title: Mexican national indicted in the Eastern District of Texas for immigration violations

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A Mexican national has been charged with a federal immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Silvestre Montoya-Medina, 45, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegally reentering the United States after previously being deported. According to the indictment, on February 19, 2025, Montoya-Medina was found unlawfully in Frisco after being previously deported from the United States on May 21, 2024. 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). If convicted, Montoya-Medina faces up to 20 years in federal prison and deportation. This case is being investigated by the Frisco Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chalana A. Oliver. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Missouri Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Travelling to Louisiana to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with Twelve-Year-Old Female

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ERIC CHARLES FULLER (“FULLER”) , age 55, from Springfield, Missouri, was sentenced on June 10, 2025 by United States District Judge Greg Gerard Guidry to 57 months in prison, after previously pleading guilty to interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b). Additionally, Judge Guidry ordered FULLER to serve five (5) years of supervised release after imprisonment, register as a sex offender, and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to the court documents, on or about December 7, 2023, law enforcement personnel, operating online in an undercover capacity and pretending to be a twenty-nine-year-old mother with a twelve-year-old daughter, met FULLER on a social network and messaging application. Over approximately the next month, on numerous occasions FULLER discussed his interest in engaging in various sexual acts with the “mother” and daughter,” culminating in FULLER making arrangements to travel from his residence in Springfield, Missouri, to the New Orleans area to engage in sexual contact, individually and collectively, with the “mother” and “daughter.” During his conversation FULLER described the contact he anticipated as “highly taboo,” “highly illegal,” “risky,” “not the worst way to be,” and “a way to have a happier life.” FULLER left Springfield, in his red, 2002 Chevrolet Prism, on about January 11, 2024, and arrived at a predetermined location in Mandeville, Louisiana on Friday, January 12, 2024, for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with the individual FULLER believed to be a twelve-year-old female. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.


title: Federal Law Enforcement Seizes Fentanyl and 25 Firearms From Suburban Chicago Residences and Storage Unit; Two Individuals Arrested

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: CHICAGO — Federal law enforcement this week arrested two individuals after seizing multiple kilograms of fentanyl and approximately 25 firearms from their suburban Chicago residences and storage unit. A criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges JAMES HOWARD, 32, of Frankfort, Ill., and SHANTEL ROBINSON, 31, of Oak Lawn, Ill., with drug conspiracy. Howard and Robinson were arrested on Thursday. They are scheduled to make initial appearances today in federal court in Chicago. According to the complaint, law enforcement last week covertly discovered approximately 1.5 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and approximately 850 grams of suspected cocaine from a comforter blanket package that Howard had placed in the common area of Robinson’s apartment complex. A subsequent court-authorized search of Robinson’s apartment revealed that it contained multiple firearms and was being used as a drug laboratory, the complaint states. Law enforcement later conducted court-authorized searches of Howard’s residence and a storage unit Robinson leased in Alsip, Ill., and discovered additional kilograms of suspected narcotics, drug manufacturing paraphernalia, additional firearms, and two packages containing Glock “conversion devices,” which make handguns capable of firing multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger, the complaint states. The complaint and arrests were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Valuable assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police, Will County Sheriff’s Office, Justice, Ill. Police Department, Woodridge, Ill. Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Elmhurst, Ill. Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Elgin, Ill. Police Department, Buffalo Grove, Ill. Police Department, Frankfort, Ill. Police Department, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kurt Siegal and Minje Shin. The officials noted that the investigation remains ongoing. 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). The public is reminded that a complaint 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. howard_and_robinson_complaint.pdf


title: Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Over 6 years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A Mexican citizen was sentenced on June 10, 2025, to 6 years and 3 months in federal prison for cocaine trafficking. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Hector Campoy, 41, of Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Campoy was illegally in the United States. “We will eradicate the deluge of poison being pumped into the Western District of Kentucky by transnational criminal organizations and illegal immigrants. This sentence is one step in that direction, with much more work to be done,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner. “I commend the work of DEA and LMPD investigators in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division. “Let this be a warning to all transnational drug traffickers; if you’re operating within our borders, DEA will hunt you down and you will be brought to justice.” “Another dangerous criminal is off the streets and behind bars thanks to the strong partnership among our law enforcement agencies. This case reflects our continued commitment to protecting the safety of Louisville’s neighborhoods,” said Chief Paul Humphrey. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the DEA and LMPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dahl prosecuted the case. This conviction is a 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: Waterbury Woman Pleads Guilty, Admits Multiple Fraud Schemes

