title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of Firearms Stemming from New Orleans East Shooting

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that DANTRELL MCZEAL (“MCZEAL”) , age 34, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025 to being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). MCZEAL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release of up to 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. The Honorable District Judge Darrel James Papillion will sentence MCZEAL on September 9, 2025. According to court documents, in July 2022, MCZEAL and an unknown individual, were involved in a shootout with each other in the parking lot of a gas station located on the corner of Downman Road and Morrison Road in New Orleans. MCZEAL was shot in the leg during the gunfire exchange and the unknown individual fled in his vehicle. MCZEAL also fled, but lost control of his vehicle, and struck a light pole. MCZEAL was observed limping away from his vehicle while in possession of a firearm. New Orleans Police Department officers later recovered a Glock Model 30GEN4, .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol from inside MCZEAL ’s vehicle. While on the scene, officers also observed a trail of blood outside of the vehicle leading to a nearby residence. Later, officers received a call from a nearby resident stating that an unknown male, later identified as MCZEAL , had entered her residence. The resident reported that MCZEAL had a firearm, later determined to be a Palmetto State Armory Model PA-15, .223 REM/5.56 x 45 milli-meter semi-automatic rifle. Federal law prohibits convicted felons, such as MCZEAL , from possessing firearms. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Essex County Convicted Felon Sentenced to 73 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Possession of Firearms, including Two Assault Rifles

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced on June 10, 2025, for his role in distributing cocaine, possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and possessing three firearms, including two assault rifles with high-capacity magazines, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Azmar Carter, a/k/a “Bizzy,” 32, of East Orange, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to a superseding information charging him with two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In 2021, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that operates primarily in and around Orange, New Jersey and distributes narcotics throughout Essex County. During the investigation, Carter distributed cocaine to law enforcement in May 2021 and in July 2021. Subsequently, on August 18, 2021, law enforcement searched Carter’s residence and car in East Orange, New Jersey and recovered the following items: one Draco AK 47 rifle; one Smith and Wesson AR rifle; one .40 caliber pistol; ninety-four rounds of associated ammunition; a distribution quantity of heroin and cocaine; and approximately $7,177.00. In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Carter to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents and members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; members of the Orange Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Todd Warren, Chief Vincent Vitiello and Captain Brian Mooney; members of the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Giacomo Sacca and Police Director Earl J. Graves; members of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis Bindi; member of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda and Chief of Police Sharonda Morris; and the Belleville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Minichini, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrests. This case is part of Operation Orange, which is a part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, the Orange Police Department and the Irvington Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Christopher D. Adams, Esq.


title: Four Charged With Health Care Fraud And Related Crimes

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Edward Cannatelli (60, Parkland), Robbyn Cannatelli (68, Parkland), Thomas Farese (82, Fort Lauderdale), and Virginia Lockett (55, Margate) for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud the United States’ Medicare program, make false statements relating to health care matters, and offering and paying illegal kickbacks and bribes. They are also charged in a second conspiracy to commit wire and health care fraud, and with related substantive counts concerning the falsification of records in the federal investigation leading to the indictment. If convicted on all counts, Edward and Robbyn Cannatelli and Farese each face a maximum penalty of 65 years in federal prison. Lockett faces a maximum penalty of 85 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit any property, real or personal, which constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to the commission of the offenses. According to court documents, beginning in June 2019 and continuing into at least June 2020, Edward and Robbyn Cannatelli, Farese, and Lockett, and other conspirators, including Patsy Truglia (56, Parkland) and LouTricia Morgan (49, Sunrise) generated medically unnecessary physicians’ orders via a telemarketing operation for certain orthotic devices—knee braces, back braces, wrist braces, and other braces—referred to as durable medical equipment (DME). Through the telemarketing operation, federal health care program beneficiaries’ (i.e., Medicare beneficiaries) personal identifying information—names, dates of birth, and Medicare ID numbers—and other health-related information was harvested to begin forming DME brace orders. The information related to the emerging brace orders was then transmitted to purported “telemedicine” vendors that, in exchange for a fee, paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to physicians who signed the orders, often without ever contacting the beneficiaries to conduct the required telehealth consultations. The fraudulent, illegal brace orders were then returned to the conspirators, who used the orders as support for bogus DME claims submitted to Medicare. To avoid Medicare scrutiny, the conspirators spread the fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare across three DME storefronts operated under the conspirators’ ownership and control. Patsy Truglia and LouTricia Morgan previously pleaded guilty in separate cases for their roles in the charged conspiracies. Farese is presently awaiting sentencing in another case brought in New Jersey, charging him with money laundering. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jay G. Trezevant and Tiffany E. Fields. Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench will be handling asset forfeiture matters in this case. Indictment


title: Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Luther Trovian Jones, 52, from Sebring, Florida, was sentenced yesterday by a South Florida federal district judge to 121 months for distribution of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jones was the subject of a joint investigation between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office that uncovered Jones’s methamphetamine distribution scheme. The investigation revealed that Jones, on multiple occasions, either sold, or was found in possession of distribution quantities of methamphetamine. In total, Jones was responsible for 265.79 grams of methamphetamine that was 80 percent pure or higher, along with 29.8 grams of fentanyl. Hayden P. O’Byrne, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division; and Paul Blackman, Highlands County Sheriff, made the announcement. DEA Miami Field Division and Highlands County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hudock is prosecuting it. 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 number 24-cr-14003. ###


title: Jury Convicts Dual Citizen Of Passport Fraud

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found David Fernando Jimenez Gomez (45, Dominican Republic), a/k/a Daniel Gomez DeLeon, a/k/a David Gomez De Leon, guilty of two counts of passport fraud. Jimenez Gomez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 11, 2025. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Jimenez Gomez, a dual citizen of the United States and the Dominican Republic, left the United States in the late 1990s and began living in the Dominican Republic. He acquired a Dominican identification card in a false name and, knowing that there was a warrant for his arrest, used a different false name to acquire a United States visa to travel to the United States. He then, on multiple occasions, lied about his use of these aliases on applications for United States passports. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.


