title: Federal Complaints Charge SoCal Residents with Assault, Throwing Molotov Cocktails at Officers During Recent Civil Unrest

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Two Los Angeles County men -- one of them an illegal alien -- have been charged via federal criminal complaints with possessing Molotov cocktails during the recent civil unrest in downtown Los Angeles and Paramount stemming from protests against federal immigration enforcement operations, the Justice Department announced today. The following defendants have been charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison: Emiliano Garduno Galvez, 23, of Paramount, who is an illegal immigrant from Mexico; and Wrackkie Quiogue, 27, of Long Beach. Both defendants are in custody. Quiogue was ordered detained at his initial court appearance on Tuesday. Galvez is expected to make their initial appearance in United States District Court in the coming days. “When protesting crosses the line into violence, the penalties will be severe,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Possessing a Molotov cocktail or another destructive device is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison. The vile attacks such as the ones alleged in these complaints could have resulted in life-altering or life-ending injuries to police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and innocent bystanders. We will not relent in dispensing swift justice to criminals who take advantage of our country’s freedoms to engage in lawlessness.” According to an affidavit filed with the complaint charging Galvez, on the evening of June 7 in Paramount, Galvez lit and threw a Molotov cocktail over a wall where Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputies were engaging in crowd control activities then ran away. A violent crowd had assembled in that location earlier in the day near a staging area for federal agents who were preparing for immigration enforcement operations. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint charging Quiogue, on June 8, Quiogue possessed a Molotov cocktail while holding a lighter during civil unrest near federal buildings in downtown Los Angeles’s Civic Center. Los Angeles Police Department officers saw Quiogue with the device and quickly arrested him. As Quiogue attempted to flee arrest, he threw the Molotov. Charged separately via criminal complaints are the following defendants, who are charged with assault on a federal officer, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in federal prison, stemming from violence at recent rallies in Santa Ana: Christian Andres Garcia, 32, of Anaheim; and Rene Luna, 43, of Orange. Both defendants are expected to make their initial appearances in United States District Court in Santa Ana in the coming days. According to court documents, on June 9, Garcia threw objects at law enforcement personnel stationed outside a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office in Santa Ana. Luna allegedly threw water bottles and beer cans at officers during the same protest. Both defendants were arrested. A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating Quiogue and Galvez with the assistance of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. HSI is investigating Garcia and Luna. The FBI is assisting with the Galvez investigation. Assistant United States Attorney David C. Lachman of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting Quiogue. Assistant United States Attorney Jenna W. Long, also of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, is prosecuting Galvez. Assistant United States Attorney Brian Yang of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting Garcia and Luna.


title: Justice Department and FTC to Host Listening Sessions on Lowering Americans’ Drug Prices Through Competition

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: As part of implementing President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14273, Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First , the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission, along with the Department of Commerce and the Department of Health and Human Services, will jointly host listening sessions to discuss ways to make prescription drugs more affordable for Americans by promoting competition. The three listening sessions will occur under the direction of Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater and FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson. The listening sessions will focus on improving the affordability of pharmaceuticals by increasing generic and biosimilar availability and promoting competition through drug formularies and benefits. The sessions, which will feature remarks by practitioners and scholars, will cover anticompetitive practices as well as eliminating regulatory barriers and rent seeking . The listening sessions will inform the FTC and DOJ’s joint report on combatting anticompetitive practices in pharmaceutical markets, as mandated by President Trump’s Executive Order. The dates for the sessions are as follows: Monday, June 30 at 2 p.m. ET – Anticompetitive Conduct by Pharmaceutical Companies Impeding Generic or Biosimilar Competition Thursday, July 24 at 2 p.m. ET – Formulary and Benefit Practices and Regulatory Abuse Impacting Drug Competition Monday, August 4 at 2 p.m. ET – Turning Insights into Action to Reduce Drug Prices The listening sessions will be streamed on the FTC and DOJ websites, with videos and transcripts posted after the events. Additional information will be posted to the event page prior to each session .


title: Two Men Charged Federally with Possession of Machineguns related to Graduation Ceremony Shootings

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: St. Paul, Minn. – Hamza Abdirashiid Said, 20, and Amiir Mawlid Ali, 18, have been charged federally with unlawfully possessing machineguns, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. According to court documents, on May 30, 2025, at approximately 8:00 p.m., University of Minnesota Police (UMPD) responded to a report of a shooting at the Mariucci Arena on the University of Minnesota Campus. The arena was hosting the Wayzata High School graduation ceremony at the time of the shooting, with numerous pedestrians and attendees outside. Officers found a chaotic scene in which two victims—both attendees of the graduation ceremony—suffered gunshot wounds. After interviewing witness and viewing surveillance footage, law enforcement located and apprehended the shooter, Hamza Said. Law enforcement also recovered a Glock 9mm semiautomatic pistol equipped with a high-capacity extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device, commonly called a “switch.” Switches turn semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic machineguns. Said has been federally charged by complaint with unlawful possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, on June 3, 2025, at approximately 3:44 p.m., MPD officers observed a vehicle fail to stop at an intersection. The vehicle then accelerated aggressively through the intersection, and officers noted the windows were tinted to such a degree that they could not observe the interior of the vehicle. The officers initiated a traffic stop and identified three occupants of the vehicle. An MPD officer recognized the front passenger as Amiir Ali. The officer knew from prior investigations that Ali was associated with multiple recent gang-related shootings and was known to carry firearms. The occupants stated they were heading to the Edina High School graduation ceremony at the University of Minnesota. Officers were aware of a shooting that occurred at the Wayzata High School graduation ceremony at the same location just four days earlier. Officers located a Glock 10mm semiautomatic firearm under Ali’s seat. The Glock was equipped with a loaded 33-round extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device, also known as a switch. Ali was arrested when he was located by police responding to the June 6, 2025 shooting at the Burnsville High School graduation ceremony. In recorded jail calls, Ali said that, upon his release, he would need a “button,” a slang term for a switch or machinegun conversion device. Ali has been federally charged by complaint with unlawful possession of a machinegun. “High school graduation ceremonies are a rite of passage. A time for friends and family to come together to celebrate one of life’s major milestones. To bring machineguns and violence to such a ceremony is immoral and shameful,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “On behalf of all Minnesotans, I want to express a sense of moral outrage at these crimes and assure the public that the perpetrators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Said and Ali made their initial appearance in U.S. District Court yesterday, before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty. Both men are detained, pending detention hearings. These cases are a result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives and Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the University of Minnesota Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristian C. Weir is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Green Township man charged with crimes related to 3 pipe bomb incidents

