title: 5 Arrested in Law Enforcement Operation Targeting Fraudulent Withdrawal of Benefits Designated for Low-Income Families

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A multi-agency law enforcement operation has resulted in the arrest of five illegal aliens who allegedly used information from “skimmed” electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards to “clone” counterfeit cards and steal funds that had been disbursed to low-income individuals by the State of California, the Justice Department announced today. Three of the defendants have been ordered detained without bond, and two of the five defendants arrested on Sunday are expected to make their initial appearances in United States District Court today. During the operation on Sunday, approximately 70 law enforcement officers began monitoring ATM locations across the Los Angeles area to identify individuals who were making multiple cash withdrawals with cards encoded with information that had been stolen from cards used by the California Department of Social Services (DSS) to provide CalFresh and CalWORKs benefits to qualified recipients. Authorities made arrests after determining that the suspects making withdrawals at the ATMs were not entitled to access funds that had been deposited into accounts belonging to legitimate EBT beneficiaries. “These defendants who are illegally in the United States targeted and stole from some of the poorest members of our community,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “This fraudulent activity has contributed to significant financial losses, undermining an essential lifeline for struggling families. The U.S. Attorney’s office, in close collaboration with our law enforcement counterparts, will continue to root out this criminal conduct and protect our most vulnerable citizens from further exploitation.” “This successful operation targeted transnational criminal organizations that have been stealing from our less fortunate neighbors and the taxpayers,” said HSI Los Angeles Acting Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco. “HSI Los Angeles and our partners will work day and night to ensure that this help continues to be available to those who need it most, and not in the pockets of greedy criminals.” Late Monday, federal prosecutors filed three criminal complaints charging the five defendants with the use of unauthorized access devices (the cards with stolen EBT account numbers and PINs used to make the cash withdrawals). The defendants arrested Sunday allegedly made unauthorized withdrawals, obtaining as much as $25,480. The defendants named across three criminal complaints are: Marcel Musat, 53, of Romania, who is charged with one count of use of unauthorized access devices and allegedly had approximately 45 cloned cards on his person when he was arrested. Musat admitted to investigators he had overstayed his visa and therefore is illegally in the United States. At a hearing Tuesday afternoon, Musat was ordered held without bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on March 11. Ionut Calciu, 31, of Romania, who is charged with one count of use of unauthorized access devices and allegedly possessed 10 counterfeit EBT cards when he was arrested. According to court documents, Calciu previously was convicted of aggravated robbery in Romania. Calciu, who is an illegal alien, is scheduled to appear in court today. Florian Serban, 51, of Romania, who is charged with one count of use of unauthorized access devices and he allegedly possessed 58 re-encoded California EBT cards. Serban is due to appear in court today. Wesley David Adrian Dimoua-Moua, 36, of France, who is charged with one count of use of unauthorized devices and allegedly had 11 counterfeit EBT cards when he was arrested. Dimoua-Moua is a visa overstay illegally present in the United States. At a hearing Tuesday afternoon, Dimoua-Moua was ordered held without bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on February 24. Hichem Mohamed El Mabrouk, 35, of France, who is charged with one count of use of unauthorized access devices and allegedly was in possession of 37 re-encoded California EBT cards when he was arrested. At a hearing Tuesday afternoon, El Mabrouk was ordered held without bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on March 11. DSS detected more than $126.8 million stolen from victim EBT cards in 2024, according to court documents. This fraud has targeted CalWORKs and CalFresh (previously known as “food stamps”), both of which are intended to help low-income beneficiaries purchase food and provide for basic needs. The investigation has revealed that the fraudulent withdrawal of these benefits is done with “cloned” cards, which are debit cards, gift cards or other devices with magnetic strips that have been encoded with information from legitimate EBT cards. Court documents allege that at least some of those involved in the fraudulent withdrawals also possessed “skimming” devices that could be used to record personal identification information from victims. Criminal complaints and indictments contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Homeland Security Investigation’s El Camino Real Task Force, which includes special agents with HSI and the United States Secret Service, as well as officers with the Los Angeles Police Department, is conducting the investigations in this matter. A number of law enforcement agencies provided significant support during Sunday’s operation, including the California Department of Social Services, the United States Marshals Service, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Hermosa Beach Police Department, the Baldwin Park Police Department, the Culver City Police Department, the El Monte Police Department, the Inglewood Police Department, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Diane Roldán, Alexander H. Tran and Sophia Carrillo of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting these cases.


title: New York Man Sentenced To 84 Months In Prison For Conspiring To Engage In Multimillion Dollar Wire Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Terrell Fuller, 34, of Baldwin, New York, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an information charging him with conspiring to commit wire fraud. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: Fuller and his co-conspirators submitted a fraudulent application to the Small Business Administration, which caused the SBA to provide them with approximately $1,200,000. In addition, Fuller and his co-conspirators opened bank accounts in the names of various entities and individuals, deposited illegally obtained or fraudulent checks into those accounts, and then withdrew and attempted to withdraw money from the accounts. Further, Fuller, using stolen personal identifying information, fraudulently rented locations to live in New York and failed to pay more than $400,000 in rent and fees for those locations. Through the conspiracy, Fuller and his co-conspirators obtained more than $2,000,000 in money and property through their fraudulent actions. In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Fuller to 3 years of supervised release and $2,289,816.06 in restitution. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Franklin Township Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Scott Leemon, New York City, New York


title: Violent Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Possession

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

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – An Eagle Pass man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio today to 120 months in prison and a $2,000 fine for one count of felon in possession of firearm ammunition. According to court documents, Mark Ivy, 38, was arrested by San Antonio Police officers in San Antonio Dec. 20, 2019 for an outstanding warrant. Ivy was sitting in the front passenger seat of a vehicle in retail parking lot with a loaded 9mm ghost gun. Ivy had been previously convicted in Del Rio on May 13, 2010 for conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats or violence and interstate communications with intent to extort. He was then sentenced to 48 months imprisonment and therefore unable to lawfully possess firearms or ammunition. Following his 2019 arrest, Ivy was transferred into federal custody Oct. 9, 2020. He pleaded guilty to the charge in the indictment on Oct. 25, 2021. “My office takes felons in possession of firearms and ammunition very seriously, and when the felon has a violent criminal history like that of this defendant, we argue for a sentence which reflects the seriousness of the conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I appreciate the investigative skill and expertise of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, all of which provide immense value in these cases.” “The FBI is dedicated to ensuring our citizens are safe in their communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “Ivy was aware that he was not allowed to own a firearm or ammunition due to his past actions, but he made the choice to keep a gun on his person while fleeing from the scene of a violent homicide. We want to thank our partners at San Antonio Police Department, who continue to work with us to make our community safer.” The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the San Antonio Police Department, Maverick County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Holly Pavlinski and Rex Beasley prosecuted the case. ###


title: Texas man arrested for possessing child pornography while working as school bus driver in Fairbanks