title: Fugitive Physician Sentenced to Prison in Medicare Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California physician was sentenced today in Los Angeles to 54 months in prison for health care fraud arising from her false home health certifications and related fraudulent billings to Medicare. She is a fugitive and was sentenced in absentia. According to court documents, Lilit Gagikovna Baltaian, 61, of Porter Ranch, was a physician licensed to practice in California and an enrolled Medicare provider. From approximately January 2012 to July 2018, she falsely certified patients to receive home health care from at least four Los Angeles area home health agencies. These certifications were used by the home health agencies to fraudulently bill Medicare. In some instances, Baltaian pre-signed blank, undated physician certification forms knowing that the home health agencies would falsify the forms to make appear that she had seen the Medicare beneficiaries and made clinical findings to support the need for home health care, when she had done neither. Baltaian received cash payments related to these referrals and also separately billed Medicare for signing the fraudulent certifications. Between January 2012 and July 2018, four home health agencies used Baltaian’s false certifications to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare, resulting in loss to the government estimated at $1,497,159.64. Baltaian pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud on Nov. 21, 2024. At sentencing, she was also ordered to pay $1,497,159.64 in restitution. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Matthew Belz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Golden Valley Man Pleads Guilty; Forty-Sixth Conviction in the Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Golden Valley man has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for his role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. According to court documents, in October 2020, shortly after the Minnesota Department of Education announced that it was no longer approving food sites run by restaurants and other for-profit companies, defendant Ahmed Mohamed Artan, 40, acquired a non-profit entity, Stigma-Free International, for use in carrying out the scheme. Artan and his co-conspirators used Stigma-Free International to open a number of new Federal Child Nutrition Program sites around the state of Minnesota, including in Willmar, Mankato, St. Cloud, Waite Park, and St. Paul. At the same time, Artan’s conspirators created additional shell companies to serve as meal vendor companies purporting to provide the meals to be served to children at these Stigma-Free International sites. Together, the defendants claimed to be serving meals to tens of thousands of children each day throughout the state of Minnesota, for which they fraudulently claimed and received millions of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Over the 12-month period from November 2020 to November 2021, Artan and his co-conspirators fraudulently claimed to have served nearly 5 million meals to children at the Stigma-Free International sites. In support of these claims, they prepared and submitted fraudulent meal count sheets and invoices. The conspirators also submitted fraudulent attendance rosters listing the names of fake children who purportedly received food at the Stigma-Free International sites. To accomplish his scheme, Artan and his co-conspirators also created a company called Olive Management Inc. that purported to operate a federal child nutrition program site in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The Olive Management site fraudulently claimed to have served meals to 3,000 children a day, seven days a week, at a small storefront deli located in a strip mall in St. Cloud. During the 12-month period from September 2020 to September 2021, the Artan and his co-conspirators fraudulently claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals to children at the Olive Management site. In support of these claims, the defendants prepared and submitted fraudulent meal count sheets and invoices. In support of their fraudulent claims, the defendants also submitted a fake attendance roster purporting to list the names of 2,040 children who attended the Olive Management site’s “after-school program.” The roster was fraudulent and the names on it were fake. Artan and co-conspirators also created another company called Optimum Community Services for use in carrying out the fraud scheme. Optimum Community Services purported to have food distribution sites in Golden Valley and Waite Park, at which they claimed—fraudulently—to have served nearly 700,000 meals to children between March and December 2021. According to court documents, rather than use fraudulently obtained money to serve meals or feed children, Artan and his co-conspirators fraudulently misappropriated much of it. He and his co-conspirators created a shell company called Five A’s Projects LLC, where they transferred more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. They used these proceeds to purchase the former location of Kelly’s 19th Hole, a bar and restaurant in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which will be now forfeited to the United States. In total, Artan caused a loss of approximately $1,682,664 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds based on fraudulent reimbursement claims. Artan pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.


title: Salvadoran National Charged with Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Salvadoran national residing in Chelsea, Mass. has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Rigoberto Hernandez Mancia, 34, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Hernandez Mancia was arrested by immigration authorities on May 12, 2025. According to the charging document, Hernandez Mancia was deported from the United States on July 31, 2024. It is alleged that sometime after his July 2024 removal, Hernandez Mancia illegally reentered the United States without permission. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm 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: New Orleans Woman Guilty of Fentanyl and Heroin Distribution

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that, LOREALL GORDEN (“GORDEN”) , age 38, of New Orleans, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sarah M. Vance on May 28, 2025, to two counts of distribution of fentanyl and heroin. Judge Vance scheduled sentencing for September 24, 2025. At sentencing, on both counts, GORDEN faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, as well as a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, on two occasions in August of 2023, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigation revealed GORDEN worked with other individuals to distribute fentanyl and heroin from a residence in New Orleans. As a result of the investigation, 6.93 grams of fentanyl and a mixture of heroin and fentanyl weighing approximately 27.84 grams were recovered by ATF agents . This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Florida Men Convicted after Cleaning Crew Locates More Than $30K of Cocaine in Hotel Room

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A federal jury convicted Vincent Ellis Wilson, 54, and Ervin Lee Smith, 50, both of Fort Pierce, Florida, of conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and a quantity of crack cocaine after a two-day trial in Florence. Evidence introduced at trial showed that during the evening hours of Feb. 25, 2021, Wilson and Smith checked in to an oceanfront hotel in Myrtle Beach. Wilson and Smith are both from Florida and they would later tell police that they were simply “passing through” Myrtle Beach when they had car trouble that required them to put their truck in a shop in Myrtle Beach. That night, however, they met with a local individual who agreed to serve as a middleman to help Wilson and Smith sell more than a half kilogram of cocaine and a small quantity of crack cocaine they had brought with them to South Carolina. The next morning, before the drug deal could be done, Wilson and Smith left their room to go to breakfast at a nearby restaurant. While they were gone, hotel staff, believing the room had been vacated, went in to clean the room and stumbled upon a grocery bag containing more than $30,000 worth of drugs in a dresser drawer. The hotel contacted Myrtle Beach Police who responded and collected the illicit substances. Later that morning, Wilson and Smith returned to the hotel to attempt to collect their belongs, including the drugs. Police interviewed them and they were released pending further investigation. Through an ongoing partnership between the Myrtle Beach Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, authorities were later able to connect this drug seizure to a much larger drug trafficking organization that was already under federal investigation. Once that connection was made, Wilson and Smith were charged by a federal grand jury with being suppliers to the drug trafficking organization. All the other defendants in the federal case pled guilty. Wilson and Smith denied their involvement, but were convicted after the jury heard the evidence of their involvement. Court records show that Wilson has a prior state conviction for possession with intent to distribute narcotics in Maryland from 2003, and Smith has a prior federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine from 2004. U.S. District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over their trial and will sentence the two after reviewing a presentence report from the U.S. Probation Office. They each face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and may be sentenced up to the 40-year maximum. "These defendants brought a significant quantity of cocaine and crack cocaine into South Carolina, intending to profit from its distribution,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Thanks to the diligent work of the Myrtle Beach Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, what started as a hotel cleaning led to the dismantling of a larger drug trafficking operation. This conviction underscores our unwavering commitment to prosecuting individuals who bring dangerous narcotics into our communities." “This case represents the continued commitment of the DEA to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority.” "The Myrtle Beach Police Department is fortunate to work with partners and community members to assist us holding those accountable who bring poison into our community,” said Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock. “Our mission has not and will not change, the safety of our community will always be our priority." 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Jasmin Salehi Fashami prosecuted the case in close coordination with the 15 th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. ###


