title: Leader Of Tech Support Fraud Scheme Sentenced To Seven Years In Prison

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that VINOTH PONMARAN was sentenced to seven years in prison for participating in a fraud conspiracy that exploited elderly victims by remotely accessing their computers and convincing victims to pay for computer support services that they did not need and which were never actually provided. In total, the conspiracy generated more than $6 million in criminal proceeds from at least approximately 6,500 victims. PONMARAN previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, who imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Vinoth Ponmaran was a leader of a sophisticated fraud scheme that preyed on over 6,000 victims, including the elderly. This conspiracy caused pop-up windows to appear on victims’ computers—pop-up windows which claimed, falsely, that a virus had infected the victim’s computer. Through this and other misrepresentations, Ponmaran's fraud scheme deceived his many victims, including some of society’s most vulnerable members, into paying a total of more than $6 million. Today’s sentence sends a clear message: those who exploit the vulnerable for financial gain will pay a heavy price.” According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Information, court filings, and statements made in court, including during PONMARAN’s plea proceeding and sentencing: From approximately March 2015 through July 2018, PONMARAN was a member of a criminal fraud ring (the “Fraud Ring”) based in the U.S. and India that committed a technical support fraud scheme targeting elderly victims located across the U.S. and Canada, including in the Southern District of New York. The Fraud Ring’s primary objective was to trick victims into believing that their computers were infected with malware in order to deceive them into paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for phony computer repair services. Over the course of the conspiracy, the Fraud Ring generated more than $6 million in proceeds from at least 6,500 victims. The scheme generally worked as follows. First, the Fraud Ring caused pop-up windows to appear on victims’ computers. The pop-up windows claimed, falsely, that a virus had infected the victims’ computers. The pop-up windows directed the victims to call a particular telephone number to obtain technical support. In at least some instances, the pop-up windows threatened victims that, if they restarted or shut down their computer, it could “cause serious damage to the system,” including “complete data loss.” In an attempt to give the false appearance of legitimacy, in some instances the pop-up windows included, without authorization, the corporate logo of a well-known, legitimate technology company. In fact, no virus had infected victims’ computers, and the technical support phone numbers in the pop-up windows were not associated with the legitimate technology company. Rather, these representations were false and were designed to trick victims into paying the Fraud Ring to “fix” a problem that did not exist. And while the purported “virus” was a hoax, the pop-up windows themselves did cause various victims’ computers to completely “freeze,” thereby preventing these victims from accessing the data and files in their computer—which caused some victims to call the phone number listed in the pop-up windows. In exchange for victims’ payment of several hundred or thousand dollars (depending on the precise “service” victims purchased), the purported technicians remotely accessed the victim’s computers and ran an anti-virus tool, which is free and available on the Internet. PONMARAN was an India-based leader of the Fraud Ring. Among other things, PONMARAN managed a call center in India that was used to provide purported computer repair services to victims of the scheme. PONMARAN also recruited co-conspirators in the U.S. to register fraudulent corporate entities and open bank accounts that were used to receive fraud proceeds from victims of the scheme. PONMARAN also laundered fraud proceeds in multiple ways, including by directing co-conspirators to wire fraud proceeds to accounts in India and the U.S. * * * In addition to his prison sentence, PONMARAN, 36, a citizen of India, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and forfeiture of $6,110,884.51. PONMARAN’s co-defendants, Romana Leyva and Ariful Haque, were both sentenced by Judge Paul A. Crotty in 2022, following their respective guilty pleas. Leyva was sentenced to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and she was ordered to forfeit $4,679,586.93 and to pay restitution of $2,707,882.91. Haque was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to forfeit $38,886.32 and to pay restitution of $470,672.16. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the New York Office of the Homeland Security Investigations’s El Dorado Task Force, Cyber Intrusion/Cyber Fraud Group. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York City Police Department for its assistance on this case. This matter is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Neff is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Florida businessman indicted for defrauding real estate developers out of millions of dollars

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Florida businessman made his initial appearance after a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging him with defrauding corporate clients in Kansas, Missouri, Utah, and Ohio by fraudulently inducing them to enter loan agreements to finance construction projects and then misappropriating more than $4 million in deposits made by the victims. According to court documents, David Ingram, 72, of Sanford, Florida (previously of North Carolina), is charged with four counts of wire fraud. Ingram is accused of making false representations to developers seeking loans for large-scale construction projects. Ingram represented that his company, AltosGroups, had lines of credit with major international financial institutions. Multiple times in 2019, Ingram required victims to wire deposits into AltosGroups bank accounts as a condition of obtaining financing, and he told them the deposits would be placed in dedicated escrow or reserve accounts. Instead, Ingram allegedly commingled most of that money with other funds and made unauthorized transactions including transfers to his and his wife’s bank accounts for personal use. One $3 million deposit was sent to a Mexican financial institution without the developer’s knowledge or authorization. AltosGroups then canceled the financing contracts with the developers without returning the deposits. The defendant made his initial court appearance on July 30, 2024, in the Middle District of Florida. He is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Teresa J. James of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas at 1:30 p.m. on August 14, 2024. IRS Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka is 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: U.S. Attorney Charges Haverstraw Man With Sexual Exploitation And Enticement Of Three Minors