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury indicted a Green Township man today, charging him with federal crimes related to explosive devices. Robert Gilb, 50, was arrested yesterday. “The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Robert Gilb for possessing an unregistered destructive device and transporting explosive materials,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “This alleged activity posed a serious risk to public safety. The FBI worked closely with our law enforcement partners to neutralize this potential danger and protect the community.” According to charging documents, Gilb allegedly detonated three improvised explosive devices (IED) in Hamilton and Butler counties in March and April. A complaint affidavit details that on April 12, Hamilton County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Miami Township for a report of a loud explosion. They discovered what appeared to be a blast crater and components of an improvised explosive device (IED). Further investigation revealed that there were two prior incidents in Morgan Township that allegedly had similar characteristics to the incident in Miami Township. Butler County sheriff’s deputies had responded to incidents there on March 23 and March 28. Witnesses allegedly saw Gilb in his white BMW near the site of at least one of the devices when it exploded. Gilb is charged with three counts of possessing an unregistered destructive device and three counts of transporting explosive materials. Possessing an unregistered destructive device and transporting explosive materials are federal crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, as well as the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, Butler County Sheriff's Office, Ohio State Fire Marshalls Office, Greater Cincinnati HAZMAT, Green Township Police Department and Green Township Fire Department, announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Thirty Defendants Charged with Narcotics and Firearms Offenses in Connection with Newark Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: Newark, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced charges today against thirty people for their respective roles in a drug trafficking organization that sold large quantities of controlled substances – including fentanyl and crack cocaine – in the area of the Kretchmer Homes housing complex along Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark. Today’s charges and arrests are the result of a long-running wiretap investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. The charges include conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 280 grams or more of cocaine base, and various firearm and substantive narcotics offenses. (See chart below). The 17 defendants arrested today are scheduled to have their initial court appearances this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court. 7 defendants were already in custody on state charges, one defendant was already in federal custody and previously appeared, and 4 defendants remain at large. “These defendants are charged with operating a large-scale drug trafficking organization that poisoned our community with its distribution of massive quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine,” U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said. “Fentanyl remains the deadliest driver of overdose deaths in our nation, devastating families everyday. We will have zero tolerance for violent gangs terrorizing our communities, flooding our neighborhoods with drugs and violence. Let today’s arrests serve as a clear warning — if you bring violence into our state, we will find you, we will dismantle your networks, and we will bring you to justice.” “This was a sweeping and surgical strike against a violent drug trafficking network that terrorized an elderly community with poison and fear. The scale of this takedown sends a loud and clear message: we will not allow gangs to hold neighborhoods hostage. I commend U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for her bold leadership and thank our partners at the DEA, ATF, FBI, and local law enforcement for their relentless pursuit of justice,” FBI Director Kash Patel stated. “Over the past year, the Bloods gang has terrorized the Kretchmer Homes public housing complex in Newark, NJ, using violence and fear to operate their drug trafficking business. Thanks to the hard work of our DEA team and our law enforcement partners, we successfully targeted this drug trafficking organization that has plagued and poisoned our community with illicit narcotics. This operation, which resulted in the arrest of over two dozen individuals, removed numerous firearms, and approximately seven thousand grams of heroin and fentanyl from our streets. That’s enough fentanyl to kill up to 500,000 people,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz. “This wasn’t just a bust; it was a life-saving operation. As we know, fentanyl continues to be the leading cause of death in drug overdoses and poisonings. The DEA remains committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, in targeting the drug cartels and those individuals responsible for pushing these deadly drugs into our neighborhoods. We will continue to hold them accountable.” “ATF is committed to working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, with unwavering determination and steadfast collaboration, to dismantle these drug trafficking organizations that threaten our communities,” said SAC L.C. Cheeks Jr. “Today’s arrests hold criminals accountable for drug-related activity and the related gun violence in our neighborhoods. We appreciate the dedication of our personnel and our partners who will continue to work tirelessly to protect and secure public safety.” "When the FBI begins a street gang investigation, we go after the leaders of the enterprise to dismantle it from the top down. We allege these men wreaked havoc in Newark, selling illicit drugs and defending their lucrative turf by using violence and guns. But this case is about more than drugs and guns, it's about removing criminals from a community they have been terrorizing and leaving in their wake a trail of addiction and potential death for their customers. The FBI Newark Safe Streets Task Force and our partner agencies will not stop the work we are doing to rid Newark of violent offenders," said SAC Stefanie Roddy. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: The defendants are members of a drug trafficking organization that operates an open-air narcotics market in and around the area of Kretchmer Homes – a public housing complex positioned along the 900 block of Frelinghuysen Avenue (the “Frelinghuysen DTO”). Many members of the Frelinghuysen DTO are affiliated with a neighborhood-based street gang, comprised largely of members and associates of the Bloods street gang, who pledge their allegiance, first and foremost, to the neighborhood surrounding the 900 block of Frelinghuysen Avenue. Law enforcement used investigative techniques including, but not limited to, wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics by confidential informants and undercover law enforcement officers, telephone record analysis, and physical and fixed surveillance, among other lawful means of investigation. The investigation revealed that the Frelinghuysen DTO distributes large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base in this public housing community. Moreover, the investigation revealed, through seizure of multiple firearms, that members of the Frelinghuysen DTO use firearms to protect their drug supply and proceeds. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., detectives with the Newark Police, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, and the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sherriff Amir Jones, with the investigation leading to the charges in this case. She also thanked detectives with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel, for their assistance with the case. The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department. This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Thypin-Bermeo and Senior Trial Counsel Robert Frazer of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### DEFENDANTS Defendant Name Age Charges Potential Penalties Anderson, Noah 33 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Broadnax, Nathaniel 42 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Coleman, Latisha 35 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Cooper, Edwin 23 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Hall, Farard 34 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Hargrove, Alquawi 30 21 U.S.C. § 846 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Up to 15 years in prison Harris, Ali 31 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Harrison, Dawan 34 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Harrison, Jaquay 36 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Hoover, Bernard 40 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Jenkins, Khyair 21 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Kalonji, Ajamu 60 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Latimore, Nigel 44 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Leaks, Shaquan 31 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Levett, Anthony 28 21 U.S.C. § 846 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Up to 15 years in prison Massenburg, Isaiah 31 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life McClean, Tauheed 38 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Morgan, Raheem 28 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Shell, Lamar 35 21 U.S.C. § 846 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Up to 15 years in prison Smith, Jamar 34 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Swinton, Jamaal 32 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Traynmam, Kaidean 28 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Tutler, Radee 41 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Woody, Timothy 47 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Wright, Mario 47 21 U.S.C. § 846 10 year mandatory minimum; up to life Travis, Najee 28 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) Up to 15 years in prison Reed, Nyerei 24 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i) Up to 15 years in prison Up to 20 years in prison 5 year mandatory minimum; up to life Martin, Dashawn 32 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) Up to 20 years in prison Kennedy, Divine 25 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C) 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i) Up to 15 years in prison Up to 20 years in prison 5 year mandatory minimum; up to life Overstreet, Tysone 29 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) Up to 15 years in prison