title: Lynn Woman Sentenced to More Than One Year in Prison for Coercing and Enticing Two Victims to Engage In Prostitution

body_text: BOSTON – A Lynn woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for sex trafficking. Latasha Anderson, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 20 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2025, Latasha Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement. Latasha Anderson was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023 , along with her co-defendants Jermall Anderson and Jennifer Fortier. From 2012 through 2016, Latasha Anderson, along with her co-conspirators and at the direction of Jermall Anderson, used threats and the giving and withholding of heroin and cocaine to force two different victims to prostitute on their behalf. Jermall Anderson’s wide-ranging sex trafficking operation targeted vulnerable victims, specifically those struggling with drug addiction, homelessness and lack of economic resources and coerced them into providing commercial sex for the defendants’ benefit. Latasha Anderson coerced and enticed these victims to engage in prostitution throughout New England, New York and New Jersey. In March 2025 , Jermall Anderson was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2025 , Fortier was sentenced to 58 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the HSI Office in New Haven, Conn., the Lynn and Tewksbury Police Departments (Mass.) and the Hampden (Conn.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: North Tonawanda man arrested, facing multiple drug and gun charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Tre Smitherman, 31, North Tonawanda, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on November 6, 2024, the Niagara County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Smitherman’s Oliver Street residence and on his vehicle. During the searches, investigators recovered a loaded pistol, quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and $3,789.00 in cash. In 2014, Smitherman was convicted of a felony in New York State Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Niagara County Drug Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Federal grand jury indicts North Carolina man on fentanyl charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging William McKinney a/k/a Zell, 43, of Greensboro, NC, with distribution of fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on November 12, 2023, McKinney sold fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Specifically, McKinney traveled from North Carolina to Buffalo and distributed approximately two kilograms of fentanyl. McKinney was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was ordered detained. He’s been returned to custody in North Carolina, where he is facing unrelated charges. The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and the Eire County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Niagara Falls man going to prison on cocaine charge

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jason P. Hoy, 46, Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to serve 33 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who handled the case, stated that on May 5, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Hoy’s residence seizing bags containing a crystal rock-like substance, a bag containing a grey powdery substance, three bags containing a white powdery substance, three bags containing various colored pills, and a bag containing green plant matter. In addition, they recovered a pair of brass knuckles, a collapsible baton, a digital scale, and a police scanner. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division. # # # #


title: Three Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States After Deportation

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three men convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced this week. Oscar Martinez Olmedo , 44, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge on Tuesday to 18 months in prison for illegal reentry. Upon the completion of his sentence, he again will be removed from the country. Olmedo had been deported from the United States in December of 2004. Following his removal, the defendant illegally re-entered the United States and was arrested in February 2020 by the Coatesville (Pa.) Police Department on multiple state charges. He was subsequently convicted in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas of six counts of manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, six counts of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance, and one count of illegal sale or transfer of a firearm. He also pleaded guilty to additional drug and gun charges brought in a separate case. ICE had received an electronic notification at the time of Olmedo’s arrest in 2020. In December 2024, following the completion of his sentence on the state charges, ICE officers took Olmedo into custody. He was charged by federal indictment with illegal reentry in January of this year and pleaded guilty in February. Jimy Noe Meza-Hernandez , 37, a Honduran national, was sentenced by United States District Judge John M. Younge on Tuesday to time served, almost four months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his prison sentence, he again will be removed from the country. Meza-Hernandez had previously been deported in August of 2012, after he was encountered in Texas by the U.S. Border Patrol and arrested for being in the country illegally. In September of 2024, ICE received an electronic notification that Meza-Hernandez had been arrested by the Plymouth Meeting (Pa.) Police Department. He pleaded guilty in late January to two counts of harassment and was sentenced to probation. ICE located the defendant and took him into custody in February. In March of this year, he was charged by indictment with illegal reentry and pleaded guilty this week. Fredy Soriano Palestino , 32, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Kai N. Scott on Tuesday to time served, almost three months, for illegally reentering the United States. Having completed his prison sentence, he again will be removed from the country. Soriano Palestino was encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona, after illegally crossing the border, and removed back to Mexico in December of 2011. Following his removal, the defendant illegally re-entered the United States and was arrested in March of this year by local authorities in a misdemeanor case that was subsequently dismissed. ICE received an electronic notification at the time of Soriano Palestino’s arrest, lodged a detainer, and took him into custody. In April, Soriano Palestino was charged by information with illegal reentry and pleaded guilty. These cases are 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 Neighborhoods (PSN). The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Danielle Bateman, Katherine Shulman, and Kevin Jayne.


title: Buffalo man charged with selling oxycodone

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that David Pena-Batista, 21, Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with two counts of distribution of oxycodone, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey E. Intravatola, Joshua A. Violanti, and Louis A. Testani, who are handling the case, stated that in January of 2024, the FBI Buffalo Safe Streets Task Force and New York State Police began investigating criminal activity on Buffalo’s west side. Through the investigation, Pena-Batista was identified as an individual engaging in criminal activity. During the investigation, law enforcement conducted multiple purchases of oxycodone from the defendant. Pena-Batista made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was held pending a detention hearing. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: San Antonio woman charged with threatening to shoot federal agent