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging OSCAR LEMUS with sexual exploitation and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. LEMUS was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court and detained. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them. As today’s arrest shows, we will use every tool available to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those alleged to have sexually exploited children.” As alleged in the Complaint: [1] From at least on or about April 20, 2024, up to and including April 23, 2024, LEMUS, who used the screen name “lemus.xp,” met a 14-year-old minor on social media and persuaded her to meet him in Rockland County, New York, to engage in sexual activity. On or about March 16, 2024, LEMUS engaged in sexual activity with a 14-year-old minor in the Bronx, New York, and video-recorded the sexual activity using a cellphone. On or about August 20, 2023, LEMUS persuaded a 16-year-old minor in Mississippi to engage in sexual activity during a live video chat with LEMUS. Anyone who may have encountered LEMUS or whose child may have had any communications with LEMUS is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324). * * * LEMUS, 23, of Haverstraw, New York, is charged with one count of enticing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. He is also charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ramapo Police Department, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department in connection with this investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Multiple Victims, Including a Minor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Kevin L. Smith, 29, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Karen Spencer Marston to 23 years’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for sex trafficking multiple victims, one of them a minor. On December 2, 2023, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor, and three counts of sex trafficking by force, threats of force, coercion and attempt. The charges stemmed from Smith’s operation of a sex trafficking ring in Philadelphia and the surrounding region, including Bucks and Delaware counties. In September 2019, Smith knowingly harbored, maintained, and advertised a minor, knowing the minor would be caused to engage in a commercial sex act. The defendant also operated a sex trafficking enterprise at various times over a period of two years from July 2015 to July 2017, during which he used physical threats to force two young women to have sex for money. “Smith’s sexual exploitation of his victims was horrific,” said U.S Attorney Romero. “May those victims take some comfort, and find some measure of justice, in the lengthy prison sentence he’ll now be serving. Our office, alongside the FBI and our other partners, is working every day to put away these predatory sex traffickers who for some reason feel entitled to treat vulnerable young people as their personal property.” “Sex trafficking, especially when it involves a minor, is one of the most heinous crimes we investigate,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The sentencing of Kevin Smith is not just a testament to the diligent investigative work conducted by the FBI and our law enforcement partners, but reaffirms our mission of protecting innocent victims from exploitation.” This case is 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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc . The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Bensalem Police Department, the Media Borough Police Department, the Tinicum Township Police Department, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Jones and Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. DeSouza.


title: Former Green Beret and Venezuelan National Charged with Violating Export and Firearms Laws

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Jordan Guy MacDonald Goudreau, 48, of Melbourne, Florida, and Yacsy Alexandra Alvarez, 43, of Tampa, Florida, were arrested yesterday pursuant to a now-unsealed indictment charging them with conspiracy to violate export laws, smuggling goods from the United States, violating the Arms Export Control Act, and violating the Export Control Reform Act. The indictment also charges Goudreau with violating the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of machineguns. According to court documents, beginning in November 2019, Goudreau, Alvarez and others conspired to export AR-type firearms, night vision devices, laser sights and other equipment from the United States to Colombia, without obtaining the required export licenses. These unlicensed exports were undertaken to carry out activities in Venezuela. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Goudreau, Alvarez and their co-conspirators procured firearms and military-related equipment through Goudreau’s Melbourne-based company, Silvercorp, and exported those items to Colombia, where some of the items were seized by the Colombia National Police. The indictment further alleges that Goudreau unlawfully possessed machineguns and unregistered silencers. If convicted, Goudreau and Alvarez face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy, 10 years in prison for smuggling, 20 years in prison for violations of export control laws, and 10 years in prison for each violation of the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of a machinegun. The indictment also notifies Goudreau and Alvarez that the United States intends to forfeit firearms and other military equipment, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Risha Asokan and Daniel J. Marcet for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Menno Goedman and Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Indictment


title: Billings felon sentenced to more than six years in prison for illegal possession of firearm

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

body_text: BILLINGS — A Billings man who admitted to illegally possessing a gun was sentenced today to six and one-half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Steven Edward Schlosser, 54, pleaded guilty in January to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. In court documents, the government alleged that in February 2023, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Billings Clinic for a report of an assault between Schlosser and his girlfriend. Schlosser’s girlfriend reported that during a physical altercation with Schlosser, Schlosser pulled a firearm from his waistband and threatened to kill himself with it. Schlosser had the firearm in his waistband as he drove his girlfriend to the hospital. Law enforcement ultimately recovered a .40-caliber pistol from Schlosser’s vehicle in the hospital parking lot. The pistol had been stolen. In August 2023, law enforcement received information that Schlosser was in possession of another firearm. Schlosser was located in a Billings motel along with a loaded .45-caliber firearm. Schlosser claimed the firearm belonged to someone else but admitted to handling it. The firearm also had been reported stolen. Schlosser had previous felony drug convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation 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: Monroe County Man Charged With Drug Trafficking And Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Nester, age 54, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking and firearm offenses. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment charges Nester with possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm on June 19, 2024, in Monroe County. The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Pocono Mountain Regional Police, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. This case is 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. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: New York Man Charged With Child Exploitation Crimes

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Matthew Ronk, age 50, a resident of Hancock, New York, was charged yesterday by a federal grand jury with attempted online enticement, attempted transfer of obscene materials to a minor, interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, and commission of a sex offense by a registered sex offender. According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Ronk used the internet and an electronic device to attempt to persuade a person who he believed to be 13 years old to engage in sexual conduct and traveled from New York to the Middle District of Pennsylvania to do so. The indictment further alleges that on one occasion, Ronk transmitted obscene material to a person he believed to be 13 years old to further attempt to entice a child to engage in sexual conduct. It is alleged that at the time of the offenses, Ronk was a registered sex offender. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations—Scranton, the Kingston Police Department, and the Wyoming Area Regional Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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. The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Former operations manager admits embezzling from Billings federal credit union

body_text: BILLINGS — The former operations manager of a Billings federal credit union admitted today to embezzling more than $60,000 while employed there, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Kelly Jo Muzzana, 40, pleaded guilty to an information charging her with embezzlement by credit union employee. Muzzana faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Muzzana’s release was continued pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court records that from January 2023 through Dec. 12, 2023, Muzzana, who was the operations manager at Altana Federal Credit Union, embezzled more than $60,000 of credit union funds by using debit cards, credit cards and account information of customers to make unauthorized purchases. In addition, Muzzana processed customers’ fraudulent spending claims personally to avoid detection and prevented many of the customers from filing police reports, Some, however, did file police reports. Muzzana had access to customer data and was responsible for processing Altana’s entire fraud-alert process. Muzzana created duplicate bank cards for customers’ accounts and took them home with her in addition to taking cards Altana received in the mail that were undelivered to customers. Muzzana used the bank cards to make purchases online and in retail stores around Billings. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Billings Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Arkansas Man Indicted on Child Exploitation Charges

body_text: NASHVILLE – Daniel Kelly, 32, of Jonesboro, Arkansas, has been indicted on federal child exploitation charges, announced Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Kelly was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee on July 17, 2024, and arrested in Jonesboro, Arkansas, on July 23, 2024. According to publicly available information, in the spring of 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began investigating an adult male who was exchanging messages with a minor girl on the social media application, Snapchat. Through its investigation, the FBI identified the Snapchat handle being used by the adult was owned and operated by Kelly. In addition to chatting over Snapchat, Kelly and the minor child exchanged images, including a copy of the minor child’s middle school calendar. As alleged in the indictment, Kelly traveled from Jonesboro, Arkansas to the Middle District of Tennessee twice in October 2023, on dates coinciding with the minor child’s Fall Break. During these trips Kelly had sexual intercourse with the minor child, recorded at least one encounter on his phone, and later sent a copy of this sexually explicit video to the minor child via the internet. If convicted, Kelly faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. The case is being investigated by the FBI, Memphis Field Office, Nashville Resident Agency, with valuable assistance from the FBI Little Rock Field Office, Jonesboro Resident Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert E. McGuire and Monica R. Morrison. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # # #


