title: John A. Sarcone III’s Remarks Upon his Swearing-In as United States Attorney

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III made these remarks today upon his swearing-in at the James T. Foley U.S. Courthouse: Thank you, Chief Judge Sannes. Thank you to the Judges of the Northern District of New York, to Clerk of the Court John Domurad, and to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Hanlon, who has ably assisted me with the onboarding process. I would like to first thank my family for the support and love throughout my life and career, My Wife Cecilia and Children who could not join us today, John Anthony (a Junior at Penn State) and Francesca (a freshman at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina) and Juliet, a sophomore at Croton Harmon High School who is missing school to be here. Also present are my Mom Deann, my sister Jennifer Genes, Aunt Jane Fiorito and cousins Bill and Janet Tuttle, Cousin Bruce Fiorito and his wife Lorraine, thank you for your steadfast support. To my brothers Michael and Raymond and their families who could not join us today and extended Sarcone, Fiorito and Hickey families and my wife Cecilia’s family, thank you for your love and support. Thanks, and a big shout out to my close confidante and friend Ola Hawatmeh. My dear friends Father Douglas Crawford and Rabbi Abraham Klein. Thank you for joining me today. Thank you, Governor George Pataki, for all your support throughout the years. I would like to recognize Senate Leader Rob Ortt, Senator Bill Weber, Assembly Leader Will Barclay, Assemblyman Robert Smullen, my dear friends Chairman Douglas Colety and Chairman Don Minichino, who took time out of their busy schedules to join me today. Thank you, Ambassador Elise Stefanik, for your support of my appointment. Also joining me are my Dear friend, mentor and former law partner, NYS Appellate Division 2nd Department Justice Mark Dillon and his wife Michelle, my longtime friend and colleague Maury Heller, Al Buonamici, and mentor in everything election law John Ciampoli. Thanks to some very special friends who believed in me and fought with me in the political trenches for the past 10 years, Former Congressman John Sweeney, White House Counsel David Warrington, First Deputy White House Counsel Gineen Bresso, Deputy White House Counsel Stuart McCommas. And to all friends and colleagues who traveled to Albany today to witness my swearing-in on this most sacred and blessed day, THANK YOU. Incidentally, the family bible that I swore my oath on was passed down from my great grandmother Jennie Curtis Hickey to my grandmother Dorothy “Dot” Hickey Fiorito and to my mom Deann Sarcone. I chose today to be sworn in to honor my late grandmother Dot! I was also spiritually moved when my brother Raymond pointed out the date Attorney General Bondi signed the Order appointing me to this most prestigious position, February 28. That day would have been my father’s 87th birthday, whom we lost 35 years ago. During the first Trump Administration, I had the privilege and honor of serving as the 14th Regional Administrator for the United States General Services Administration, Northeast Caribbean Region. My jurisdiction included the Northern District of New York and this historic courthouse. These federal courthouses mean something – they project the majesty and authority of our government. Everyone knows that important work is going on inside. I am honored to be welcomed again into this building, this time as U.S. Attorney, to lead the men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, who are doing the important work of representing the United States in enforcing its laws both civil and criminal. Since I was appointed U.S. Attorney two weeks ago, here are just some of the great results this office has achieved: A Nigerian citizen, who has been illegally present in this country for decades and living under stolen identities, pled guilty to bank fraud and money laundering conspiracies that caused $1.7 million in losses; A North Country woman pled guilty to her role in an alien smuggling conspiracy that left a Romanian family of four dead in the St. Lawrence River; and A former music teacher was convicted after trial of transporting students across state lines, and raping and sexually abusing them. These cases are each the result of close collaboration between AUSAs and our law enforcement partners. My goal is to continue this great work, and to implement the mandate by President Trump and task of Attorney General Pam Bondi to restore public confidence in our justice system. I am humbled and honored that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed their faith and trust in me to carry forth that mandate as the chief federal law enforcement officer in this district. Which leads me to this subject – what makes a good prosecutor? It’s not what college or law school you went to, or whether you have been a career prosecutor, as recent events show. What matters is judgment. A good prosecutor has wisdom, common sense, a strong moral and ethical compass, a sense of fairness and empathy, coupled with legal skills and acumen honed over time and from a diversity of representations and matters. As recent events have also shown, there’s just no substitute for common sense. For instance, we recently witnessed the heads of Ivy League institutions equivocate on whether calling for the genocide of Jews by a minority of its students and others violates their own rules. I believe the prosecutorial power, and discretion, is best entrusted to those with the full breath of professional and life experiences, from which common sense, wisdom and informed judgment emerge. With these values in mind, I look forward to working together with everyone at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with our dedicated Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies, in pursuit of honest, transparent, non-political enforcement of federal laws and to restore public confidence in our federal government and our Justice Department. As United States Attorney leading this office, I will prioritize our resources to keep our northern border secure; to work with federal, state and local authorities to maintain safe communities; root out public corruption; protect our seniors from being victimized by endless scams and consumer fraud; to end lawlessness and willful disregard for Federal laws; keep our kids safe from illegal drugs; and combat human trafficking. I pledge to dedicate steadfast resources to root out hate crimes of all kinds and will not tolerate violations of college students’ rights to be free from harassment or threats because of their religious beliefs and I give fair warning to university leaders that our reach will not stop at prosecuting those who choose to violate our laws but also those who knowingly support any violations in any way, shape or form. In conclusion, I am honored and humbled to be standing here before you, my family, friends, colleagues, distinguished guests and our amazing Judges of the Northern District of New York. Thank you all for honoring me with your presence.


