe belonged to Quam. Law enforcement received a search warrant for the vehicle and its contents and seized approximately 1086.8 grams of methamphetamine. Quam was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a felony, in the United States Court for the District of Montana on February 28, 2014. Consequently, he is prohibited from possessing firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, and the investigation was conducted by the Missouri River Drug Task Force. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Lookout found guilty for role in armed robbery

body_text: HOUSTON – A jury has convicted a 20-year-old Houston resident for aiding and abetting a robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The jury deliberated for four hours before finding Patrick Norman guilty following a three-day trial. On Jan. 29, 2024, Norman acted as a lookout while Danial Starr, 20, Houston, entered the Spring Smoke Shop on Veteran’s Memorial Drive, brandished a firearm at an employee and stole cash and smoke products. The pair then fled the scene. An eyewitness identified Norman which led to his subsequent arrest. At that time, he claimed not to know Starr at all. However, the jury heard testimony as to how authorities saw surveillance footage implicating Norman and phone records that showed communication between him and Starr prior to the robbery. During trial, the jury heard the testimony from the victim store clerk who was robbed. The defense attempted to convince the jury Norman never intended to aid and abet a robbery. They did not believe those claims and found him guilty. U.S. District Judge David Hittner will impose sentencing at a later date, at which time Norman faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Previously released on bond, Norman was taken into custody April 21 after arriving late for trial. He will remain there pending sentencing. Starr had pleaded guilty prior to trial and awaits sentencing as does another Houston resident charged in relation to the case, Calvin Deshazo, 19, who had admitted to aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm during two other robberies which took place on another date. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the joint investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Rodriguez and Anh-Khoa Tran are prosecuting the case.


title: Utah Charter School Director Charged for Possession of  Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A charter school director in northern Utah is in federal custody and charged in a federal criminal complaint after he allegedly possessed well over 10,000 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and represented online that he could produce and distribute to others for profit. Jared Dallan Buckley, 40, of West Point, Utah, is the Lead Director of both the Layton and Ogden, Utah, campuses for the Leadership Learning Academy, a charter school for grades kindergarten through six. Buckley is scheduled to make his initial appearance on the complaint Friday, April 25, 2025, at 9:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4., before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. According to court documents, in October 2024, FBI agents began an on-line investigation of a person known only as “EMMA,” later identified as Buckley, who was using an application known to be used by people interested in child sexual abuse material. During the investigation, “EMMA” distributed a video of child sexual abuse materials and represented that he had original child sexual abuse material that he could produce and distribute to others for a price. Through the investigation, agents were able to connect “EMMA” to a telephone number that was associated to Buckley. On April 22, 2025, FBI agents executed search warrants on Buckley’s residence in West Point, and his 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD LT. FBI seized a cell phone in Buckley’s vehicle that was consistent with the make and model of the phone being utilized by the internet accounts associated with “EMMA.” During the forensic examination of the cell phone, agents found well over 10,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material. The forensic examination of the cell phone also revealed evidence that Buckley has been distributing images of child sexual abuse material across multiple on-line platforms. Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . A complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Documents: jared_dallen_buckley.dm_.pdf jared_dallen_buckley.complaint.pdf


title: St. Tammany Man Sentenced for Federal Controlled Substances Act Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RICARDO JORDAN (“JORDAN”), age 22, of St. Tammany Parish, was sentenced on April 10, 2025 by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier, for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court documents, on August 3, August 10, and September 19, 2023, JORDAN sold forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl to an undercover Louisiana State Police Trooper. On September 28, 2023, a search warrant was executed at JORDAN’S Covington, La. residence where law enforcement officials recovered approximately 101 grams of fentanyl. As a result of this criminal conduct, JORDAN was indicted on four counts related to the drug trafficking and drug possession and subsequently pled guilty. Judge Barbier sentenced JORDAN to 60 months imprisonment, a 4-year term of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $400. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Briana Williams of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Prolific fraudster sentenced to 10 years for series of schemes costing victims millions