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 42-year-old Texas woman has been taken into custody for threatening an Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) agent in the performance of his duties, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The criminal complaint has now been unsealed as Michelle Lee Varela made her initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge in San Antonio. She is expected to be in Corpus Christi federal court in the near future. The charges allege that on June 4, Verela influenced, impeded or retaliated against a federal officer by threat and used interstate communications to transmit a threat to injure another. Specifically, Verela allegedly made threats via cell phone to an agent with ICE-HSI. According to the complaint, authorities were conducting a lawful immigration action and had requested information from Varela regarding her husband’s status in the United States. She allegedly used profanity and said if her husband was taken into custody, she would shoot them. The charges allege law enforcement advised her to consider her remarks as she had just threatened a federal agent, but she continued in an elevated voice and a threatening tone. She eventually hung up the phone, according to the complaint. If convicted, she faces up to 10 and five years in federal prison for the threat and interstate communications allegations, respectively. Both charges also carry a possible $250,000 fine, upon conviction. “The Southern District of Texas takes allegations of threatened violence against law enforcement very seriously,” said Ganjei. “Immigration authorities must be able to carry out their lawful duties free from violence or threats, and those that attempt to obstruct or harm such agents will be held accountable.” ICE-HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Goliad County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: British National Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Money Laundering, and Immigration Charges

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A British national from Northern Ireland illegally in the United States today admitted to a federal judge that he participated in a multi-state construction and money laundering fraud scheme that netted more than a million dollars, and that he provided false information to gain entry into the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. In pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and false statement in a document used to gain entry into the United States, Elijah Gavin, 29, admitted to the following: Gavin used a variety of different names when he approached and defrauded property owners in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York by, among other things, misrepresenting to property owners’ construction needs or repairs required on their properties. Gavin and his co-conspirators formed multiple construction businesses and falsely represented the business’ status, experience, and quality of work; falsely represented their identities and skills to homeowners; and made false representations to property owners regarding the condition of their properties, work they would perform, and the machinery, materials, and equipment needed to perform work. Between October 2022 and January 2025, Gavin and his co-conspirators defrauded property owners of over one million dollars, including a Rhode Island widow who was defrauded of $850,000, as well as other elderly victims in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and a church in New York. Gavin sent checks to money launderers in New York and California representing funds that were fraudulently obtained from his victims. Gavin is a fugitive from justice in the United Kingdom who entered the United States illegally. Gavin used a false Electronic System for Travel Authorization application to gain entry into the United States without a visa. Gavin’s ESTA application contained materially false information with respect to Gavin’s criminal history in the United Kingdom. According to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, Conmen Travelers are groups of Irish or U.K. nationals who entered the United States on pleasure or tourist visas and overstayed their visits or, more commonly, entered the United States illegally. Once in the United States, they go to different cities and states, soliciting construction work. The members often quote a low price, and then, after further inspection, demand much more money and/or convince the homeowner that their homes or business are in need of major repairs. Conmen Travelers often hire day laborers; do not have work authorization documents or pull permits; and do low quality, unnecessary, or incomplete work, sometimes damaging homeowners’ residences. Gavin has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in New Jersey on January 29, 2025. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2025. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Taylor A. Dean. The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Rhode Island State Police, and U.S Diplomatic Security Service. 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). ###


title: Illegal Honduran Nationals Indicted Following Arrest and Seizure of Over 52,000 Fentanyl Pills and Cash

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed charging three Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally, with multiple drug crimes. Jairo Roney Cabrera-Escoto, 40, of North Carolina, Cristian Eriberto Romero-Soto, 24, and Daniel Jose Felix-Aleman, 24, both of Sandy, Utah, were indicted on April 16, 2025. Romero-Soto and Felix-Aleman were charged by complaint on April 10, 2025. According to court documents, since November 2024, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating a group of individuals for allegedly distributing illicit drugs throughout Salt Lake County. Throughout the investigation, undercover agents purchased fentanyl during several controlled purchases. On April 8, 2025, during the execution of search warrants on vehicles and a residence in Sandy, approximately 32,528 individual field-tested fentanyl pills, drug packing materials, and $42,137 were seized. Felix-Alleman was also located and subsequently arrested. On the same day, during the execution of additional search warrants on vehicles and a residence in Sandy, agents seized approximately 20,059 individual field-tested fentanyl pills, multiple cellphones, drug packaging materials, and $5,163. Romero-Soto was also located and subsequently arrested. Cabrera-Escoto was arrested on June 6, 2025, in the Middle District of North Carolina. Cabrera-Escoto, Romero-Soto, and Felix-Aleman are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and conspiracy to distribute heroin, among other offenses. Romero-Soto is also charged with reentry of a previously removed alien. Cabrera-Escoto will have his initial appearance on the indictment at a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Romero-Soto and Felix-Aleman had their initial appearance on the indictment on April 18, 2025. Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Five Defendants Charged in Federal Investigation Targeting Fentanyl Sales in Chicago

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal investigation into fentanyl sales in Chicago has resulted in drug or firearm charges against five individuals. An indictment unsealed this week in federal court in Chicago accuses four of the defendants of conspiring to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin in the city in 2023 and 2024. Three defendants are charged with illegally possessing firearms, including handguns equipped with a “switch” device, making them capable of firing multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger. Charged with drug conspiracy and distribution are JARED DANIELS, 33, of Chicago, CRISTINE SERRANO, 34, of Chicago, SHERNELL ANDERSON, 35, of Chicago, and LARRY LEMON, 43, of Brookfield, Ill. Daniels, Serrano, and JONATHAN COLLINS, 33, of Chicago, are also charged with federal firearm offenses. All five defendants are in law enforcement custody. The charges against Daniels, Serrano, Anderson, and Lemon carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, as well as mandatory minimums ranging from ten to 15 years. The charge against Collins is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookfield, Ill. Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago, FBI Minneapolis, Minn. Field Office, and the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Satellite Office of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. 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. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. daniels_et_al_indictment.pdf


title: Oklahoma Man Sentenced for Attempting to Destroy Satanic Temple in Salem With a Pipe Bomb