title: Slingerlands Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Fuino, age 75, of Slingerlands, New York, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of a child who was 6 years old during the abuse. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. Last year, Fuino pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor and admitted that between the summer of 2022 and April 2023, he babysat a female child born in 2016 and used the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. According to statements previously made in court, the victim reported the abuse in May 2023 after attending an elementary school presentation on inappropriate touching and sexual contact. During the execution of a federal search warrant at Fuino’s residence in Slingerlands shortly after the child’s report, Fuino admitted having touched the victim’s genitals. Fuino has been incarcerated in pretrial detention since that time. Today, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced Fuino to 15 years’ incarceration, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Judge D’Agostino also ordered Fuino to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $36,962.25 and imposed special assessments totaling $5,100. Fuino will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The FBI investigated this case, with assistance from the New York State Police and the Colonie Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Convicted Felon was Recruited over Social Media to Smuggle Aliens, will now Spend More than 2 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – Alexzander JM Bisbee, 20, of Bryan, was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 27 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy. According to court documents, on July 3, 2024, a U.S. Border Patrol agent initiated a lawful immigration stop of an SUV traveling south on U.S. Route 377. The driver, Mark Anthony Sanchez, Jr., 22, accompanied by Bisbee, stopped the vehicle to let three undocumented noncitizens exit and run into the brush. As the agent approached the vehicle, Sanchez quickly accelerated and fled from the immigration stop. The agent returned to his vehicle and gave pursuit before ultimately terminating the pursuit for safety reasons. Sanchez and Bisbee were later pulled over by the Sonora Police Department for speeding and ordered to exit the vehicle. A lawful search of the vehicle uncovered two 9mm semiautomatic pistols, including an AR-15–style pistol. Agents canvassed the area where the passengers were observed fleeing and apprehended two of the undocumented noncitizens that were being transported by Sanchez and Bisbee. Bisbee admitted that an unindicted coconspirator contacted him on Instagram and offered to pay him to transport undocumented noncitizens and that he would be paid $2,000 per person. Bisbee was a convicted felon at the time of the offense, having previously been convicted of burglary of a building. Bisbee pleaded guilty Nov. 20, 2024. Sanchez pleaded guilty to the same charge Dec. 18. His sentence hearing is scheduled for May 13. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. USBP investigated the case with support from the Sutton County Sheriff’s Office and Sonora Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jayvee Rhoda and Joshua Banister prosecuted the case. ###


title: Former Operations Manager Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Stealing Over $2.5 Million from Employer, Covering Up the Scheme with Tax Fraud

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: EVANSVILLE— Marcie Jean Doty, 47, of Evansville, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud, failure to file tax returns, and filing false tax returns. Doty has also been ordered to pay $2,517,343.05 in restitution. According to court documents, Doty was employed as an Operations Manager for a property management business located in Evansville, Indiana. Between May 2017 and June 2022, Doty ran a five-year wire fraud scheme, stealing approximately $1,803,466.38 from her employer via unauthorized checks and Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) transfers. During this five-year period, Doty executed 99 unauthorized ACH transfers, totaling $503,151.59 and wrote 279 unauthorized checks to herself, totaling $1,300,314.79. The funds were transferred from her employer’s bank accounts to her personal bank accounts. In an effort to conceal the unauthorized checks, Doty entered false information in the business accounting software, representing that the checks were written to her employer instead of herself. These false entries made it appear as if the business’s funds were being moved from one account to another for a legitimate business purpose. In January 2017, Doty agreed to purchase a 25% equity share in her employer’s business. Doty used some of the money she stole via the wire fraud scheme to make payments towards her purchase of the 25% equity share. Additionally, for tax years 2018 through 2020, Doty willfully failed to report the income derived from her fraud scheme on those returns, as required by law. In so doing, she willfully failed to report approximately $786,280.70 in income. The returns were therefore false. Finally, Doty failed to file tax returns for tax years 2021 and 2022. In so doing, she willfully failed to report approximately $1,006,983.84 in income. “Through the defendant’s egregious scheme, she used her position of trust to lie, cheat, and steal from her employer and the government- helping herself to millions and cooking the books to hide the evidence,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Fraud and embezzlement can have devastating effects on both individual victims and companies. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that those who commit financial crimes will pay a serious price.” “The brazen fraud uncovered in this case is staggering and had serious consequences for those victimized by the defendant’s deceitful scheme.” said Special Agent in Charge Ike Barnes of the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office. “I applaud the Internal Revenue Service, Evansville Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Secret Service personnel for their hard work and determination in securing the sentence imposed in this case.” “Marcie Doty defrauded her employer for five years and now she will spend five years considering the consequences of her actions,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “In addition to harming her employer, Ms. Doty also evaded taxes she should have paid to the government. IRS-CI and our partners are committed to finding and prosecuting financial crimes in all forms.” The U.S. Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Michigan Man Sentenced to25 Years in Federal Prison on Multiple Child Exploitation Charges

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NASHVILLE – Robert L. Northrup, 55, of Niles, Michigan, was sentenced last Friday to 25 years in federal prison after having pled guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, advertising child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, attempted transfer of obscene material to an individual under the age of sixteen, and committing an offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Northrup will be required to continue registering as a sex offender. “Stopping those who intend to prey on children is among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney. “This sentence will make sure that Robert Northrup will not harm another child for a quarter century. I commend the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Morrison for their diligent pursuit of justice and drive to hold child sex offenders like Northrup accountable for their crimes.” According to court records, between July 21, 2022, and August 22, 2022, Northrup communicated with an FBI online covert employee, who was posing as a thirteen-year-old girl, on an online dating application and by text message. Northrop’s status block on the online dating application made clear that he was looking for young girls. This was one of eight accounts Northrop had on this online dating application. While Northrop was communicating with the FBI employee, he requested sexually explicit photos of multiple minors, discussed engaging in sexually activity with the online covert employee, and sent photos of his penis and a masturbation video. Northrup has prior convictions for a number of offenses including Criminal Sexual Conduct Third Degree, Child Solicitation, and Inappropriate Communication with a Child, which required him to register as a sex offender. He also has six convictions for Failure to Register or Attempted Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. After serving his sentence, Northrup will be on supervised release for the remainder of his life. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Clarksville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: Broward Man Pleads Guilty to Impersonating U.S. Citizen to Vote in Federal Election