title: Hartford Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ISSACHAMIL TORRES, also known as “Chamil,” 38, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Torres was trafficking fentanyl from his residence on Crown Street in Hartford, and that he was using an apartment on Nutmeg Lane in East Hartford to store, process and package narcotics for street sale. On January 25, 2023, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the East Hartford apartment and seized approximately 5,400 dose bags of fentanyl, approximately one kilogram of unpackaged fentanyl, and items used to process and package narcotics. Torres, Efrain Cheverez, and Enrique Rodriguez Rivera, who were present in the apartment, were arrested at that time. That same day, a search of Torres’s Hartford residence revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine, and approximately $30,000 in cash. On May 7, 2024, Torres pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Torres, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on September 30. Cheverez and Rodriguez pleaded guilty to related charges. On December 19, 2023, Rodriguez was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, and on May 13, 2024, Cheverez was sentenced to 28 months of imprisonment. This investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Note: View the indictment here . Tampa, FL – Jordan Guy MacDonald Goudreau, 48, of Melbourne, Florida, and Yacsy Alexandra Alvarez, 43, of Tampa, Florida, were arrested yesterday pursuant to a now-unsealed indictment charging them with conspiracy to violate export laws, smuggling goods from the United States, violating the Arms Export Control Act, and violating the Export Control Reform Act. The indictment also charges Goudreau with violating the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of machineguns. According to court documents, beginning in November 2019, Goudreau, Alvarez and others conspired to export AR-type firearms, night vision devices, laser sights and other equipment from the United States to Colombia, without obtaining the required export licenses. These unlicensed exports were undertaken to carry out activities in Venezuela. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Goudreau, Alvarez and their co-conspirators procured firearms and military-related equipment through Goudreau’s Melbourne-based company, Silvercorp, and exported those items to Colombia, where some of the items were seized by the Colombia National Police. The indictment further alleges that Goudreau unlawfully possessed machineguns and unregistered silencers. If convicted, Goudreau and Alvarez face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy, 10 years in prison for smuggling, 20 years in prison for violations of export control laws, and 10 years in prison for each violation of the National Firearms Act and unlawful possession of a machinegun. The indictment also notifies Goudreau and Alvarez that the United States intends to forfeit firearms and other military equipment, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Risha Asokan and Daniel J. Marcet for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Menno Goedman and Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: “Host Ukraine” Executive Director Ordered to Pay $172,158 in Restitution for Fraudulently Obtaining Visas, Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Kentucky woman was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for conspiracy to commit visa fraud and tax evasion. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. ordered Colleen Holt-Thompson , 58, to pay $172,158.79 in restitution and sentenced her to probation for three years. Holt-Thompson pleaded guilty on January 29, 2024. According to court records, Holt-Thompson founded Host Ukraine in 2015 in Newport, Kentucky and served as the non-profit’s executive director. The organization brought children living in orphanages in Ukraine to stay with American families for short periods over the summer or winter holidays. As part of the program, Host Ukraine was required to have the permission of the Ministry of Social Policy in Ukraine to transport each child, and the name and address of a hosting family was required before permission would be granted. Once permission was granted, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine would issue a non-immigrant visa to the child. The Ministry’s approval was a prerequisite to the issuance of the visas. Between 2015 and 2019, Thompson applied for and received Ministry hosting permission for 828 U.S. non-immigrant visas for Ukrainian children. To obtain the visas, Holt-Thompson would provide placeholder names – names and addresses of American families who had not actually agreed to serve as hosts – when she submitted names of Ukrainian children to the Ministry. Before the children traveled to the U.S., she would find actual host families for each child. During the period of the conspiracy, a coconspirator who lived in Maine and was the Northeast contact for Host Ukraine was responsible for identifying placeholder families in Maine and recruiting families to serve as actual host families for the Ukrainian children who traveled to the U.S. on fraudulently obtained visas. Host families were charged a $3,000 fee to host a child, and Host Ukraine also collected donations. In 2016, Holt-Thompson spent approximately $127,610 in personal expenses and paid for those expenses from Host Ukraine’s checking account or paid personal credit card bills using Host Ukraine’s checking account. The money spent on personal expenses was not reported as income on the tax return Holt-Thompson and her husband filed. Holt-Thompson reported her taxable income for that year as only $47,226. In addition, Holt-Thompson failed to file a tax return for Host Ukraine. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. ###


title: Five Individuals Arrested in Multi-State Investigation of a  Conspiracy to Distribute Drugs in the Jackson Area

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Jackson, Miss. – Five individuals were arrested yesterday pursuant to a federal indictment filed in the Southern District of Mississippi charging defendants from Hinds, Madison, and Newton counties. The charges stem from a multi-year federal investigation of a drug trafficking operation distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illegal drugs in the area of Jackson, Mississippi and elsewhere. The indictment charges nine individuals with various drug trafficking crimes, including, but not limited, to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to do so. Several defendants face mandatory minimum sentences because of the significant quantities of illegal drugs. Additionally, some defendants have been charged with firearms-related crimes. “The Department of Justice is working hard with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to help make the Jackson area safer by conducting major investigations, like this one, that dismantle drug trafficking and violent organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee. “Criminals in Jackson should be on notice that committing crimes as part of a large group is a one-way ticket to federal prison.” “The Drug Enforcement Administration is committed to protecting our communities from the scourge of drugs,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “These arrests are the culmination of a multi-year investigation, and we will continue to aggressively pursue those who poison our communities with deadly substances.” “Citizens throughout Mississippi deserve to live in drug free communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff. “These arrests exemplify the collaborative efforts between federal, state and local law enforcement partners in thwarting illegal drug trafficking operations, as we continue to work together making our communities safer.” “Working alongside our local, state, and federal partners demonstrates that cooperation consistently leads to successful outcomes,” said Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “I am proud of the work done in this case to ensure that we are all united in continuing to combat drug crime and ensure safety in Mississippi.” “I am extremely excited about the collaboration and collective efforts with our federal partners, state partners, and the U.S. Attorney," said Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade. "U.S. Attorney Todd Gee continues his commitment to assisting JPD in our efforts to combat violent crimes. This effort exemplifies his work, along with the federal partners and the hard work of the men and women of the Jackson Police Department to improve the quality of life for the citizens of the City of Jackson.” The following defendants were arrested yesterday: James Naylor, 59, of Jackson; Donald Jordan, 49, of Jackson; Cedrick Barber, 48, of Jackson; Aron Brown, 53, of Madison; and Danita Wheeler, 58, of Jackson. Initial court appearances were held this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac in U.S. District Court in Jackson. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshal Mark Shepherd, Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade and Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones. The cases are being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Clark assisted in the investigation. The Office of Enforcement Operations in the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division also provided assistance. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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. 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: Two Stockton Men Plead Guilty in a Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Pill Trafficking Criminal Enterprise