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARLENIN VITO, 46, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to an offense stemming from multiple fraud schemes. According to court documents and statements made in court, Vito was employed as Medicaid Coordinator at an assisted living facility (“Company A”) located in Stamford. Vito’s responsibilities included assisting the residents in applying for nursing home level Medicaid reimbursements, monitoring the residents’ patient trust accounts, and ensuring compliance with Medicaid regulations. She was also responsible for keeping journal entries for the residents’ trust accounts and to credit their accounts when funds were received, and for debiting patient accounts when payments were made on behalf of the residents or when cash was given to residents for incidental expenses. Between approximately December 2019 and May 2021, Vito defrauded Company A and its residents by generating checks from Company A’s system, forging a fellow employee’s signature on the checks, negotiating the fraudulent checks purportedly to give the cash proceeds to certain residents, and keeping the cash for her own use. Vito then made false entries into Company A’s accounting ledger by debiting the fraudulently obtained cash from the residents’ respective trust accounts. Many of the residents were not healthy enough or mentally capable of tracking their own expenses or monitoring the balances of their own trust accounts. In certain instances, Vito cancelled residents’ supplemental health insurance coverage, but continued to deduct funds from the trust accounts and took the funds for herself. Also, when certain residents’ trust accounts were credited with Economic Impact Payments (“COVID-19 stimulus payments”), Vito took the funds for herself and then debited the residents’ accounts at a rate of approximately $60 a day until the stimulus funds were depleted. During the scheme, Vito fraudulently negotiated approximately 500 checks, stealing approximately $310,820. When she was confronted by family members of certain residents, Vito created and provided to those family members false account statements that misrepresented the balances in the residents’ trust accounts. After she was terminated by Company A, Vito obtained employment as a bookkeeper and scheduler at an alarm company (“Company B”) located in White Plains, New York. Vito stole from the company by making false representations about overtime for herself and her daughter, and by using company funds to order more than $10,000 worth of products to be delivered to her Waterbury residence. Company B was defrauded of approximately $23,558 through these schemes. After she was terminated by Company B, Vito was employed as a bookkeeper at a law firm in Hartford (“Company C”). Vito took fraudulently generated checks drawn on Company C’s bank account and issued as “Pay to the Order of ‘Petty Cash, ’” forged the signature of an authorized employee on the checks, cashed the checks, and kept the funds for herself. She then recorded the fraudulently negotiated checks in Company C’s books and records as “Petty Cash.” Vito stole approximately $27,179 from Company C. Vito pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10. Vito is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing. This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Stamford Police Department, Hartford Police Department, Ridgefield Police Department, and the Putnam County (N.Y.) Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. McGarry and Nathan J. Guevremont.


title: Honduran national indicted in the Eastern District of Texas for immigration violations

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – A Honduran man has been charged with a federal immigration violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Darwin Adalid Romero-Garcia, 32, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegally reentering the United States after previously being deported. According to the indictment, on July 19, 2023, Romero-Garcia was found unlawfully in Lewisville after being previously deported from the United States on January 30, 2018. 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). If convicted, Romero-Garcia faces up to 20 years in federal prison and deportation. This case is being investigated by the Lewisville Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chalana A. Oliver. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Canadian Man is the Sixth and Final Defendant Sentenced in a Grandparent Scam that Targeted Kentucky Victims and Others