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Carlos Abreu, 36, of Sunrise, Fla., has pleaded guilty in two consolidated federal cases (24cr60155 and 25cr60015) to the following charges: (1) falsely claiming United States citizenship to register to vote; (2) using a United States citizen’s name to vote; (3) possessing firearms as an alien without lawful status; (4) making false statements in support of a passport application; and (5) aggravated identity theft. According to the two factual proffers, Abreu entered the United States without inspection and, in 2007, assumed the identity of the victim, “C.R.V.” Between 2007 and his August 2024 arrest, Abreu held himself out as “C.R.V.” to Federal, state, and local government agencies. The victim, “C.R.V.,” is a United States citizen living in Puerto Rico who did not know Abreu. Abreu obtained a Florida driver’s license in 2007. He registered to vote under the name “C.R.V.” in 2016, and renewed his registration in 2020. He admitted to voting in federal elections in 2016 and 2022. Abreu also admitted to obtaining a Florida concealed carry permit in “C.R.V.’s” name and purchasing four firearms. Abreu also conceded that, in 2021, he had attempted to obtain U.S. passports for his two minor daughters as well as himself, using “C.R.V.’s” name and personal identifying information, all without lawful authorization. Abreu is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2025, before U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz. Abreu faces up to fifteen years on the gun possession count, ten years on the passport counts, five years on the voting counts, and a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Conklin of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office made the announcement. DSS’ Miami Field Office investigated the case. The DSS San Juan Resident Office in Puerto Rico and ATF Miami provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brianna Coakley and Daniel Rosenfeld are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadya Z. Cheatham is handling asset forfeiture. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case numbers 24-cr-60155 and 25-cr-60015. ###


title: Woman who Possessed “Sawed-Off” Shotgun and Shared Guns with Felon-Husband Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: An Iowa woman who illegally possessed a sawed-off shotgun and shared multiple guns with her husband, a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms, was sentenced March 14, 2025, to 42 months’ imprisonment. Sarah Kay Johnson, age 38, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 17, 2024 guilty plea to possession of a national firearms destructive device not registered to possessor. In October 2023, law enforcement officers traffic stopped Ian Jon Duffy, Johnson’s then boyfriend, due to concerns about his wellbeing. At that time, he possessed multiple loaded firearms. Duffy had a prior domestic abuse conviction which prohibited him from possessing firearms. After the traffic stop, Duffy had Johnson obtain a Glock handgun for him. At this time, Duffy was also prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a felony conviction. Johnson obtained several firearms that she shared with Duffy in their residence, including a sawed-off shotgun. Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Waterloo Police Department, and the Cedar Falls 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. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR- 02031-1. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Clay County Man Sentenced to 80 years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

body_text: ANNISTON, Ala. – A Clay County man has been sentenced for his sexual crimes against children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. U.S. District Court Judge Cory L. Maze sentenced Michael James Baker, 32, of Ashland, to 960 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. In October 2024, Baker pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography. These convictions will require Baker to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents, between July 25, 2022, and July 25, 2023, Baker produced a video and an image of child pornography involving his rape of a small child and uploaded the child pornography online. In his chat communication with an undercover agent, Baker expressed his desires to engage in sexual acts with two other children, and he admitted to sexual acts with a 13-year-old child. After Baker’s arrest on the federal child pornography charges, another young child disclosed that Baker had also raped her. FBI Birmingham Division and FBI New Orleans Division investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Internet Crimes Against Children, Lineville Police Department, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Oxford Police Department, Anniston Major Crimes Unit, Anniston Police Department, Alabama State Troopers, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Russell County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case. If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Man Arraigned in Federal Court on Multiple Charges of Sexual Exploitation of Children

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – An Etowah County man has been arraigned in federal court on multiple child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank. A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Kevin Glenn Golden, 58, of Altoona, Alabama, with three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography. According to the indictment, on various dates between September 2022 and August 2023, Golden coerced a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. From September 2022 to March 2024, Golden possessed child pornography. The maximum penalty for a sexual exploitation conviction is 30 years in prison. The maximum penalty for a child pornography conviction is 10 years in prison. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with substantial assistance from HSI Harrisonburg, VA, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Huntsville Police Department, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, and Gadsden Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Trinitarios Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lynn, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for drug offenses relating to an ongoing investigation of fentanyl distribution. Ricardo Bratini-Perez, a/k/a “Rico,” a/k/a “Ricofromthesin,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 10 years years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Bratini-Perez pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analog and methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bratini-Perez on Oct. 3, 2024. According to court papers, Bratini-Perez is a member of the Trinitarios gang and was on probation following his release in 2023 from state custody on armed robbery and firearm charges. While on state probation, Bratini-Perez sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer on three occasions in March 2024 and April 2024. On April 8, 2024, Bratini-Perez was arrested following a fourth sale to the undercover officer. A search of Bratini-Perez’s residence resulted in the recovery of over 5,000 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Former Fairfax District Resident Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Public Assistance Benefits via Identity Theft

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former resident of the Fairfax District of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison his role in a scheme that involved using illegal skimmers on ATMs to harvest data, creating counterfeit debit cards using the stolen account holders’ information, and then using the cards to make cash withdrawals from numerous victims’ accounts. Sorin-Miguel Ghiorghe, 47, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who will schedule a restitution hearing to occur in the coming months. Ghiorghe pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, and one count of possession of device-making equipment. Ghiorghe – a Romanian national whom prosecutors believe illegally entered the United States – admitted that he and his accomplices used counterfeit cards to fraudulently make withdrawals from the accounts of numerous victims, and that he specifically used the counterfeit cards to withdraw thousands of dollars from victims’ accounts. The skimming ring focused on illegally accessing funds administered by the California Department of Social Services to low-income California residents through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) accounts, including CalFresh and CalWorks benefits. When law enforcement searched the apartment Ghiorghe was living in, they located ATM-skimming equipment and EBT account numbers in other peoples’ names. The United States Secret Service investigated this case and received significant assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Max A. Shapiro of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.


title: Sikeston Man Sentenced to Serve 10 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – The United States Attorney's Office announced Monday that Steven K. Townsend, 33, of Sikeston, Missouri, was sentenced Friday to serve 10 years in prison for distributing fentanyl. At his guilty plea hearing in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau last year, Townsend admitted that he sold a quantity of fentanyl to an individual in Sikeston in July 2023. Unbeknownst to Townsend at the time, the individual purchasing the fentanyl was working as an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). According to court documents, Townsend was on parole supervision through the State of Missouri for a prior drug trafficking conviction when he sold the fentanyl. After his release from prison, Townsend will be placed on a three-year term of supervised release. This case was investigated by the DEA and the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester prosecuted the case.


