title: U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Guilty Plea from Albuquerque Man for Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man pleaded guilty to federal charges of production of child sexual abuse materials, admitting to creating illicit content and using social media to lure minors for sexual exploitation. According to court documents, Kevin Vallo , 40, used the social media messaging app Telegram to communicate with a 13-year-old victim. Vallo created multiple profiles on Telegram under different names and personas, misrepresenting his age as 16 when he was actually 39 years old. Vallo admitted to engaging in sexually explicit chats with the victim and repeatedly inviting her to his residence. On or about February 19, 2024, Vallo persuaded the victim and two other minors to come to his home in Albuquerque for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. Vallo further admitted to recording four separate videos of himself engaging in sexual activity with the victim using his cellular phone, which he then sent to the victim. These videos constitute child pornography under federal law. Vallo will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Vallo faces 15 to 25 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Vallo will be subject to a minimum of 5 years and up to life of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC. If you have reason to believe you or your child may be a victim of Vallo , or if you have information about this ongoing investigation, please call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or submit their tips online at tips.fbi.gov. View the Plea Agreement (Vallo).pdf # # #


title: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 37 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Brian Patrick Werth, 40, of Beltsville, Maryland, to 37 years in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for two counts of producing child sexual abuse material. Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations. Werth was convicted of coercing and enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and engaging with a minor as a registered sex offender. Upon his release from prison, Werth is required to register as a sex offender where he resides, is employed, and where he is a student under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Judge Chuang also ordered Werth to refrain from contact with children under 18 years old, without prior permission, and to submit to computer monitoring. After a three-day trial, a jury found that from January 2021 through June 2021, Werth communicated with minor females, ages 11 and 15, through internet-based applications WhatsApp and Kik. During these interactions, Werth persuaded, coerced, and enticed the minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct by producing sexually explicit videos of themselves. Additionally, Werth engaged in child sexual abuse as a member of the Maryland Sex Offender Registry for a previous sex offense conviction. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Barron commended Homeland Security Investigations and the Maryland State Police Department for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaShanta Harris who led the prosecution of this case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Former Miami-Dade Correctional Officer Indicted for Service in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – On Dec. 18, Vernell Syrethia Lawson, 33, a former Miami-Dade Correctional Officer, and Gabrielle Nicole Bess-Mills, 35, made their initial appearance in court on a previously sealed indictment containing charges related to a continuing criminal enterprise led by co-defendant Terrance Carter, 31. According to the indictment, Carter led a drug trafficking organization which relied on the corruption of Lawson and other Miami-Dade Correctional Officers, along with drug trafficking associates, to introduce narcotics and other contraband for sale into Miami-Dade County jail facilities. Lawson and Bess-Mills are charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, participating in a conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute, and racketeering promotion through bribery and drug trafficking. Lawson is also charged with Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right conspiracy. The indictment also charges Carter with operating the continuing criminal enterprise and use of interstate facilities to commit violence in furtherance of racketeering. The defendants are residents of Miami-Dade County. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Stephanie Daniels, Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), Sherea Green, Director of the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department, Special Agent in Charge Jefferey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Division, Deanne L. Reuter, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Dr. Judith Bernier, Chair of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust made the announcement. This case was investigated by a Task Force formed by the Miami-Dade Police and Corrections Departments, with the support of federal, state, and local partners, to combat drug trafficking organizations operating in the Miami-Dade correctional facilities with the assistance of corrupt public officials. The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Department of Corrections provided significant assistance. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ignacio J. Vázquez, Jr. and Trial Attorney Melanie G. Wegner are prosecuting this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annika Miranda is handling asset forfeiture. This investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Individuals with information about corruption should contact the FBI Miami Area’s Task Force at https://tips.fbi.gov/ . Anyone with information related to possible ethics violations is asked to contact the Miami-Dade County Commission on Ethics and Public Trust at 786-314-9560 or ethics@miamidade.gov . 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-20543. ###


title: Rapid Health Agrees to Pay $8.2M for Allegedly Billing Medicare for Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Tests That Were Not Provided to Beneficiaries

component: Civil Division

body_text: Covid Test DMV LLC, doing business as Rapid Health (Rapid Health), a pharmacy located in Los Angeles, has agreed to pay the United States $8,242,860 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by knowingly submitting or causing the submission of false claims to Medicare for over-the-counter (OTC) Covid-19 tests that were not provided to Medicare beneficiaries. Between April 2022 and May 2023, Rapid Health distributed OTC Covid-19 tests in connection with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) OTC Covid-19 Test Demonstration Project (Demonstration Project). During the Demonstration Project, Medicare Part B beneficiaries could request OTC Covid-19 tests from participating providers, and CMS would reimburse those providers for up to eight OTC Covid-19 tests per Medicare Part B beneficiary per month at a fixed rate of $12 per test. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Rapid Health knowingly submitted or caused the submission of claims to Medicare for OTC Covid-19 tests that Rapid Health never provided to Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare patients could order OTC Covid-19 tests from Rapid Health during the Demonstration Project through Rapid Health’s website. When Rapid Health received an order, it was supposed to process the order, generate a shipping label, and send the OTC Covid-19 test to the beneficiary. The United States alleged that issues with Rapid Health’s processing procedures caused Rapid Health to bill orders to Medicare without shipping the test to the beneficiary, and that although Rapid Health was aware of these issues it nevertheless continued to bill Medicare for tests that were not shipped. “The Demonstration Project was designed to increase the availability of OTC Covid-19 tests to Medicare beneficiaries in an unprecedented time of need,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Providers that knowingly billed for tests that were never given to patients failed to support the goals of the project and defrauded the American taxpayers.” “This outcome serves as a reminder of our unwavering commitment to combat health care fraud and investigate those who allegedly attempt to exploit and defraud Medicare and other federally funded health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “With our local, state and federal partners, HHS-OIG will continue to work aggressively to ensure the dependability and the integrity of the Medicare program.” The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and HHS-OIG. Trial Attorney Lindsay DeFrancesco of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section handled the matter. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across the federal government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Attempted Robber Who Shot Elderly Man on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation Sentenced To More Than 13 Years In Prison