body_text: Louisville, KY – A Canadian citizen was sentenced to 5 years and 1 month in federal prison for his role in a sweeping “grandparent scam” that targeted victims in Kentucky and across the United States through Canadian-based call centers. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd, Cincinnati Field Office, IRS Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service made the announcement. According to court documents, callers would convince senior victims that their grandchild or other family member had an emergency, usually a car accident, and urgently needed money from the victim. Co-conspirators posing as “couriers” would then collect cash from victims at home and others would launder the criminal proceeds, both through traditional banks and cryptocurrency exchanges. The charged wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy spanned from August 2020 to May 2021, and impacted hundreds of victims across the United States—including in Kentucky—who lost over $3 million in total. Phillipe Gravel - Nadon , 35, a Canadian citizen who was extradited from Colombia to face the federal indictment, was sentenced on June 12, 2025, to 5 years and 1 month in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for wire fraud conspiracy. Gravel - Nadon was considered a “manager or supervisor” within the conspiracy. He was also ordered to pay $963,290 in restitution. Five other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas and have been sentenced in the case. Robert Louis Sanchez , 58, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was sentenced on June 27, 2024, to 1 year and 6 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, for his role both as a courier and sometimes as the “safehouse” who would guard cash that was taken from victims. Jairo Ostia Roberts , 44, who traveled from Panama to the United States to act as a courier in the scheme, was sentenced on March 9, 2023, to 6 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release, for wire fraud conspiracy. Roberts was removed to Panama upon his release from U.S. Bureau of Prisons custody. Panama Abel Diaz Adames , 40, who also traveled from Panama to the United States to act as a courier in the scheme, was sentenced on April 4, 2024, to 1 year and 4 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for wire fraud conspiracy. Christopher Courcoulacos , 47, a Canadian citizen who had been residing in Panama, was considered a “manager or supervisor” within the conspiracy, and was sentenced on November 9, 2023, to 6 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for wire fraud conspiracy. Mark Anthony Phillips , 45, of Ruskin, Florida, was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to 6 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to a money laundering conspiracy charged in the Western District of Kentucky, as well as pleading guilty to five additional money laundering counts, originally charged in the Western District of New York, which were transferred to Kentucky for guilty pleas and sentencing. “These schemes—designed to take advantage of vulnerable, well-intentioned victims—are becoming increasingly more prevalent across the country. We will do everything in our power to identify the perpetrators of these frauds and hold them to account,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner. “As we do our part to curb these frauds, I would caution the public to be skeptical of any phone call that presents you with an urgent situation that can be remedied by an immediate payment of money. Those requests are generally a fraud, and you should have the courage to hang up the phone when the caller pushes you even harder for money.” There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the IRS-CI and USSS with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attaché Office in Bogotá provided valuable assistance with securing the arrest and extradition of Gravel-Nadon to the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne E. Keel prosecuted the case. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the National Elder Justice Task Force and the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. The Department of Justice’s mission of its Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. Kentucky’s task force is comprised of investigators, prosecutors, and others at the local, state, and federal level with a common objective of protecting seniors across Kentucky. ###


title: Billings woman sentenced to 10 years in prison on drug charges

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

body_text: BILLINGS – A Billings woman who facilitated drug trafficking in Billings was sentenced today to 120 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Tashauna Lee Goss, 33, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that in 2023, agents with the DEA investigated a drug trafficking organization based in Billings, Montana that was operating out of Tashauna Goss’ house. Goss was identified as working with Hispanic males trafficking drugs from Washington state. Agents obtained information from a number of individuals throughout the investigation that Goss allowed these Hispanic males from Washington to use her house as a “stash house.” It was reported these individuals brought to Montana pounds of methamphetamine. Goss sold methamphetamine from these individuals to lower-level dealers in Billings. Agents conducted a series of controlled buys from various individuals. On November 23, 2023, a controlled source purchased 52 grams of actual methamphetamine from Anthony Enemyhunter, one of Goss’s co-defendants who previously was sentenced to 128 months in prison for his involvement in drug trafficking. Enemyhunter received the meth he sold during the controlled buy from Goss and another co-defendant, Anita Ballesteros, who received a sentence of 96 months in prison in December 2024. On January 19, 2024, agents executed a search warrant at Goss’ residence. They seized several firearms, a large amount of cash, and some methamphetamine. Two baggies of meth were located in Goss’s bedroom and weighed 2.65 grams and 7.7 grams, respectively. Text messages retrieved from Ballesteros’s phone indicated Goss was selling methamphetamine in ounce quantities. On December 23, 2023, Goss texted Ballesteros, “I’m taking a break to get the heat off me just not gonna be moving like I was.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, ATF, State of Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Montana Highway Patrol. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Afghan National Pleads Guilty to Plotting Election Day Terror Attack in the United States