title: Spencer Woman Charged with Bank Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Spencer woman was charged today in federal court in Worcester with scheming to fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits. Gina Llerena-Donohue, 62, was charged with one count of bank fraud. Llerena-Donohue will make an appearance in federal court in Worcester at a later date. The charging document alleges that from February 2006 through May 2021, Llerena-Donohue, fraudulently obtained approximately $41,954.20 in Social Security benefits. Llerena-Donohue is alleged to have held a power of attorney (POA) for a Social Security beneficiary that died in January 2006. She is further alleged to have not reported the beneficiary’s death to either the Social Security Administration or the bank where the benefits were deposited. Instead, Llerena-Donohue allegedly accessed the improperly paid benefits through several counter cash withdrawals. Further, she is alleged to have submitted four false affidavits to the bank in 2018 and 2019 stating that the POA was still in effect because it had not been terminated by the death of the beneficiary. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican National Sentenced To 45 Months’ Imprisonment For Illegally Reentering And Unlawfully Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Horus Samuel Marquez Villatoro (31) to three years and nine months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a removed alien, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien illegally in the United States. The court also ordered the defendant to forfeit the firearm and ammunition that he illegally possessed. Marquez Villatoro pled guilty on December 18, 2024. According to court documents, Marquez Villatoro, a citizen of Mexico with no legal status in the United States, was removed from the United States on three previous occasions before reentering unlawfully sometime after 2019. On January 23, 2024, the defendant was found in Hillsborough County driving a car that contained a black Glock 17 9mm pistol, an extended magazine, and over 100 rounds of ammunition. Marquez Villatoro knew that the firearm and ammunition were in the car, and that he was an alien and unlawfully in the United States. This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey N. Schmidt. 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: Fifth Defendant Charged in March 11 Assault on Metropolitan Police Department Officers

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ronald Butler, 44, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged today in D.C. Superior Court in relation to a March 11, 2025, assault on a group of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers in Southeast D.C. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Ronald Butler is charged with felony assault on a police officer. Butler turned himself into police custody this morning. Butler is the fifth defendant to be charged in relation to this matter. Previously charged are: Donte Butler, Sr., 47, of Washington, D.C., was charged with felony assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. Donte Butler, Jr., 21, of Washington, D.C., was charged with misdemeanor assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. Frederick Simms, 39, of Washington, D.C., was charged with misdemeanor assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. Jermaine Irving, 21, of Washington, D.C., was charged with resisting arrest and consumption of marijuana in public. According to court documents, on March 11, at approximately 3:59 p.m., the MPD Seventh District’s Special Missions Unit made contact with a defendant allegedly consuming marijuana in public space in the 2600 block of Birney Place, Southeast. During that encounter, it is alleged that some of the defendants then assaulted the MPD officers. These charges are announced as part of Make D.C. Safe Again, a comprehensive public safety initiative designed to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Albi is prosecuting this case. These charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Orlando Man Sentenced To Two Years In Federal Prison For Trafficking Firearms

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Jonen Castillo (24, Orlando) to two years in federal prison for smuggling goods from the United States. The court also ordered Castillo to forfeit two Glock pistols, which were involved in the offense. Castillo entered a guilty plea on November 25, 2024. According to court records, in June 2023, Castillo concealed five firearms and nine firearm magazines inside record players and mailed them to a friend residing in Canada. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu. 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: Arkansas Man Convicted of Armed Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted BRIAN KEITH MAYS , 58, of Arkansas, of committing armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On January 21, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Superseding Indictment, charging Mays with armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On March 13, 2025, after a three-day trial, a federal jury found Mays guilty of both counts. According to evidence presented at trial, on July 5, 2024, Mays brandished a pistol at the FNB Community Bank in Harrah, Oklahoma, and demanded money from the tellers. The tellers complied, and Mays left the bank with $12,123.00. Agents with the FBI reviewed surveillance footage from the bank and an adjoining store, where they viewed Mays flee the scene. An eyewitness was able to obtain the tag number of the get-away vehicle, and an investigation into that car led authorities to Mays. Location data from Mays’s cell phone showed that Mays was in the area of the bank at the time of the robbery and visited a Walmart shortly after the robbery. While at Walmart, Mays transferred approximately $3,000.00 dollars to a person in Arkansas and could be seen on surveillance video pulling a large amount of cash from his pocket to pay for an item. At sentencing, Mays faces up to life in federal prison and fines of up to $500,000.00. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City and Fort Smith Field Offices, Harrah Police Department, Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Gridley and Drew E. Davis are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl Using a Rideshare

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Lawrence, Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord in connection to his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Hamet Badia, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2025. According to the court documents and statements made in court, between February 9, 2022, and June 2, 2022, Badia was a drug runner for his co-defendant. The co-defendant negotiated with an undercover agent to sell fentanyl powder and pressed oxycodone pills and directed Badia to deliver the drugs. For example, on June 2, 2022, the undercover agent arranged to purchase 400 grams of fentanyl, and 200 oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl from the co-defendant. Badia met the co-defendant and the undercover agent at the designated meeting spot, arriving by rideshare, to deliver a green shoebox containing fentanyl powder and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. Overall, Badia personally delivered 466.7 grams of fentanyl during the conspiracy. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Hampton Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Four Chinese Nationals Sentenced to Federal Prison in Scheme Targeting Hundreds of U.S. Consumers and Multiple U.S. Retailers

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Four Chinese nationals were sentenced to federal prison today for their participation in a complex scheme that involved the theft of hundreds of identities to defraud multiple domestic retailers out of at least $1.2 million. A fifth co-conspirator was previously sentenced to more than four years in prison, and a sixth is awaiting sentencing following a guilty plea. As part of the scheme, these six defendants stole the victims’ identities – including their Social Security numbers, dates of birth and home addresses – and used that information to make fake driver’s licenses that were used to access credit in the victims’ names at large national retailers, including Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Williams-Sonoma, Dillard’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue. The four defendants, all Chinese nationals who entered the country under false pretenses, were sentenced today by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson. All four pleaded guilty on January 6. They are: Kar Kee “Steven” Cheung, 36, of Chino Hills, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of visa fraud, one count of possession of equipment used to manufacture false identification documents, and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud; Qian Guo, 37, of Chino Hills, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for one count of possession of equipment used to manufacture false identification documents and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud; Chongming “Ming” Wang, 28, of Temple City, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of aiding and abetting access device fraud in excess of $1,000; and Jiaozhu “Yanny” Yan, 30, of Alhambra, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for one count of visa fraud. Previously in this case, Sizhen “Rachel” Liu, 35, also a Chinese national and a resident of Chino Hills, was sentenced on January 6 to 50 months in federal prison for one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of access device fraud in excess of $1,000. The sixth defendant in the case, Hyun Woo “Scott” Jung, 30, of Ontario, pleaded guilty on February 10 to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of possession with intent to use unlawfully five or more false identification documents. Jung is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Wilson on May 5. The ongoing investigation in this matter is being conducted by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The DSS Los Angeles Field Office has created a tipline to solicit information confidentially from sources with information about this scheme. Security and loss prevention personnel from large national retailers, particularly those identified above, are encouraged to contact the DSS LA Retail Fraud Tipline if they have information about Los Angeles-area transactions closely matching this scheme. Suspects using fake driver’s licenses as part of this scheme may also be opening retail-branded credit accounts in the victims’ names. During this investigation, DSS has received substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, with additional support coming from the Alhambra Police Department, the Arcadia Police Department, and the Bel Air, Maryland Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kim Meyer of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.