title: Former NASCAR Team Owner Pleads guilty To Failure To Pay Payroll Taxes

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Former NASCAR team owner Ronald Devine, 68, of Burke, Virginia, appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty to failure to pay payroll taxes, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), James C. Barnacle, Jr., Acting Special Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to the plea documents and other court records, Devine was the owner and President of BK Racing, LLC (BK Racing), which operated a NASCAR racing team and owned two NASCAR charters. As the owner, Devine exercised control over BK Racing’s financial affairs, including authorizing the filing and payment of its trust fund taxes, commonly referred to as payroll taxes. Payroll taxes are withheld from employees’ gross pay for income tax and and to fund Social Security and Medicare. Employers are also required to make contributions to trust fund taxes matching the amounts withheld from their employees’ pay, and to file and pay quarterly taxes. According to court records, beginning in 2012, Devine caused BK Racing to fail to account for and pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in payroll taxes. Court documents show that, between 2012 and 2017, instead of using the funds held in trust to pay for payroll taxes due, Devine transferred more than $2 million to other businesses and entities that he owned and controlled and used some of the funds to pay for BK Racing’s expenses. Devine was released on bond following his guilty plea. The charge of failure to truthfully account for and pay over trust fund taxes carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been set. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended IRS-CI, the FBI, and USPIS for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caryn Finley and Daniel Ryan of the Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.


title: Mahlega Abdsharafat and Creative Hospice Settle Health Care Kickback Claims for $9.2 Million

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ATLANTA – Mahlega Abdsharafat, also known as “Mallie Sharafat,” Creative Hospice Care, Inc., and affiliated companies (collectively, the “Creative Hospice entities”) have paid $9.2 million to settle allegations that Abdsharafat and the Creative Hospice entities entered into kickback arrangements with medical directors in exchange for referrals of hospice patients to Creative Hospice in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statue and the False Claims Act. “A physician’s health care decision should be based solely on the needs of the patient rather than the physician’s financial interests,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Health care providers who place unlawful personal gain above their duty of care to patients must be held accountable for their dishonesty.” “Patients should not have to wonder if their doctors’ medical decisions are being driven by unlawful inducements,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “We will continue to hold accountable individuals, as well as companies, who participate in kickback schemes that threaten the integrity of our healthcare system.” “Health care providers that participate in kickback schemes undermine the integrity of federal health care programs,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement demonstrates HHS-OIG’s unwavering commitment with our law enforcement partners to hold those accountable who put profit and personal gain ahead of the legitimate medical services.” “Decisions regarding end-of-life care are incredibly difficult and personal, and families must be able to trust the intentions of their chosen providers,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “Those who instead take advantage of the system for their own personal gain will be held accountable.” The government’s investigation began when a former Creative Hospice employee responsible for marketing Creative Hospice’s services to health care providers filed a whistleblower complaint alleging that Creative Hospice paid kickbacks to medical directors to induce them to refer patients to Creative Hospice. These alleged kickbacks included monthly stipends and a signing bonus paid to the medical directors. The compensation allegedly increased when the medical director referred more patients and decreased when the medical director failed to make referrals. Two additional whistleblower complaints were subsequently filed involving similar allegations. The Government alleges that these arrangements violated the Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b), and caused the submission of false claims in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA), 31 U.S.C. § 3729, et seq. This settlement resolves three lawsuits brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the FCA in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia: United States of America, ex rel. John Doe, et al. v. Homestead Hospice, et al. , No. 1:15-cv-00840-TWT; United States of America and State of Georgia, ex rel. Cletus William Cole v. Homestead Hospice Management, LLC, et al. , No. 1:22-cv-04242-MLB; and United States of America, ex rel. Renee Luchtman, et al. v. Homestead Hospice Management, LLC, et al. , No. 1:21-cv-04952-TWT. Under the FCA, whistleblowers, also known as “relators,” may bring suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained by the government. The relators who filed the three lawsuits against the Creative Hospice entities have received over $1.5 million from the settlement. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Medicaid Fraud Division of the Georgia Attorney General’s Office. The investigation and resolution of this matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeli Ben-David and Georgia Senior Assistant Attorney General Sara Vann. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Akash Desai also worked on the investigation. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: U.S. Attorney, FBI vow strong action after federal building defaced in Carbondale

body_text: CARBONDALE, Ill. – Following an incident in Carbondale on Tuesday evening where criminals defaced a federal building, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson are vowing to protect law and order in southern Illinois. “There are bright lines separating where speech ends and criminal conduct begins. Those who committed this targeted vandalism to federal property will be pursued and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Our system protects good faith expressions of ideas and opinions, but it abhors lawlessness and violence. Any such criminality cannot, and will not, be tolerated.” In the evening on June 10, individuals gathered outside the entrance of the Senator Paul Simon Federal Building in Carbondale. During the gathering, some members defaced the outside of the building, from which any damage is being assessed at this time. “The Senator Paul Simon Federal Building’s houses multiple United States federal entities and has been located in the community since 1978. These offices employ dozens of local residents, and the tenants of this building deserve to go to work without fear or intimidation. The FBI Springfield Field Office respects the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights, but we will not tolerate individuals inciting violence or engaging in criminal activity and violating federal law. The individuals who defaced the building last night will be identified and charged, as well as those who aid and abet them,” said Christopher J.S. Johnson, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Field Office. If you have any information about this incident, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) and reference “Carbondale Illinois Federal Building.” The operator will take down any information you have and contribute it to the investigation.