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Jamaine Dontae Barnes, 42, of Stockton, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to running a continuing criminal enterprise, multiple counts of manufacturing and distributing pills laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs, illegal firearms possession, and international money laundering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. One of Barnes’ subordinates, Kavieo Daeshaun Lee Wiley, 28, of Stockton, also pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and U-47700 (a synthetic opioid), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, from at least September 2015 through May 2019, Barnes led a Stockton-based pill-trafficking operation that regularly made and sold thousands of drug-laced pills. Barnes and his subordinates made the pills using pill presses, which are machines that compress powders into pills of various shapes and sizes. Barnes made pills that appeared to be legitimate prescription pills but in fact contained fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, heroin, and other synthetic opioids that Barnes mixed into them. Barnes also made pills that appeared to be traditional Ecstasy pills, but in fact contained methamphetamine and other illegal stimulants. For years, Barnes obtained pill pressing equipment, materials, and illegal drugs from China, and at his direction, his subordinates made illegal international money transfers to purchase these materials. In April and May 2019, investigators obtained a court-authorization for a federal wiretap and intercepted communications over Barnes cellphone. During this wiretap investigation, law enforcement seized thousands of methamphetamine-laced pills. On May 16, 2019, during search warrants executed at multiple locations across Stockton that Barnes and his subordinates used to manufacture, store, and distribute pills, investigators seized two pill press machines and other pill manufacturing equipment and materials; thousands of fentanyl-laced and methamphetamine-laced pills; powders containing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other illegal drugs; and three firearms possessed by Barnes. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the San Joaquin METRO Narcotics Task Force, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) Task Force, the Stockton Police Department, the Sacramento County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W. Spencer and Emily G. Sauvageau are prosecuting the case. Seven other defendants have pleaded guilty: Vincent Isaiah Patterson pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2024. Johnesha Denae Thompson pleaded guilty; sentencing is set for Nov. 12, 2024. Kadrena Latrice Watts pleaded guilty; sentencing is set for Nov. 5, 2024. Jeremy Jerome Barnett pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 57 months in prison. Chevele Bernard Richardson pleaded guilty; sentencing is set for Nov. 5, 2024. Tashawn Terrell Dickerson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Lamont Montez Thibodeaux pleaded guilty; sentencing is set for Nov. 12, 2024. Charges are pending against Jamar Deontae Barnes, who is scheduled for a jury trial on Dec. 2, 2024. The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Jamaine Barnes is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Dec. 3, 2024. Jamaine Barnes faces a minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. Wiley is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Drozd on Nov. 12, 2024. Wiley faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. The actual sentences, however, will 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 case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Bradenton Man Charged With Extorting And Threatening Former Employer

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Jeffrey John Borho (38, Bradenton) with extortion by interstate communication and interstate communication of a threat to injure. Borho was arrested on July 19, 2024, and has been ordered detained pending trial. According to court documents, Borho was fired from his employer on July 1, 2024. Over the next several days, he sent threatening phone calls and messages to his former employer in which he threatened to kill his former employer and former employer’s wife if he did not give Borho $10,000; $20,000; and then $100,000. Borho also sent videos of himself threatening to harm his former employer, stating things like, “I’ll kill you easily” and “I don’t sue people, I kill people. And I get away with it every f***ing time. Praise God, you’re on my time now.” A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.


title: Stockton Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jose Cruz Ivan Aispuro, 39, of Stockton, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 10 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $42,066 to the United States for conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and the distribution of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between November 2018 and December 2019, Aispuro and co‑defendant Frank Guzman, of Stockton, conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 1 kilogram of heroin and at least 400 grams of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl. As part of this conspiracy, Aispuro supplied heroin that Guzman sold to an undercover agent and another person on three occasions and supplied 500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that Guzman also sold to the undercover agent. Approximately 4.5 kilograms of heroin and $42,066 in cash were seized from Aispuro’s residence. Approximately 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and 2.8 kilograms of heroin were seized from Guzman’s residence. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the San Joaquin Metropolitan Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case. Guzman also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Judge Mendez on Dec. 12, 2023. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearms Trafficking

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Quincy man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to distributing fentanyl to obtain four firearms. Caesar Ross, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of firearms trafficking and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Ross was arrested and charged in September of 2023 and has been in custody since his arrest. Today he pleaded guilty to an Information. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Oct. 29, 2024. In 2022, an investigation began into Ross and others for engaging in firearms trafficking and other violations of federal firearm laws. In September 2023, Ross met with a cooperating witness in Quincy to whom he provided approximately 60 grams of fentanyl in exchange for four firearms, each of which had no visible serial number: a Beretta 92F, 9mm pistol; a Beretta Elite IA 9mm pistol; a Glock 22, .40 caliber pistol; and a FN Herstal 5.7, 5.7x28mm pistol. Ross was immediately taken into custody. The charge of firearms trafficking provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division and the Quincy Police Department. 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: San Bernardino County Man Arrested on Complaint Alleging He Robbed Sheriff’s Deputy of Firearm Then Fired Stolen Gun at Victim