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY — NASIR AHMAD TAWHEDI , 27, a native and citizen of Afghanistan, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Oklahoma City to two terrorism-related offenses: conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a federal crime of terrorism. “By pledging allegiance to ISIS and plotting an attack against innocent Americans on Election Day, this defendant endangered lives and gravely betrayed the nation that gave him refuge,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s guilty plea guarantees he will be held accountable, stripped of his immigration status, and permanently removed from the United States, and shows the Justice Department has zero tolerance for those who exploit our freedoms to spread violence.” “The defendant admits he planned and obtained firearms to carry out a violent terror attack on Election Day in 2024, a plot that was detected and disrupted through the good work of the FBI and our partners,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Let this serve as notice to anyone who tries to conduct attacks in our homeland for ISIS or any other terror group: we will find you and you’ll face American justice. I want to commend the FBI teams and our partners for their hard work and success in executing the mission.” “Through incredible law enforcement effort and coordination, a violent terrorist attack on American soil was thwarted, and those responsible are being held accountable,” said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “I commend the outstanding work by the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and prosecutors to diligently discover, thoroughly investigate, and completely foil this terror plot. These guilty pleas serve as an emphatic reminder that the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue those who attempt to harm Americans through terrorist acts.” “Thanks to outstanding work by the Oklahoma City Joint Terrorism Task Force, the defendant’s plan to kill innocent Americans in a terrorist attack on Election Day was stopped,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “The FBI is grateful to all who stand beside us in our fight against terrorism. Together, we will continue to safeguard our communities from those who conspire against the United States.” According to court documents, Tawhedi admitted that between June 2024 and October 2024 he conspired with at least one other individual to purchase two AK-47 rifles, 500 rounds of ammunition, and 10 magazines, with the intent to carry out a mass-casualty attack on or around Election Day, November 5, 2024, on behalf of ISIS. According to a criminal complaint affidavit filed in the case, Tawhedi communicated with an ISIS facilitator about his plan to purchase firearms for use in the terror plot, including asking the individual whether 500 rounds of ammunition would be sufficient. Tawhedi and his co-conspirator, ABDULLAH HAJI ZADA , were arrested on October 7, 2024, after purchasing the firearms and ammunition from an undercover FBI employee. Zada, 18, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to the firearms offense in connection with his role in the terror plot and is awaiting sentencing. Zada, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, entered his guilty plea as an adult and will be sentenced as an adult. At sentencing, Tawhedi faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison for the material support charge and up to 15 years in prison for the firearms charge. Zada faces up to 15 years in federal prison. Upon completion of any sentence, Tawhedi and Zada will be permanently removed from the United States and barred from reentry under stipulated judicial orders of removal to Afghanistan. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Marshals Service, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Oklahoma Counter Terrorism Intelligence Center, the Edmond Police Department, the Moore Police Department, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma City Community College Police Department, and the Oklahoma City University Police Department, is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Perry and Matt Dillon for the Western District of Oklahoma; Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian, who previously served in the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section; and Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Mark Stoneman of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, who previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, also assisted with the prosecution.


title: Marrero Man Sentenced for Narcotics and Weapons Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on June 10, 2025, TYRIQUE RICHARDS , age 28, of Marrero, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to 66 months imprisonment and payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D), as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Following imprisonment, RICHARDS , will be placed on supervised release for three (3) years. According to court documents, on February 27, 2024, February Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force (NOGTF) members arrested RICHARDS pursuant to local parish attachments. Upon arrest, RICHARDS was found in possession of marijuana, cocaine, a digital scale, and a Glock firearm. 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. Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Possession

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Jon Waugh, age 55, from Sioux City, Iowa, a man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it within 1,000 feet of a protected location pled guilty June 12, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City. On August 14, 2024, law enforcement officers contacted Waugh outside his apartment for an outstanding arrest warrant, while he was on his way to sell methamphetamine. Officers searched Waugh and found and seized approximately 112 grams of methamphetamine and $854 in cash. Law enforcement officers searched Waugh’s residence and seized over one kilogram of methamphetamine, a scale with meth, drug paraphernalia, and four firearms, one of which was stolen. At the plea hearing, Waugh admitted he planned to distribute the methamphetamine to other individuals in Sioux City. Waugh’s residence was within 1,000 feet of a protected location, specifically a local elementary school in Sioux City. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Waugh remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Waugh faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl .


title: Former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison After Corruption Conviction

body_text: CHICAGO — A federal judge in Chicago today sentenced former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives MICHAEL J. MADIGAN to seven and a half years in federal prison for using his official position to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates. A jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago earlier this year convicted Madigan of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States; using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity; wire fraud; and bribery. Evidence at the four-month trial revealed that Madigan, who served as House Speaker and occupied a number of other political roles, conspired with others to cause the utility company Commonwealth Edison to make monetary payments to Madigan’s associates as a reward for their loyalty to Madigan, in return for performing little or no legitimate work for the business. The true nature of the payments was to influence and reward Madigan in connection with specific legislation ComEd sought in the Illinois General Assembly. Madigan, 83, of Chicago, also schemed with an Alderman of the Chicago City Council to steer legal work to Madigan’s private law firm and Madigan’s son, in exchange for Madigan’s assistance in inducing the Governor of Illinois to appoint the Alderman to a compensated state board position. After reviewing Madigan’s criminal conduct and finding that Madigan perjured himself repeatedly in his trial testimony, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed the seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence and fined Madigan $2.5 million. The sentence 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 Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government was represented today by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Streicker, Diane MacArthur, and Julia Schwartz. “Corruption at the highest level of the state legislature tears at the fabric of a vital governing body,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “It was the grit and determination of our team of prosecutors and law enforcement agents, led by our former colleague, Amarjeet S. Bhachu, who served as the Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Public Corruption and Organized Crime Section until earlier this year, that allowed this case to reach a jury and send a clear message that the criminal conduct by former Speaker Madigan was unacceptable. I couldn’t be prouder of the strong commitment of our law enforcement partners at the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. Our Office and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to vigorously prosecute corruption at all levels of government and hold public officials accountable for violating the public trust.” “Mr. Madigan was elected to serve the people of Illinois, but his actions demonstrated time and time again that his priority was his own personal interests and gain,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “Thanks to the dedicated investigative and prosecutorial teams, he will now be held accountable for those criminal actions. The FBI remains dedicated to aggressively investigating corruption and fraud to ensure that the public has faith in our democratic institutions and elected leaders who are truly honest and fair.” “Today’s sentencing marks a pivotal moment in our commitment to uphold the integrity of public service,” said IRS-CI SAC Covington. “Through meticulously tracing the flow of illicit funds tied to legislative influence and no‑show jobs, our team has demonstrated that no individual—regardless of stature or tenure—is beyond the reach of the law. Holding Michael J. Madigan accountable today reinforces the core principle that public trust is sacred, and those who betray it will be brought to justice.”


title: Arrest Made in D.C. Jail Homicide

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Marquise Jones, 26, of the District of Columbia, was arrested Tuesday on charges of second-degree murder while armed with a knife, for the jailhouse death of 29-year-old Carlos Shelley on May 12, 2025. The arrest was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Jones was presented today before Superior Court Judge Robert Hildum, who ordered Jones held without bond until a July 2, 2025 preliminary hearing before Judge Todd Edelman. On Monday, May 12, 2025, at approximately 2:30 p.m., First District officers responded to the Central Detention Facility in the 1900 block of D Street, Southeast, for the report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male, unconscious and not breathing, suffering from life-threatening stab wounds. DC Fire and EMS responded to the scene and after finding no signs consistent with life, the victim was pronounced deceased. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Molly K. Smith. A criminal charge is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pierce County man charged with illegally possessing ammunition as part of an investigation over threats to detonate a bomb