title: Santa Teresa Man Charged with Assaulting U.S. Customs and Border Protection Employees

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Santa Teresa man faces federal charges for multiple incidents involving U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. According to court documents, on February 11, 2025, Andrew Josiah Segura , 28, allegedly verbally threatened a U.S. Border Patrol agent at a Love's Travel Stop, calling him a "traitor" and saying, "I will smack the shit out of you." This confrontation was followed by another incident on February 19, 2025, when Segura allegedly confronted two CBP employees wearing CBP-issued uniforms at a post office. He verbally threatened one employee, calling him a "traitor" and saying, "You better watch your back," before physically assaulting a second employee by pushing him and engaging in a physical altercation that left bruises on the employee’s arm. Witnesses reported that Segura 's actions appeared unprovoked and were specifically targeted at the CBP employees because of their employment, as he did not bother anyone else at the post office. Segura will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Segura faces eight years in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso investigated this case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard C. Williams and Grant Gardner are prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Davidson and Davie County Men Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO, NC – Two North Carolina man have recently been sentenced to more than ten years in prison each for possession of child pornography by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC) in unrelated cases, announced Randall S. Galyon, Acting United States Attorney for the MDNC. DAVID ARNOLD SHARPE, 41, of Davidson County, was sentenced today to 228 months in prison plus 20 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. The sentence will run consecutive to a 24-month sentence for the revocation of supervised release in a prior case. According to court documents, SHARPE, a registered sex offender, was on federal supervised release when he admitted to his probation officer that he possessed an unauthorized device and child pornography. United States Probation Officers searched SHARPE’s residence where they located a cell phone that contained child pornography. Less than three weeks later, SHARPE was identified by investigators from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) after a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) tip revealed that a Facebook user in Davidson County was suspected of uploading images of suspected child pornography to the platform. After going to Sharpe’s residence, investigators discovered SHARPE’s unauthorized phone had already been seized and they contacted the United States Probation Office and took over the investigation. Further investigation revealed SHARPE had been trading child pornography in groups online. On March 14, 2025, LUIGI CARCIATI, age 49, of Davie County, was sentenced to 168 months imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography in October 2023. He was also ordered to pay $74,000 in restitution. According to court documents, multiple tips from NCMEC led to the execution of a search warrant at CARCIATI’s Mocksville residence where investigators located a tablet and cell phone containing child pornography. A review of the devices also revealed CARCIATI had secretly recorded minors in the bathroom at La Vita e Bella, a Mocksville restaurant CARCIATI owned and operated. During execution of a search warrant at the restaurant, investigators located two hidden cameras in the women’s restroom, and a third one in a drawer under the cash register. The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), the United States Probation Office, and Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) assisted with the SHARPE investigation. The Davie County Sheriff’s Office, NCSBI, and HSI assisted in the CARCIATI investigation. Both cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kennedy Gates and Karla Painter. The cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and focuses on coordinating federal, state, and local resources to better identify and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. www.projectsafechildhood.gov . ###


title: Beckley Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Beckley Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kimberly Rosetta Logan, 48, of Beckley, was sentenced today to two years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl. Logan admitted to her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 10, 2024, Logan sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant at her residence in Beckley. Logan admitted to the transaction and to distributing additional amounts of fentanyl and cocaine to other individuals while using some herself throughout May 2024. Logan ordered an average of 8 grams of fentanyl and 4 grams of cocaine per week from her Beckley-based supplier by phone during that time period, receiving the controlled substances at her residence. Logan has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions including for battery, obstruction of an officer, numerous shoplifting offenses, and controlled substances offenses. Logan is among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base within the Southern District of West Virginia from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 have pleaded guilty, including two defendants who pleaded guilty to separate charges in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-90. ###


title: California Resident Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Fresno, California, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction for receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Alberto Padilla, 23. According to information presented to the Court, between June and October of 2021, Padilla, while in California, communicated with a 13-year-old minor located in the Western District of Pennsylvania. During his communications with the minor, Padilla sought and received materials depicting the sexual exploitation of the minor. During the imposition of sentence, Judge Hardy noted both the serious nature of Padilla’s conduct and the ongoing harm that such activity can have on children who are victims of such crimes. Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Department of Homeland Security and Peters Township Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Padilla.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Federal Drug and Machinegun Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –LOVON WHITE (“WHITE”) , age 22, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to possession with the intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). According to court documents, WHITE used social media to sell drugs and machinegun conversion devices. These are devices that turn a semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic firearm. In June of 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at WHITE ’s residence and recovered an Anderson Manufacturing Model AM-15 pistol and a Glock Model 21, .45 caliber pistol, both equipped with machinegun conversion devices; tapentadol and marijuana that WHITE intended to sell; drug trafficking supplies; and hundreds of dollars in drug sale proceeds. Pursuant to the plea agreement, WHITE will serve 10 years in prison. WHITE also faces a term of supervised release of at least three years up to life. Each count also carries a maximum $250,000 fine and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Texas Man Sentenced to More than 3 Years in Federal Prison for Resisting Arrest During Alien Smuggling Attempt