body_text: HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Manvel resident who used his veteran status to perpetuate several financial crimes has been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Antonio Jackson Jr. pleaded guilty Feb. 4. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal has now ordered Jackson to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Jackson to pay a total of $1,974,145.63 in restitution to four different victims. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the various methods Jackson used to exploit his victims, including creating fake companies, submitting bogus tax records and even faking signatures of government officials and copying official government seals and emblems. In handing down the sentence, Judge Rosenthal highlighted Jackson’s wide-ranging criminal conduct and his ongoing commitment to defrauding both public and private victims. The court also noted that Jackson exploited his brief stint in the U.S. Army, which ended in a court-martial, as a way to deceive others under the guise of service. From July 2020 to May 2021, Jackson submitted four false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. He claimed his business earned millions in revenue and paid hundreds of thousands in wages to more than 20 employees. In reality, Jackson fabricated tax returns, bank statements and other business records to support his false claims. The scheme resulted in losses of approximately $480,000. While awaiting trial, authorities uncovered three additional schemes Jackson committed. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted to defrauding a Washington D.C.-based federal credit union through a series of scam home improvement loans. Jackson also made false statements to obtain a Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA)-backed loan. In addition, he defrauded Brazoria County taxpayers by falsely claiming disabled veteran status to receive property tax relief on his Manvel residence. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Small Business Administration and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs- Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of several local police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.


title: Mississippi Man Guilty of Attempted Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – AVERY FREEL (“FREEL”) , age 23, of Ocean Springs, MS, pled guilty on April 10, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, to Attempted Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. FREEL faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years, up to a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00. In addition, FREEL faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, after his release from prison, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hammond Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit. * * *


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Federal Drug and Machinegun Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that RALPH PRICE , age 27, was charged by a federal grand jury on April 4, 2025, in a three-count indictment for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and Federal Controlled Substances Act. PRICE is charged in Count 1 with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Suboxone, and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), 841(b)(1)(D), and 841(b)(1)(E). He is charged in Count 2 with possessing a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(B)(ii). He is charged in Count 3 with possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). As to Count 1, PRICE faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to Count 2, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison up to a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release. As to Count 3, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to a $10,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. According to the indictment, on or about March 13, 2025, PRICE possessed methamphetamine, Suboxone, and marijuana with the intent to distribute those substances. PRICE also possessed a Glock Model 19 pistol, equipped with a machinegun conversion device, in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CESAR RUIZ-AGUILAR (“RUIZ-AGUILAR”), age 38, a native of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to court documents, RUIZ-AGUILAR was previously removed from the United States on March 13, 2010 and May 17, 2017. He was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on February 1, 2024 and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter. United States District Court Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown set sentencing for June 5, 2025. RUIZ-AGUILAR faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Slidell Man Indicted for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JONATHAN SUAREZ (“SUAREZ”) , age 29, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, with was indicted today for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2). According to the indictment, between on or about February 15, 2023, and April 9, 2025, SUAREZ received visual depictions of minors as young as approximately two (2) years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including a video he received on or about February 15, 2023. SUAREZ faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years in prison and a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years. SUAREZ also faces at least five years, and up to a lifetime, of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine. He may also be required to register as a sex offender. Acting U. S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Honduran National Guilty of Illegal  Re-Entry of Removed Alien, Faces Enhanced Penalty for Prior Felony Conviction