title: St. Michael Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced today that Ryan Cody Guy, age 46, from St. Michael, North Dakota, was sentenced before Chief United States District Judge Peter D. Welte to 63 months in federal prison for involuntary manslaughter. Judge Welte also sentenced Guy to serve 3 years of supervised release following his incarceration and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $2,000. Guy pleaded guilty on March 10, 2025. On February 26, 2022, Ryan Guy was driving a vehicle on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation while intoxicated when he rolled it. A passenger in the vehicle died as a result of injuries sustained in the rollover. Guy’s blood alcohol content was 0.164, over twice the legal limit under North Dakota state law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the North Dakota Highway Patrol and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Lee. # # #


title: Mexican Citizen Sentenced For Illegally Reentering The United States

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Artemio Santiago-Hernandez, age 43, a Citizen of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday to time served (three months) by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for illegally reentering the United States. According to Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, Santiago-Hernandez was previously removed from the United States on March 19, 2015, through Laredo, Texas and reentered the United States without legal permission to do so. Santiago-Hernandez was also previously removed in 2007. Santiago-Hernandez was convicted at least three times of driving under the influence or similar offenses and still faces DUI charges in Franklin County. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Scott Ford prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Swatting Charges

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, Brayden Grace, 19, of Columbus, Ohio, pled guilty to conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. According to the guilty plea, Grace helped create an online group known as “Purgatory.” The group used multiple online social-media platforms, including Telegram and Instagram, to coordinate and plan swatting and doxxing activities and to announce and brag about swats that they conducted. “Grace and his co-conspirators threatened and terrorized others throughout the country, and then bragged about it online. Make no mistake: swatting and doxxing are not pranks—they are dangerous and illegal acts that put lives at risk and drain critical law enforcement resources,” Hayes said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to relentlessly pursuing those who seek to gain notoriety by abusing our emergency services and striking fear in others. Such unlawful actions will not be tolerated.” “Brayden Grace admitted he engaged in swatting and doxxing to strike out at perceived rivals, gain online notoriety, attempt to make money, and for enjoyment. May his guilty plea make clear that the FBI and our partners take these threats seriously,” Koldjeski said. “Together, we will make sure offenders do not remain anonymous and face justice for their crimes which drain vital public safety resources, cause undue fear, and put innocent lives at risk.” “Swatting” is a term used to describe or refer to a criminal incident in which an individual contacts emergency services and falsely reports an emergency, often involving an act of violence that reportedly has or will occur at a particular location to elicit an armed law enforcement response to that location. “Doxxing” is a term used to describe the practice of searching for and publishing on the Internet personal, private, or identifying information about an individual with malicious intent, such as providing the information for the purpose of swatting the individual. From December 10, 2023, through January 18, 2024, Grace and his co-conspirators placed swatting calls to police and other emergency departments. One or more of the conspirators falsely reported an emergency in the form of a violent act at a particular location to cause an armed law enforcement response with the intent to threaten, intimidate, and harass individuals and entities. Grace and his co-conspirators often used shared scripts to plan and coordinate their conduct and used Voice over Internet Protocol services to obscure their phone numbers and identities. As part of this scheme, the co-conspirators called the Houston County Sheriff’s Office (Dothan, Alabama). The co-conspirators threatened to burn down part of a residential trailer park and kill any law-enforcement officers who arrived to respond to the threat. Additionally, as part of the scheme, a Purgatory conspirator called the Newark Delaware Police Department falsely claiming that he heard a man firing shots in a Newark High School hallway. Moments later, a conspirator called the department again, threatening to shoot a specific Newark High School teacher and to kill unnamed students. As a result of this call, which occurred in the middle of the school day, authorities placed the school on lockdown and police officers responded to the scene. Later the same day, Grace agreed to post content from the incident, including images from news coverage of the incident, onto the group’s social media accounts. Grace also posted the address of the Hollywood Casino in Columbus, Ohio, the non-emergency telephone number for Columbus Police Department, and the name of a specific doxxing victim. Purgatory conspirators called the Columbus Police Department that day and threatened to “start shooting,” “kill everyone here,” and blow up the Hollywood Casino. Additionally, Purgatory conspirators called the Albany Police Department (Albany, New York), threatening the use of firearms and explosives at the airport. Police units then rushed to respond to the threats. On the same day, Grace bragged on a Purgatory group website about the group threatening the airport. Grace faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count of threatening to damage or destroy by fire or explosive and a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threats. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, August 14, at 10 a.m. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Additionally, Ms. Hayes praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Columbus; Ohio Police Department; Newark, Delaware Police Department; Lenoir City, Tennessee Police Department; Albany, New York Police Department; Albany County, New York Sheriff’s Office; Fairburn City, Georgia Police Department; Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Police Department; Giles County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; Blue Springs, Missouri Police Department; Tarboro, North Carolina Police Department; Boston, Massachusetts Police Department; Dodge County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office; Houston County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; and the FBI’s Mobile, Richmond, Boston, Charlotte, and Cincinnati Field Offices for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert I. Goldaris and Patricia C. McLane who are prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: DOJ and drug development researcher settle allegations he violated terms of National Science Foundation grant

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – The United States Department of Justice and the recipient of a federal research grant have resolved allegations the lead researcher violated the terms of the grant when he performed the research outside the U.S., announced Acting United States Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Protein Engines, LLC (Protein Engines), founded and operated by Joshua Salafsky PhD, was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant in late 2021 for scientific research with pharmaceutical applications. Protein Engines LLC will pay the U.S. $155,000 to resolve the allegations. “Despite being repeatedly informed that all research under the grant needed to be performed in the U.S., Dr. Salafsky spent little more than a month in the U.S. while he was accepting NSF grant funding for his research,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “These Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants require work in the U.S. so that federal funds go to support innovation here, using labs and equipment that generate business in the U.S. This deception defeated that purpose.” According to the settlement agreement, on November 26, 2021, Protein Engines LLC was awarded a $256,000 grant. The research was to be performed in the U.S. between December 1, 2021, and November 30, 2022. However, the principal researcher on the grant lived in the U.K. for all but 38 days of the grant funding. The National Science Foundation suspended the grant funding on September 8, 2023, when it determined the research had not been conducted in the U.S. as required. The Small Business Innovation Research/Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program is a critically important and highly competitive program created to fund technological advancements within the United States. Funding for this program strengthens the competitive free enterprise system and the U.S. economy. To maximize that impact, SBIR regulations require all research and development to be conducted in the United States. This investigation resulted from the NSF Office of Inspector General’s proactive initiative to protect national security interests by identifying SBIR recipients who improperly operate outside the U.S. “When companies fail to follow the domestic requirements of the SBIR program, it is not only a misuse of taxpayer dollars but also takes away funding from deserving U.S. businesses. NSF OIG remains committed to pursuing oversight of these programs to ensure taxpayer funds are invested in the United States to benefit U.S. businesses, the U.S. economy, and national security. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for supporting this important proactive effort,” said Megan E. Wallace, NSF’s Acting Inspector General. Of the $155,000 settlement, $77,500 is restitution and the rest is a penalty for the misconduct. Additionally, $25,000 in grant funds were never paid out to Protein Engines LLC. Protein Engines LLC says the settlement is not an admission of liability but chooses to resolve the matter instead of the expense and uncertainty of protracted litigation. The case was investigated by the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General (NSF-OIG). The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Kayla C. Stahman in this matter.