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – A Victorville man has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he stole a service weapon belonging to a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy responding to a call and then fired that weapon while attacking her, the Justice Department announced today. Ari Aki Young, 26, is charged with three felonies: one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), one count of using and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm and stolen ammunition. Young is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside. “In responding to a domestic disturbance call and trying to protect defendant’s mother, the victim was met by a defendant who allegedly beat her, robbed her of her service weapon, and shot at her as she ran for her life,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Defendant’s violent assault on a peace officer is completely unacceptable. Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line for us every day and deserve to be protected from violent attacks such as this one.” “This vicious attack on a law enforcement deputy while she was attempting to help a victim was inhumane,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division Christopher Bombardiere. “These violent individuals will be held accountable for their merciless attacks. ATF is committed to building cases against the ruthless individuals who have no regard for other’s lives.” According to an affidavit attached to the complaint, which was filed on July 28, this incident occurred in Victorville on September 4, 2019. That morning, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBSD) received a 911 emergency call from Young’s mother pleading with police to remove Young from her home. The victim, a female sheriff’s deputy who weighed 135 pounds, responded to the call – alone. The victim then attempted to pat Young down for weapons. Young resisted and threatened to headbutt her. Young then forcefully knocked away the deputy’s baton and began to pummel her in the head and face with his fists. A neighbor captured part of the incident on video. While being punched in the face and head, the victim unholstered her weapon and warned that she would shoot. Instead of stopping, Young knocked the victim to the ground and straddled the top of her and grappled with her, trying to take her gun from her. During the struggle, two rounds discharged from the gun. Young allegedly then ripped the gun from her grip. After he had the gun, Young stood upright, racked the gun, and pointed it at the deputy as she staggered to her feet, pleaded for her life, and tried to sprint away from him, the affidavit alleges. Young then fired a round towards her. In so doing, Young knowingly and willfully robbed the victim of a service weapon and ammunition belonging to SBSD. Young allegedly took the weapon and ammunition, which traveled in interstate commerce, from the victim – an on-duty sheriff’s deputy – by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of immediate and future injury to the victim. After shooting towards the deputy, Young allegedly kept that gun in his hand, racked it again, and walked towards the additional deputies who had just arrived on scene. Young did not drop the gun. Instead, he fired another round into the air, prompting the deputies to fire at him, wounding him. Young was given immediate medical attention. The victim suffered severe bruising and was medically retired after the incident. A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted of all charges, Young would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on the Hobbs Act charge and 10 additional years on each of the remaining two offenses. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa J. Lindhorst of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Brooklyn Man Sentenced To 40 Years In Federal Prison For Sexually Exploiting Children Over The Internet, Traveling To Florida To Have Sex With A Child, And Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Matthew Gabriel Bergida, 34, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children, enticement of a minor, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them. I commend our local and state law enforcement partners, who amid a devastating hurricane, identified and rescued a child who was being sexually abused. Their keen observations not only saved this child, but countless others from the heinous conduct of this pedophile predator.” Court documents reflect that when Category 4 Hurricane Idalia made landfall near Perry, Florida, Bergida travelled to the area to meet with a minor female to have sexual relations. While enforcing the storm-related curfew, local law enforcement encountered the minor female and learned of Bergida’s sexual exploitation of the child. Law enforcement quickly located and arrested Bergida at a local motel. A search of Bergida’s iPhone revealed child pornography depicting the minor female and over 20 other children, whom he had been sexually exploiting since 2019. “No law enforcement agency or community is immune regardless of size or location from the evil exploits of those who endeavor to harm and purse children for exploitation,” said Perry Police Chief Jamie Cruse. “I also commend everyone involved for their meritorious actions in identifying, investigating, and prosecuting Bergida for his choice to victimize others. The awareness, determination and expertise of all assisting agencies and law enforcement partners in this investigation was necessary to bring this predator to justice while protecting others from future victimization. When full cooperation and communication is paramount in protecting our youngest and most vulnerable citizens, law enforcement can and does make a difference by fulfilling the mission of protecting the life and rights of everyone in society.” “This predator used manipulation and control to sexually exploit children for his own perverse carnal gratification,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “The sexual exploitation of children is an especially heinous crime that robs victims of their childhood. HSI, alongside our partners with Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Perry Police Department, will continue to exhaust every resource at our disposal to identify and support victims, as well as locate and apprehend the monstruous predators who seek to do them harm.” While incarcerated in the Taylor County Jail, Bergida made phone calls to family in which he directed a friend to dispose of hard drives and other storage devices in his Brooklyn apartment. Based on these phone calls, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the apartment and found electronic storage devices containing additional child pornography, some which depicted infants and toddlers. Bergida’s prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. He will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions. The Court also ordered forfeiture of various electronic devices that he used to commit the offenses. This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by the Perry Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Alleged Drug Dealer Accused of Selling Fentanyl to an Undercover Agent Faces Federal Charges

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: UPDATE Upon motion of the United States, the indictment described in the press release below against Bryan Guadalupe Diaz-Lopez, in this case was dismissed on December 18, 2024. Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a foreign national living in Utah with drug crimes after law enforcement seized 20,000 fentanyl pills during an undercover operation, which also led to the seizure of methamphetamine, heroin and additional fentanyl pills. According to court documents, Bryan Guadalupe Diaz-Lopez, 21, of West Valley City, Utah, was arrested on July 19, 2024, after he attempted to sell 20,000 fentanyl pills to a confidential informant during a controlled purchase in the parking lot of a Taylorsville liquor store. During the investigation, agents from Homeland Security Investigations and task force officers from the Utah State Bureau of Investigations conducted surveillance at the liquor store when a silver KIA Optima drove through the parking lot and parked near an undercover vehicle. The driver of the KIA Optima was later identified as Diaz-Lopez. Law enforcement seized a black duffle bag with four-gallon plastic baggies that contained approximately 3.83 kilograms of suspected fentanyl pills from Diaz-Lopez’s vehicle. As alleged, agents also seized several thousand additional suspected fentanyl pills from a hotel room associated with Diaz-Lopez. In total, between the KIA Optima and the hotel room, law enforcement seized 23 kilograms of field tested and confirmed fentanyl pills. Agents also seized over 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 34 grams of suspected heroin, and 76 grams of suspected cocaine. Diaz-Lopez is charged possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is August 2, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. United States Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Utah State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). Assistant United States Attorney Cameron P. Warner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is 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. motion_for_leave_to_dismiss_indictment_with_prejudice.pdf order_granting_leave_to_dismiss_the_indictment.pdf