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DURANGO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Lovell Cassius Benallie, age 27, of Kirtland, New Mexico, was sentenced to a total of 166 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation. The prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. According to the plea agreement and information presented at sentencing, on August 24, 2023, Benallie and an associate traveled from New Mexico to the Ute Mountain Ute Casino. After gambling, Benallie went to the nearby Ute Mountain Ute Travel Center and approached an elderly Navajo man preparing to use the laundry facility. In an interaction that lasted about eighteen seconds, Benallie said, “give me all your money” and pointed a 9mm gun at the man. When the man replied, “what money” Benallie aimed and fired the gun at the man’s leg. Benallie fled the scene. The victim was airlifted to Grand Junction for medical treatment and suffered serious and enduring injuries. Benallie had several prior felony convictions, including a conviction for aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon in Farmington, New Mexico. “The defendant acted callously and purposelessly,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “Gun violence will not be tolerated on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation and our office reaffirms our intention to vigorously violent crimes on our reservations.” "This defendant coldly and callously shot a total stranger during an attempted robbery. Any such act of violence on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation gets the full attention of FBI Denver," said Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. "In this case we were assisted by the Farmington, New Mexico, Police Department. We will continue to support the Bureau of Indian Affairs and those who live on the reservation by investigating criminal acts and removing the perpetrators from the community." United States District Court Judge Gordon P. Gallagher sentenced the defendant on December 16, 2024. The Federal Bureau of Investigation office in Durango conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey K. Graves handled the prosecution. Case Number: 1:23-cr-00383-GPG-JMC-1


title: Two Maryland Men Indicted for Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme of More Than $1 Million

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging two Maryland men on federal charges related to a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million in unemployment insurance benefits. On February 1, 2024, a grand jury returned a sealed indictment of Daiwor Woah-Tee, age 51, of Belcamp, Maryland, and Dekwii Woah-Tee, age 46, of Rosedale, Maryland with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft, respectively, relating to a scheme to obtain more than $1,000,000 in unemployment insurance benefits. The indictment was unsealed upon the arrest of the defendants. The defendants had an initial appearance on December 18, 2024, in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Austin. The indictment was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations for the National Capital Region (DOL-OIG), and Inspector General Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari, Department Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). As detailed in the indictment, unemployment insurance (“UI”) was a joint state and federal program that provided monetary benefits to eligible beneficiaries. UI payments were intended to provide temporary financial assistance to lawful workers who were unemployed through no fault of their own. Beginning in or around March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several federal programs expanded UI eligibility and increased UI benefits, including the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), and the Lost Wages Assistance Program (LWAP). In Maryland, those seeking UI benefits submitted online applications. Applicants had to answer specific questions to establish eligibility to receive UI benefits, including their name, Social Security Number (SSN), and mailing address, among other things. Applicants also had to self-certify that they met a COVID-19-related reason for being unemployed, partially employed, or unable to work. Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) relied upon the information in the application to determine UI benefits eligibility. Once an application was approved, the MD-DOL typically distributed state and federal UI benefits electronically to a debit card, which claimants could use to withdraw funds and/or make purchases. As alleged in the indictment, from March 2020 to September 2021, the defendants conspired to commit wire fraud defrauding State Workforce Agencies (SWA), including the MD-DOL, by impersonating victim individuals for the purpose of submitting fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance. The defendants used victim personal identifying information (PII), including name, date of birth, and/or SSN submit applications for UI benefits. The UI benefits obtained through the scheme was more than $1,000,000. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison that runs consecutive to any other sentence. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. U.S. Attorney Barron commended the DOL-OIG, DHS-OIG, and IRS-CI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John D’Amico and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared W. Murphy, who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Corcoran Correctional Officer Charged With Conspiring With An Inmate To Assault Another Inmate

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO , Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against Raquel Mosqueda, 36, of Porterville, California, and Jimmie L. Carter, 44, charging them with conspiring to violate the constitutional rights of another inmate at California State Prison-Corcoran, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Mosqueda was a Correctional Officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and Carter was an inmate. According to court documents, on or around April 20, 2022, Mosqueda, while serving as a correctional officer at California State Prison-Corcoran, agreed with Carter to permit Carter to “get rid of” the victim. Mosqueda facilitated an assault of the victim by permitting Carter and other inmates to enter the victim’s cell and assault him. The assault caused bodily injury to the victim. Mosqueda is additionally charged with depriving the victim of his constitutional right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment, which includes the right to be reasonably protected from the threat of violence by fellow inmates. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Escobar and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice are prosecuting the case. If convicted, Mosqueda and Carter face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge. Mosqueda faces an additional 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the charge of deprivation of constitutional rights. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Former CEO of IT Company Charged with Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Bankruptcy Fraud in Connection with Various Fraudulent Schemes