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – CESAR A. LOBO-RAMOS (“LOBO-RAMOS”) , age 38, a native of Honduras, pled guilty on April 22, 2025, to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court documents, LOBO-RAMOS reentered the United States after being previously deported on April 10, 2018. LOBO-RAMOS came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement after he was arrested by the Kenner Police Department on November 2, 2023 for resisting arrest and obstruction of police. LOBO-RAMOS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 2 years, up to 1 year of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. He also faces a sentencing enhancement of 20 years because of a prior felony conviction for sexual battery in Jefferson Parish in 2010. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Olive Branch Woman Sentenced to Five Years and Ordered to Pay  Millions after PPP Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Oxford, MS – Zipora Hudson, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering following her trial conviction in January. Judge Mills sentenced Zipora Hudson to a 60-month jail sentence followed by five years of supervised release for her role in a PPP fraud scheme that was presented to a federal jury and resulted in a guilty verdict on January 17, 2025. Hudson was also ordered to pay $3,526,517 in restitution. The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to provide funding for small businesses affected by the economic downturn associated with the Coronavirus Pandemic. According to court documents, Zipora Hudson, her son, Montreal Hudson, and Deandre Jones utilized Zippy Bee, LLC as a tax preparation business in Charleston, MS, to create and file hundreds of PPP loan applications on behalf of borrowers that were not eligible to receive the loans. The defendants created fraudulent Schedule C tax documents to claim gross income amounts that far exceeded the real income for a particular business or claimed gross income amounts for businesses that never existed. The documents were created in order to receive PPP loans in amounts ranging from $19,000 to $20,833 per loan. For their efforts, the defendants required the borrowers to pay them a kickback out of the proceeds of each loan. The defendants used the illegally obtained money to purchase luxury vehicles and real estate, among other things. “By exploiting a government program designed to aid businesses during a national crisis, Zipora Hudson stole millions of dollars from American taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “The sentence imposed today should send a message to those responsible for pandemic fraud that we will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served.” “Zipora Hudson committed PPP loan fraud and is now paying the price for her crime,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette of the IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office. “She is one of many individuals being held accountable for defrauding a program intended to assist small businesses economically survive the COVID-19 pandemic.” Montreal Hudson was convicted alongside Zipora Hudson in the January jury trial, and he is set to be sentenced on June 26, 2025. Deandre Jones, also of Olive Branch, MS, previously pled guilty in the case. The scheme was initially uncovered during the course of a civil investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Leary and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Wright prosecuted the case on behalf of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation Division along with investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form .


title: Man Who Defrauded Investors With Sham Technology Company Found Guilty Of Wire Fraud And Money Laundering

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury today convicted Ramesh Kris Nathan on six counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering in connection with fraudulently obtaining investors’ money for a company that had no legitimate business activities. The guilty verdict followed an eight-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nathan, 43, a U.S. national, promised investors that their money would fund Relativity Research Fund, Inc., a company for which Nathan set up a bank account in San Francisco. He promoted Relativity as being involved in the research and development of advanced technologies, including prototype spacecraft and space-related propulsion systems. He also made false promises of future trading of the company’s shares on the Nasdaq Private Market. “Ramesh Nathan spun fantastic tales about space travel technology and advanced robotics to entice investors into funding his company, but all he had to offer was science fiction. He deceived his investors, many of whom were veterans, about a nonexistent business. Then he used the ill-gotten funds to line his own pockets,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “Thanks to the jury’s verdict, Mr. Nathan is being held accountable for the harms he caused to multiple victims.” “Ramesh Nathan orchestrated a scheme rooted in deception, betraying the trust of investors for his own gain,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Today’s guilty verdict reflects the seriousness of his crimes and brings justice to the victims he defrauded. The FBI remains committed to holding financial criminals accountable and protecting the public from fraud.” The evidence presented at trial showed that Nathan induced potential investors to provide funds by making false and misleading statements on his company’s website, in promotional materials, and in emails to potential investors. For example, Nathan claimed that the company was developing numerous technology-related enterprises, including advanced robotics and space travel technology. Nathan also represented that the company had significant capital investments, worldwide offices with over 15,000 employees, and tens of billions of dollars in profits and revenue. The jury also found that Nathan laundered investor funds through various bank accounts, and then used the funds for his personal expenses and transfers to his mother and his then-girlfriend. Nathan carried out his fraudulent scheme by recruiting an intermediary to share his lies with investors, many of whom were veterans of the United States military and friends and family of veterans. The defendant will next appear in court on June 13, 2025, for further proceedings. Nathan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering, and forfeiture of all property that is traceable to his wire fraud and money laundering violations. Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roland Chang and Sara Henderson are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.


title: McAlester Resident Pleads Guilty To Theft Of Property From A Government Installation