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Texas man was arrested early this week on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of child pornography while temporarily working in Fairbanks. According to court documents, in December 2024, the Fairbanks Police Department (FPD) received information that a USB drive found in the business center of a Fairbanks hotel allegedly contained child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). FPD provided the USB drive to the FBI Anchorage Field Office to process for forensic review. On Jan. 30, 2025, federal agents successfully imaged and extracted the USB drive and found information linking it to Scott O’Toole, 60, of Joshua, Texas. Agents also found images on the drive allegedly depicting child sexual abuse. Within 24 hours of the FBI’s review of the USB drive, law enforcement identified and located O’Toole in Texas, and arrested him shortly thereafter. Court documents further allege that federal agents learned O’Toole was on Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY) to Fairbanks as a school bus driver between November and December 2024, and that he stayed at the hotel where the USB drive was found. Shortly after the USB drive was discovered, O’Toole returned to Texas. O’Toole is currently charged with one count of possession of child pornography in the District of Alaska. If convicted, O’Toole faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Vogel of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from FPD and the Texas State Troopers. If anyone has information concerning O’Toole’s alleged actions in Alaska, please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at (907) 276-4441 or anonymously at tips.fbi.gov . Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander is prosecuting the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska thanks their colleagues in the Eastern District of Texas for their coordination on this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: 29-Year-Old Arrested, Charged With Threatening to Shoot Up Elementary School

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: A man who threatened to shoot up a Lubbock elementary school has been arrested and charged, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham. Stephen Patrick Furr, 29, was charged via criminal complaint with interstate threatening communications and arrested Monday afternoon. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda ‘Amy’ R. Burch Wednesday morning. “The foresight of a single tipster – coupled with the prompt action of law enforcement – may have saved dozens of young lives,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “The adage holds true: If you see something, say something. You may help law enforcement avert a tragedy.” “The defendant’s concerning social media posts were reported to the FBI, and the resulting law enforcement response ensured no one was harmed,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI and our partners are committed to protecting the communities we serve, and we encourage the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious or threatening behavior to law enforcement.” According to the complaint, on Feb. 2, the FBI received a tip about threats posted on BlueSky, a microblogging site. “Thinking about going out and buying a gun,” the user posted. “When in Texas, shoot [expletive] [expletive] am I right? Good thing I live next to an elementary school.” The posts escalated from musings about a possible future shooting to statements that the user had a gun and intended to carry out a school shooting: “Will be fun to legally shoot up a school,” the user posted. “I can already smell the blood.” “Anyone wanna sign my gun?” he added. The user also posted images from the March 2019 shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, which killed 51 people and injured 89 more. Agents identified the user of the account as Mr. Furr and visited him at his home in Lubbock on Feb. 3. According to the complaint, Mr. Furr was “disheveled and unkempt.” He allegedly screamed incoherent profanities and stated that he would not talk to the agents until the President confirmed their identity. Officers contacted two of Mr. Furr’s family members, who stated that Mr. Furr had also threatened them. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Furr is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency conducted the investigation with the Lubbock Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag is prosecuting the case. Members of the public can report potential threats to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov .


title: Sioux City Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Gun Possession

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man with a history of burglaries who was found in possession of a firearm, a digital scale and methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 4 years in federal prison. Joseph Tapia, age 25, from Sioux City, received the prison term after an August 28, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. Evidence in the case revealed on December 11, 2023, Sioux City Police stopped defendant for operating a bicycle just after midnight, without a headlamp, as required by city code. Tapia immediately began resisting arrest and attempted to pull away from officers. Once Tapia was in custody, officers located a fanny pack he was carrying that contained a loaded 9mm pistol, along with a digital scale that contained methamphetamine residue. Tapia had previously been convicted of six counts of second-degree burglary and one count of third-degree burglary, in 2017. Tapia was paroled on his state convictions in 2021. During his parole, he attended a meeting where he was warned of the consequences of possessing a firearm, and offered access to any services he might need to rebuild his life (employment, mental health counseling, transportation, etc. ). Despite this opportunity, defendant committed the instant federal offense within two years of being discharged from state supervision. Tapia was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 51 months’ imprisonment (less time served). He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Tapia is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4006. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Arizona supplier sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegal fentanyl conspiracy

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Arizona fentanyl supplier who mailed drugs to Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court here today to 120 months in prison. Court documents say Jose Ruben Leyva, 46, of Phoenix, used the U.S. Postal Service to mail at least seven parcels containing controlled substances to drug traffickers in Columbus, including Ontario M. Yarbrough, 26, of Columbus. From April until October 2023, Leyva mailed narcotics to central Ohio. Two parcels intercepted on Oct. 11 and Oct. 12 each contained between 499 and 500 grams of fentanyl. Yarbrough operated a drug house in the city’s Hilltop area. During the same sixth month period, Yarbrough received and accepted five packages and tracked at least 13 packages from Arizona to the Columbus area. Yarbrough accepted the parcels at various locations in the city. Investigators executed a search warrant at Yarbrough’s house after he received one of the packages. They found that the package contained almost 500 grams of fentanyl. They also seized ten other bags of white powder, two firearms and ammunition, cash and drug trafficking material from the house. A search warrant executed days later at Leyva’s Arizona house recovered pills and powder containing fentanyl, two firearms, packaging and mailing materials, other drug paraphernalia and cash. The defendants pleaded guilty in June and July 2024. Yarbrough was sentenced in November 2024 to 135 months in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division, and officials with the Ohio HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty To Failure To Register As A Sex Offender

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jordan Bradley Brown, age 36, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The Indictment alleged that Brown had previously been convicted of 2nd Degree Rape and Sexual Battery and was required to register as a sex offender. From June 28, 2024, until September 3, 2024, Brown failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Brown will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.


title: Okfuskee County Resident Pleads Guilty To Armed Felony Assault

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gregory Dwayne Guinn, a/k/a Gregory Dewayne Guinn, age 23, of Okemah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence. The Indictment alleged that on January 15, 2024, Guinn assaulted an individual with a dangerous weapon, with intent to do bodily harm. The Indictment also alleged that on that day, Guinn knowingly used, carried, brandished, and discharged a firearm during and in relation to that crime of violence. The crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Okfuskee County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, 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. Guinn will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Parker and Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.


title: Stroudsburg Man Sentenced To 60 Months In Prison For Straw Purchasing Firearms