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The former CEO of a Birmingham IT company has been charged with wire fraud, money laundering, and bankruptcy fraud in connection with schemes to defraud his customers and a Covid-19 program, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis. A nineteen-count indictment filed in United States District Court charges Thomas Aaron Kane , 44, with twelve counts of wire fraud related to a scheme to defraud customers, five counts of wire fraud related to a scheme to commit Covid-19 program fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of bankruptcy fraud. According to the indictment, Kane was the owner and CEO of Keep Information Technology Simple, LLC and later Keepitsimple.us LLC, both of which provided IT services and support for businesses, particularly businesses in the healthcare industry. The indictment brings four different types of charges against Kane. First, the indictment alleges that between at least July 2017 and December 2021, Kane devised a scheme to defraud his customers. Kane’s customers would place a credit card or banking information on file to pay for a monthly service fee and any authorized expenses. However, Kane began using his customer’s credit cards and banking information to make unauthorized charges. When confronted about these charges, Kane would make up an excuse—such as claiming that there had been an accounting error. Kane would also often create false invoices that he would send to a customer. The indictment lists twelve different examples of these unauthorized charges. Second, the indictment alleges that between April 2020 and May 2021, Kane engaged in a scheme to receive unauthorized funds under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) from the Small Business Administration. Kane made false representations to obtain three PPP loans totaling more than $625,000 . Additionally, Kane attempted to receive two more PPP loans in the name of his second business, Keepitsimple.us, totaling more than $450,000. Kane made additional false representations in support of these two loan applications and submitted false tax documents with his applications to try and get them approved. Third, the indictment charges Kane with money laundering based on an unlawful monetary transaction exceeding $10,000. More specifically, Kane used $150,000 in PPP funds to repay a prior victim of his unauthorized-charges scheme. Fourth, the indictment alleges that Kane committed bankruptcy fraud when he withdrew a cashier’s check in the amount of $20,941.66 from a Keepitsimple.us bank account and deposited these funds into a personal bank account, even though these funds constituted property of the Keepitsimple.us bankruptcy estate and were funds that he was not allowed to use. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is twenty years in prison. The maximum penalty for money laundering is ten years in prison. The maximum penalty for bankruptcy fraud is five years in prison. The United States Secret Service investigated the case with assistance from the Trussville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan S. Rummage is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Extradited Canadian National Sentenced To Life  In Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Paul Creighton (67, Ontario, Canada) to life in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material and enticement of a minor. Creighton entered a guilty plea on August 19, 2024. According to the plea agreement and evidence presented at sentencing, between 2012 and 2017, Creighton coerced and enticed minor children throughout the United States, including Florida, Virginia, Georgia, and California to create images and videos of themselves performing sexual acts. One such victim, a 14-year-old girl living in Osceola County, was coerced by Creighton via social media applications. In April 2017, the victim confided in a friend about the relationship she engaged in with Creighton. The friend notified a high school guidance counselor, who notified the victim’s parents, who then immediately called law enforcement. After being discovered, Creighton advised the victim on what to say to her parents, to reset her phone, reformat her hard drive, and delete messages between them. Creighton later threatened the victim, and told her he would share her images and videos if the victim did not continue to speak to him. In October 2017, FBI agents seized various electronic devices from Creighton. Agents obtained search warrants and conducted forensic reviews of those devices, which revealed photographs of the minor victim, online searches for the victim and their family, as well as numerous searches for other minor children throughout the United States. On or about October 24, 2017—at the same time that Creighton was flying to Washington, DC from Toronto—detectives with the Niagara Regional Police in coordination with the FBI, executed a Canadian search warrant at Creighton’s residence in Ontario. In his home, agents recovered hundreds of images of minor children, including images of child sexual abuse of the minor victims. Creighton was indicted in 2018 and was taken into custody by Canadian authorities on November 12, 2020. On February 8, 2024, Creighton was extradited to the United States, and has been in custody since that date. “The life sentence will guarantee no other child falls victim to this man’s horrific abuse,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “Our special agents and analysts work these tough investigations with compassion and commitment to ensure justice is served and the innocent are protected from predators.” This investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tampa Field Office. Significant assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Niagara Regional Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Creighton to the United States. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Announce Second Superseding Indictment, Bringing Additional Kidnapping and Assault Charges Against Serial Murderer, Kidnapper, and Sexual Abuser Labar Tsethlikai

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Federal prosecutors have filed six additional charges against Labar Tsethlikai for kidnapping and assault with a dangerous weapon. The additional charges are part of a larger series of violent crimes committed by Tsethlikai against Native American men across New Mexico between 2022 and 2024. The added charges correspond to 5 additional victims. Labar Tsethlikai , 51, an enrolled Member of Zuni Pueblo, now faces a 17-count second superseding indictment charging him with five additional counts of kidnapping and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon as follows: Count 5: Kidnapping of John Doe 3 on or about May 19, 2023, in Indian Country, McKinley County, New Mexico Count 11: Kidnapping of John Doe 6 on or about August 24, 2023, in Indian Country, McKinley County, New Mexico Count 12: Assault with a dangerous weapon (baseball bat) against John Doe 6 on or about August 24, 2023, in Indian Country, McKinley County, New Mexico Count 13: Kidnapping of John Doe 7 on or about September 7, 2023, in Indian Country, McKinley County, New Mexico Count 14: Kidnapping of John Doe 8 on or about September 15, 2023, in Indian Country, McKinley County, New Mexico Count 16: Kidnapping of John Doe 10 on or about April 5, 2024, in Bernalillo County, New Mexico In total, the second superseding indictment identifies 11 victims of Tsethlikai . The investigation is ongoing. Tsethlikai was initially charged with second degree murder on April 25, 2024. On July 31, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Tsethlikai in an 11-count superseding indictment with two counts of kidnapping resulting in death, one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree felony murder, four counts of kidnapping, one count assault with intent to commit murder, one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and one count of aggravated sexual abuse: Count 1: On October 22, 2022, Tsethlikai allegedly kidnapped and murdered John Doe 1. Count 2: On January 18, 2024, Tsethlikai allegedly murdered John Doe 2 willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation. Count 3: On January 18, 2024, Tsethlikai allegedly killed John Doe 2 during the commission of a kidnapping and sexual abuse. Count 4: On January 18, 2024, Tsethlikai allegedly kidnapped John Doe 2 and death resulted. Count 6: On June 15, 2023, Tsethlikai allegedly kidnapped John Doe 4. Count 7: On June 15, 2023, Tsethlikai allegedly assaulted John Doe 4 with the specific intent to commit murder. Count 8: On June 15, 2023, Tsethlikai allegedly assaulted John Doe 4, and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury. Count 9: On July 13, 2023, Tsethlikai kidnapped John Doe 5. Count 10: On July 13, 2023, Tsethlikai allegedly sexually abused John Doe 5 by force and threats, and the sexual act consisted of contact between the penis of Tsethlikai and the mouth of John Doe 5. Count 15: On February 16, 2024, Tsethlikai allegedly kidnapped John Doe 9 using interstate facilities and instrumentalities. Count 17: On April 11, 2024, Tsethlikai allegedly kidnapped John Doe 11 using interstate facilities and instrumentalities. If convicted, Tsethlikai faces a mandatory life sentence or death for the kidnapping resulting in death and first-degree murder charges, up to twenty years imprisonment on the assault with intent to murder charge, up to ten years imprisonment on the assault resulting in serious bodily injury charge, and any number of years up to life for the kidnapping and aggravated sexual abuse charges. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, led by Special Agent Mark Stephenson, is investigating this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department’s Homicide Unit, Sex Crimes Unit, and Air Support Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. McGinley and Mark A. Probasco are prosecuting the case, with victim support provided by the FBI’s Victim Services Division, the United States Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Unit, and Utah Navajo Health Systems, Inc., Victim Services. The FBI continues to investigate Tsethlikai’s involvement in crimes against other victims. If you have reason to believe you or someone you know may be a victim, or have information about Tsethlikai, please call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. Labar Tsethlikai is approximately 5’7” and weighs 180 pounds. He is heavyset, has short brown hair, brown eyes, and wears glasses. He sometimes wears a gold bracelet. He is from Zuni, but travels extensively around New Mexico, including Gallup, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe. He is believed to work in the Native American jewelry industry and may be a Zuni jewely artist. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of Indigenous victims and their families. View the Second Superseding Indictment (Tsethlikai).pdf # # #