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Garland Leon Seay, age 38, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Theft of Government Property, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years and a $250,000.00 fine, and one count of Entering a Military Installation for a Purpose Prohibited by Law, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to $5,000.00. The Indictment alleged that on July 22, 2024, Seay willfully and knowingly stole property of the United States belonging to the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in value exceeding $1,000.00, including an inert training missile, telescope spotlights, electronic tablets, tools, and a Nikon camera. The Indictment also alleged that between July 2023 and September 4, 2024, Seay willfully and knowingly stole property of the United States belonging to the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in value exceeding $1,000.00, including computer hard drives, spools of cable, bags of heavy machinery tools, and miscellaneous tools and equipment. Finally, the Indictment alleged that beginning on July 11, 2024, and continuing until July 16, 2024, Seay knowingly and unlawfully entered the property of McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, a military installation, in order to steal property belonging to the United States. The charges arose from an investigation by the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant Police Department, Pittsburg County Sherriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.


title: Man Sentenced for Firearm and Drug Trafficking Crimes

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Robert Johnson, age 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 24, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Johnson to 240 months’ imprisonment on the drug charge and a consecutive 60 months’ imprisonment on the firearm charge, for a total sentence of 300 months. Seven-thousand dollars was forfeited to the United States as drug proceeds. There is no parole in the federal system. After Johnson is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On January 17, 2023, Omaha DEA received an anonymous tip that Robert Johnson (“RJ”) was selling fentanyl pills and methamphetamine in the Omaha area. On April 19, 2023, a federal search warrant was executed on Johnson’s home in Omaha that he shared with codefendant Whitney Washington. Law enforcement recovered methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, a Taurus 9mm handgun, $7,000 in drug proceeds and narcotics trafficking paraphernalia. Investigators determined that Robert Johnson, along with Tijuana L. Johnson, were mailing the narcotics from Arizona to Omaha to be distributed. Codefendant Tijuana L. Johnson was sentenced on January 29, 2025, to 120 months’ incarceration after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Codefendant Whitney Washington was sentenced on March 27, 2025, to 63 months’ incarceration after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Jesus Martinez-Garcia, 27, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 23, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Martinez-Garcia to 200 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Martinez-Garcia is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. On March 11, 2020, Martinez-Garcia sold a confidential informant 372 grams of lab confirmed actual methamphetamine in Omaha. During the controlled drug transaction, Martinez-Garcia also possessed three firearms. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Omaha Police Department. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 57 Months for Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Martin Omar Rodriguez Vega, 56, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced on April 23, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for distributing more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Vega to 57 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release. On September 16, 2022, an undercover trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol arranged to purchase one pound of methamphetamine with an individual located in Mexico. The Mexican source directed the undercover trooper to Hickman, Nebraska, to meet someone to pick up the pound of methamphetamine. At the meet location, the undercover trooper met Martin Omar Rodriguez Vega who delivered 420 grams of pure methamphetamine to the trooper. This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and Lincoln Police Department.


title: Ardmore Resident Sentenced For Involuntary Manslaughter

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Antonio Lamar Ford Jr., age 31, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 96 months in prison for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. On November 21, 2024, Ford pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on November 16, 2023, Ford crashed his Dodge Challenger into another vehicle on Interstate 35 while attempting to pass in the right lane of travel. The force of the collision ejected Ford’s passenger from the vehicle. That passenger died on the scene. Prior to the crash, Ford was driving at speeds in excess of 140 mph with a blood alcohol content above .08. The crime occurred in Love County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Ford will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.


title: Genetic Testing Marketing Companies Genexe, LLC and Immerge, Inc. and Two Executives Agree to Pay $6 Million to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulent Medicare Claims