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Delvin Hutchinson, age 33, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 31, 2025, to 60 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for making false statements in connection with the acquisition and attempted acquisition of firearms. On September 3, 2024, a federal jury in Scranton convicted Hutchinson of all three counts of an indictment following a four-day trial. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, in March of 2019, Hutchinson straw purchased a total of seven firearms for his friend, a person prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. The prohibited person submitted online orders for firearms, which Hutchinson would pick up in exchange for a cash payment. There was a pending online order for two more firearms when Hutchinson was initially questioned by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agents concerning the multiple handgun purchases. All of the firearms purchased by Hutchinson were cheap, low-quality firearms – not suitable for collection or self-protection, but commonly associated with criminal activity. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. O’Hara and Sarah R. Lloyd prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. # # #


title: New Bedford Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Fentanyl Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Vinicio DeJesus Marrero Arias, 40, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Arias will also be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In October 2024, Arias pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Following an investigation into fentanyl trafficking in and around the Lord Phillips Apartments in New Bedford, Arias was identified as fentanyl distributors in the area. A search of Arias’ residence, as well as an apartment that was being used as a stash location and two storage units rented on behalf of Arias’s co-conspirator, Yohenry Contreras-Lara, resulted in the recovery of more than several hundred grams of fentanyl and $1.2 million in cash in suspected drug proceeds. Contreras-Lara pleaded guilty in November 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2025. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Bradley Parker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and the New Bedford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Jury finds local man guilty of crimes involving 2 local drug-related murders

body_text: CINCINNATI – A jury found a local man guilty on all counts for crimes related to two murders in Cincinnati during the summer of 2021. Jamal Binford, 33, of Dallas and Cincinnati, was convicted of five counts as charged in a second superseding indictment. The verdict was announced yesterday afternoon following a trial that began on Jan. 15 before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. According to court documents and trial testimony, Binford purported to manage two co-defendants as boxers, presenting himself as a boxing manager helping young men he wanted to help off the streets. Instead, he directed them to sell fentanyl and marijuana and, after assisting the coconspirators following one murder, he directed a second murder. Co-defendants Antwan Coach, Jr., 22, of Cincinnati, and Markel Hardy, 23, of Cincinnati, robbed and murdered Kamar Williams on July 5, 2021, in North College Hill. It is alleged Coach and Hardy robbed Mr. Williams of marijuana and a firearm and shot him to death. In August 2021, all three defendants conspired to murder a second victim, Deonte Nuckols, in St. Bernard in connection with a narcotics conspiracy involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms or more of cocaine. As the government outlined at trial, Binford paid the two other men to kill Mr. Nuckols, who had had been texting Binford that day about Binford paying a drug debt. Binford was arrested in February 2023 at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. The narcotics conspiracy in this case includes 400 grams or more of fentanyl, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. Binford faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years and up to life in prison for participating in the narcotics conspiracy, being an accessory after the fact, murder in connection with the drug trafficking conspiracy, use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and use of a firearm to commit murder. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge; North College Hill Police Chief Ryan Schrand; and St. Bernard Police Chief Michael Simos announced the verdicts. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division also aided during the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley N. Brucato and OCDETF Deputy Criminal Chief Frederic C. Shadley represented the United States in this case. # # #


title: Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry by a Removed Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – MAURILIO JASTINTO-JUAREZ (“ JASTINTO-JUAREZ”) , age 50, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on January 27, 2025 for illegal reentry by a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. He was sentenced to (6) six months imprisonment, (1) one year of supervised release and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, JASTINTO-JUAREZ , illegally reentered the United States after being previously removed on December 16, 2022. JASTINTO-JUAREZ was discovered in the United States when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) systems became alerted to his presence via the collection of his fingerprints by the Louisiana State Police (“LSP”). The LSP obtained his fingerprints subsequent to their arrest of him for driving while intoxicated in Houma, La. on March 17, 2024. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Louisiana State Police, and the Terrebonne Sherriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: New York City Resident Sentenced to Six Years of Prison for Role in Interstate Methamphetamine Trafficking Operation

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Queens, New York, was sentenced in federal court to six years of imprisonment on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws related to a six-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around Blair, Cambria, Centre, and Clearfield counties of Pennsylvania, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Timothy Paz, 32, on January 21, 2025, also ordering that Paz serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration. According to information presented to the Court, Paz was a courier who transported approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine from the New York City area to Altoona, Pennsylvania, on behalf of a large-scale narcotics supplier. Paz also transported large amounts of United States currency representing payment for the methamphetamine from an Altoona-based narcotics distributor to the supplier. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Paz. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: California Man Sentenced for Selling Unapproved Drugs with Intent to Defraud over the Internet

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on February 3, 2025, Jeremy Brown, 55, of Simi Valley, California, was sentenced for introducing into interstate commerce new drugs not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) with the intent to defraud or mislead. The Honorable Christina Reiss, Chief United States District Judge, sentenced the defendant to one year of supervised release and ordered the defendant to pay $100,000 in forfeiture. According to court records, between March 2019 and December 2023, Brown operated a company, Warrior Labz SARMs, and accompanying websites through which he sold unapproved versions of prescription drugs and other substances. Specifically, Brown sold Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (“SARMs”), which are substances similar to anabolic steroids; unapproved versions of erectile-dysfunction drugs Viagra and Cialis; and unapproved versions of weight-loss drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. Brown falsely claimed on his websites that the drugs offered for sale were for “research purposes only” and “not for human consumption.” Alongside those claims, however, were claims that the drugs would provide various benefits affecting the structure and function of the human body. Brown obtained the bulk of the drugs he sold from China. Brown did not verify shipping or storage conditions, nor did he use a lab to verify the contents of the drugs he received from China. But he falsely claimed on his websites that his company used only the highest quality pharmaceutical grade ingredients and U.S. manufacturing practices. After receiving a warning letter from the FDA in June 2023, Brown continued to sell unapproved drugs over the internet. Between August and December 2023, Brown made three sales of unapproved drugs to an undercover law enforcement account in Vermont. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Smith. Brown is represented by Rick Collins, Esq. and Lisa Shelkrot, Esq.