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Texas man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 41 months in prison for resisting arrest and endangering a United States Border Patrol agent in 2022. According to court documents, Draylon Floyd, 25, was driving on Highway 277 near Del Rio on May 26, 2022. A USBP agent noticed several passengers in the back seat, crouched down in an attempt to conceal themselves. The agent conducted a traffic stop and, instead of pulling onto the road’s shoulder, Floyd simply stopped in the righthand lane. The USBP agent conducted an immigration inspection on three backseat passengers, determining that they were Guatemalan nationals without any legal authority or documentation to have entered or remain in the U.S. The agent instructed Floyd to turn off the engine and informed him that he was under arrest. Floyd opened his door just partially, and when the agent grabbed his wrist to remove him from the vehicle, Floyd pushed away, turned on the car’s ignition and shifted the car into drive. The vehicle moved several feet as the agent struggled with Floyd over control of the steering wheel and gear shift. He succeeded in shifting the vehicle into neutral just as Floyd slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The agent then turned off the vehicle, drew his service weapon, and arrested Floyd. During the arrest of Floyd’s passenger, Ryan Matthew Brashier, who is also a U.S. citizen, the agent discovered a cell phone that displayed their GPS route back home. The three illegal aliens in the backseat were lawfully arrested and transported to the Border Patrol station for further investigation and processing. A plea agreement states that Floyd and Brashier had picked up the three aliens at a church around 11pm on May 25, honking four times per a pre-arranged signal. Each of the migrants had traveled for more than two weeks from Guatemala after their families paid at least $10,000 each to an alien smuggling organization. Brashier was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison on July 10, 2024. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. USBP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Warsame Galaydh prosecuted the case. ###


title: Memphis Man Sentenced to 220 Months Imprisonment for Trafficking 14-Year-Old Girl to New Orleans for Commercial Sex

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JEREMY TALBERT (a/k/a “J-Nasty,” a/k/a “Jay Nastie”) (“TALBERT”) , age 29, from Memphis, Tenn., was sentenced on March 12, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to Sex Trafficking of a Minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1), 1591(b)(2), 1594(a), and 2, by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 220 months in prison. TALBERT was also sentenced to ten (10) years of supervised release after release from prison. Judge Africk further ordered TALBERT to pay $47,000 in restitution to the victim, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. TALBERT will also have to register as a sex offender. According to court documents, TALBERT brought a fourteen-year-old female (“Minor Victim”) from Memphis to New Orleans to have her engage in commercial sex acts between in or about October 2020 and on or about December 17, 2020. During this time, TALBERT was aware of Minor Victim’s age from her mother, who informed TALBERT that Minor Victim was missing. TALBERT falsely told Minor Victim’s mother that he would help locate Minor Victim and bring her home. Instead, TALBERT advertised Minor Victim on websites commonly used to advertise sexual services in exchange for money. TALBERT directed and supervised Minor Victim when she performed commercial sex acts including, setting the fee sexual acts, waiting in a nearby vehicle while Minor Victim solicited “dates,” requiring Minor Victim to share her location via phone with him, and providing condoms for her use during commercial sex dates. TALBERT required Minor Victim to earn approximately $1,000 per day from commercial sex acts and , kept all or most of the money she earned. TALBERT trafficked Minor Victim until December 17, 2020, when law enforcement officers encountered them during the execution of a search warrant at a hotel in New Orleans. During the search warrant, agents seized approximately $1,223 in United States currency, a black handgun, and TALBERT’s Phone, which connected him to the trafficking of Minor Victim. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Memphis Police Department, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit and Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Honduran Man Sentenced for Illegal Use of Social Security Number to Obtain Employment

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JOSE DAVID SANCHEZ (“SANCHEZ”) , age 28, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on March 13, 2025 for illegally using a social security number to qualify for employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B). United States District Court Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced SANCHEZ to time served (approximately 4 months), 1 year of supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee. According to court documents, SANCHEZ used the Social Security number of a United States citizen in an initial application to obtain employment. On September 30, 2020, SANCHEZ arrived at the Gulf Coast Safety Council office in St. Rose, Louisiana to complete the safety course to finalize his employment with Company “A.” On that day, SANCHEZ presented a fraudulent United States Social Security card bearing the name and United States Social Security number of a United States citizen, which he represented to be his own, in order to obtain employment. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of United States Customs and Border Protection and Social Security Administration agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Gorham Man Pleads Guilty to Using Handgun while Robbing Waterboro Bank Last Summer

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Gorham man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. According to court records, in June 2024, Timothy Riley , 41, demanded money from a bank teller at a Waterboro bank while brandishing a Glock Model 19 handgun. Riley then fled the bank with money, leaving the scene on a dirt bike. Responding York County Sheriff’s Office deputies spotted the vehicle, and Riley led them in a pursuit until heading off-road where law enforcement vehicles could no longer follow. During canine tracking, investigators recovered a handgun and dark-colored baseball cap consistent with items observed during the robbery. Once apprehended later that evening, Riley admitted to the robbery and said he was in debt and had shared the proceeds with another person. Riley’s criminal history includes past state convictions for burglary and robbery, and a federal conviction for interfering with commerce by robbery. His criminal history precludes him from possessing any firearms. Riley faces up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the bank robbery charge; a minimum consecutive sentence of at least 7 years to life, up to five years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the charge of brandishing a firearm during the bank robbery; and a minimum sentence of at least 15 years up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Riley will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the York County Sheriff’s Office and the Buxton Police Department. ###


title: Brown Brotherhood Gang Members Indicted for Drug and Firearms Trafficking

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On March 13, 2025, a federal grand jury returned four separate indictments against Brown Brotherhood Gang Members Leo Alphonzo Alonso-Medina, 32, of Vallejo; Jeremiah I’amafana Salanoa, 22, of Vallejo; Doroteo Suastegui, 47, of Vallejo; and Carlos Osvaldo Higuera-Aldana, 22, of Dixon, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, the Brown Brotherhood gang is a subset of the Sureño gang and has been a frequent target of investigations of the Vallejo Police Department and the Solano County Violent Crime Task Force. The primary criminal activities of this gang have included murder, robbery, extortion, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, burglary, and stolen vehicles. The current investigation began in February 2024 and led to searches and arrests on Feb. 27, 2025. FBI agents and task force officers arrested these four members of the Brown Brotherhood gang on that day for federal drug trafficking and firearms charges. The indictment against Leo Alphonzo Alonso-Medina charges counts of distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, unlawful dealing in firearms, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, Alonso-Medina faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The indictment against Jeremiah I’amafana Salanoa charges three counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Salanoa faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The indictment against Doroteo Suastegui charges counts of distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and unlawful dealing in firearms. If convicted, Suastegui faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Finally, the indictment against Carlos Osvaldo Higuera-Aldana charges three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Higuera-Aldana faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. These cases are the product of investigations by the FBI Violent Crime Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fairfield Police Department, the Vacaville Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, and the Solano County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, R. Alex Cárdenas, and Adrian Kinsella are prosecuting these four federal cases. Any sentence imposed would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Slidell Man Pleads Guilty of 10,593 Gram Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy, Firearm Possession by Felon, and Money Laundering