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced today that Genexe, LLC, Immerge, Inc., Jason Green, and Jason Gross have agreed to pay $6 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and other statutes by participating in schemes meant to fraudulently cause Medicare to pay claims for genetic testing that was medically unnecessary and tainted by kickbacks. Genexe, LLC, which did business as Genexe Health, is a Delaware limited liability corporation with a principal address in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Genexe publicly described itself as “a one-stop shop” for genetic and pharmacogenetic profiling and marketed itself as “involved in every aspect of the patient screening process, from the collection of samples to laboratory processing.” It conducted business in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, among other locations. Genexe is no longer operating. Immerge, Inc., also known as Immerge LLC, controlled and is the parent company of Genexe. It was incorporated in Colorado and Delaware, with a principal address in Greenwood Village, Colorado. It publicly described itself as “one of the leading outsourced sales and marketing companies, providing customized sales and marketing solutions to Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders in the Energy, Telecom, Wireless and Solar industries to efficiently increase our clients’ revenue and market share through industry leading systems and processes.” Immerge operated Genexe as one of its marketing companies. Immerge is no longer operating. Jason Green and Jason Gross were, respectively, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Genexe and Immerge, with ownership interests in both Genexe and Immerge. Genetic tests are medical laboratory tests designed to identify specific inherited mutations in a patient’s genes. Genetic mutations or variations may affect a patient’s risk of developing certain diseases or the patient’s response to medications. Genetic tests related to a patient’s hereditary predisposition for cancer are commonly referred to as “CGx” tests. Pharmacogenomic genetic tests related to identifying how a patient’s genes affect a response to drugs are commonly referred to as “PGx” tests. Genetic testing can involve obtaining a DNA sample from a patient using a genetic test kit, sometimes by obtaining a patient’s saliva using a cheek (buccal) swab to collect sufficient cells to provide a genetic profile. The DNA sample may then be submitted, along with a requisition form, to a laboratory for analysis, such as a CGx or PGx test. The requisition form typically included information about the patient, the swab being submitted, and the referring physician or other medical provider. That provider or another authorized person must confirm on the form that the genetic test was medically necessary. To be covered under Medicare Part B, a clinical laboratory test, such as a genetic test, must be ordered by a physician (or a qualified nonphysician practitioner) who is treating a beneficiary for a specific medical problem and who uses the results in the management of that problem. The test must be related to the beneficiary’s illness or injury (or symptom or complaint). Medicare does not cover the costs associated with testing that are not reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injury or to improve the functioning of a malformed body member. It is a violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute to knowingly and willfully solicit, receive, offer, or pay any remuneration in return for referring an individual for the furnishing or arranging for the furnishing of any item or service for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under a federal health care program. The United States’ claims arise from Genexe, Immerge, Green, and Gross’s alleged conduct in knowingly and improperly causing false claims to be submitted to Medicare for CGx and PGx tests that were not medically necessary and that were procured through kickbacks. Specifically, the United States contends that during the period from July 2018 through December 2019: Genexe, Immerge, Green, and Gross participated in a kickback scheme involving a network of medical laboratories and telemedicine healthcare providers. The laboratories billed Medicare for fraudulent genetic testing, which was regularly reimbursed at rates exceeding $6,000 per test. Genexe revenues were a portion of the amounts reimbursed to the laboratories by Medicare. Genexe was a marketing company that entered into agreements with telemedicine healthcare providers and medical laboratories to develop, expand, and promote their genetic testing services throughout the United States. Genexe conducted marketing campaigns that offered genetic testing to Medicare beneficiaries, among others, purportedly at no cost to the patients. Genexe hired and paid independent contractors (IBOs) who acted as genetic screening technicians to recruit Medicare beneficiaries to sign up for medically unnecessary genetic testing. On behalf of Genexe, the IBOs, most of whom had no medical training, would collect DNA specimens (usually from cheek swabs of saliva) from Medicare beneficiaries at locations such as stores, shopping malls, healthcare fairs, churches, retirement centers, skilled nursing facilities, and similar locations. On behalf of Genexe, the IBOs would also collect Medicare beneficiaries’ protected health care information on a requisition form and label the specimen. IBOs would then ship the packaged DNA specimens to Genexe’s parent company, Immerge, in Colorado. Genexe would obtain physician orders for the genetic tests for the packaged specimens before they were sent to a medical laboratory for testing. Genexe had agreements with telemedicine companies and medical laboratories to obtain physician orders for the genetic tests. In some cases, the telemedicine company had existing arrangements with medical laboratories, while in others, the medical laboratory had existing arrangements with physicians. Once the physician order was obtained, Genexe sent the specimens to a medical laboratory for testing. The medical laboratory would test the specimen and bill Medicare, and in some cases, the medical laboratory obtained the services of another laboratory to perform the testing and bill Medicare. Once Medicare paid the medical laboratory, Genexe would receive a portion of the Medicare reimbursement funds from the laboratory. Initially, Genexe was paid about $800 per swab, but later was paid amounts ranging from $1,000 to $2,000, depending on the type of genetic test. In sum, Genexe, Immerge, Green, and Gross would pay remuneration to IBOs for referrals of Medicare beneficiaries and to medical providers for prescriptions for CGx and PGx testing, obtain Medicare patient information and swabs by having Medicare beneficiaries complete genetic test kits, and would obtain prescriptions for CGx or PGx testing for those beneficiaries by paying illegal kickbacks to medical providers or telemedicine providers. Genexe, Immerge, Green, and Gross also received illegal kickbacks in exchange for sending the completed CGx and PGx testing swabs and prescriptions to medical laboratories for processing and billing. “Genetic testing fraud preys on the fears of patients, and it wastes taxpayer dollars by spending limited funds on medically unnecessary or nonexistent tests,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “This settlement shows we will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate fraud, waste, and abuse in federal healthcare programs and will use every tool available to recover improperly paid taxpayer funds.” “Medical professionals should only order testing which would benefit individual patient care, not for personal gain,” said Maureen Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners will continue to evaluate and pursue allegations of kickbacks resulting in medically unnecessary services.” The settlement also resolves claims against Genexe, Immerge, Green, and Gross in lawsuits filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. Those lawsuits include United States ex rel. Shimi v. Genexe, LLC, et al. , No. 19-CV-3660 (E.D. Pa.), and United States ex rel. Covington v. Genexe, LLC, et al. , No. 23-CV-2915 (E.D. Pa.). As part of today’s resolution, four relators will collectively receive approximately $1.3 million. The matter is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mark J. Sherer and Auditor Denis J. Cooke. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.