title: Jury Convicts Felon with Gun Who Ran From Police

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A felon who possessed a firearm was convicted by a jury today after a three‑day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Marcus Dejohn Wallace, age 29, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. The verdict was returned this afternoon following about three hours of jury deliberations. The evidence at trial showed that on September 5, 2024, Wallace led officers on a high-speed car chase through Cedar Rapids before pulling over in a residential neighborhood and running from officers. He was apprehended by a police K-9 and taken into custody. Law enforcement found a loaded firearm within throwing distance of where Wallace was apprehended. The firearm was missing a magazine. That missing magazine was later located in the path where Wallace had run. Wallace has a prior federal conviction for distribution of heroin resulting in serious bodily injury. 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. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Wallace remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Wallace faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Devra Hake, Shawn Wehde, and Dan Tvedt, and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-90. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Guatemalan Man Sentenced After Being in the  United States Illegally

body_text: A Guatemalan man who was in the United States illegally after being removed twice was sentenced today to 90 days in prison. Hector Palencia-Morales, age 55, a citizen of Guatemala, received the prison term after an April 7, 2025, guilty plea to being found in the United States after illegal reentry. On March 1, 2025, Palencia-Morales was found at a residence in Postville, Iowa, while law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at the residence. Officers confirmed he was in the country illegally. Officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested him on March 14, 2025. Palencia-Morales had previously been removed from the United States in 2013 following a conviction for illegal entry and again in 2022. Palencia-Morales was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Palencia-Morales was sentenced to 90 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-1012. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: St. Louis Man Faces 20+ Years in Prison After Being Convicted of Drug, Gun Crimes

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A jury on Tuesday convicted a man from St. Louis, Missouri of drug and gun crimes that will result in decades in prison. Christopher Glen Rhodes, 47, was found guilty in U.S. District Court of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence and testimony at trial showed that Rhodes provided the methamphetamine that was sold twice to a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration. That source told investigators that he’d previously purchased both meth and fentanyl from Demetrius A. Ransom, Rhodes’ co-defendant. On Nov. 10, 2022, Rhodes provided 416.9 grams, or nearly one pound, of meth to Ransom, who sold it for $2,000. On Dec. 7, 2022, the confidential source bought 435 grams of meth from Ransom for $2,000. On Dec. 19, 2022, investigators were planning on conducting a court-approved search of Rhodes’ home in the 4900 block of West Florissant Avenue when they spotted Rhodes leaving. They made a traffic stop, but when Rhodes was asked to get out of the car, he sped away. In his home, agents found a total of 2.7 kilograms of meth, 3.8 kilos of fentanyl, 981.8 grams of cocaine and 129.7 grams of cocaine base. They also found $21,000 in cash, a loaded 9mm Ruger handgun, and drug paraphernalia including a pill press, empty capsules and a money counter. Rhodes is a felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm. Among his convictions is a 2002 case in which he pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base and was sentenced to 294 months in prison as a career offender. His sentence was commuted in 2016 to expire in 2018. Rhodes is scheduled to be sentenced on November 25. He will face at least 20 years in prison due to his prior convictions, the quantity of drugs involved and his use of a firearm during the drug trafficking crime, and could face more than 30 years. Ransom, 45, of St. Louis County, pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 9 and faces at least 15 years in prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torrie J. Schneider and Don Boyce are prosecuting the case.


title: Leader in scheme to monopolize transmigrantes market imprisoned for 11 years

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Mission man has been sentenced for his role in a long-running and violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency (TFA) industry in the Los Indios border region, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Carlos Martinez, who pleaded guilty Feb. 6, and his co-conspirators controlled the transmigrate industry through monopolization and extortion of competitors. U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Martinez to serve 132 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He must also pay a $2 million fine. Martinez and others used fear to control pricing, eliminate competition and keep the transmigrante industry profitable through “pool” allocations and piso payments. Transmigrantes transport used vehicles and goods from the United States through Mexico for resale in Central America. Only a few U.S. border crossings, including the Los Indios Bridge, allow transmigrantes to enter Mexico. Transmigrante forwarding agencies are U.S.-based businesses that help clients complete customs paperwork to export vehicles into Mexico. Martinez and his co-conspirators fixed prices for forwarding services and created a centralized entity, known as the “pool,” to collect and divide revenue among conspirators. They used the pool to eliminate competition and raise prices. “Price fixing is not a victimless crime; it harms customers in the form of artificially high prices. Consumers need to have faith that the prices they pay are fairly determined by the market, rather than the product of illegal collusion,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “The 11-year sentence Mr. Martinez received reflects the size and scope of his criminal operation, as well as his leadership role in organizing and facilitating the unlawful scheme.” “The defendants extorted victims trying to make an honest living in the freight forwarding business, and by fixing prices illegally drove up the cost of moving goods,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The lead defendant’s sentence of 11 years in prison reflects the harm caused to the business community along the Southern border. The Department of Justice’s Criminal Division will continue to work to ensure that competition is fairly preserved.” “Today’s sentence reflects the significant danger and harm the American people face from violent and extortive actions aimed at fixing prices and monopolizing the market for essential services in the Texas border region,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to aggressively pursue violent criminals who aim to corrupt America’s free markets and advocate for their incarceration.” “This case underscores the serious threat posed by transnational criminal networks operating at our borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) San Antonio. “Carlos Martinez and his co-conspirators orchestrated a violent scheme that extorted small businesses, fixed prices, and laundered millions of dollars — all while threatening the safety and integrity of lawful commerce. HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit legitimate industries through corruption and intimidation, and we remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities and our economy.” “The FBI will remain laser focused on transnational criminal organizations, including organizations that use violence, threats or extortion to fix prices and eliminate competition,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “The American people deserve access to fair markets, free from threats of violence or the corrosive impact of illegal market interference, manipulation, or collusion. Together with our partners, we are committed to protecting our borders and dismantling every component of transnational criminal organizations.” Martinez, the son-in-law of a former Gulf Cartel leader in Mexico, ran a violent criminal syndicate operating at the U.S.-Mexico border. He seized control of the Los Indios bridge near Harlingen and Brownsville and hired workers to monitor transmigrante forwarding agencies and calculate the piso each owned. Workers collected piso payments in cash and submitted them to Martinez’s organization. He enforced compliance by ordering disciplinary action against agencies that operated without permission, violated pool rules, failed to charge fixed prices or refused to make extortionate payments. Forwarders not involved in the conspiracy were forced to join and pay into the pool. Martinez and other pool members monitored whether agencies followed pricing rules and made required payments. Martinez and his co-conspirators also demanded additional extortion fees, including a piso for each processed transaction and a fine for operating outside the pool. They used threats, intimidation and violence to enforce compliance and further their antitrust and extortion conspiracies. Clients who didn’t comply faced consequences ranging from being denied access to the Los Indios Bridge to having their cars stolen. In more severe cases, they were kidnapped, beaten, firebombed, shot or killed. Martinez personally collected at least $9.5 million in extortion payments. He and his family laundered the money through bank accounts they controlled, disguising the deposits to hide the true source, nature and ownership of the illicit funds. To date, seven others have been convicted, three of whom have already been sentenced in the case. ICE-HSI and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section; Senior Litigation Attorney John Davis and Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure, Anne Veldhuis and Michael G. Lepage, all of the of the Antitrust Division.