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that GREGORY SMITH (“SMITH”) , age 41, of Slidell, pled guilty on March 13, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, over 400 grams of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846 (Count 1). SMITH also pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8) (Count 2). Finally, SMITH pled guilty to engaging in monetary transactions derived from specified unlawful activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1957 (Counts 3-5). According to court documents, SMITH conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere. On May 4, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) searched SMITH’s residence and seized approximately 10,593.572 grams of fentanyl, 3.76 grams of cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, including two digital scales with fentanyl residue, a rectangle cake pan with fentanyl residue, multiple blenders with fentanyl residue, and a vacuum sealer with fentanyl residue. Law enforcement also seized $15,520 in United States currency and a loaded Masterpiece Arms MPA Defender, nine-millimeter semi-automatic submachine gun, with an extended magazine. In July and August of 2021, SMITH structured cash deposits of his illegal narcotics proceeds into an account at a bank, then sent a wire to a credit union account using the funds to pay-off the balance on a car and purchase a $27,617.55 official check payable to a title company. This official check was used at the closing for the purchase of SMITH’s residence. SMITH also used $48,931 in illegal drug proceeds to purchase a 2018 Maserati Levante. SMITH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least 5 years of supervised release for Count 1. SMITH also faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. SMITH faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for each count of engaging in monetary transactions derived from specified unlawful activity. He also faces a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 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. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and André Jones of the Narcotics Unit are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Colombian Man Illegally in the United States Pleads Guilty to Participating in Armed Robbery at Hotel in Beverly Hills Last Year

body_text: LOS ANGELES – An illegal alien from Colombia pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for participating in the armed robbery of a victim at a Beverly Hills hotel and belonging to a robbery crew that possessed a firearm once registered to the late former Los Angeles Police Officer Christopher Dorner. Jamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act). Sepulveda has been in federal custody since August 2024. According to his plea agreement, Sepulveda was the getaway driver during the August 7, 2024, armed robbery of a victim identified in court documents as “T.A.” On that date during dinnertime, two unidentified robbers held the victim at gunpoint inside the patio of “THE Blvd,” a restaurant located within the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. The robbers stole a Patek Philippe Nautilus wristwatch from T.A. at gunpoint. T.A. reported that his watch was valued at approximately $1 million. Sepulveda and his co-defendant, Jesus Eduardo Bryan Padron Rojas, 20, an illegal alien from Venezuela, cased the area two day before the robbery trying to find T.A.’s watch, which they and their co-conspirators valued at $1.3 million. The crew coincidentally stumbled upon another victim walking in Beverly Hills wearing a $30,000 Rolex wristwatch. A member of Sepulveda’s crew stole that wristwatch at gunpoint. During this time, the robbery crew stayed at an Airbnb and possessed multiple firearms, including a Glock .45-caliber handgun loaded with 12 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition. The gun previously was registered to Dorner, known for committing a series of murders before dying in a standoff with law enforcement in February 2013. United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II scheduled a July 14 sentencing hearing, at which time Sepulveda will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Criminal charges are still pending against Padron. Homeland Security Investigations, the Beverly Hills Police Department, and the Blythe (California) Police Department investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jena A. MacCabe and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this matter.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Illegal Firearm Possession

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –BRYAN SPEARS (“SPEARS”) , age 21, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). According to court documents, on September 1, 2023, SPEARS was in the front passenger seat of a stolen car in Joe Brown Park in New Orleans. After he was ordered out of the car, New Orleans Police Department officers recovered a Glock Model 17 firearm that was partially hidden underneath SPEARS ’s seat. The firearm was equipped with an extended magazine and loaded with 29 live rounds. SPEARS faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Maryland Unemployment Insurance Scheme

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Devante Smith, 30, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with his role in an unemployment insurance fraud scheme. Through the conspiracy, victims lost at least $298,685. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Baltimore Field Office. According to the guilty plea, beginning in June of 2020, and continuing through at least May 2021, Smith engaged in a conspiracy to defraud and obtain money under fraudulent pretenses in connection with an unemployment insurance scheme. Smith obtained personal identifiable information of identity victims to fraudulently file claims for unemployment insurance with the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL). Smith and his co-conspirators used the unemployment insurance benefits, which were designated to assist persons who were unemployed or underemployed due to the COVID-19 national emergency, for their own personal use. Additionally, Smith sent co-defendant Tiia Woods, 47, of Jacksonville, Florida, text messages containing private information belonging to the identity victims such as identification cards and social security cards to use in support of the fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized increased unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits. UI benefits have historically been a state and federal program that provided monetary benefits to eligible workers. The CARES Act expanded states’ ability to provide UI benefits for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including self-employed workers or independent contractors, who would not normally be eligible for UI benefits. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI, along with Bank of America – Detection and Complex Investigations Fraud Rings and Analytics, for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Harry M. Gruber who prosecuted the federal case For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Utah Man Admits to Defrauding his Employer of Approximately $1.7M

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Davis County man pleaded guilty in court today to embezzling approximately $1.7 million from his employer for his own benefit. Timothy Sean Edgar, 44, of Farmington, Utah, was charged by felony information March 11, 2025, for wire fraud and money laundering. According to court documents and admissions made at the change of plea hearing, beginning in 2021 and continuing until October 2024, Edgar defrauded his employer to obtain money and property by stealing and lying. As part of Edgar’s scheme, he fraudulently opened a sales channel through a popular online marketplace and used his employment credentials to access the vendor portal and redirect Automated Clearing House payments to his personal bank account. Edgar then made payments back to his employer using his personal credit card. Edgar embezzled approximately $1,778,251 from his employer. Edgar is scheduled to be sentenced August 7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the North Salt Lake City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf and Jacob J. Strain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.