title: Bridgeport Drug Trafficker Sentenced

body_text: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FRANK JAMONT BEST, also known as “JB,” and “Cash,” 50, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to approximately 37 months of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and heroin. The government sought a sentence within the advisory guidelines range of 168 to 210 months of imprisonment. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force began investigating an organization that was distributing heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine in and around Bridgeport. During the investigation, Task Force members made four controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Best. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and hundreds of consensual recordings, revealed that Frank Best’s uncles, Wallace Best and Jeffrey Thomas, were supplying Frank Best and others with narcotics. The investigation further revealed that Jeffrey Thomas worked with Jason Cox to establish a connection to Mexican-sourced drug suppliers in California who could provide kilogram quantities of narcotics for distribution on the East Coast. In December 2019, a cooperating source working in conjunction with Wallace Best, Thomas, and Cox, traveled to a Home Depot parking lot in San Diego and purchased from their suppliers 1.1 kilograms of fentanyl, cut with Xylazine, which is a veterinary sedative, and Tramadol, in exchange for $27,000. After this successful transaction, the conspirators arranged to purchase five kilograms of heroin from their Mexican suppliers. On February 10, 2020, four individuals were arrested after they arrived at the same parking lot to conduct the transaction and investigators seized a box containing approximately 4.9 kilograms of heroin. A related search of a storage locker in San Diego revealed an additional five kilograms of heroin. Frank Best was arrested on September 30, 2020. He has been detained since August 27, 2021, after he violated conditions of his pretrial release and his bond was revoked. On October 14, 2022, a jury found Frank Best, Wallace Best, Thomas and Cox guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of heroin and fentanyl, and Wallace Best, Thomas, and Frank Best guilty of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base (“crack”). In addition, Frank Best was found guilty of five counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base. Frank Best’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions, including a federal conviction in 1999 for trafficking narcotics, for which he was sentenced to 41 months of imprisonment, and a federal conviction in 2006 for possession of a firearm by a felon, for which he was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment, and an additional 10 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release. On April 24, 2024, Cox was sentenced to 125 months of imprisonment; on May 14, 2024, Wallace Best was sentenced to 180 months of imprisonment; and on May 17, 2024, Thomas was sentenced to 125 months of imprisonment. This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force with the assistance of the DEA San Diego Field Division. The DEA’s Bridgeport HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Lauren C. Clark, and Katherine E. Boyles through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: More than a Dozen Individuals Indicted in Drug Trafficking Operation

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 21-count indictment against 13 individuals for drug trafficking offenses. The indictment alleges that beginning in January 2016, 13 individuals engaged in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Ten defendants were arraigned in federal court today: Quincey Jackson, 40, of Columbia Timothy Gayton, 32, of Rock Hill Elijah Rhodes, 42, of Columbia Desane Washington, 19, of Summerton Shane Bennett, 32, of Summerton Byron Canty, 35, of Rowesville James Croslen, Jr., 48, of Summerton Kenneth Robinson, 46, of Columbia Clifton Mickles, 43, of Rock Hill Richard Ragin, 46, of Columbia Three defendants remain at large. This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI Columbia Field Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service, Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, City of Columbia Police Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case. U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Springfield, Illinois Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Isaiah Robinson, 40, of the 2100 block of East Monroe Street, was sentenced on July 29, 2024, to 135 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine. At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Robinson sold methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to a confidential source. More specifically, he sold over 15 grams of fentanyl on June 24, 2021, over 30 grams of methamphetamine on July 6, 2021, over 80 grams of methamphetamine on August 3, 2021, and 7 grams of cocaine on September 14, 2021. Robinson later admitted to selling heroin, and agents located over 300 grams of heroin during a search of his residence in September of 2021. During the hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that Robinson was a career offender, having been convicted of both robbery and drug dealing, prior to selling illegal drugs to federal authorities. In determining the sentence, the Court noted that, based upon Robinson’s spotty employment record, that the sale of illicit substances was how he supported himself. Robinson was indicted in October 2021, and pleaded guilty on February 16, 2024. The defendant has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his initial appearance on September 30, 2021. The statutory penalties for distribution of over 50 grams of methamphetamine are, not less than ten years in prison, not less than 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. The statutory penalties distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine are not less than five years in prison, not less than 4 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. The Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Central Illinois Enforcement Group, and the Springfield Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.


title: Columbia Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kathy Drawdy Stewart, 62, of Columbia, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of wire fraud. Evidence presented to the court showed that Stewart embezzled more than $270,000 from at least late 2016 through May 2023 from her longtime employer, LTC Associates, Inc., while she served as the company’s business manager. During this time, Stewart regularly made unauthorized payments from the company’s bank accounts to her personal American Express account. Stewart’s crimes were ultimately uncovered after she attempted to make an unauthorized $20,000 transfer from the company’s bank account to her American Express account in May 2023. A review of her American Express account revealed that Stewart spent over $100,000 on cosmetic procedures, travel, interior decorating, and retail over the course of her criminal conduct. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson sentenced Stewart to 15 months imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Judge Anderson also ordered restitution of over $270,000, which Stewart paid prior to her sentencing, and a fine of $10,000. This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Elliott B. Daniels are prosecuting the case. ###


title: KC Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchase of Firearm Found After Mass Shooting at Super Bowl Rally

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to the illegal straw purchase of a firearm recovered at the scene of the mass shooting at Union Station during the celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory on Feb. 14, 2024. Ronnel Dewayne Williams, Jr., 22, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to one count of conspiracy to make false statements in the acquisition of a firearm. By pleading guilty today, Williams admitted that he participated in the criminal conspiracy from Nov. 25, 2023, to Feb. 21, 2024. Williams made false statements to a licensed firearms dealer on Nov. 25, 2023, claiming he was the actual buyer of a Stag Arms lower receiver, which was intended to deceive the dealer into making the sale to Williams. Firearm receivers, or frames, house the firing mechanism and other internal parts of a firearm. The receiver can be loaded and fired, or built into a complete firearm by adding components. By federal definition, a receiver is a firearm and is the only controlled component of a firearm. Williams admitted he was not the true buyer of the firearm, but was purchasing the firearm on behalf of a co-conspirator who was not of lawful age to purchase the firearm himself. Williams admitted he provided the firearm to his co-conspirator on the same day of the purchase. Law enforcement officers recovered the firearm, with an affixed 300-blackout barrel, on Feb. 14, 2024, in the area of 30 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, Mo., following the mass shooting incident. Williams also admitted that, between Feb. 16 and Feb. 21, 2024, he provided materially false statements to federal law enforcement officers regarding the acquisition and disposition of the Stag Arms lower receiver. Under federal statutes, Williams is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess Michaelsen. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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. Bipartisan Safer Communities Act This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.