body_text: BOSTON – An Oklahoma man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for throwing a pipe bomb at The Satanic Temple (TST) in Salem, Mass. on April 8, 2024. Sean Patrick Palmer, 49, of Perkins, Okla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2025 , Palmer pleaded guilty to one count of using an explosive device to damage and attempt to damage a building used in interstate or foreign commerce. He was charged by criminal complaint and arrested on April 17, 2024, in Perkins, Okla. TST is a non-theistic religious organization headquartered in Salem, Mass. According to the charging documents, at approximately 4:14 a.m. on April 8, 2024, surveillance cameras captured a man, subsequently identified as Palmer, walking towards TST wearing a black face covering, a tan-colored tactical vest and gloves. As Palmer approached TST, he ignited a pipe bomb – a type of improvised explosive device or “IED” – threw it at TST’s main entrance, and then ran away. The IED did not fully detonate and therefore caused only minor damage to TST’s exterior. The pipe bomb was constructed from a roughly two-foot section of plastic pipe covered with metal nails attached to the pipe with duct tape. The inside of the pipe was filled with smokeless gunpowder. During the investigation, Palmer’s DNA was found on the outside of the IED. A six-page handwritten note was found in a flower bed adjacent to TST, near the area where Palmer threw the IED. Among other things, the letter stated: DEAR SATANIST ELOHIM SEND ME 7 MONTHS AGO TO GIVE YOU PEACEFUL MESSAGE TO HOPE YOU REPENT. YOU SAY NO, ELOHIM NOW SEND ME TO SMITE SATAN AND I HAPPY TO OBEY. AND ELOHIM WANT ME TO CONTACT YOU TO TELL YOU REPENT. TURN FROM SIN. ELOHIM NO LIKE THIS PLACE AND PLAN TO DESTROY IT. MAYBE SALEM TOO? ELOHIM SEND ME TO FIGHT CRYBABY SATAN, BUT WANT ME TO MAKE HARD EFFORT SO NO ONE DIES. I OBEY. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Lucas J. Miller, Chief of the Salem Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Massachusetts State Police; Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Oklahoma City Field Office; Payne County Sherriff’s Office; Oklahoma Highway Patrol; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma; and Stillwater (Okla.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Raleigh County Woman Sentenced for Fentanyl Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Melanie E. Hussain, 25, of Crab Orchard, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including six months on home detention, for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 2, 2022, Hussain sold approximately 4.2 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $300. Hussain admitted to the transaction and to selling 2.3 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant in exchange for $300 on November 3, 2022. Hussain conducted both transactions at her Crab Orchard residence. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of 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 Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case. 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-137. ###


title: Tucson Residents Charged after Shooting at Undercover Police Officer’s Vehicle

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – On Wednesday, a four-count federal indictment was unsealed, charging Tucson residents, Hassan Omar Kassim, 19, Alexandra Brooke Wisdom, 19, Daniel Cardenas, 18, and Jaquvon Terell Poe, 20 with crimes related to shooting at a Tucson Police Department (TPD) Officer in April of this year. Cardenas is charged with Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, Kassim and Poe are charged with Aiding and Abetting the crime, and all three are charged with Conspiracy to Commit this offense. Wisdom was charged with Accessory After the Fact. “Any attack on law enforcement is an attack on the rule of law,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Our office is proud to support Tucson Police officers as they put their lives on the line to keep their communities safe.” "It's reassuring to know that those responsible for shooting at one of our officers, who was just doing his job, were given the highest priority,” said Tucson Police Department Assistant Chief Diana Duffy. “We are extremely grateful for our continued partnership with the United States Attorney's Office and the FBI here in Tucson.” "These individuals demonstrated a clear disregard for human life, and we are grateful that no law enforcement personnel or civilians were injured during this dangerous encounter,” said Heith Janke, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office. “The FBI will not waiver in our commitment to ensure those who commit acts of violence against members of law enforcement will be held accountable and punished to the fullest extent of the law. We are proud to support and stand-by our Tucson Police Department partners." On April 20, 2025, a TPD Officer was working as a member of the Operations Division West (ODW) Community Response Team (CRT) around Stone Avenue and Fort Lowell in Tucson, Arizona. The officer was in plain clothes and driving an unmarked City of Tucson vehicle when he observed a dark colored car traveling southbound at a high rate of speed. The officer was able to get behind the vehicle and broadcast its license plate to other members of ODW CRT. The driver of the car then made a turn and an individual, later identified as Daniel Cardenas, leaned out of the rear driver’s side window and shot at the unmarked TPD vehicle. The driver then made another u-turn and Cardenas fired additional shots at the unmarked officer’s vehicle. The officer was unharmed. A marked patrol officer responded to the area and attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver failed to yield and, after a short pursuit, officers lost sight of the car. Through further investigation, detectives and special agents were able to identify Hassan Omar Kassim as the driver of the car at time of the shooting, and Jaquvon Terell Poe as the rear passenger-side occupant. Officers learned that Alexandra Brooke Wisdom later drove the car to abandon it, removing items from the vehicle in the process, some of which were recovered in her apartment. A criminal indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The Tucson Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson Office, as part of the FBI’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-25-02309-TUC-JCH RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-093_Kassim, et. al. # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Wolf Point man pleads guilty to assault on Fort Peck Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS - A Wolf Point man accused of stabbing another individual on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Andy Kane Follet, 20, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Follet faces 10 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 22, 2025. Follet was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on January 27, 2024, the defendant, Andy Kane Follet, and several friends, including co-defendants and the victim, John Doe, were in a yard in Wolf Point, Montana, playing a game of “slap-boxing.” The fighting escalated and the group broke up – Follet and his co-defendants returned to the Follet home. Shortly after they returned to the home, Doe approached the house demanding to get his phone back. Follet and his co-defendants exited the home and confronted Doe in the driveway. Several people witnessed the assault. One witness described seeing Follet and co-defendants hitting John Doe. The witness described seeing one person hit Doe with a bat, then the other two started hitting Doe as well, with one of them using a hammer. Another witness went outside after hearing a commotion. He saw Follet and his co-defendants approaching Doe while he backed away. The witness described the three then “jumping” Doe. One co-defendant hit Doe repeatedly in the head with a hammer. As Doe was trying to get up Follet stabbed Doe in the chest. In an interview with law enforcement, Follet said he thought Doe was wearing enough layers of clothes that he could not be injured by the knife. He also said Doe had cut him with a knife and that if didn’t do anything (after he was stabbed), his whole family would make fun of him. None of the independent witnesses reported Doe having a knife. The only knife found at the scene around Doe’s body was located in Doe’s pocket. A large knife with apparent blood was later located hidden in a hole in a wall of Follet’s home. Doe died at the scene before law enforcement could arrive. According to an autopsy, Doe died from blunt and sharp force injuries to the head and chest. The stab wound to the chest consisted of a 6-inch penetration that perforated Doe’s sternum, heart, and esophagus. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, Wolf Point Police Department, and State of Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Senior Leaders Of Own Every Dollar Gang Plead Guilty