title: St. Louis Tax Preparer Admits Preparing False Tax Returns

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis tax preparer on Monday admitted preparing at least 41 fraudulent tax returns for the tax years 2017-2021. Shasherese M. Reed, 53, pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns. Reed admitted using a tax preparation business, Majac Money, which was opened by her daughter because the IRS revoked the Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) assigned to Reed and her business, Sha-Sha Taxes, in 2015. Reed falsely identified her daughter as the paid preparer on the tax returns that Reed prepared at Majac Money. On these returns, Reed commonly included a false Schedule C that reported tens of thousands of dollars in business expenses, when the taxpayer either had substantially smaller expenses or did not own a business at all. Reed also claimed false and fraudulent deductions for things like state and local taxes, medical and dental expenses and mortgage interest, her plea agreement says. Reed also admitted preparing a fraudulent tax return for an undercover agent with IRS Criminal Investigation who was posing as a potential client of Majac Money. Without ever asking if the agent had a business, Reed prepared a return that included a false Schedule C showing $26,242 in business expenses, the plea agreement says. Reed charged clients hundreds of dollars in fees for preparing returns, making about $378,026 in fees for the 2017-2021 tax years. Her plea says she prepared at least 41 false tax returns for 13 different taxpayers, costing the IRS at least $312,192. Reed is scheduled to be sentenced May 6. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LYNDELL MIMS (“MIMS”) , age 34, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 30, 2025, by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after previously pleading guilty to possessing, with the intent to distribute, controlled substances, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and being a felon in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. According to court records, New Orleans Police Department officers stopped MIMS in his vehicle and detected a strong odor of marijuana. After getting a warrant to search his vehicle, the officers found three firearms, including a Diamondback Firearms Model DB15, 5.56 milli-meter pistol, a Glock Model 22, and a third gun in his female passenger’s purse. Officers then learned that MIMS was a convicted felon who was not allowed to possess firearms. In addition to the guns, the officers found several types of drugs and three digital scales. The drugs, included 21.08 grams of methamphetamine; 30 grams of a mixture of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl; 2.22 grams of methamphetamine; 4.46 grams of cocaine; 1.55 grams of cocaine; 10.66 grams of psilocyn; approximately 300 grams of marijuana in over 100 smaller bags; 31 Tramadol pills; 75 packets of Buprenorphine/suboxone; 175 Tapentadol pills; 1.52 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mixture; 2.21 grams of fentanyl; several oxycodone pills; several pills containing fentanyl; 50.64 grams of methamphetamine; and additional miscellaneous pills. Judge Barbier sentenced MIMS to 84 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.


title: Final Defendant Pleads Guilty in Roanoke Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – The third man involved in robbing the Carter Bank and Trust on Hershberger Road in Roanoke in June 2023, pled guilty recently in U.S. District Court in Roanoke for his role in the robbery. Tishawn Simpson, 25, of Roanoke, pled guilty last week to one count of bank robbery. According to court documents, on June 22, 2023, two masked men, Simpson and Demonte Belcher, entered the Carter Bank and Trust, one carrying a blue bank bag and the other carrying a green plastic bag and presented the teller with a note that stated “[l]ets make everything right you have least (sic) than 30 seconds to give me $50K or die got nothing to lose.” As a result of this threat, the men left the bank with $8,659 in cash, but left the demand note behind. Simpson was identified as a suspect when a DNA analysis revealed that he had contributed to a DNA profile that the FBI Laboratory had developed from one of the robber’s masks that law enforcement recovered. A third man, Ramel Abrams, did not physically enter the bank, however his fingerprints were found on the demand note and the clothing worn by both robbers was found inside of his apartment. Furthermore, location information obtained from Abrams’ phone records indicates that he was near Carter Bank & Trust just prior to the robbery. All three men have pled guilty for their roles in the robbery. In August, Belcher was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and in December Abrams was sentenced to 30 months for his role in the robbery Simpson will be sentenced in May. Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’ s Richmond Division Stanley M. Meador, and Chief of the Roanoke City Police Department Scott Booth made the announcement. The Roanoke City Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case and received assistance from the Star City Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Salem Police Department, and the Roanoke City Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keith Parrella and M. Coleman Adams are prosecuting the case.


title: Temple Hills Man Found Guilty Of Arson Conspiracy Targeting Convenience Stores

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – After a 5-day trial, a federal jury found Stephen Kennedy, 33, of Temple Hills, Maryland, guilty of conspiracy to commit arson, arson affecting interstate commerce, commercial robbery, using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, carrying and explosive device during the commission of a felony, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Defendant was found not guilty as to one count of arson affecting interstate commerce. The verdict was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Acting Maryland State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray; St. Mary’s County Sheriff Steven A. Hall; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Tiffany D. Green of the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department. According to the 8-count superseding indictment, from at least January 2021 to January 2022, Kennedy and other conspirators, including co-defendant Donnell Kelly, conspired to commit arsons at 7-Eleven convenience stores so that they could later steal cash contained in ATMs in the stores. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Kennedy and Kelly traveled to 7-Eleven locations while they were open for business and deployed explosive devices to set fire to the buildings, and on at least one occasion, demanded the contents of the cash register. The defendants burned the stores to force their closure and shut off power to the security cameras, which enabled them to return to the unguarded locations to burglarize the ATMs. This resulted in losses to the ATM company of at least $90,000. To conceal the evidence of their crimes, one of Kennedy’s co-conspirators made false police reports regarding stolen license plates. Kennedy faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the arson conspiracy and for arson affecting interstate commerce; a maximum of 20 years in prison for commercial robbery; a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years and up to life in federal prison for using a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence; a ten year sentence for carrying an explosive during the commission of another federal felony; and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Co-defendant Donnell Kelly pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit arson and was sentenced to 10 years with supervised release for a term of 3 years, on October 2, 2024 before Judge Peter J. Messitte. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Kennedy on May 30, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Barron commended the ATF’s Baltimore Field Division’s Arson & Explosive Investigations Group, the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the ATF Washington Field Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Alexandria, Virginia Fire and Police Departments for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and Christopher Sarma, who are prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Arizona Mechanic Admits Defrauding Missouri Customer, Others Out of $1.4 Million

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A purported auto mechanic from Arizona on Tuesday admitted defrauding at least nine victims in Missouri and elsewhere out of more than $1.4 million, including one victim after he was charged. Andres “Manny” Lopez, 36, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of wire fraud. Lopez admitted that from November 2019 through July 2023, while running All Performance Tuning and Diesel Repair LLC in Arizona, he committed fraud by accepting money for vehicle upgrades and parts with no intention of performing the work. Lopez used the advance payments for personal expenses. He also damaged some customer vehicles and loaned vehicles to others without the owners’ consent. Several customers paid Lopez to find and purchase vehicles on their behalf. After receiving up-front payments, Lopez falsely told customers that he purchased their requested vehicles. But he actually used the money for personal expenses and provided customers with myriad false excuses as to why the vehicles could not be delivered. A Missouri victim wired Lopez $45,000 for a Toyota RAV4 that he wanted to buy for his mother. Lopez falsely claimed that he’d bought the vehicle. He then provided a series of excuses about why it was not being delivered. Lopez claimed delivery delays were due to product recalls, even impersonating the general manager of a Florida Toyota dealership in text messages to the client’s mother. In the guilty plea, Lopez admitted defrauding one victim out of approximately $567,892 after he was indicted in October of 2023 for the other frauds. Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced May 9. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting case.