title: Lee’s Summit Teacher Charged with Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Lee’s Summit West High School teacher has been charged in federal court on charges related to child pornography. Seth Brummond, 37, of Greenwood, Mo., was charged in a two-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, Dec. 19. Brummond will have his initial court appearance this afternoon. The federal criminal complaint charges Brummond with one count of distributing child pornography over the internet and one count of possessing child pornography from September 1 to December 18, 2024. According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Lee’s Summit police officers received a Cyber Tip on Sept. 8, 2024, that a user (later identified as Brummond) had uploaded 12 videos of child pornography via the Kik Messenger application. On Thursday, Dec. 19, Lee’s Summit law enforcement officers placed Brummond’s residence under surveillance for the purpose of serving federal search warrants. Officers followed Brummond when he left his house and at about 6 a.m. officers conducted a traffic stop and placed Brummond under arrest. Officers seized his iPhone as well as a computer tower that was in the trunk of his car. The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: An East Idaho Woman and Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Separate Cases for Committing Sex Crimes Involving Minor Children

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate eastern Idaho cases in which the defendants were sentenced to 25 years and 17.5 years in federal prison, respectively, for sex crimes against minor children. “It is a sad reality that these types of defendants exist in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Fortunately for Idaho, our office’s team of prosecutors and victim advocates does a fantastic job working with dedicated federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement officers to hold these criminals accountable. We will continue to do as much as possible to protect Idaho’s kids and support survivors of abuse.” Rexanna Marie Johnston, 33, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. She was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to the victim directly harmed and another $15,000 to five different victims in the images of child sexual abuse material that Johnston possessed. According to court records, on July 17, 2023, detectives with the Idaho Falls Police Department and the Idaho Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force began an investigation after receiving a report that child sexual abuse material had been uploaded to an online file storage account. Detectives determined that the account belonged to Johnston. Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant on Johnston’s residence and electronic devices. Detectives discovered that Johnston had produced images of child sexual abuse material of an infant that was in her custody. Detectives further recovered online chat communications between Johnston and two other individuals, Nicholas Glen Baker, 37 of Twin Falls, and Dale John Hensel, 54 of Rigby. Baker requested the production of specific child sexual abuse material, which Johnston produced and sent to Baker. Hensel also received images of child sexual abuse material from Johnston. On September 10, 2024, Baker was sentenced to 288 months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the sexual exploitation of a child. On October 1, 2024, Hensel pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, and is awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for February 12, 2025. “HSI agents have no tolerance for the exploitation of children and will work tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice,” said Matthew Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI Seattle. “Child sex abuse is one of the most heinous crimes HSI investigates, given the profound and lasting psychological and physical damage it inflicts on victims, and we hope this sentence bring some closure for the victims. We appreciate our law enforcement partners including the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, ICAC Task Force and the Idaho Falls Police Department along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting the case.” In a separate case, Jonathan Douglas Mohr, 46, of Ammon, was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography. Mohr was also ordered to pay $141,500 in restitution to the victims in the images of child sexual abuse material that he distributed and possessed. According to court records, in September 2023, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Mohr’s residence in Ammon, after a concerned citizen reported they had observed child sexual abuse material on one of Mohr’s electronic devices. During the search warrant, law enforcement recovered a tablet, which contained more than 26,000 images of child sexual abuse material. Communications recovered from the tablet revealed that Mohr was distributing child sexual abuse material to other individuals using the Telegram messaging application. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Johnston to serve a lifetime of supervised release and Mohr to serve ten years of supervised release following their prison sentences. Johnston and Mohr will be required to register as sex offenders as a result of their convictions. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force for their work in both cases and additionally thanked Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls and the Idaho Falls Police Department for their investigation in the Johnston case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted the Johnston case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blackadar prosecuted the Mohr case. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Billings woman who trafficked meth for Washington suppliers sentenced to eight years in prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings woman who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine from a Billings residence as part of a multi-state organization supplied by Washington sources was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Anita Mae Ballestersos, 36, pleaded guilty in August to possession with intent to distribute meth. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. In court documents, the government alleged that beginning in September 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated a group of meth traffickers, including Ballesteros, in the Billings area and twice purchased meth from Ballesteros in controlled buys. Ballesteros was one of seven defendants involved in a multi-state drug trafficking ring that operated from a residence on Sugar Avenue in Billings. A group of males from Washington brought to Montana pounds of meth that Ballesteros and a co-defendant distributed to their network of dealers. Ballesteros was known to distribute most of the meth from this Washington group and sold in ounce and half-pound quantities. Ballesteros also was obtaining and providing firearms to her Washington sources. A co-defendant described Ballesteros as having enough meth to “keep Billings awake.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison

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

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Kendrick D. Bates, 40 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after a jury found him guilty of distributing methamphetamine, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and maintaining a drug-involved premises, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Bates was sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, Bates distributed methamphetamine in late 2021 and also maintained a drug distribution house from September 2021 through March 2022. When his residence was searched in March 2022, several firearms were recovered. Since Bates had a previous felony conviction for dealing in cocaine, narcotic drug, or methamphetamine, he was prohibited from possessing the firearms in this case. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the Fort Wayne Police Department, with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory, the Fort Wayne Police Laboratory, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the United States Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony W. Geller and Teresa L Ashcraft. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Kilo Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced to 40 Years