title: Armed Robbery Spree Leads to Decade in Federal Prison for Oklahoma City Man

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – JOHN CORBIN BROWN , 41, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for six separate armed robberies in the Oklahoma City metro, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On September 5, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a 12-count Indictment against Brown, charging him with six counts of interference with commerce by robbery, and six counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. According to the Indictment, beginning in May 2023, Brown robbed six different businesses in the span of less than a month in Oklahoma City. The targeted businesses included a liquor store and a food market, each of which was targeted once, and a convenience store and a medical marijuana dispensary, each of which was targeted twice, with two of those robberies taking place on the same day, July 6, 2023. On February 14, 2024, Brown pleaded guilty to the six counts of interference with commerce by robbery, and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. As part of his plea, Brown admitted to robbing the businesses by force, and that he brandished a firearm during at least one of the robberies. At the sentencing hearing on July 30, 2024, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Brown to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the very serious nature of the offenses, including that Brown repeatedly pointed a gun at victims, and that the conduct involved a spree of robbery offenses. This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan J. West prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Aberdeen Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced To Forty Years In Federal Prison For Multiple Counts Of Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Nicholas Paul Bryson, age 41, of Aberdeen, Maryland, to forty years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release for two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Bryson was also ordered to pay $16,000 in restitution to his victims. After his release from prison, Bryson will be required register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of Maryland State Police (MSP); Jeffrey R. Gahler, Harford County Sheriff; and Henry Trabert, Chief of Aberdeen Police Department. According to his plea agreement, beginning in 2011 to 2013, Bryson and his wife and codefendant, Heather Clark, repeatedly sexually abused a prepubescent minor in their care and produced numerous sexually explicit videos and images of the abuse. In addition, a federal search warrant identified approximately 1,000 depictions of child pornography from various seized devices. Codefendant Clark, age 37, previously pled guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and is currently awaiting sentencing on September 4, 2024. She faces 60 years in federal prison. 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 HSI Baltimore, MSP, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Aberdeen Police Department for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Aubin and Paul A. Riley, 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach .


title: South L.A. Man Arrested on Federal Grand Jury Indictment Alleging Series of Armed Carjackings in L.A. County Last Year

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A South Los Angeles man was arrested today on a nine-count indictment alleging he and three other men carried out a series of armed carjackings in Los Angeles County during a three-week crime spree late last year that resulted in the theft of five vehicles and two large-screen televisions. Sergio Macias, 22, a.k.a. “Checho,” of South Los Angeles, surrendered to federal law enforcement this morning. His arraignment is scheduled for this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Macias is the fourth defendant arrested in this case. Also charged and previously arrested are: Michael Anthony Fisher, 23, a.k.a. “Ghost,” of Bell; Andres Silva Cerrillos, 19, a.k.a. “Ruler,” of Buena Park; and Jesse Gutierrez, 19, a.k.a. “Lotto,” of Los Angeles. All four defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking and are charged with various counts of carjacking, attempted carjacking, interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), and firearms offenses. “Violent gun crime tears at the fabric of our community and leaves victims with lasting trauma,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “These arrests and this indictment highlight my office’s determination to use our powerful federal laws to punish those who callously risk the lives of others.” According to the indictment that a grand jury returned earlier this month, from November 15 to December 9, 2023, the defendant went on a crime spree, mostly carjacking – or attempting to carjack – car owners at gunpoint in Downey, Pico Rivera, Norwalk, and Whittier. On November 15, 2023, Cerrillos and Gutierrez allegedly stole two large-screen televisions from a Walmart store in South Gate. They also allegedly threatened a store employee with violence as they were fleeing. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant committed a crime. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, the defendants would face a mandatory minimum of seven years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison. Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Downey Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Colin S. Scott of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Fact Sheet: Justice Department Actions to Counter the Scourge of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Drugs