title: 29 Individuals Sentenced to 378 Combined Years in Federal Prison for Running Armed Fentanyl and Meth Trafficking Ring

body_text: EVANSVILLE- 29 defendants have been sentenced to a combined 378 years in federal prison for their roles in a large methamphetamine and fentanyl drug trafficking organization that operated in Southern Indiana. According to court documents, between January 2020 and November 2021, the following 29 individuals conspired together to distribute a total of nearly 500 pounds of methamphetamine and over three kilograms of fentanyl. This investigation led to the seizure of over 80 pounds of methamphetamine, over 560 grams of fentanyl, and $240,000 in United States currency. Jeramey Smith served as the leader of the drug trafficking operation. Smith began obtaining multiple pound quantities of crystal methamphetamine from Julian Green in early 2020 until April of 2021 when he changed his source of supply to a cartel linked individual based in Houston, Texas. In June of 2021, Smith was robbed of a large amount of cash and was unable to pay his supplier for the lost product. Smith resorted back to Green to obtain the crystal methamphetamine. DeJarnett was one of Smith’s top methamphetamine customers, often purchasing up to 20 pounds at a time. After Smith obtained the methamphetamine from either Green or his Mexican source of supply, he then distributed the methamphetamine to mid -level distributors in Indianapolis and Evansville. In September 2021, Smith branched out to also begin selling large quantities of fentanyl-laced pills. Smith would obtain fentanyl powder from Markey and/or Moore, who would then press the powder into pills. Smith then used his same distributors to distribute the fentanyl throughout Southern Indiana. Law enforcement seized an automated pill press during the course of the investigation. Smith also used violence and intimidation to further his drug business by having his distributors robbed of their drug proceeds at gun point. Additionally, several members of the drug trafficking used firearms to protect themselves and their profits. In total, law enforcement officers seized over 30 firearms from the defendants during court-authorized searches at multiple locations in Indianapolis and Evansville. The charges and sentences are described below: Defendant Charge(s) Prison Sentence Jeramey Smith, 35 Indianapolis, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl Felon in Possession of a Firearm Obstruction of Commerce by Robbery 240 months (20 years) 5 years supervised release Julian Green, 36 Indianapolis, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Felon in Possession of a Firearm 210 months (17.5 years) Indianapolis, IN Hannah Kissel, 28 Indianapolis, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl 97 months (8 years) 3 years supervised release Jordan Wilson, 41 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl Felon in Possession of a Firearm 216 months (15.7 years) 5 years supervised release Timothy Rice, 35 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine 204 months (17 years) 5 years supervised release Archilles Johnson, 40 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 180 months (15 years) 5 years supervised release Deonte Howard, 36 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 180 months (15 years) 5 years supervised release Julie Hunt, 37 Petersburg, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl 60 months (5 years) 3 years supervised release Torrance Mimms, 34 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine 180 months (15 years) 5 years supervised release Keisha Jewell, 40 Princeton, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl 108 months (9 years) 3 years supervised release Davion Hays, 38 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 144 months (12 years) 5 years supervised release Jason Mitchell, 43 Henderson, KY Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 204 months (17 years) 5 years supervised release Denny Taylor, 49 Princeton, IN Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 180 months (15 years) 5 years supervised release Aaron Hardiman, 42 Princeton, IN Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl 120 months (10 years) 5 years supervised release Roman Wills, 43 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 180 months (15 years) 5 years supervised release Michael Sanders, 48 Owensboro, KY Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine 168 months (14 years) 5 years supervised release Gregory Snyder, 62 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 36 months (3 years) 4 years supervised release Joshua Gahagan, 41 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 180 months (15 years) 5 years supervised release Gregory Markey, 35 Indianapolis, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl 168 months (14 years) 5 years supervised release L.C. Moore, II, 31 Indianapolis, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl 120 months (5 years) 5 years supervised release Dominique Baquet, 31 Indianapolis, IN Obstruction of Commerce by Robbery 57 months (4.7 years) 3 years supervised release Antonio DeJarnett, 36 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine 264 months (22 years) 5 years supervised release Ryan Pinkston, 42 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Felon in Possession of Ammunition 240 months (20 years) 5 years supervised release Robert Embry, 46 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine 60 months (5 years) 5 years supervised release Becky Edwards, 39 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine 120 months (10 years) 5 years supervised release Edward Meredith, 59 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine 120 months (10 years) 5 years supervised release Joshua Wilson, 33 Evansville, IN Use of a Communication Facility with the Intent to Commit or Facilitate the Distribution of Methamphetamine 30 months (2.5 years) No supervised release Tabitha Seabeck, 32 Henderson, KY Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine 180 months (15 years) 5 years supervised release Zachary Addison, 42 Evansville, IN Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine Felon in Possession of a Firearm 300 months (25 years) 5 years supervised release “The members of this conspiracy will spend decades in federal prison for pumping pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl onto our streets,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Drug use devastates so many families and kills hundreds of Hoosiers every year. That’s why we will work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to dismantle armed organizations trafficking in deadly drugs. The sentences imposed in this case demonstrate our continued commitment to protecting the public from these dangerous criminals.” “Dismantling a major drug trafficking organization that was responsible for distributing multi-hundred-pound quantities of methamphetamine and kilogram quantities of fentanyl onto the streets of Indiana was a big win for law enforcement. Because of the exceptional collaborative efforts by law enforcement, we were able to achieve this remarkable outcome,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Michael Gannon. “This investigation was a wonderful victory for all Hoosiers and sends a crystal-clear message to major drug dealers we will continue working together with our partners to dismantle their illicit operations.” “This sentencing is a significant victory in the relentless fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs and underscores the FBI’s commitment to pursue those who wreak havoc on our communities through their illegal drug trade,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who endanger public safety and contribute to this crisis are held accountable.” “I would like to thank the dedicated Evansville Police Officers and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office Deputies as well as our federal partners in the DEA and US Attorney’s Office for their roles in getting these individuals off our streets. The manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl have brought death and destruction to our communities and have done irreversible damage to families in the worst way possible. This community will not tolerate that kind of behavior and illegal activity, and we will use every resource available to us to stop it and put dealers behind bars.” This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Evansville Resident Office, with the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Evansville Vanderburgh County Joint Task Force, DEA Indianapolis and Indianapolis Metro Drug Task Force providing valuable assistance. The sentenced were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman. Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Wheatley and Jeremy Kemper, who prosecuted this case. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug. One Pill Can Kill : Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill . Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late. ###