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A New Bern man was sentenced to 40 years in prison for trafficking and distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl for a large-scale drug trafficking operation in Craven County. On August 8, 2024, a Raleigh jury found Lucio Camargo Garcia guilty of the charges. “Garcia took advantage of Craven County’s most hopeless souls, extracting profit from their pain and addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “Too many of our friends, families, and neighbors are battling addiction. The Craven County Sheriff’s Office and New Bern Police won’t stand by and let armed drug traffickers push kilos of fentanyl and meth in our community unchecked, and neither will we. Eastern North Carolina traffickers take note - our partnership is for the long haul, and we won’t let off.” “This sentencing sends a clear message that our community will not tolerate the trafficking of dangerous drugs like methamphetamines and fentanyl,” said HSI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant, HSI Charlotte covers North and South Carolina. “These substances devastate lives and destroy communities. HSI and its partners are committed to holding those who profit from this destruction accountable. This is a warning to those who engage in this illegal activity – we will pursue justice relentlessly.” “This investigation identified Garcia as a major importer and distributor of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Craven County,” said Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes. “His prosecution, along with his co-conspirators has resulted in a significant reduction in the availability of these dangerous drugs in our communities.” According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the New Bern Police Department, the State Bureau of Investigation, and other state and local agencies launched an investigation into a large-scale drug trafficking organization responsible for acquiring kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from the southwest border of the United States and distributing the drugs in and around Craven County. Through the use of confidential sources, surveillance, enforcement actions, and controlled purchases, Garcia was identified as the primary distributor of methamphetamine and fentanyl who re-sold the product to both drug users and other area dealers. From January to October 2022, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Garcia. On October 31, 2022, search warrants were executed at residences associated with the drug trafficking organization, including Garcia’s residence. Law enforcement seized approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine, approximately nine hundred grams of fentanyl (powder and pill form), and a loaded firearm from Garcia’s residence. Most of the drugs were located in a secret compartment in the ceiling of Garcia’s bedroom closet. This investigation was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The DEA, HSI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, New Bern Police Department, and Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Englander and Caroline Webb prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-CR-75-D-RJ-2.


title: Lodge Grass man sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing child on Crow Indian Reservation

body_text: BILLINGS — A Lodge Grass man who admitted to sexually abusing a child on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced on Dec. 18 to 20 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Marty Edward Plenty Hawk, 30, pleaded guilty in August to aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact of a child as charged in an indictment. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. “Plenty Hawk manipulated and subjected the victim, a child, to years of sexual abuse. I am relieved he will serve extensive time in federal prison because his repeated conduct toward this child was unconscionable. Our office and law enforcement partners have no greater responsibility than to protect kids by holding dangerous people accountable. This prosecution shows we won’t hesitate to honor that responsibility, which we will continue to do in the future,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. In court documents, the government alleged that between 2021 and May 2023 near Lodge Grass, on the Crow Indian Reservation, Plenty Hawk forced the victim, identified as Jane Doe 1, who was under the age of 12, to engage in a sexual act and in sexual conduct. On May 2, 2023, law enforcement arrested Plenty Hawk after a domestic disturbance at his residence. While in custody, Plenty Hawk wrote a confession that he had been carrying on a sexual relationship with Jane Doe 1. A sexual assault examination of Jane Doe 1 noted injuries consistent with child sexual abuse. In an interview with law enforcement, Plenty Hawk again admitted to having a sexual relationship with Jane Doe 1, including sexual intercourse multiple times. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Gainesville Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Stealing Social Security Disability Benefits

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Keith Allen Courtney (53, Gainesville) to 13 months in federal prison for conspiracy. As part of his sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $71,208, the proceeds of conspiracy. Courtney pled guilty on April 12, 2024. According to court documents, Courtney conspired to defraud the Social Security Administration (SSA) by concealing his work activity while applying for and receiving SSA Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB). Based on the false and incomplete information provided by Courtney, SSA approved his application for DIB and issued monthly benefit payments on his behalf. In total, Courtney received $71,208 in DIB to which he was not entitled between February 2016 and May 2020. This case was investigated by Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.


title: Clay County Convicted Felon Sentenced To Federal Prison On Firearm Charge

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Anthony Rodriguez, Jr. (32, Orange Park) to 21 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Rodriguez was arrested on July 9, 2024, and ordered detained. According to court records, on May 11, 2024, Rodriguez shoplifted merchandise from a Wal-Mart in Clay County. Wal-Mart personnel stopped Rodriguez and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) subsequently responded. As the CCSO searched Rodriguez during his arrest, a loaded Glock 43 9mm pistol fell to the ground from Rodriguez’s clothing. At the time of the incident, Rodriguez had seven previous felony convictions, including two convictions involving a firearm and ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty To Transporting Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jonathan Patrick Maston (59, Pass Christian, MS) has pleaded guilty to transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Maston faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. A sentencing hearing is set for March 6, 2025. According to the plea agreement, in April 2022, Maston arrived in Port Canaveral, returning from an international cruise. As he was disembarking the ship, Maston was referred for a secondary inspection. A search of his cellphone revealed CSAM images and videos. During an interview with law enforcement agents, Maston admitted to viewing CSAM over the last 15 years. A search warrant was also executed on Maston’s iCloud account, which revealed additional CSAM. In total, the contents of Maston’s cellphone and iCloud account contained more than 1,000 CSAM images and videos. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Lake County Woman Pleads Guilty To Multi-Kilogram Drug Offense

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Tonya Lynn Romero (37, Okahumpka) has pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute it. Romero faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing hearing is set for April 10, 2025. According to the plea agreement, law enforcement conducted a narcotics interdiction operation at the Orlando International Airport, which resulted in a canine alerting to the presence of drugs in a suitcase that had been checked in Romero’s name. After Romero took possession of the luggage, law enforcement approached, and she provided consent to search the suitcase. Inside, law enforcement located over 13 kilograms of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Orlando Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.