title: New Britain Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDDIE LIMAS, 35, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force received information that Limas and others were receiving kilogram quantities of fentanyl from sources in the Dominican Republic, storing the drug at a stash house in the Bronx, New York, and distributing it in central Connecticut. Between January and April 2022, investigators made five controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl from Limas. On May 13, 2022, Connecticut State Police stopped a vehicle driven by Limas’ uncle, Hector Limas, on I-84 in Danbury after investigators suspected that he had delivered narcotics to Eddie Limas’ residence on Chapman Street in New Britain. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 700 grams of fentanyl and approximately $19,000 in cash. Also on May 13, 2022, law enforcement attempted to arrest Eddie Limas in Hartford, but he crashed his vehicle into a Hartford police cruiser and fled at a high rate of speed. At the same time, investigators maintaining surveillance at Eddie Limas’ residence saw a neighbor remove bags and boxes from the residence, lock them in a car that was parked in front, and give the key fob to Carmen Hernandez, who had also exited the residence. A search of the car revealed more than two kilograms of fentanyl, more than 300 grams of cocaine, approximately one kilogram of marijuana, items used to process and package narcotics, and a .380 caliber pistol. Hernandez also possessed a quantity of fentanyl, and a search of Limas’ residence revealed a loaded .40 caliber pistol and additional narcotics. Eddie Limas eluded capture until May 9, 2023, when he was arrested in New Britain after conducting additional drug sales. He has been detained since his arrest. On September 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Hector Limas, 59, of the Bronx, and Hernandez, 61, of Hartford, pleaded guilty to related charges. On November 8, 2023, Hector Limas was sentenced to 90 months of imprisonment, and on January 14, 2025, Hernandez was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment. This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, the Hartford Police Department, the East Hartford Police Department, the New Britain Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.


title: St. Louis Woman Accused of $177,000 Pandemic-Era Tax Credit Scheme

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis, Missouri has been accused of fraudulently obtaining $177,000 in pandemic-era tax refunds. Ayana J. Brown, 33, was indicted February 20 on two felony counts of theft of government property. She turned herself in Monday and pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. The indictment says that on Dec. 22, 2022, Brown filed two fraudulent quarterly employment tax returns (IRS Form 941s) with the IRS on behalf of Yaya Flowtiques LLC. Brown falsely claimed the company had five employees and paid approximately $177,321 in wages for the first quarter of 2021 and $145,098 in wages for the second quarter, the indictment says. In fact, Yaya Flowtiques had no employees during this time, the indictment says. Brown fraudulently claimed credits under the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC) program, resulting in two U.S. Treasury checks totaling $177,000 in refunds that were mailed to Brown, the indictment says. The ERC was a tax credit designed to encourage businesses to retain employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Generally, businesses qualified for the ERC if they were shut down by a government order, experienced a 50% decline in gross receipts or qualified as a recovery startup business and if they paid qualified wages to employees during the pandemic. Each theft of government property charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and fine Charges set forth in an indictment are merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Fresno Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison for Federal Gun and Drug Charges

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Antonio Sorondo Jr., 52, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 12 years and seven months in prison for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine and cocaine as well as illegally possessing firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, in January and February 2022, Sorondo conspired with others to possess and distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. On Feb. 1, 2022, when law enforcement officers tried to contact Sorondo, he fled and tossed a firearm over a chain-link fence. The officers apprehended Sorondo and then recovered the abandoned, loaded firearm. Two weeks later, a police officer arrested Sorondo in possession of another two firearms and about 100 counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Sorondo is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony convictions. This case is the product of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.


title: Justice Department Files Lawsuit Seeking Permanent Injunction Against Two Tax Preparers Based in Koreatown and Reseda

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against two defendants who allegedly prepared false federal tax returns under the names of a business with storefronts in the San Fernando Valley and the Koreatown area of Los Angeles. Luis Alberto Mijangos and George Louis Montalvan are the defendants named in the lawsuit, which seeks to permanently stop them from preparing or filing federal tax returns. According to the lawsuit, Mijangos and Montalvan prepared false tax returns under several business names, including Luismi Services Inc., Luismi Services, Luismi Income Tax Services, and CYL Professional Services. Mijangos and Montalvan allegedly used that business, which has storefronts in Koreatown and Reseda, to perpetuate an unlawful tax scheme in which they filed fraudulent tax returns that reported deductions, credits, exemptions, or other tax items for which their customers were not qualified to receive. From 2019 to 2022, the defendants filed at least 1,800 federal income tax returns with the IRS. The IRS issued tax refunds based on the fabricated tax items, but customers did not receive the refunds. Instead, Mijangos and Montalvan allegedly diverted the refunds into bank accounts they owned or controlled. For example, one customer paid $300 to the defendants to prepare and file her 2019 federal income tax return. The defendants provided this customer with a copy of a federal income tax return that reported a balance due in the amount of $364. The defendants indicated that version of the return would be filed with the IRS. Instead, the defendants allegedly filed a tax return that reported a refund in the amount of $3,965. The claimed refund was based upon dependents and education credits that the defendants fabricated and falsely reported on the return. The customer never received the refund reported on the IRS version of her return. Instead, the defendants diverted the entire refund to a bank account owned or controlled by the defendants. The claims mentioned in the lawsuit are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer. In addition, IRS Free File , a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. In the past decade, the Justice Department has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website and the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . Assistant United States Attorney John D. Ellis of the Civil Division’s Tax Section is representing the United States in this matter.


title: Mexican National Indicted for Re-Entry of Removed Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ENRIQUE TORRES-BEIZA, a/k/a “Enrique B. Torres,” age 39, a native of Mexico, was indicted on March 13, 2025, for re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to the filed indictment, on or about October 26, 2024, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, the defendant, ENRIQUE TORRES-BEIZA, a/k/a “Enrique B. Torres,” , was found in the United States, after having been officially deported and removed therefrom, on or about December 26, 2018 ENRIQUE TORRES-BEIZA, a/k/a “Enrique B. Torres,” faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00, if convicted of re-entry of a removed alien. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.