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm Violations

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that CALEB PUNCH (“PUNCH”) , age 32 of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 30, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter after previously pleading guilty to (1) count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C), one (1) count of Possession of Firearms during a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), and one (1) count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Judge Vitter sentenced PUNCH to 120 months of imprisonment on the drug distribution charge, and 60 months, to run consecutive to the 120 months, on the firearms charge, for a total sentence of 180 months imprisonment. Judge Vitter also ordered PUNCH to serve 4 years of supervised release after release from prison, as well as payment of a $300 mandatory special assessment fee. According to the indictment, after the execution of multiple search warrants, large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and LSD, along with firearms, a .22 caliber Bearman Model CL22L, and a nine-millimeter Smith and Wesson Model MP9, were located in the residence maintained and used by PUNCH to distribute various narcotics. PUNCH is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction. 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. United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Pharmacy LLC Agrees To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Of Billing For Drugs Not Dispensed

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Plus Pharmacy LLC, the former owner of A Plus Pharmacy, a pharmacy located in Manalapan, New Jersey, has agreed to pay $350,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing a federal health care program for certain medications that it never dispensed, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced today. According to the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreement: The United States alleged that, from January 1, 2015, through February 27, 2023, A Plus Pharmacy LLC caused the submission of claims for reimbursement to the Medicare Part D Program for certain drugs that were never dispensed to beneficiaries. The government contends that inventory records showed that A Plus Pharmacy LLC did not purchase enough of these medications from wholesalers to fill the prescriptions billed to the federal health care program. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Toll and Kruti Dharia of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit and Senior Trial Counsel Jennifer Cihon in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section). The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims settled by the agreement are allegations only, and there has been no admission of liability. ### a_plus_pharmacy.settlement_agreement.pdf


title: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Threatening Jewish Synagogue in Albany

body_text: A New York man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Albany, New York, to civil rights and firearm charges related to his threatening conduct targeted at a Jewish synagogue. According to court documents, Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 29, of Schenectady, pleaded guilty to an information charging one count of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, one count of brandishing a firearm during the commission of this offense, and one count of conspiring to purchase a firearm unlawfully. Alkhader was arrested on Dec. 7, 2023, and has been in federal custody since that date. “The defendant’s violent, antisemitic and terrifying act targeted the Temple Israel congregation, the larger Jewish community, and the right of every person to practice their religion without fear of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman for the Northern District of New York. “I commend law enforcement for acting swiftly to arrest Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, to investigate his motives and his illegal acquisition of the shotgun, and to bring about today’s guilty plea to a crime carrying a minimum term of seven years in prison.” “Mr. Alkhader’s plea confirms his deliberate and premeditated intentions to illegally acquire a gun and use it to bring terror to the Temple Israel community as they were preparing to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli of the FBI Albany Field Office. “Thanks to the swift actions of the Temple Israel community and our law enforcement partners, justice has been served. The FBI remains steadfast in our mission to ensure all our communities can live without fear of hateful violence.” “This guilty plea shows accountability for unlawfully obtaining a firearm and using it to instill fear. By stopping those who seek to use firearms to threaten and intimidate others, we are sending a message that gun violence will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller of the New York Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “This case demonstrates the dangerous consequences of unlawful gun possession. The cooperation between federal, state and local agencies remains critical in dismantling illegal gun trafficking. The successful resolution of this case was made possible due to collaboration between ATF NY Albany, FBI Albany, Albany PD, NYSP, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” On the afternoon of Dec. 7, 2023, Alkhader took an Uber from his home in Schenectady to Temple Israel Synagogue in Albany. Upon arriving, he walked up the front steps of the synagogue, removed a shotgun from a duffel bag he had been carrying, and discharged two rounds into the air, shouting, “Free Palestine!” Still holding the shotgun, he then attempted to remove an Israeli flag from a flagpole outside of the synagogue before walking away. He was apprehended shortly after by Albany Police Department officers. Alkhader’s threatening actions forced the daycare operating inside of Temple Israel at the time of his actions to go into lockdown. Alkhader also significantly disrupted activities that the Temple Israel community had planned to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and made congregants afraid to return to their place of worship. For obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, Alkhader faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years for brandishing a firearm during the commission of his crime. Alkhader faces a maximum of five years in prison for participating in a conspiracy to unlawfully purchase a firearm. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Alkhader is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Albany Field Office investigated the case with assistance from ATF and the Albany Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping for the Northern District of New York and Trial Attorney Trevor Kempner of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Justice Department's National Security Division.


title: Consent Judgment Entered Against Philadelphia Drone Flyer For Violations of FAA Regulations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Jacqueline C. Romero, announced today that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has entered a consent judgment against Michael DiCiurcio of Philadelphia, PA. In its complaint against DiCiurcio, the United States alleges that DiCiurcio operated small unmanned aircraft systems (“sUAS”) – commonly known as drones – unlawfully and unsafely in the Philadelphia area between at least December 2019 to the present, in violation of Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) requirements. The United States alleges that DiCiurcio operated flights at night, in close proximity to the William Penn Statue, PSFS Building, and Liberty One Building, resulting in the sUAS almost striking a church steeple during one flight. The United States alleges that during certain flights DiCiurcio improperly operated the sUAS inside of controlled airspace near the Philadelphia airport, over people and cars, and, in at least one instance, lost control of the sUAS, causing it to fly uncontrolled over Philadelphia. The FAA warned DiCiurcio in writing and provided him with counseling and education regarding requirements for safe operations of a sUAS under the Federal Aviation Regulations. The United States alleges that DiCiurcio nonetheless has continued to operate sUASs illegally and in a careless or reckless manner that endangers others. Terms of the Consent Judgment On January 23, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Jose Arteaga, DiCiurcio agreed to the terms of the consent judgment, including that: DiCiurcio (1) admits that all allegations of his conduct set forth in the Verified Complaint are true and accurate; (2) admits that the conduct as alleged in the Verified Complaint violated FAA regulations and safety guidance as alleged; and (3) accepts the administrative findings of violations and further acknowledges that the FAA will deem those matters as findings of violations that may be considered aggravating factors in any future enforcement proceedings against him. In addition, DiCiurcio agrees that he will: (1) never operate in any manner any sUAS of any type, size, model, of any kind within the United States, nor will he ever seek any type of certification or license to operate any type or form of sUAS; (2) take down the YouTube channel known as “Philly Drone Life” and no longer operate or resurrect its content or any part in any form; (3) abandon those sUAS and other items he surrendered to the FAA on May 23, 2024, pursuant to the Court’s Order sanctioning DiCiurcio for contempt of the preliminary injunction entered by the Court on February 29, 2024. On January 29, 2025, Chief Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg signed the consent judgment. “We work hard to educate people about safely flying their drones, and we don’t hesitate to take strong enforcement action when pilots deliberately flout the rules,” said Deputy FAA Administrator Katie Thomson. “Failing to adhere to the safety requirements for flying small unmanned aircraft systems endangers people and property,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “All drone flyers have a responsibility to ensure that they observe all applicable regulations and guidance. Our Office is committed to ensuring total compliance with the FAA regulations and we will vigorously enforce violations wherever we find them.” The allegations regarding unsafe sUAS flights in violation of FAA regulations are described in detail in the complaint. The case is captioned United States of America v. Michael DiCiurcio , Case No. 24-0612 (E.D. Pa.). The case has been investigated by the FAA’s Flight Standards Division, and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Viveca D. Parker. All civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability.