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the guilty pleas today of JESUS ZAPATA, a/k/a “Jeezy,” a/k/a “Hendrix,” and BRAYAN LLORET, a/k/a “E.T.,” in connection with their leadership of the violent gang Own Every Dollar (“OED”). ZAPATA and LLORET pled guilty today to several charges, including racketeering conspiracy, before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken. “Jesus Zapata and Brayan Lloret were two of the top leaders of the deadly Manhattan-based Own Every Dollar gang,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today’s convictions highlight the commitment of our Office to taking down the street gangs that terrorize New Yorkers, and to ensuring that all gang members —from foot soldiers to bosses—face justice.” As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings: ZAPATA and LLORET are senior leaders of the violent OED gang, a subset of the Trinitarios gang based in and around the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. ZAPATA is the former “Duarte,” or top leader, of the gang. ZAPATA and LLORET are being held responsible for committing or ordering a number of violent acts on Rikers Island, including three slashings in 2021. ZAPATA and LLORET are the 21st and 22nd members or associates of OED to be convicted in this case. The defendants in the case have been convicted for their roles in five murders and more than 10 attempted murders, which occurred in Manhattan, the Bronx, and state and federal prisons. * * * ZAPATA, 35, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. LLORET, 27, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, Kevin Mead, Alexandra S. Messiter, and Ashley C. Nicolas are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Illinois Woman Sentenced for Marriage Fraud and Perjury

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kalee Ann Huff, 28, of Fairbury, Illinois, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including one year on home detention, for marriage fraud and perjury. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 3, 2021, Huff was living in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, when she married a foreign national. As part of her guilty plea, Huff admitted that the marriage was part of a plan to keep the foreign national in the United States because his immigration visa was about to expire. Huff further admitted that she was pressured into entering the fake marriage because her family needed money, that she agreed to marry the foreign national in exchange for $10,000, but that she never directly received or spent any money from the scheme. Huff and the foreign national planned to divorce once he obtained lawful permanent resident status, commonly known as a Green Card. In March 2023, Huff and the foreign national were interviewed by U.S. immigration officials in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Huff and the foreign national unsuccessfully tried to trick the officials into believing their marriage was entered into in good faith and their relationship was genuine. The foreign national’s Green Card application was denied. On August 8, 2023, immigration officers confronted Huff about the fake marriage scheme. Huff signed a statement admitting that she knowingly entered into the marriage for the purpose of evading U.S. immigration laws. On December 10, 2024, Huff appeared before a federal grand jury in Charleston, pursuant to a subpoena and a cooperation provision in the marriage fraud case against her. Huff admitted that she committed perjury during her grand jury testimony when she answered questions falsely about material facts relating to the government’s investigation. The foreign national, Aakash Prakash Makwana, pleaded guilty on May 14, 2025, to aggravated identity theft. Makwana, 29, a citizen of India unlawfully residing in Ronceverte, admitted that he included the name and signature of a residential property manager without the individual’s authorization when he falsified a lease agreement as part of the marriage fraud scheme. Makwana is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2025. Huff’s brother-in-law, Joseph Sanchez, helped to arrange the fake marriage. Sanchez, 33, of Fairbury, Illinois, pleaded guilty on January 29, 2025, to participating in an immigration marriage fraud conspiracy. Sanchez admitted that he pressured Huff to participate in the fake marriage scheme. Sanchez further admitted that he was promised the $10,000 as part of the scheme, but that he only received $3,000. Sanchez was sentenced to five years of federal probation on May 28, 2025. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the cases. 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 Nos. 5:25-cr-20 and 2:25-cr-23. ###


title: Undocumented Immigrant Charged With Illegally Re-Entering United States After Multiple Deportations

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — An undocumented immigrant residing in northern Illinois has been arrested on a federal immigration charge for allegedly unlawfully re-entering the United States after multiple deportations. An indictment returned Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges SALVADOR GUERRERO-LOPEZ, also known as “Jovani Hernandez Pina,” 42, with one count of unlawful re-entry after removal. Guerrero-Lopez, a Mexican national residing in Island Lake, Ill., was arrested on May 30, 2025. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled. Guerrero-Lopez was deported from the United States to Mexico in 2004, 2011, and 2021 after criminal convictions for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor in California and narcotics distribution in Arkansas, according to the indictment and a criminal complaint previously filed in the case. Most recently, he was taken into federal custody last month after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Eagle Pass, Texas, requested assistance from law enforcement in the Chicago area to locate and apprehend Guerrero-Lopez, who is under investigation in Texas for suspected criminal offenses, the complaint states. The unlawful re-entry charge is punishable by up to twenty years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Defendants convicted of this offense are subject to deportation. The indictment and arrest were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of ICE-HSI in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by ICE-HSI in Eagle Pass, Texas. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Havey. 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. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. guerrero-lopez_indictment.pdf guerrero-lopez_complaint.pdf


title: Former California Corrections Sergeant Indicted for Receiving and Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Ralph Contreras Jr., 39, of Chowchilla, charging him with receipt and distribution of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, between September 2024, and January 2025, Contreras received and distributed at least one visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Contreras was a corrections sergeant with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at the time of the offenses. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Contreras faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, and a fine up to a $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Texas Woman Sentenced for Fatal Smuggling Attempt After Fleeing New Mexico Border Patrol Checkpoint

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Texas woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison following her conviction for transporting undocumented noncitizens resulting in a fatality during a high-speed flight from law enforcement near Las Cruces, New Mexico. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, shortly after midnight on September 20, 2023, U.S. Border Patrol agents were conducting inspections at the westbound Interstate 10 checkpoint when Georgina Ramirez , 44, approached in a SUV. Upon questioning, Ramirez presented her driver’s license but refused to fully lower a rear window, arousing agents’ suspicions. As agents attempted further inspection, Ramirez suddenly accelerated, fleeing the checkpoint at high speed. Ramirez led agents on a six-mile pursuit, reaching speeds up to 110 miles per hour and turning off her headlights in an attempt to evade detection. She eventually stopped in the median near mile marker 114, where she and five passengers exited the vehicle and fled on foot at her instruction. During the escape, one passenger attempted to cross the interstate and was fatally struck by a passing semi-truck. Border Patrol agents apprehended Ramirez and five other passengers, four of whom were determined to be undocumented noncitizens without legal status in the United States. The deceased individual was also found to be unlawfully present in the country. In a post-arrest interview, Ramirez admitted she had agreed to transport the noncitizens from the border area to Deming, New Mexico. A search of Ramirez ’s phone revealed messages and recordings coordinating with a scout, who advised her on checkpoint activity, as well as “proof of life” videos of the smuggled individuals. Ramirez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport an illegal alien and high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint. Upon her release from prison, Ramirez will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector made the announcement today. The U.S. Border Patrol investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kirk Williams and Randy Castellano prosecuted this case as 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.