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Over the past several years, the Justice Department has focused on breaking apart every link in the global fentanyl supply chain – from China to Mexico to the United States. Since the beginning of 2021, the Justice Department has: Extradited over 50 cartel members from Mexico to the United States ; and Charged a dozen Chinese chemical companies and two dozen of their executives for shipping fentanyl precursor chemicals into Mexico and the United States. This effort has been spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States’ lead counter-narcotic law enforcement agency. In 2024 alone, the DEA has: Seized over 30 million fentanyl pills and over 4,100 pounds of fentanyl powder, which represents over 208 million deadly doses ; and Arrested over 2,100 individuals for fentanyl related charges working with its law enforcement partners. As Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has said, “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, and the Justice Department will not rest until every single cartel leader, member, and associate responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable.” Arresting and prosecuting cartel leaders, members, and their associates: In April 2023, the Justice Department announced charges against several leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, a transnational drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa, Mexico, and its facilitators across the globe. In October 2023, the Justice Department announced the extradition of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as El Chapo, from Mexico to the United States. In April 2024, the Justice Department charged 41 individuals in a 50-count indictment alleging cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and meth trafficking and related crimes, all operating under the control of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (the Jalisco Cartel or CJNG). In May 2024, the Justice Department announced the extradition of Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as El Nini, who the Department alleges was one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins. In May 2024, the Justice Department announced the extradition of Francisco Pulido after he allegedly supplied the Jalisco Cartel with precursor chemicals used to manufacture controlled substances. In July 2024, the Attorney General announced the arrests of alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, another son of El Chapo. Both men are facing multiple charges in the United States for leading the Cartel’s criminal operations, including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks. El Mayo and Guzman Lopez join a growing list of Sinaloa Cartel leaders and associates who the Justice Department is holding accountable in the United States. In the course of the investigation into the Chapitos network, the FBI and the DEA have arrested several high-profile targets, and the DEA has conducted operations in 10 countries and seized staggering amounts of illicit materials, including over 2.5 million fentanyl-laced pills, 105 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 37 kilograms of fentanyl precursor chemicals, amounting to 22,747,441 potentially lethal doses. Disrupting the chemical precursor supply chain: The Justice Department, DEA, and FBI have and will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute every link in the fentanyl supply chain, including the chemical companies and executives in the People’s Republic of China supplying the ingredients used to make this deadly drug. On Oct. 3, 2023, the Justice Department announced the unsealing of eight indictments charging China-based companies and their employees with crimes relating to fentanyl and methamphetamine production, distribution of synthetic opioids, and sales resulting from precursor chemicals. In February 2024, the Department obtained a nearly 19-year sentence of a defendant responsible for importing tons of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China into Mexico as part of the Jalisco Cartel’s fentanyl trafficking operations. In May 2024, the Department extradited another of CJNG’s alleged key chemical suppliers. In June 2024, the Justice Department announced a 10-count superseding indictment following a multi-year investigation, named “Operation Fortune Runner,” charging associates of the Sinaloa Cartel with conspiring with money laundering groups linked to Chinese underground banking to launder drug trafficking proceeds. Following the Department’s announcement, China and Mexico took law enforcement actions to arrest fugitives named in the indictment who fled the United States after they were initially charged last year. Additional actions to counter fentanyl’s fatal impact: Over the past year, the Justice Department has convicted dozens of defendants of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of the victim, leading courts to impose lengthy terms of incarceration on these drug dealers, including: New York Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl That Contributed to Two Poisoning Deaths California Drug Dealer Sentenced to 78 Months in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of U.S. Marine Texas Men Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Supplying Fentanyl and Other Drugs Sold on Darknet and Causing Fatal ODs Tennessee Man Sentenced to Life In Prison For Role In Fentanyl Overdose Death Florida Man Sentenced To 40 Years In Prison For Distributing Fentanyl Resulting In Death DEA started Operation OD Justice to devote resources to fatal poisoning investigations and provide training to federal, state, and local partners. DEA created Fentanyl Overdose Response Teams in 22 offices across the United States; the teams provide investigative support to fatal poisoning investigations. Every DEA division also has an Overdose Response Coordinator for DEA’s federal, state, and local partners. Since 2023, DEA has worked over 350 poisoning investigations with partners. DEA has launched the “One Pill Can Kill” enforcement effort and public awareness campaign. DEA and law enforcement partners have seized millions of fake illicit fentanyl-laced prescription pills and hundreds of pounds of illicit fentanyl powder — millions of potentially lethal doses. In 2024, DEA expanded the One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign to include a partnership with the NFL Alumni Health Association and launching the One Pill Can Kill Game Over esports tournament. Targeting criminal enterprises on the Darknet: The Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team is a Justice Department initiative led by the FBI with a mission to target and disrupt criminal enterprises utilizing the Darknet or online platforms to facilitate drug trafficking, specifically opioids. JCODE led Operation SpecTor, a coordinated international law enforcement effort that resulted in 288 arrests and the seizure of 117 firearms, 850 kilograms of drugs, and $53.4 million in cash and cryptocurrency. JCODE’s successes include the arrest of an individual operating under the name “Redlightlabs,” who sold approximately 3,800 drug transactions between May-Nov 2022, totaling over 123,000 potentially lethal fentanyl pills, approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, and other illicit narcotics. After the FBI arrested the subject, a review of buyer data identified 15 drug overdose victims who purchased fentanyl-laced pills from “Redlightlabs.” Building partnerships to combat transnational organized crime: The DEA is combating the availability of illegal pill presses by working with online retailers to educate them about the sale of pill presses and components used in the production of deadly fake pills. In February 2024, DEA issued a letter to e-commerce companies regarding their responsibility as regulated entities to comply with the recordkeeping, identification, and reporting requirements of the Controlled Substances Act as it relates to the distribution, importation, and exportation of pill press equipment. The FBI has dedicated additional resources to combat transnational organized crime on the front lines throughout Mexico and South and Central America, where the threat is emanating. Assistant Legal Attaches work with international partners to further investigations with U.S interests. The FBI also expands its presence in Mexico through Border Liaison Officers, a dedicated team of agents positioned in FBI Offices along the southwest border with unique authority to routinely work matters of U.S interests in Mexico. The FBI also works with nearly 3,000 task force officers across almost 300 task forces engaged in combating gangs and criminal enterprises that drive the fentanyl crisis. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) continues to work to choke off cartels’ access to weapons through Operation Southbound , the Department’s signature initiative to disrupt the trafficking of firearms from the United States to Mexico.


title: Memphis Man Sentenced to Over 25 Years in Federal Prison for Hobbs Act Robbery

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Malik Motley , 25 , of Memphis, has been sentenced to 303 months in federal prison after being convicted of a Hobbs Act robbery committed in October 2021. Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. According to the information presented in court, on October 3, 2021, Motley entered a Memphis-area Dollar General store with a black mask covering his face. Instead of paying for items that he placed on the counter, Motley pulled a silver handgun from his pants and demanded money from the register. The cashier was unable to open the cash register, and Motley shot her in the face at point blank range, grabbed items from the counter and fled the store. Motley was arrested two days later in an abandoned house. During a search of Motley’s residence, officers located the clothing he wore during the robbery and a silver Smith & Wesson .357 revolver. The gun was loaded with three live rounds of ammunition. In October 2023, Motley pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. On July 20, 2024, United States District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes sentenced Motley to 303 months in federal prison for the crimes and ordered him to serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Memphis Police Department. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### F or more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Man who robbed postal carrier at gunpoint sentenced to 90 months in prison

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – Lamarion Gray, 19, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to seven and one-half years in prison for the armed robbery of a United States postal carrier last summer. Gray is one of more than a dozen defendants charged in the Southern District of Ohio since 2022 with crimes related to postal robberies. Court documents say Gray approached a letter carrier delivering mail on foot on the afternoon of July 12, 2023. Gray brandished a firearm, pointed it at the letter carrier, and demanded that she turn over her keys. After the letter carrier gave Gray the keys, Gray fled on foot. Inspectors canvassed the neighborhood, talked with neighbors, and found surveillance footage showing Gray going into his girlfriend’s residence. Inspectors executed a search warrant at Gray’s residence. They recovered large amounts of stolen mail, including many stolen checks. Gray pleaded guilty on March 1, 2024, to one count of robbery of U.S. property. “This case is part of a series of mail thefts and bank frauds that have victimized the Greater Cincinnati area over the past few years,” said Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “Armed assault on a postal worker has a significant, negative impact on all letter carriers, and eventually on everyone in the community who relies on the U.S. Postal Service.” Gray’s sentence includes five years of supervised release after he completes his time in prison, and $14,176 in restitution to the victim. Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; and Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III joined Mr. Parker in announcing the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case. # # #