title: Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Dealer from Blackfoot Sentenced to Over 6 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: POCATELLO – Jeremy Orvil Johnson, 37, of Blackfoot, was sentenced to 75 months and 23 days in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, on January 11, 2024, officers stopped Johnson for speeding and failing to display a license plate. Prior to the vehicle coming to a stop, officers observed Johnson throw an item from the vehicle onto the side of the highway. Officers located a sock in the snow on the side of the road. The sock contained 347 grams of fentanyl and 39.6 grams of methamphetamine. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Johnson to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge in September 2024. U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation, which led to the charges in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoie Laggis prosecuted this case. This case was handled by the U.S. Attorney Office’s specially deputized Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), funded by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP) and the State of Idaho. The EIP is a coalition of local city and county officials in Eastern Idaho as well as the Idaho Department of Correction. The EIP SAUSA program allows law enforcement to use the federal criminal justice system – through the EIP SAUSA – to prosecute, convict, and sentence violent, armed criminals and drug traffickers. These criminals often receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts. This program was created in January 2016. Since that time, approximately 175 defendants have been indicted by the EIP SAUSA. Of these defendants, 152 have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. The defendants indicted under the program have been sentenced to 10,844 months (approximately 903.66 years) in federal prison, representing an average prison sentence of 75.30 months (6.28 years). Defendants indicted for drug trafficking offenses serve, on average, approximately 62.11 months (5.17 years) in federal prison. ###


title: Brevard County Man Sentenced To More Than 16 Years For Distributing Multiple Kilograms Of Methamphetamine

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Joseph Michael Schneider (58, Cocoa) to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison for possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute them. Schneider pleaded guilty on August 14, 2024. According to the plea agreement, law enforcement used a confidential source and undercover agent to conduct three controlled purchases of approximately 900 grams of methamphetamine each from Schneider, which took place at his residence. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at that residence, which resulted in the recovery of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine, over 100 grams of cocaine, and a small quantity of a fentanyl analog. In total, Schneider was responsible for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute over 7 kilograms of methamphetamine. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Brevard County Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.


title: Exeter Man on Federal Supervised Release Detained on Multiple Charges

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – An Exeter man, currently serving a term of federal supervised release related to his previous convictions for possession of stolen mail and bank fraud, has been ordered detained on federal charges brough this week after he was allegedly discovered to be in possession of stolen checks, various items used for fishing mail out of mail receptacles, supplies to alter or deface checks, and unlawful possession of ammunition, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Edmilson Rodrigues, 26, is charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, possession of stolen mail, and being a felon in possession of ammunition. It is alleged in charging documents that on December 17, 2024, during a court-authorized search of Rodrigues’ home, law enforcement seized approximately fifty stolen business and personal checks valued at approximately $36,000; hundreds of sheets of blank check paper; a check washing basin and cleaning materials used to deface and alter checks; a laptop and printer; and various items used to fish mail from U.S. Postal Service receptacles, such as mousetraps, glue, and string; and ammunition. According to court records, Rodrigues was convicted in U.S. District Court in 2019 for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud involving a counterfeit check scheme; and in 2023 for possession of stolen mail that involved possession of nearly 100 stolen and fraudulent checks worth nearly $100,000. The most recent charges filed against Rodrigues are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Ly T. Chin. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Newport Police Department, Providence Police Department, and Pawtucket Police Department. ###


title: Former Marine Sentenced to 12 Years for Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A former marine was sentenced to 144 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release, and $273,000 in restitution to 29 victims, for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court documents and other information presented in court, Paul Anthony Reyes, 23, was investigated by the investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services after Instagram reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that one of its users had uploaded contraband to its platform. The IP address used to upload the illegal content was linked to Reyes who was an active duty Marine stationed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point. NCIS agents executed a search warrant on the Instagram account which revealed Reyes was willing to trade and distribute child pornography material to other Instagram users. Subsequently, NCIS executed a search warrant on Reyes’ person and barracks. Multiple digital devices were seized and forensically analyzed pursuant to the search warrant. On those devices, law enforcement found thousands of images and videos of child pornography. Many of them depicted sadistic and masochistic conduct. Reyes possessed multiple images and videos depicting the rape and abuse of infants and toddlers. Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle presided over the sentencing. The Naval Criminal Investigative Services investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-1-BO.


title: Two-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Prison for Drug and Firearm Charges

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for drug and firearm charges. Jose Perez, 27, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor to 142 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In August 2024, Perez was convicted after a five day jury trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. In January 2023, Perez was arrested and charged along with co-defendant Henry Del Rio. In December 2022, police officers attempted to stop a vehicle speeding through Lexington, Mass. that Perez was driving. Instead of pulling over, Perez accelerated and engaged in a high-speed escape attempt, traveling more than 85 miles per hour on residential streets, crashing head-first into another vehicle, and ultimately losing control and colliding into a post. As Perez exited the vehicle, a loaded Glock 34X 9mm semi-automatic handgun dropped to the ground. Perez and Del Rio, his passenger, then fled and led officers on a foot chase through a Stop and Shop parking lot. After officers apprehended Perez and Del Rio, Perez was found with over $2,000 cash in his pockets. Officers also recovered a bag of cocaine and a bag containing 44 smaller, individually wrapped bags of fentanyl in Del Rio’s flight path, as well as a bag of cocaine in the vehicle Perez had crashed. At the time, Perez was on supervised release in connection with two prior federal convictions: one in 2017 for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, and one in 2020 for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and felon in possession of a firearm. Given Perez’s status as a felon, he is barred from possessing a firearm. In May 2024, Del Rio pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled sentences and is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2025. United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lexington, Chelsea and MBTA Police Departments and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Crowley and Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Convicted felon admits to illegal firearms possession