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison and Ordered to Pay $2M Fine for Conspiring to Monopolize International Transit Industry, Fix Prices, Extort $9.5M, and Launder Money

body_text: Carlos Martinez, 39, of Mission, Texas, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison and a fine of $2 million for his conduct in a long-running and violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency (TFA) industry in the Los Indios, Texas, border region. Martinez and his co-defendants controlled the TFA industry through monopolization and extortion of competitors. Transmigrantes transport used vehicles and other goods from the United States through Mexico for resale across Central America. There are only a few locations where transmigrantes are permitted to cross from the United States into Mexico, one of those being the Los Indios Bridge in Texas. TFAs are U.S.-based businesses that provide services to transmigrante clients, including helping clients complete the customs paperwork required to export vehicles into Mexico. According to court documents and statements made in court, Martinez and his co-defendants fixed prices for TFA services and created a centralized entity known as “The Pool” to collect and divide revenues among the conspirators, limit competition from other agencies, and increase prices for their services. “The defendants exploited hardworking professionals in the freight forwarding business using extortion and illegal price-fixing schemes to manipulate the market and inflate the cost of moving goods,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The lead defendant’s 11-year prison sentence reflects the serious economic harm inflicted on the business community along the southern border. The Criminal Division will continue to pursue and prosecute those who threaten fair competition and the integrity of our markets.” “Today’s sentence reflects the significant danger and harm the American people face from violent and extortive actions aimed at fixing prices and monopolizing the market for essential services in the Texas border region,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to aggressively pursue violent criminals who aim to corrupt America’s free markets and advocate for their incarceration.” “Price fixing is not a victimless crime; it harms customers in the form of artificially high prices. Consumers need to have faith that the prices they pay are fairly determined by the market, rather than the product of illegal collusion,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “The 11-year sentence Mr. Martinez received reflects the size and scope of his criminal operation, as well as his leadership role in organizing and facilitating the unlawful scheme.” “All of these defendants used their positions with the TFA to extort hardworking individuals who relied on these services to support their families and livelihood,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI is committed to dismantling criminal enterprises that prey on vulnerable communities, and today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse systems will be found, stopped and brought to justice.” “This case underscores the serious threat posed by transnational criminal networks operating at our borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “Carlos Martinez and his co-conspirators orchestrated a violent scheme that extorted small businesses, fixed prices, and laundered millions of dollars — all while threatening the safety and integrity of lawful commerce. HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit legitimate industries through corruption and intimidation, and we remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities and our economy.” Individuals in the industry who were not part of the conspiracy were forced to join and pay into The Pool or face financial and violent consequences. Martinez and other members enforced the rules by monitoring whether forwarding agencies were charging the agreed-upon prices and whether the forwarder was making payments to The Pool. Martinez and some of his co-defendants also conspired to force forwarding agencies to pay other extortion fees, including a “piso” for every transaction processed as well as a “fine” for operating in the market outside of Pool rules. Martinez and his co-defendants intimidated, coerced, and used threats and acts of violence in furtherance of the antitrust and extortion conspiracies. Martinez was responsible for collecting at least $9.5M in extortion payments. Cash obtained from the extortions was laundered through bank accounts controlled by Martinez and his family, with the cash deposits disguised to hide the nature, source, ownership, and control of the dirty money. Martinez is the son-in-law of the former leader of the Gulf Cartel in Mexico, a violent criminal syndicate that operates at the U.S.-Mexico border and elsewhere. Martinez took control of Los Indios Bridge and employed individuals who worked to track TFA transactions to calculate the piso owed by each forwarding agency. Pool and piso payments were made in cash to the individuals working for Martinez. Martinez ordered disciplinary actions against those operating in the transmigrante market without permission, those who violated Pool rules, those who did not charge the fixed prices, and those who did not pay the piso. Disciplinary actions could include clients not being allowed to cross Los Indios Bridge, cars being stolen, or more serious repercussions such as kidnappings, beatings, firebombings, shootings, and murder. Carlos Martinez pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to illegally fix prices and allocate the market for TFA services, conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante market, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion, interference with commerce by extortion, and money laundering conspiracy. The government will also seek forfeiture of at least one house, luxury vehicles, a boat, and expensive watches. Prior to Martinez’s sentencing, his co-defendants were sentenced as follows: Carlos Yzaguirre, 66, of McAllen, Texas, was sentenced to two years in prison, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion. Sandra Guerra Medina, 70, of Rancho Viejo, Texas, was sentenced to eight months of home detention, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to illegally fix prices and allocate the market for TFA services and conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante market. Juan Hector Ramirez Avila, 59, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served, after pleading guilty to one count of structuring a financial transaction to evade reporting requirements. Jose Tapia, Mireya Miranda, Pedro Calvillo and Roberto Garcia Villarreal pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Three other defendants, Rigoberto Brown, Miguel Hipolito Caballero Aupart, and Diego Ceballos-Soto, were also charged in the superseding indictment and remain fugitives. The Court will determine the final restitution amount owed to victims of the conspiracies at a hearing set for Sept. 3, 2025. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section; Senior Litigation Attorney John Davis and Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure, Anne Veldhuis, and Michael G. Lepage of the of the Antitrust Division; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the HSI Tip Line at 866-347-2423; the FBI Tipline at tips.fbi.gov, or by contacting the FBI San Antonio Field Office at 210-225-6741; or the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations .


title: Two Sentenced for Roles in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy in Monongalia County