title: Two Men Responsible For Running Hawala Scheme Involving More Than $65 Million Sentenced To Three Years In Prison

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MOHANAD AL-ZUBAIDI and SHAKER SALEH MOHAMMED HAUTER were both sentenced to three years in prison for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business that was responsible for illicitly moving more than $65 million between the United States and countries in the Middle East, including Yemen, Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. AL-ZUBAIDI and HAUTER previously pled guilty on January 15, 2025, before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel, who imposed yesterday’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “Mohanad Al-Zubaidi and Shaker Saleh Mohammed Hauter ran an underground financial network that illegally transferred tens of millions of dollars between the United States and the Middle East. The sentences imposed yesterday send a clear message that those who operate these unlawful financing networks will be held accountable.” According to the Indictment, plea agreements, and statements made in court: Between in or about 2018 through at least in or about 2022, AL-ZUBAIDI and HAUTER operated an unlicensed money transfer business that was responsible for illicitly moving more than $65 million between the U.S. and countries in the Middle East. AL-ZUBAIDI and HAUTER facilitated hundreds of illicit money transfers, with each transfer ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. For the illicit transactions they completed, AL-ZUBAIDI and HAUTER typically earned a commission of between one and six percent of the total amount transferred. To facilitate these illicit transfers, AL-ZUBAIDI and HAUTER worked with other members of an international network of money brokers to transfer money through an informal money transmitting system known as “hawala,” which is frequently used by money launderers and other criminals to transfer criminal proceeds abroad. * * * In addition to the prison terms, AL-ZUBAIDI, 37, of Piscataway, New Jersey, and HAUTER, 52, of the Bronx, New York, were both sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture of $385,000 and $430,000, respectively. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Mr. Clayton also recognized the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. King and Amanda C. Weingarten are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Rhode Island Man Sentenced to Twenty Years in Prison in One of Rhode Island’s Largest Fentanyl Seizures