title: Honduran National Indicted For Re-Entry of Deported Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that OSMAN JOSE URBINA-CENTENO (“URBINA-CENTENO”) , a/k/a Jose Urbina-Centeno, a/k/a Jose Enrique Mecias, a/k/a Jose Urbina, a/k/a Urbina Enrique, a/k/a Osmond Urbina, age 33, a native of Honduras, was indicted on June 5, 2025, for re-entry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to court documents, URBINA-CENTENO , an illegal alien, was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on May 12, 2025. He had previously been removed to Honduras on September 8, 2010. If convicted, URBINA-CENTENO faces a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. 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. 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 praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.


title: USAID Official and Three Corporate Executives Plead Guilty to Decade-Long Bribery Scheme Involving Over $550 Million in Contracts; Two Companies Admit Criminal Liability for Bribery Scheme and Securities Fraud

body_text: Four men, including a government contracting officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and three owners and presidents of companies, have pleaded guilty for their roles in a decade-long bribery scheme involving at least 14 prime contracts worth over $550 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars. Roderick Watson, 57, of Woodstock, Maryland, who worked as a USAID contracting officer, pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official; Walter Barnes, 46, of Potomac, Maryland, who was the owner and president of PM Consulting Group LLC doing business as Vistant (Vistant), a certified small business under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) contracting program, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud; Darryl Britt, 64, of Myakka City, Florida, who was the owner and president of Apprio, Inc. (Apprio), a certified small business under the SBA 8(a) contracting program, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official; and Paul Young, 62, of Columbia, Maryland, who was the president of a subcontractor to Vistant and Apprio, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official. In addition, Apprio and Vistant, both of which contracted with USAID, have agreed to admit criminal liability and enter into three-year deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) in connection with criminal informations filed today in the District of Maryland. As part of these resolutions, both Apprio and Vistant admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud. The DPAs entered into with Apprio and Vistant require each company to, among other obligations, provide ongoing cooperation with and disclosures to the Justice Department, implement a compliance and ethics program, and report to Justice Department regarding remediation and implementation of these compliance measures. “The defendants sought to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers through bribery and fraud,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their scheme violated the public trust by corrupting the federal government’s procurement process. Anybody who cares about good and effective government should be concerned about the waste, fraud, and abuse in government agencies, including USAID. Those who engage in bribery schemes to exploit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s vital economic programs for small businesses — whether individuals or corporations acting through them — will be held to account.” “Watson was entrusted to serve the interests of the American people — not his own — and his criminal actions for his own personal gain undermine the integrity of our public institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Public trust is a hallmark of our nation’s values, so corruption within a federal government agency is intolerable. This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue and prosecute corruption at every level to ensure accountability and protect public trust.” “The guilty pleas reflect the FBI’s unwavering commitment to holding accountable all those who abuse the authority and responsibility of public service,” said Assistant Director Joe Perez of the FBI's Criminal Division. “The actions of the defendants in this scheme serve to erode public trust. The FBI is focused on rebuilding this trust and protecting American taxpayers from corruption through investigations such as these.” “Corruption in government programs will not be tolerated. Watson abused his position of trust for personal gain while federal contractors engaged in a pay-to-play scheme,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean Bottary of the USAID Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG). “USAID-OIG is firmly committed to rooting out fraud and corruption within U.S. foreign assistance programs. Today’s announcement underscores our unwavering focus on exposing criminal activity, including bribery schemes by those entrusted to faithfully award government contracts. We appreciate our longstanding partnership with the Department of Justice in holding accountable those who defraud American taxpayers.” “Watson exploited his position at USAID to line his pockets with bribes in exchange for more than $550 million in contracts. While he helped three company owners and presidents bypass the fair bidding process, he was showered with cash and lavish gifts,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Through its financial crime investigations, IRS-CI works to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure government funds are awarded based on merit — not corruption. In close coordination with our law enforcement partners, IRS-CI helped put an end to their greed and criminal conduct. Now, Watson and his co-conspirators will face justice.” Overview of Bribery Scheme According to court documents, beginning in 2013, Watson, while a USAID contracting officer, agreed with Britt to receive bribes in exchange for using Watson’s influence to award contracts to Apprio. As a certified small business under the SBA 8(a) contracting program, which helps socially and economically disadvantaged businesses, Apprio could access lucrative federal contracting opportunities through set-asides and sole-source contracts exclusively available to eligible contractors without a competitive bid process. Vistant was a subcontractor to Apprio on one of the contracts awarded through Watson’s influence. After Apprio graduated from the SBA 8(a) program and it was no longer eligible to be a prime contractor for new contracts with USAID under this program, the scheme shifted so that Vistant became the prime contractor and Apprio became the subcontractor on USAID contracts awarded through Watson’s influence between 2018 and 2022. During the scheme, Britt and Barnes paid bribes to Watson that were often concealed by passing them through Young, who was the president of another subcontractor to Apprio and Vistant. Britt and Barnes also regularly funneled bribes to Watson, including cash, laptops, thousands of dollars in tickets to a suite at an NBA game, a country club wedding, downpayments on two residential mortgages, cellular phones, and jobs for relatives. The bribes were also often concealed through electronic bank transfers falsely listing Watson on payroll, incorporated shell companies, and false invoices. Watson is alleged to have received bribes valued at more than approximately $1 million as part of the scheme. In exchange for the bribe payments, Watson influenced the award of contracts to Apprio and Vistant by manipulating the procurement process at USAID through various means, including recommending their companies to other USAID decisionmakers for non-competitive contract awards, disclosing sensitive procurement information during the competitive bidding process, providing positive performance evaluations to a government agency, and approving decisions on the contracts, such as increased funding and a security clearance. Apprio and Vistant also agreed to resolve concurrently with the Justice Department in its separate Civil False Claims Act investigations relating to the bribery scheme. Overview of Vistant Securities Fraud Scheme According to court documents, in 2022, Barnes and Watson defrauded a licensed small business investment company (SBIC), in furtherance of the bribery scheme, by inducing it into executing a credit agreement with Vistant. Through the credit agreement, Barnes caused Vistant to issue stock warrants that, if exercised, would result in the SBIC having a 40% equity stake in Vistant. The credit agreement also provided for a $14 million loan to Vistant from which Barnes could pay himself a $10 million dividend. Prior to executing the credit agreement, Watson agreed at Barnes’s request to speak with the SBIC about Vistant’s performance as a government contractor on USAID contracts. When speaking with the SBIC, Watson omitted that Barnes had bribed Watson to obtain USAID contracts for years. Watson’s endorsement of Vistant thereafter induced the SBIC to enter into the credit agreement with Barnes. Overview of Apprio Securities Fraud Scheme According to court documents, in 2023, Apprio, acting through Britt, engaged in a scheme in which Apprio fraudulently induced a private equity firm, which had an investment pool that was licensed as a SBIC, to purchase from Apprio’s parent company a 20% equity stake in the company for $4 million and simultaneously extend it a $4 million loan secured by shares of Apprio stock. In addition to making false material representations in the stock purchase and loan agreements, Britt intentionally omitted during his negotiations the material fact that he had bribed Watson for years, which was intended to deceive and induce the private equity company into executing the agreements. Deferred Prosecution Agreements with Apprio and Vistant The Justice Department reached its resolution with Apprio based on several factors, including Apprio’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct, fully cooperating in the investigation and engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 10% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the Criminal Division Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (CEP). According to court documents, Apprio agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $51,673,185; however, Apprio also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $500,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Apprio. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $500,000 in a civil settlement. Similarly, the Justice Department reached its resolution with Vistant based on a number of factors, including Vistant’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct and cooperating with the investigation. Although Vistant’s cooperation was initially delayed and limited, Vistant began to fully cooperate thereafter. Vistant also received credit for engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the penalty calculated under the Guidelines reflects a 5% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the CEP. Vistant agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $86,407,740; however, Vistant also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $100,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Vistant. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $100,000 in a civil settlement. Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Young is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Britt is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Barnes is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The FBI, USAID-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the cases. Trial Attorneys Matt Kahn and Brandon Burkart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Kibbe for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the cases.