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A 46-year-old resident of Graham, Washington was charged today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma following the investigation into his threats to build a bomb and set it off in a public area, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. David Michael Eddo was arrested yesterday and made his initial appearance on the criminal complaint charging him with illegal possession of ammunition this afternoon. He is scheduled for a detention hearing on Wednesday June 18, 2025. He remains detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac. According to the criminal complaint, Eddo is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammuniti0n because of his conviction for drive-by shooting and assault. In that 2019 case, Eddo fired multiple shots into the cab of a semi-truck that was on the I-5 exit ramp to the Port of Tacoma. He was sentenced to 26 months in prison. In early May 2025, Eddo came to the attention of the FBI for writing a ‘manifesto’ in which he claimed to be building and deploying a bomb to get ‘justice’ for his father who died approximately 20 years ago at the Port of Tacoma. Eddo allegedly names certain people who were involved in litigation over his father’s death as targets in the manifesto. On June 12, 2025, law enforcement searched Eddo’s Graham home and recovered various items that could be used to make an explosive device including Ammonium Perchlorate also called Potassium Nitrate. Eddo had no license to purchase, use, or store explosives. Additionally, agents recovered two different types of ammunition. Unlawful possession of ammunition is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The FBI is leading the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elyne Vaught.


title: District of Arizona Charges 266 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 7, 2025, through June 13, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 266 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 108 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 140 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Fernando Alvin Robles : On June 9, 2025, Fernando Alvin Robles drove a vehicle to the Interstate 19 immigration checkpoint. While Robles was at primary inspection, agents noticed that he was looking around as if he was searching for an exit. Robles then gave the agents consent to search the trunk of his vehicle and was referred to secondary inspection for the search. Robles parked outside of the secondary inspection area, but as agents approached the vehicle to direct him to the designated area, Robles drove off at a high rate of speed. Agents pursued Robles and he eventually came to a stop approximately 9 miles later. During a search of Robles' trunk, agents found a Guatemalan citizen hiding inside who was illegally present in the United States. Robles was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit and Illegal Re-entry. [Case Number: 25‐MJ‐05230] United States v. Jesus Maldonado-Cortez , United States v. Jessie Pacheco Jose , and United States v. Miguel Alejandro Abril-Miramon : On June 8, 2025, Border Patrol Agents observed Jesus Maldonado‐Cortez driving on a rural dirt road commonly used by smuggling organizations. Agents initiated a vehicle stop to conduct an immigration inspection, but Maldonado‐Cortez failed to yield. As agents pursued Maldonado‐Cortez, he drove through a barbed wire fence and off the road. Agents continued their pursuit on foot and ran to the vehicle's last location. When they approached the vehicle, they observed that the driver's door was open and there was no one inside. Agents searched the area and apprehended one individual approximately 300 meters from the vehicle, who was determined to be a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. The next day, agents received information about a group of five suspected illegal aliens in close proximity to the place where the vehicle stopped. Agents responded to the area and apprehended all five subjects, including Maldonado‐Cortez. All five individuals were determined to be citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Maldonado‐Cortez was charged with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit and Illegal Re‐entry. Two of the other subjects apprehended, Jessie Pacheco Jose and Miguel Alejandro Abril‐Miramon, were charged with Illegal Re‐entry. [Case Numbers: 25‐MJ‐05181; 25‐MJ‐05250; 25‐MJ‐05233] A criminal complaint 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. 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 Neighborhood (PSN). RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-094_June 13 Immigration Enforcement # # # 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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Alameda Man Indicted On Charges Stemming From Theft Of $800,000 From Prepaid Debit Cards

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Nathan Wu-Falkenborg on 15 counts of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with the alleged theft of funds from prepaid debit cards. Wu-Falkenborg made an initial appearance in federal district court today. According to the indictment filed June 4, 2025, and unsealed today, Wu-Falkenborg, 49, of Alameda, worked in fraud prevention at a company that administered a prepaid debit card program. Known as Direct Express, the program allowed recipients of federal benefits to access their benefits through a prepaid debit card account. Between September 2021 and March 2022, Wu-Falkenborg allegedly used his access to confidential account information to activate and use numerous Direct Express accounts that had been funded but did not appear to be in use. The indictment describes that Wu-Falkenborg fraudulently obtained approximately $800,000 from these Direct Express accounts by way of several hundred ATM withdrawals around the Bay Area and online transactions. Wu-Falkenborg is also charged with the unauthorized use of a Direct Express customer’s identity to open various accounts that he used to execute the scheme and unlawfully using debit cards associated with two victim customers. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement. Wu-Falkenborg was released on bond. He is scheduled to appear in district court on July 9, 2025, for a status conference before U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer. Wu-Falkenborg is charged with 12 counts of bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1344(1), (2) and three counts of aggravated identity theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1). An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million for each bank fraud charge, and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each aggravated identity theft charge. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Buszin and Charles Bisesto are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.