title: Mexican Man with Seven Previous Removals from U.S. Indicted for Illegal Re-entry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Mexico has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The one-count Indictment named Dario Fortunato-Torres, 37, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, in October 2024, Fortunato-Torres was found in this District after having been removed from the United States on seven prior occasions between September 2013 and October 2017. Public records show that Fortunato-Torres was charged by the Moon Township Police Department on October 8, 2024, for conduct allegedly occurring on October 1, 2024. He was arrested on November 19, 2024, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement related to this charge. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Manvel resident admits to series of frauds totaling $2 million

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 39-year-old man has entered a guilty plea to wire fraud for a Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) scheme involving the submission of a series of false applications under the name of a business that did not exist, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Antonio Jackson submitted false documents on four separate applications for PPP funds during the COVID-19 epidemic. Jackson claimed to have multiple employees at a business that was later found to have been entirely fictitious. To further the fraud, Jackson submitted false tax documents, bank statements and employee forms to the Small Business Administration (SBA), ultimately resulting in a loss of $491,711 to the SBA. As part of his plea, Jackson also admitted to several other frauds he had committed during this timeframe. One included a scheme to defraud a Washington D.C.-based federal credit union through a series of false home improvement loan applications. He also acknowledged a mortgage fraud by claiming honorable discharge for a Veteran’s Affairs Department backed loan, a scheme to avoid paying taxes on a residence in Brazoria County by claiming to be an fully disabled veteran and to committing credit card abuse in December 2024. In total, losses associated with Jackson’s various frauds have exceeded $2 million. “Going after fraudsters who take money meant for hard-working Americans is a priority for this office. Doing so both upholds the public trust and protects the taxpayer,” said Ganjei. As part of his plea, Jackson has agreed to pay full restitution for his crimes. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal will impose sentencing April 16. At that time, Jackson faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing. The SBA-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.


title: Honduras Resident Charged with Illegal Re-entry into U.S.

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Honduras has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The one-count Indictment named Luis Fernando Diaz-Garcia, 27, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, in August 2024, Diaz-Garcia was found in western Pennsylvania after having been removed from the United States on or about November 13, 2019. Public records show that Diaz-Garcia was charged by criminal complaint in Allegheny County by the Pennsylvania State Police for conduct allegedly occurring on or about August 19, 2024. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime for Threatening and Firing Shots Outside of Albany Synagogue

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, age 29, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to civil rights and firearm charges related to his firing shots outside of an Albany synagogue. Alkhader pled guilty to obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, brandishing a firearm during the commission of this offense, and conspiring to purchase a firearm unlawfully. Alkhader was arrested on December 7, 2023, and has been in federal custody since that date. On the afternoon of December 7, 2023, Alkhader took an Uber from his home in Schenectady to Temple Israel in Albany. Upon arriving, he walked up the front steps of the synagogue, removed a shotgun from a duffel bag, and discharged two rounds into the air shouting, “Free Palestine!” Still holding the shotgun, he then attempted to remove an Israeli flag from a flagpole outside of the synagogue before walking away. He was arrested shortly after by Albany Police Officers. United States Attorney Carla Freedman stated: “The defendant’s violent, antisemitic and terrifying act targeted the Temple Israel congregation, the larger Jewish community, and the right of every person to practice their religion without fear of violence. I commend law enforcement for acting swiftly to arrest Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, to investigate his motives and his illegal acquisition of the shotgun, and to bring about today’s guilty plea to a crime carrying a minimum term of 7 years in prison.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Alkhader’s plea confirms his deliberate and premeditated intentions to illegally acquire a gun and use it to bring terror to the Temple Israel community as they were preparing to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. Thanks to the swift actions of the Temple Israel community and our law enforcement partners, justice has been served. The FBI remains steadfast in our mission to ensure all our communities can live without fear of hateful violence.” Alkhader’s threatening actions forced the daycare operating inside of Temple Israel at the time of his actions to go into lockdown. Alkhader also significantly disrupted activities that the Temple Israel community had planned to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and made congregants afraid to return to their place of worship. Alkhader also admitted that in November 2023, he and Andrew Miller agreed that Miller would purchase a shotgun for Alkhader by lying to a firearms dealer and falsely representing that Miller was the purchaser of the shotgun. On November 5, 2023, Alkhader and Miller drove to a federal firearms dealer in Albany and Miller purchased the Kel-Tec KS7 12-gauge pump-action shotgun; Miller later gave the shotgun to Alkhader. Alkhader fired this shotgun outside of Temple Israel. ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller stated: “This guilty plea shows accountability for unlawfully obtaining a firearm and using it to instill fear. By stopping those who seek to use firearms to threaten and intimidate others, we are sending a message that gun violence will not be tolerated. This case demonstrates the dangerous consequences of unlawful gun possession. The cooperation between federal, state and local agencies remains critical in dismantling illegal gun trafficking. The successful resolution of this case was made possible due to collaboration between ATF NY Albany, FBI Albany, Albany PD, New York State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.” Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox stated: “The Albany Police Department wants to reassure the community that these incidents are taken very seriously, and we are dedicated to maintaining peace and safety for everyone in our community. Alkhader directly targeted the Jewish community, and I am pleased with our department’s quick action in apprehending the defendant, as well as the collective partnerships with the FBI Albany Office and the ATF who helped bring justice to this case.” Sentencing is scheduled for June 6, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Alkhader faces at least 7 years and up to life in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Andrew Miller pled guilty and was sentenced to 14 months of imprisonment for his role in the straw purchase conspiracy. The FBI Albany Field Office, in conjunction with the ATF and the Albany Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping for the Northern District of New York, Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, and Trial Attorney Trevor Kempner of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.