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 49-year-old Houston man has been convicted illegally possessing six firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Christopher Curry admitted he was a convicted felon and planned to exchange the guns for marijuana. At the time of his arrest Oct. 17, authorities found him in possession of six firearms. In his vehicle were a shotgun, a pistol and several semiautomatic rifles. Curry has three felony convictions to include two drug possessions and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As such, he is prohibited of possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law. Senior U.S. District Judge Sim Lake accepted the plea and set sentencing for March 14, 2025. At that time he faces up to 15 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. The Houston Police Department Northeast Crime Suppression Team and the Department of Public Safety conducted the joint investigation with the assistance of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Crime Gun Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ganz is prosecuting the case.


title: Three Twin Cities Men Indicted in Narcotics Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Three individuals have been charged in a conspiracy to acquire scheduled controlled substances by fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Oscar Becerra-Ruiz, 21, Jasper William Johnson, 19, and Rayjaun Keon Varner, 23, knowingly conspired with each other to obtain promethazine with codeine, a controlled substance. From approximately December 2022 and continuing through on or about August 3, 2023, the defendants used paid internet-based record searches to secure identifying information of registered physicians practicing in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Johnson then used this information to illegally access the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Registrant Information Consolidated System (RICS), a government-run database designed to track physician registration, compliance, and reporting, and to prevent the diversion of controlled substances from legitimate medical sources to the illicit black market. The indictment alleges that after gaining access to multiple physicians’ RICS accounts, Johnson changed the physicians’ valid contact information in the system to phone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses he and his co-conspirators maintained and controlled. The defendants then used the stolen and compromised information to set up physician customer accounts with several online pharmaceutical wholesalers. Using pre-paid debit cards and peer-to-peer payment accounts also registered in the physicians’ names, the defendants unlawfully placed dozens of orders with the pharmaceutical vendors for controlled substances, including promethazine with codeine, a prescription-strength cough syrup containing the opioid codeine. To date, the investigation, which remains ongoing, has not uncovered any evidence of patients or patient information having been compromised by the defendants. Becerra-Ruiz, Johnson, and Varner were each charged with conspiracy to obtain controlled substances by fraud and attempt to obtain controlled substances by fraud. Johnson was charged with an additional 11 counts of wire fraud, 3 counts of accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, and 4 counts of aggravated identity theft. The defendants will be arraigned at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren O. Roso and Allen A. Slaughter are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Louisville Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearms Offense

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced yesterday to a total of 27 years in federal prison for numerous felony offenses, including conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and escape. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. “This case demonstrates the positive impact that flows from collaborative law enforcement efforts,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. Our federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships in Louisville are key to making the community safer. I commend the work of ATF and LMPD, as well as the federal, state, and local agencies from across the country who assisted them. The result in this case - the removal of two violent individuals from the streets for a lengthy period - makes the city safer for all who live, work, and visit here.” According to court documents, Chicoby Summers , 29, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by 5 years supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over one kilogram of fentanyl, over 250 grams of heroin, and a mixture of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack cocaine,” possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and escape. Summers was sentenced to an additional 2 years in prison, to run consecutively with the 25-year sentence for a total of 27 years, for violation of his supervised release. Summers and his co-defendant, Jerlen Horton , were convicted following a seven-day jury trial in July of this year. In November of this year, Horton was sentenced to serve 29 years and a 6 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over one kilogram of fentanyl, over 250 grams of heroin, and a mixture of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack cocaine,” possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. There is no parole in the federal system. The ATF and LMPD investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI, DEA, United States Postal Inspection Service, Kentucky State Police, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Long Beach California Police Department, Verdigris Oklahoma Police Department, and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Josh Porter prosecuted the case, with assistance from paralegal Adela Alic. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: United States Joins Lawsuit Against Former Executives of Kabbage Inc.  Alleging False Claims Act Violations in Connection with Paycheck Protection Program Lending

body_text: The United States has intervened and filed a complaint against Robert Frohwein, Kathryn Petralia and Spencer Robinson, three former executives of Kabbage Inc., a now-bankrupt financial technology company. The United States alleges that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting and causing the submission of false claims for loan forgiveness, loan guarantees and processing fees to the Small Business Administration (SBA) in connection with Kabbage’s participation in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “The PPP was intended to provide critical assistance to eligible businesses during the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that PPP lenders — including their executives — are held accountable for contributing to the misuse of PPP funds by knowingly failing to comply with applicable program requirements, including approving PPP loans in inflated amounts and to ineligible borrowers.” Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide federally guaranteed loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA administered the PPP. The CARES Act authorized private lenders to approve PPP loans for eligible borrowers who could later seek forgiveness of the loans so long as they used loan funds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. Among other things, participating PPP lenders were required to confirm borrowers’ average monthly payroll costs by reviewing the payroll documentation submitted with the borrower’s application. Lenders were also required to follow applicable Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering requirements to help combat fraud. Any unforgiven or defaulted PPP loans made by lenders were guaranteed by the SBA, so long as the lenders adhered to PPP requirements. Lenders who originated PPP loans were paid a fixed fee calculated as a percentage of the loan amount by the SBA. According to the government’s complaint, Frohwein and Petralia co-founded Kabbage in 2008 and served as the company’s chief executive officer and president, respectively, while Robinson formerly served as the company’s head of strategy. Kabbage was approved as a PPP lender in 2020 and approved more than $7 billion in PPP loans that year for which the company was paid more than $217 million in processing fees after certifying that it had complied with all applicable lending requirements. The complaint alleges that, between April and October 2020, the defendants knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims for loan guarantees, loan forgiveness and processing fees relating to tens of thousands of PPP loans that were systemically inflated due to calculation errors by Kabbage. These errors allegedly included Kabbage’s double-counting of state and local taxes paid by employees and the failure to exclude annual compensation in excess of $100,000 per employee from its calculation of payroll costs. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that the defendants knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims for processing fees related to tens of thousands of PPP loans where Kabbage failed to implement appropriate fraud controls. The government’s complaint alleges that the defendants ignored these violations to maximize PPP processing fees before selling off the majority of Kabbage’s assets in October 2020. Kabbage Inc., which is now winding down its operations as KServicing Wind Down Corp. after filing for bankruptcy in the wake of the 2020 asset sale, previously agreed to resolve allegations relating to its role in the submission of false claims to the SBA. As part of that settlement, the United States received a general unsecured claim in the bankruptcy proceeding of up to $120 million, and the company received a credit for $12.5 million that Kabbage returned to SBA during the department’s investigation. “The PPP was a light providing hope to businesses in the midst of the shadow of a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “Unfortunately, some unscrupulous lenders and executives took advantage of that situation by lining their pockets with ill-gotten incentive payments from processing PPP loans despite not performing even the most cursory fraud checks or reviews of borrower documentation. Individuals who shirked their responsibilities at the expense of the public fisc must be held accountable. This lawsuit against Kabbage’s former executives demonstrates our firm commitment to holding all parties responsible for their part in causing the submission of false claims to the PPP.” “SBA’s lending partners have a responsibility to ensure only eligible borrowers gain access to SBA’s programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Brady Ipock of the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG)’s Central Region. “SBA OIG stands ready to support the Justice Department in rooting out greed and wrongful actions. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.” The lawsuit was originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Paul Pietschner, a former analyst in Kabbage’s collections department. The FCA permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in any recovery. The FCA also permits the United States to intervene in such an action, as it has done in this case. A defendant who violates the act is subject to liability for three times the government’s losses, plus applicable penalties. On May 17, 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across the federal government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Trial Attorney Sarah E. Loucks of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Betty Young for the Eastern District of Texas are handling the matter, with assistance provided by the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Pietschner v. Kabbage, Inc., et al ., No. 4:21-cv-110-SDJ (EDTX). The claims asserted by the United States are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: Texas title company employee admits to orchestrating $350,000 real estate wire fraud scheme