title: Mexican National With Two Prior Deportations Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Drug Trafficking Of Fentanyl

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national who twice illegally reentered the United States after previously being removed from the country was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his role in the trafficking of fentanyl to Nevada, Colorado, and California. Marco Antonio Quezada-Ramirez is a citizen and national of Mexico and he pleaded guilty to one-count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. According to court documents, Marco Antonio Quezada-Ramirez admitted that beginning on a date unknown and continuing up to on or about September 19, 2023, there was an agreement between him and his co-defendants to distribute fentanyl in the United States. As part of the agreement, Quezada-Ramirez admitted that on June 8, 2023, he a sold approximately 600 fentanyl pills, and on July 12, 2023, he sold approximately 500 fentanyl pills. On July 31, 2023, Quezada-Ramirez received a shipment of approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills that was intended for resale. Law enforcement recovered the 30,000 fentanyl pills during a traffic stop in Las Vegas along with cocaine and heroin. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Deputy Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Los Angeles Division, which oversees Las Vegas, made the announcement. This case was investigated by the DEA and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Melanee Smith prosecuted the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . ###


title: Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Selling Ghost Guns, Stolen Guns, Machinegun Conversion Devices, And Cocaine

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident who pleaded guilty to unlawfully selling ghost guns, stolen guns, large capacity magazines, machinegun conversion devices, and cocaine in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents, from April 24, 2023, to August 3, 2024, Richard Edwin Sanchez engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a Federal Firearms License by selling 17 firearms, including .223, .40, and 5.56 caliber firearms, 9mm firearms, and a 12-gauge shotgun. Of these firearms, 10 were Glock semi-automatic firearms capable of being converted into fully automatic weapons using machinegun conversion devices provided by Sanchez. In addition, he sold 21 machinegun conversion devices. Of the Glock pistols, nine were sold with large capacity magazines, two were stolen, and two others were associated with at least five shootings in the Las Vegas and North Las Vegas area. Two other firearms sold had either no serial number or an obliterated serial number. Additionally, Sanchez sold a total of about 435 grams of cocaine. Sanchez pleaded guilty to one-count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, one-count of distribution of cocaine, and one-count of possession or transfer of a machine gun. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Alex Buenaventura, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement. This case was investigated by the ATF; and the United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. ###


title: Jury Finds Virginia Man Guilty of Kidnapping, Strangulation

body_text: WASHINGTON –Adam Ahmed, 38, of Chantilly, Virginia, was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of kidnapping and strangulation related to an incident that began in Manassas, Virginia, on May 10, 2024, and ended in northeast Washington, D.C., on May 11, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The verdict was returned on June 12 th and included two counts of making threats and one count of misdemeanor assault. Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno scheduled sentencing for August 15, 2025. According to the government’s evidence, on May 9, 2024, Ahmed was arrested in Virginia on multiple warrants for protective order violations and assault charges against his ex-girlfriend. The next day, on May 10, 2024, the victim got into Ahmed’s car outside her home in Manassas, Virginia, believing that they would sit in her building parking lot and talk about their relationship. Instead, the defendant took off, driving erratically. Ahmed told the victim that they were both “going to die tonight,” and that if she was going to charge him with abduction, he was going to do it. The defendant drove onto I-66 and took the victim into the District, where he repeatedly assaulted her and threatened to kill her. After several hours of terrorizing the victim, Ahmed told her that he was going to drive her somewhere no one would find her. When he stopped the car, he climbed over her and strangled her with both hands until she couldn’t breathe. While strangling her, he bit her, putting his whole mouth over hers. He started driving again, eventually stopping at a Shell gas station on Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue. At one point, Ahmed walked away from the car, and the victim tried to escape. Surveillance footage shows the defendant rushing at the victim, picking her up, and struggling with her to force her back in the car. A passerby on the street saw the defendant hitting the victim and turned into the gas station parking lot, rescuing the victim and calling 911. During the course of trial two expert witnesses spoke about the unique dangers inherit in strangulation, and violence in intimate partner violence relationships, respectively. Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of intimate partner violence, as a major strangulation study in San Diego, found surviving domestic violence “victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section has charged over 110 acts of felony strangulation since the D.C. Council created it as a criminal offense under D.C. Code 22-404.04, which went into effect in July of 2023. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of the officers and detectives at the Metropolitan Police Department. They also credited Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trisha Jhunjhnuwala and Amanda Swanson, of the Sexual Offense and Domestic Violence section for successfully prosecuting the case.