title: Georgia Man Indicted for Firearm Charge in 2023 Shooting of SCHP Trooper

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single-count indictment against Derrick Gathers, 38, of Augusta, Georgia, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on April 16, 2023, Gathers possessed a firearm and ammunition during an incident where he shot at a South Carolina State Trooper. Gathers has been charged in state court for a number of other charges related to the incident. Gathers has a previous felony conviction that prevents him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The trooper, Lance Corporal Frazier, has recovered. Gathers faces a maximum penalty of 15 years. Gathers was already detained on state charges. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bamberg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar Fyall is prosecuting the case. All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

body_text: Drug Trafficking Bryan Sanchez , 40, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was sentenced to 44 months of imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents, in September of 2023, agents with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 3.5 grams of methamphetamine from Sanchez on the Wind River Reservation. Sanchez was indicted on May 16, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Sept. 16, 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Jan. 31, in Casper. DCI and the FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00080 Firearm Offenses Patrick Michael Cowan , 62, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment, with three years of supervised release to follow for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, the defendant came to the attention of law enforcement during a drug investigation. They had been monitoring his actions when officers realized the truck the defendant was driving was reported stolen. Officers conducted a traffic stop on Sept. 2, 2024, and seized a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic handgun and 5.23 grams of methamphetamine. Cowan is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. He waived indictment and pled guilty to an Information on Nov. 12, 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Jan. 31, in Cheyenne. The Drug Enforcement Administration, DCI, and Cheyenne Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-CR-00157 Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien Jorge Leon-Perez, 36, of Tlaxcala, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on June 10, 2023, the Teton County Sheriff’s Office arrested and booked the defendant into the Teton County Detention Center for failure to appear for a citation issued on April 29, 2023, for possessing a controlled substance. The defendant claimed to be a citizen of Mexico and agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were contacted. They determined that Leon-Perez had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in March 2009. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Jan. 28, in Casper. Case No. 24-CR-00128 Eniwer Roblero-Roblero, 25, of Sibinal, San Marcos, Guatemala, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on Aug. 2, 2024, an ICE duty officer was assigned to locate and arrest the defendant following an arrest for driving while under the influence on Feb. 5, 2024, in Teton County. Teton County deputies notified ICE at the time of the arrest. After ICE interviewed the defendant, they determined the defendant was a citizen of Guatemala and entered the country illegally in 2019. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Jan. 28, in Casper. Case No. 24-CR-00138 Eduardo Saldivar-Bernal, 40, of Mexico City, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on June 23, 2024, the defendant was arrested by the Campbell County Sheriff’s Department and booked into the Campbell County Detention Center for driving under the influence with a child passenger, interference with a peace officer, no valid driver’s license, and not stopping before emerging from an alley. The defendant claimed to be a citizen of Mexico and agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were contacted. They determined that Saldivar-Bernal had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in October 2002. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Jan. 30, in Casper. Case No. 24-CR-00107 About the United States Attorney’s Office The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. Project Safe Neighborhoods Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful. Victim Witness Assistance The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect. To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime


title: Convicted Felon Admits Drug Trafficking Offense And Possessing Firearm In Furtherance Of Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An East Orange, New Jersey man today admitted possessing quantities of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine he intended to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Ibraheem Muhammad, 41, of East Orange, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti to an Indictment charging him with one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Law enforcement investigated Muhammad for his drug distribution from an apartment in East Orange (the “Residence”). On May 9, 2022, Muhammad was arrested on a warrant after law enforcement saw him exit the Residence and engage in a suspected drug transaction. He was caught in possession of numerous envelopes of suspected heroin and keys to the Residence. A subsequent search of the Residence revealed Muhammad to be in possession of controlled substances that subsequently lab tested positive for heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl, and various glassine envelopes and other paraphernalia used for packaging drugs. Law enforcement also recovered approximately $14,000 in cash; a Girsan 9mm semi-automatic handgun, loaded with fourteen (14) rounds of 9mm ammunition; and an additional fifteen (15) rounds of 9mm ammunition. The drug charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. The felon in possession of a firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charge carries a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 24, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., Newark Field Division; and the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Maurice Boyd. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. muhammad.indictment.pdf


title: Wisconsin Man Indicted for Selling and Smuggling Firearms to Buyers in Saudi Arabia

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

body_text: CLEVELAND – A six-count indictment was unsealed today charging a Viroqua, Wisconsin, man for allegedly selling firearms and related parts without a license to buyers in Saudi Arabia, shipping the prohibited items, and then lying to federal inspectors about it. According to allegations in the indictment, Mark John Buschman, 60, conducted an illegal export conspiracy for more than five years, lasting from about February 2019 to about December 2024. Buschman obtained firearms and firearms parts in the U.S. and advertised the items for sale on eBay and other online marketplace-style websites. When buyers in Saudi Arabia expressed interest in the items for sale, he agreed to sell and ship the items out of the country to them. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Saudi Arabian-based buyers paid the defendant approximately $398,000. Court documents indicate that serial numbers from some of the firearms and firearms parts were removed before he shipped the items. The defendant then prepared the items further before shipping them, by concealing the firearms and firearm parts inside of common household appliances and tools such as toasters, coffee makers, space heaters, fans, and landscaping edge trimmers. For example, the defendant concealed rifle barrels in items such as car axles, and smaller pistols inside of toasters. Using a fake return address, the defendant shipped the items through the U.S. Postal Service to freight forwarders, which are companies that specialize in the logistics of shipping items from one country to another. The defendant allegedly shipped the items to freight forwarding companies that operated out of Ohio, New Jersey, Oregon and elsewhere, without declaring that the shipments contained firearms and firearms parts. Buschman is charged by indictment with conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States; attempted smuggling of goods from the United States; transporting and shipping firearms with removed, obliterated, or altered serial numbers; mailing firearms as non-mailable prohibited items; unlawful dealing in firearms without a license; and making false statements to law enforcement. If convicted on all counts, Buschman faces a penalty of 42 years in prison and fines of up to $1.5 million. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cleveland Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Cleveland Office (of the Pittsburgh Division), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Elements of the Office of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also assisted HSI. The Vernon County Sheriff's Office and the La Crosse County Sheriff's Office assisted with the execution of the arrest and search warrants. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Shepherd and Jerome J. Teresinski for the Northern District of Ohio. Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the Department’s National Security Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan of the Western District of Wisconsin U.S. Attorney’s Office, assisted during the investigation of this case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.


title: Four Defendants Indicted for Carjacking

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted four Birmingham men with multiple crimes related to three separate carjacking events in Jefferson County, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples. Those indicted in January include: Dearrius Dontrell Pace , 30, who was charged with carjacking and kidnapping. This incident occurred on July 16, 2024; Charles Avery Pruitt , 22, who was charged with carjacking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. This incident occurred on July 10, 2024; and Kyone D’Mias Harris and Brandon Taylor Ezell , both 24, who were charged with carjacking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. This incident occurred in October 2024. FBI investigated each case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John G. Camp, Daniel S. McBrayer, and Darius C. Greene are prosecuting these cases. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.