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – Jorge Pimentel, a/k/a “Big Head,” 36, of Cranston, has been sentenced to twenty years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Pimentel previously admitted to a federal judge that he ran a highly productive drug lab and a stash house in Pawtucket from which 19,315 fentanyl-laced pills made to resemble pharmaceutical grade Percocet pills and nearly 9 kilograms of powder fentanyl were seized by law enforcement. The seizure of a combined total of over sixteen kilograms of fentanyl-laced pills and fentanyl powder, an industrial grade high-speed pill press, and twenty-eight thousand grams of cutting agents used in the manufacturer of the fake pill seized in September 2023, is among the largest seizures of fentanyl in Rhode Island. The fentanyl powder and already cut mixture seized in this case represented the potential production of more than 633,000 fentanyl-laced pills. Court documents detail that Pimentel was already a “well-established, large scale fentanyl trafficker” when, on multiple occasions between May 31, 2023, and September 29, 2023, he brokered sales of a total of approximately 34,000 fentanyl-laced pills for which he was paid $37,000. Pimentel was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 240 months of incarceration to be followed by five years of federal supervised release. He pleaded guilty in December 2024 as charged by indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. No plea agreement was filed in this case. The matter was investigated by the FBI’s Rhode Island Safe Streets Task Force. The Safe Streets Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, Rhode Island State Police, the Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, West Warwick, and Central Falls Police Departments, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. The United States Attorney’s Office thanks the Providence Police Department and the DEA for their partnership. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. ### government_sentencing_memo.pdf


title: Philadelphia Businesswoman Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Multiple Fraud Schemes That Caused Over $600,000 in Losses

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Nyesha D. Paris, aka Nyesha D. Henderson and Nyesha D. Jackson, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Joel H. Slomsky yesterday to 20 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for orchestrating a series of business fraud schemes. The Court also ordered Paris to pay victim restitution of $545,993 and a forfeiture money judgment of $84,008, and to complete 150 hours of community service. Paris was indicted in February 2023 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, and health care fraud in January 2024. Between at least 2018 and 2023, Paris engaged in multiple fraud schemes, which caused over $600,000 in losses to 15 different victims. In one scheme, Paris joined others in stealing over $40,000 in merchandise and gift cards from Lowe’s Home Improvement through use of a shell company and fraudulent business accounts. In another scheme, Paris fraudulently obtained multiple pandemic assistance loans totaling over $120,000 through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) by inflating payroll, submitting fake documents, and falsely certifying that her companies were in operation in February 2020, when they were not. In a third scheme, Paris fraudulently billed Medicaid for nearly $150,000 in home health services allegedly provided by her business, but which were never actually provided. In total, Paris committed more than a dozen fraud schemes, including some that took place after the FBI confronted her with evidence of fraud and informed Paris that she was under investigation. The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Ignall and Samuel Dalke.


title: Bookkeeper Sentenced to More Than One Year in Prison for Tax Evasion and Disability Benefit Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – The former bookkeeper for an electrical contracting business has been sentenced for concealing income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and stealing disability benefits. David Tetreault, 55, of Attleboro, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 18 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Tetreault has also been ordered to pay $623,602 to the Internal Revenue Service, $159,816 to the Social Security Administration and $161,835 to the Employment Retirement System of Rhode Island in restitution. In October 20204, Tetreault pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, one count of theft of government money and one count of wire fraud. Tetreault worked as a bookkeeper for a Massachusetts-based electrical contractor between 2015 and 2021. During those years, Tetreault received wages in cash and used company funds to pay his personal credit card bills. Tetreault manipulated the company’s accounting records and bank statements to disguise these payments as business expenses. As a result of this conduct, Tetreault underreported his personal income by at least $2.1 million, causing a loss to the IRS of over $600,000. In addition, Tetreault did not report his work for the electrical contractor or his income to the Social Security Administration and submitted false information about his employment and income to the Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI). As a result of this conduct, Tetreault collected over $320,000 in Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and ERSRI disability pension benefits to which he was not entitled between 2016 and 2024. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Upstate Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. — Daniel Turner Widner, 26, of Roebuck, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material. * Evidence presented at the sentencing hearing established that Widner was the moderator of an online chat group focused on the trading of child sexual abuse material. An undercover law enforcement officer infiltrated the group and posed as an 11-year-old girl. Widner sent the officer multiple images of child sexual abuse material. Believing he was chatting with a minor, Widner asked the undercover officer to be his girlfriend and to send him compromising pictures. Further investigation led authorities to discover Widner’s home address, and a search warrant was conducted. All of Widner’s electronic devices were seized and law enforcement found over 80,000 images of child sexual abuse material on his devices. Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced Widner to 15 years' imprisonment and lifetime supervised release. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys 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, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . ### NOTE: The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”