title: Honduran man sentenced on illegal reentry charges

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Honduran man who entered the U.S. illegally after two prior removals and corresponding convictions was sentenced today to 99 days in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Carlos Alexis Ponce-Lopez, 33, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to one of illegal reentry. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that Ponce-Lopez was originally ordered removed by an Immigration Judge on November 11, 2011, in San Antonio, Texas and was removed on December 23, 2011. Ponce-Lopez illegally entered again on March 31, 2014. Ponce-Lopez’s original order of removal was reinstated and he was removed on August 18, 2014. On each of those occasions, Ponce-Lopez was also convicted in federal court for illegal entry prior to being removed. On February 21, 2025, the Montana Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on I-90 near Billings, Montana. Ponce-Lopez was a passenger in the vehicle. The driver was cited and all three subjects were released, including Ponce-Lopez. On March 4, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents found Ponce-Lopez at a house in Shelby, Montana. As they walked towards the home, Ponce-Lopez walked outside. One of the agents called out to Ponce-Lopez, “Carlos Ponce?” Ponce-Lopez responded in Spanish, “Si, es mi (Yes, that’s me).” The agents then conducted an immigration inspection. Ponce-Lopez said he was removed before and reentered illegally. He admitted he had no documents to enter, live, or stay in the United States legally and was not pending any immigration hearings. He was arrested and transported to the Sweetgrass Border Patrol Station for further processing. There are no records within the Department of Homeland Security that Ponce-Lopez ever applied for readmission into the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol, Montana Highway Patrol, and Toole County Sheriff’s Office. 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).


title: Indictment Charges Waterbury Man with Drug and Gun Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging TIMEEK HEATH, 41, of Waterbury, with drug and firearm offenses. The indictment was returned on June 4, 2025. Heath appeared today in Hartford federal court, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing that is scheduled for June 17. As alleged in the indictment, on two occasions in August and September 2024, Heath distributed fentanyl. Also, on September 5, 2024, Heath sold a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber pistol to an individual he knew was a convicted felon. It is further alleged that Heath’s criminal history includes felony convictions for manslaughter and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. The indictment charges Heath with two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; one count of sale of a firearm by a prohibited person, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; and one count of firearms trafficking, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile. 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Guatemalan National Charged with Forcibly Assaulting  Federal Officers During Immigration Arrest

body_text: BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Marlborough, Mass. has been charged with assaulting multiple federal officers during an immigration arrest. Guido Andres Cuellar Batres, 24, was charged with one count of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties. The defendant is currently in ICE custody and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, Cuellar had overstayed his non-immigrant visa by more than four years and, as a result, there was an outstanding immigration warrant for his arrest. It is alleged that at approximately 9:45 a.m. on May 4, 2025, four federal officers – three Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and a Drug Enforcement Administration agent – set up surveillance in a parking lot in Marlborough. There, a vehicle was observed entering the parking lot, with Cuellar sitting in the front passenger seat. It is alleged that the officers – wearing outer garments identifying themselves as law enforcement – approached the vehicle and ordered Cuellar, in both English and Spanish, to step out of the car. Cuellar allegedly refused. The officers then allegedly instructed Cuellar and the driver to unlock the vehicle, but they did not do so. It is alleged that after being instructed by the officers to keep his hands visible, Cuellar reached down in the front passenger seat such that the officers lost sight of his hands – raising concern that he might be reaching for a weapon. Given this concern and the refusals to comply with orders, the officers broke the rear passenger side window, through which they gained entry and unlocked the front passenger door. It is alleged that, upon being removed from the vehicle, Cuellar forcibly resisted officer efforts to bring his arms behind his back for handcuffing. It is further alleged that, Cuellar bit one of the officers in the wrist, attempted to bite another officer in the leg and struck an officer in the head multiple times, among other acts. According to the charging documents, the officers ultimately handcuffed Cuellar and applied leg restraints. During this process, it is alleged that Cuellar continued to forcibly resist including, among other things, by kicking at the officers. Additionally, it is alleged that while officers attempted to secure Cuellar in rear seat of their vehicle, Cuellar jumped numerous times to prevent being put in the vehicle. As a result, one of the officers entered the opposite side of the vehicle to pull Cuellar into the rear seat. As the officer took hold of Cuellar, the defendant allegedly head-butted the officer and spat directly into the officer’s face and eyes. The charge of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers engaged in the performance of official duties provides for a sentence of up to eight years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.