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men have been sentenced for their roles in a drug trafficking organization in Monongalia County. Jason Davis, 35, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced today to 135 months in federal prison. James Peoples, II, 28, of Pennsauken Township, New Jersey, was sentenced to 72 months in prison. According to court documents, Davis and Peoples worked with others to distribute drugs in Morgantown, West Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. This case was investigated by the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. The task force consists of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia State Police; the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; the Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; the Morgantown Police Department; the WVU Police Department; the Granville Police Department; and the Star City Police Department. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Wasilla man indicted for distributing carfentanil resulting in two overdoses, one fatal and one non-fatal

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment yesterday charging a Wasilla man with distributing carfentanil to two individuals, resulting in the non-fatal overdose of an adult victim and the fatal overdose of a minor. Per court documents, the Alaska Bureau of Investigations (ABI) discovered that between Nov. 14 and 15, 2024, Sean Mobley, 45, allegedly distributed what appeared to be powder fentanyl to two different people, one adult and one minor. Both victims allegedly used the substance and overdosed. The adult victim was successfully revived by Narcan, but the minor victim died. Further analysis revealed that the substance causing the overdose and death was not fentanyl, but carfentanil. Carfentanil is a highly potent opioid not approved for human use. It is used by veterinarians to sedate large animals and is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Court filings indicate that on Nov. 14, 2024, Mobley and an unnamed individual allegedly sold a small quantity of what appeared to be powdered fentanyl to the adult victim. Later that night, the unnamed individual received a telephone call informing them that the victim was overdosing. The individual returned to the victim’s residence where Narcan was administered to revive the victim. These same court documents further allege that Mobley later distributed the same carfentanil to a minor victim, causing her to overdose and die. Specifically, during the late evening of Nov. 14, 2024, Mobley drove to a gas station and met the minor victim. The minor victim entered Mobley’s truck, and at roughly 11:54 p.m., texted a friend that she was, “banging one out with Sean” (a slang phrase that allegedly means using drugs). The court records then allege that Mobley drove the minor victim to a remote ATV trail in Wasilla, arriving around midnight on Nov. 15, 2024. While at the trail, the minor victim used some of the carfentanil that Mobley allegedly provided to her, which resulted in the minor victim fatally overdosing in his truck. He then allegedly dumped her body at the trail, all between 12:00 and 12:13 a.m. Court documents additionally allege that after discarding the minor victim’s body, Mobley left to distribute more narcotics. On Nov. 15, 2024, a man walking his dog found the body of the minor female on the ATV trail. The state medical examiner found the minor’s cause of death as acute combined toxic effects of carfentanil and methamphetamine. “Unfortunately, this indictment marks a troubling milestone – the first federal prosecution in Alaska for the distribution of poisonous carfentanil. To make matters worse, Mr. Mobley is accused of distributing this toxic substance to two people, resulting in the near deadly overdose of one and the heartbreaking fatal overdose of a local minor whose body he then dumped onto a secluded trail in the middle of the night,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Aggressive prosecutions of individuals peddling deadly drugs to our communities, including our children, is a national priority, especially when those narcotics kill and the perpetrator acts with callous disregard for his victims. I want to commend the ABI and the DEA for their diligent investigation, and to the Alaska Department of Law for their continued collaboration as we pursue justice for the victims and loved ones impacted by this tragedy.” “The callousness and cowardice of poisoning then dumping a young woman goes way beyond the pale, even for an alleged drug distributor,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This case cries for justice and I am proud that DEA and our partners helped bring federal charges in this case.” “This is a tragic reminder of the deadly consequences of dangerous drug use and distribution in our great state—especially when it involves our youth,” said Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes. “Your Alaska State Troopers remain committed to holding those accountable who deal deadly drugs like carfentanil. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for victims and disrupt drug trafficking in Alaska no matter where it occurs.” “The tragedy of this case highlights the urgent need to protect our Alaskan communities from the deadly impact that the illicit sale of controlled substances has on our state,” said Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor. “The Department of Law is resolved to aggressively prosecute those who traffic in these dangerous drugs and to work closely with our criminal justice partners to deter anyone who seeks to bring this harm into Alaska.” Mobley is charged with one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury and death, one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of distribution of a controlled substance to a person under the age of twenty-one. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 20 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The DEA Anchorage District Office and the ABI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bradley and Alana Weber are prosecuting the case, with assistance and collaboration from the State of Alaska Department of Law. Learn more: Carfentanil: A Synthetic Opioid Unlike Any Other This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and drug trafficking. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Harrison County Man Sentenced for Firearms Violation

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jonathon Wade Cochran, 43, of Shinnston, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 63 months in federal prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, officers attempted a traffic stop on Cochran, who led officers on a chase. Cochran crashed and was injured. Officers found a 9mm pistol in his waistband. Cochran has prior drug and firearms charges, prohibiting him from having firearms. Cochran will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rhee prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Man Caught on Missouri Highway with 58 Kilograms of Cocaine Pleads Guilty

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Phoenix, Arizona on Wednesday admitted being caught with over 58 kilograms of cocaine in a traffic stop on Interstate 44 in Phelps County, Missouri. Rene Alejandro Valdivia-Gonzalez, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine. On Sept. 21, 2024, Valdivia-Gonzalez was stopped in a Mercedes Sprinter van by the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department for a traffic violation. After receiving consent to search the van, the deputy spotted an after-market compartment that had been installed to create a cavity under the original floorboards. The deputy found rectangular bricks wrapped in plastic and tape that weighed about one kilogram each. Investigators also found bricks hidden behind the dashboard. The 53 bricks contained cocaine weighing a total of 58.85 kilograms. Valdivia-Gonzalez, who was living in Phoenix, is scheduled to be sentenced October 2. He faces at least 10 years in prison. The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Driving School Owner Pleads Guilty to RMV Bribery Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to charges that he bribed a road test examiner to issue driver’s licenses to individuals who did not pass or, in some cases, even take road tests at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in Brockton. Carlos Cardoso, 71, pleaded guilty to one count of honest services mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Sept. 11, 2025. In May 2024 , Cardoso was indicted by a federal grand jury. Cardoso, the owner of a driving school, paid cash bribes totaling more than $20,000 to a road test examiner at the Brockton RMV service center to misrepresent that certain driver’s license applicants had passed their road test when, in fact, they had not. Some of the applicants did not even show up to take the test. As a result of the fraud, the RMV mailed driver’s licenses to unqualified applicants. The charge of honest services mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Illegal alien felon sentenced to 57 months in federal prison