title: Jefferson County Man Admits Possessing Pipe Bomb

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

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Jefferson County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted possessing a pipe bomb. Robert Hiler, 38, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device. Hiler admitted that on Sept. 11, 2023, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputies were seeking another man who had several active felony warrants. They had a court-approved search warrant for Hiler’s house, and arrested their target in the woods behind the home. Deputies then obtained Hiler’s consent to search the home and found a pipe bomb on a grey bucket in a room adjacent to Hiler’s garage. Hiler admitted building the bomb and said he had planned to ignite it with a car battery. Hiler is scheduled to be sentenced in July. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ware and Mohsen Pasha are prosecuting the case.


title: Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Honduran national residing in Woburn, Mass. has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Saul Arce, 38, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Arce was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 20, 2025. According to the charging document, Arce was deported from the United States on May 15, 2013. It is alleged that sometime after his May 2013 removal, Arce illegally reentered the United States without permission. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Ellwood City Resident Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Coercing Minor to Produce and Send Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on April 22, 2025, to 252 months of incarceration, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, on his conviction of coercion and enticement of a minor, and production and receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Shayne A. Clapper, 31. According to information presented to the Court, in January 2023 through February 2023, Clapper initiated a sexual relationship with a minor known to him. Clapper provided the minor with a cell phone that he used to communicate with the minor, including requesting and receiving nude images from the minor. Clapper also induced the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Ellwood City Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Clapper. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Former CIA Official Pleads Guilty to Acting as a Foreign Agent and Mishandling Classified Materials

body_text: Dale Britt Bendler, 68, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty today to, while being a public official at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), acting as a foreign agent required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and removing classified material, classified up to the SECRET//NOFORN level, from authorized locations without authority and with the intent to retain such material at an unauthorized location. As described in the plea agreement, starting in 2014, Bendler began working as a full-time contractor at the CIA with a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. Before he was a CIA contractor, Bendler spent over 30 years working for the CIA as an intelligence officer and retired as a member of the Senior Intelligence Service in 2014. Beginning in July 2017 and continuing through at least July 2020, while a full-time CIA contractor and TS/SCI clearance holder, Bendler worked with a U.S. lobbying firm and engaged in unauthorized and hidden lobbying and public relations activities on behalf of foreign national clients. As described in the plea agreement, Bendler’s undisclosed lobbying activities included an attempt to use his position and access at the CIA to influence a foreign government’s embezzlement investigation of one of Bendler’s foreign national clients and a separate attempt to use his position and access at the CIA to influence the U.S. government’s decision as to whether to grant a U.S. visa to another of Bendler’s clients, who was alleged to be associated with terrorism financing. In exchange for his unauthorized outside activities, Bendler was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars. During the course of Bendler’s unauthorized lobbying and public relations activities, Bendler also abused his access to CIA resources and personnel by, among other things, searching classified CIA systems for any information related to his private lobbying clients, improperly storing and disclosing non-public, sensitive, and classified U.S. government information to people not authorized to receive such information, and lying to the CIA and the FBI about his status as a foreign agent and his unauthorized lobbying and public relations activities. The CIA terminated Bendler’s contract and access in September 2020. In addition to pleading guilty, Bendler consented to the forfeiture of $85,000. Bendler faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison – two years for acting as a foreign agent while being a public official and five years for mishandling classified material. Bendler is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16. Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Adam P. Barry and Senior Trial Attorney Heather M. Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon D. Kromberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. Chief Jennifer Kennedy Gellie of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section provided substantial assistance in this investigation in her prior role as a trial attorney.