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 55-year-old McAllen resident has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Mayela Saby Cantu admitted she knowingly participated in a scheme that used falsified lien payoff statements, fraudulent warranty deeds and deceptive emails to mislead lenders, title companies and property buyers. From November 2020 until her arrest, Cantu defrauded buyers and lenders in multiple property transactions while working at Sierra Title in McAllen. Using her position of trust, she facilitated closings backed by falsified documents. In one notable case, she directed others to create a fraudulent email address resembling that of a legitimate lienholder. Cantu then used the fake account to send false payoff amounts via interstate wires, leading a title company to improperly disburse more than $350,000. Cantu facilitated additional fraudulent property transactions, including arranging closing on properties that had already been sold and accepting undisclosed cash payments. By concealing the true nature of these deals, she caused significant financial harm to the affected parties. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing March 3, 2025. At that time, Cantu faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. The FBI, McAllen Police Department and Texas Department of Insurance conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric D. Flores is prosecuting the case.


title: Florida Woman Convicted of Civil Rights Conspiracy Targeting Pregnancy Resource Centers

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Gabriella Oropesa, of Cooper City, Florida, was convicted yesterday for her role in a conspiracy to injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate employees of pro-life pregnancy help centers in the free exercise of the right to provide and seek to provide reproductive health services. The defendant and her co-conspirators selected reproductive health facilities that provided and counseled alternatives to abortion and vandalized those facilities with threatening messages. Caleb Freestone, Amber Stewart-Smith and Annarella Rivera previously pleaded guilty for their participation in the conspiracy. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between May 2022 and July 2022, Oropesa, Freestone, Smith-Stewart and Rivera engaged in a series of targeted attacks on pro-life pregnancy help centers in Florida. The defendants, in the dark of night and while wearing masks and dark clothing to obscure their identities, spray painted the facilities with threatening messages, including “If abortions aren’t safe than niether [sic] are you,” “YOUR TIME IS UP!!,” “WE’RE COMING for U” and “We are everywhere.” “The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act is clear: no one should have to face threats and intimidation just for doing their job,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to ensure access to the full spectrum of reproductive health services afforded to the public, whether those services include abortion or counseling on alternatives to abortion.” “Federal law protects providers who render reproductive health care and those who seek their services,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Threats of violence against pregnancy resource centers or those exercising their rights to care will not be tolerated.” A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 19, 2025. Oropesa faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Tampa Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Winter Haven, Hialeah and Hollywood Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about incidents of violence, threats and obstruction that target a patient or provider of reproductive health services, or damage and destruction of reproductive health care facilities, should report that information to the FBI at www.tips.fbi.gov . For more information about clinic violence, and the Justice Department’s efforts to enforce Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act violations, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/national-task-force-violence-against-reproductive-health-care-providers .


title: Jacksonville Technology Architect Sentenced To More Than 12 Years For Attempting To Entice And Meet An  11-Year-Old To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Amol Chandrashekhar Khedkar (59, Jacksonville) to 12 years and 6 months in federal prison for using his cellphone and the internet to attempt to entice an 11-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. Khedkar was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender. Khedkar was working as an information technology architect for a financial institution when he was arrested on November 29, 2023, in St. Johns County. He has been detained since that time. Khedkar pleaded guilty on August 13, 2024. According to court documents and evidence discussed in open court, on November 28, 2023, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in the Jacksonville area was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adults seeking to meet and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, the UC posted a notice in a public chat room of a particular online social messaging application (app). Minutes later, an individual using the app name “drbrownee,” who was subsequently identified as Khedkar, contacted the UC online by private message on the app. After being advised of the “child’s” age, Khedkar confirmed that he would “love to see [the ‘child’].” He asked the UC specific questions about access to the “child” and the “child’s” sexual experience, including “[d]oes she suck,” “[d]o you allow fondling?,” and “[w]hat do you charge?” Khedkar and the UC discussed meeting in person the next day at the “child’s” residence. Khedkar stated, “I’ll show up, … [t]hen you can invite me inside.” On November 29, 2023, Khedkar and the UC exchanged text messages and arranged to meet at a location in St. Johns County. When Khedkar arrived at the location, he was arrested by FBI agents. During an interview with agents, Khedkar stated that his username was “drbrownee,” that he used his online account to communicate with the UC, and he had asked the UC about sexually abusing the “child.” Khedkar’s cellphone was seized incident to his arrest and a search of its contents revealed at least 25 online conversations between Khedkar and other individuals on the app discussing the sexual exploitation of children, as well as several photos depicting young children being sexually abused. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.