body_text: HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after three previous removals, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jose Manuel Cruz-Diaz, who had illegally resided in Houston, pleaded guilty March 28. U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Cruz-Diaz to serve 57 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Cruz-Diaz had been removed four times previously and was a drug dealer. He has three prior felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as evading arrest with a motor vehicle. He was also convicted of delivery of black tar heroine and methamphetamines and sentenced to 10 years in state prison. He was first removed from the United States in 2011 and most recently in 2016. However, authorities discovered him in Houston in January 2020 upon his arrest for distribution of controlled substances. Cruz-Diaz has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and the Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: Ecuadorian National Charged with Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – An Ecuadorian national illegally residing in Yarmouth has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Jose Tomas Lema Pugo, a/k/a Jose Luis Ledezma, 59, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Lema Pugo was arrested by immigration authorities on May 9, 2025. According to the indictment, Lema Pugo was deported from the United States to Ecuador in November 2013. It is alleged that sometime after his November 2013 removal, Lema Pugo illegally reentered the United States without permission. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien with a prior felony criminal conviction provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Zacks of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pittsburgh Felon Convicted at Trial for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After deliberating for 15 minutes, a federal jury on June 10, 2025, found Gerald Underwood guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Underwood, 44, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was tried before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan in Pittsburgh. The evidence presented at trial established that, on November 9, 2022, Underwood possessed a firearm and ammunition at a gas station in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh after police were dispatched to the scene because of a ShotSpotter alert. A spent shell casing matching the firearm taken from Underwood’s pocket was recovered from the scene. Underwood has a number of state felony convictions and two prior federal convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for October 2, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the Court ordered that Underwood continue to be detained. Assistant United States Attorneys DeMarr W. Moulton and Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Underwood.


title: New York Man Pleads Guilty to $70 Million Kickback Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A New York-based director of operations and sales for the Northeast region of a mobile medical diagnostics company pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to conspiring to offer and pay kickbacks to doctors in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans. James Rausch, 57, of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2025. Rausch was charged in May 2025 . From approximately March 2015 through approximately September 2020, Rausch conspired with others, including two managers for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, to enter into kickback agreements with various doctors. TCD scans are brain scans that measure blood flow in parts of the brain. Rausch and his alleged co-conspirators agreed to offer and pay doctors kickbacks, some in cash and others by check, based on the number of TCD ultrasounds the doctors ordered. Rausch and his alleged co-conspirators created purported rental and administrative service agreements, which on paper made it appear as if doctors were compensated for the TCD company’s use of space and administrative resources of the ordering doctor’s practice based on fair market value and not based on the volume or value of referrals. These agreements were shams that hid the true nature of the arrangement of paying per test. The scheme as a whole resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $70.6 million to Medicare. Medicare paid approximately $27.2 million to the TCD company for the fraudulent claims. The charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Palm Beach County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Tyreek J. Clermont, 24, of Boynton Beach, was sentenced yesterday to 90 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Clermont pled guilty to charge earlier this year. According to the court record, on October 22, 2023, a Martin County Sheriff’s Office Deputy initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by the defendant on South Kanner Highway. The defendant was smoking a marijuana cigarette when the deputy approached the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun, approximately 31.59 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and 1.58 grams of dimethylpentylone – a dangerous designer drug. At the time he possessed the 9mm, Clermont had prior Florida felony convictions for robbery, gun, and drug crimes. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division and Sheriff John M. Budensick of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. ATF Miami Field Office and MCSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuted it. This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-14042. ###


title: Four Defendants, Including Two Former U.S. Postal Service Employees, Charged in Connection with Scheme to Steal $80 Million in U.S. Treasury Checks

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Tauheed Tucker, 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Cory Scott, 25, of Ardmore, Pa., and Alexander Telewoda, 25, of Clifton Heights, Pa., were arrested and charged by superseding indictment with conspiracy to steal government funds, theft of government funds, and mail theft, arising from a multimillion-dollar scheme to steal U.S. Treasury checks from a local U.S. Postal Service (“USPS”) facility and then resell those checks to purchasers around the country. A fourth defendant, Saahir Irby, 27, of Philadelphia, was also charged with these offenses, in addition to a previously charged count of mail theft. The superseding indictment alleges that, between June 2023 and September 2024, Irby and Tucker, while working as USPS mail processing clerks, stole thousands of envelopes containing U.S. Treasury checks from mail sorting machines at the USPS Philadelphia Processing and Distribution Center. According to the indictment, Irby and Tucker removed the checks from the USPS facility and sold them to defendants Scott and Telewoda, who then advertised the stolen checks for resale on the cloud-based instant messaging application Telegram. Upon receiving payment from interested buyers, Scott and Telewoda mailed the stolen Treasury checks to buyers around the country who attempted to cash the checks, without the knowledge or permission of the individuals to whom the checks had originally been issued. Over the course of the scheme, the indictment alleges, Irby and Tucker sold Scott and Telewoda thousands of stolen Treasury checks whose face value exceeded $80 million. Scott’s and Telewoda’s customers successfully negotiated approximately $11 million worth of these stolen Treasury checks at financial institutions. Irby is also charged with a separate instance of mail theft involving another batch of Treasury checks that he allegedly stole and sold to an unnamed individual in August 2024. If convicted, Irby faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine, and Tucker, Scott, and Telewoda each face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, with substantial assistance from the Montgomery County Detectives Bureau, the Lower Merion Township Police Department, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Rice. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.


title: Salvadoran National Indicted for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Salvadoran national unlawfully residing in Chelsea was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Juan Carlos Gil-Ochoa, 36, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Gil-Ochoa was arrested by immigration authorities on May 12, 2025. According to the indictment, Gil-Ochoa was deported from the United States to El Salvador in April 2013. It is alleged that sometime after his April 2013 removal, Gil-Ochoa illegally reentered the United States without permission and was encountered by immigration authorities in October 2023. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien with a prior felony criminal conviction provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Zacks of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Lynn was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Domingo Valentin Solis-De Leon, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison and one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On April 8, 2025, Solis-De Leon pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. On Jan. 8, 2014, United States Border Patrol arrested Solis-De Leon near Hidalgo, Texas after entering the United States illegally. Solis De-Leon was ordered removed and was sent back to his home country of Guatemala. On Jan. 6, 2024, immigration authorities learned that Solis-De Leon was present in the United States following his arrest in Lynn, Mass. According to court documents, Solis-De Leon was arrested on state charges for assault and battery on a family or household member and the matter is currently pending in Lynn District Court. He was subsequently released from state custody and Solis-De Leon was arrested by immigration authorities on Jan. 28, 2025 in Lynn. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.