title: WMATA Train Operators Arrested in Health Care Fraud Scheme

body_text: WASHINGTON – Michelle Shropshire, 54, of Waldorf, Maryland, and Harlisha Jones, 49, of Clinton, Maryland, and Washington, DC, were arrested this morning on health care fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy charges filed in U.S. District Court. The arrests were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Inspector General Michelle Zamarin of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Office of Inspector General. Both defendants are expected to make their initial appearance today in the District Court for the District of Columbia. According to the indictment, from June 2021 through January 2024, Shropshire and Jones, both Train Operators employed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), conspired to use Jones’s insurance policies with American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (AFLAC) to submit fraudulent health care and short-term disability insurance claims for injuries, medical treatments, and disability periods that did not exist. Court documents allege that the defendants used the information of real doctors to create fraudulent medical excuse notes and physician’s statements, including forged doctors’ signatures, that were submitted to AFLAC in support of the insurance claims. Then, shortly after AFLAC paid each claim to Jones, she paid a kickback to Shropshire using a percentage of the total claim payment. As a result of those fraudulent insurance claims, AFLAC paid Jones approximately $58,750, of which Jones paid approximately 20% back to Shropshire. The indictment further alleges that in addition to Jones, Shropshire assisted numerous other WMATA employees with submitting fraudulent health care and short-term disability insurance claims to AFLAC. As a result of that scheme, AFLAC paid at least $362,035.14 in phony insurance benefits to Shropshire, Jones, and other WMATA employees. Those employees included Sharon Washington, 53, of Woodbridge, VA, Selethia Blake, 53, of Waldorf, MD, Brady Turner, 56, of Clinton, MD, Lushawn Foreman, 51, of Upper Marlboro, MD, and Margot Jackson, 52, of Hughesville, MD, among others. Washington, Blake, Turner, Foreman, and Jackson have each admitted to their involvement in Shropshire’s scheme, including paying kickbacks to Shropshire using a portion of the claim payments they received, and have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Each is currently awaiting sentencing. If convicted, Shropshire and Jones each face a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison for the charged offenses, with an additional mandatory sentence of two years in prison for the offense of aggravated identity theft. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided for informational purposes. If convicted, the defendants’ sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. These cases are being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the WMATA Office of Inspector General. They are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Kelly and Diane Lucas. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. shropshire_indictment_final.pdf 25mj95


title: Dominican National Sentenced to 10 years on Drug Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Virgin Islands

body_text: St. Thomas, USVI – Acting U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Yeral Marrero Reynoso, 29, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy to 10 years’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute 75 kilograms of cocaine and three firearms. According to court documents, on August 28, 2024, at approximately 2:30 p.m., while patrolling the area of Haulover Bay, St. John, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine (CBP-AMO) agents, along with Border Patrol (BP) agents, detected two males walking the beach trail towards the beach at Haulover Bay. One male was carrying an assault-style long gun. Minutes later, the males were observed carrying three black duffel bags up the trail towards a small parking area. A lone gray Acura RDX was then seen leaving the area. Federal agents, with the assistance of the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD), were able to locate the vehicle suspected of containing the two males seen walking the trail. The vehicle was stopped. Rivera Palmer was one of two occupants in the car who matched the description of the two men seen on the trail. As federal agents approached the vehicle, two assault-style rifles were seen on the rear passenger floorboard. A third firearm, a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine, was found on the driver side floorboard. Neither of the two assault-style rifles had serial numbers. In the rear of the vehicle, agents recovered three duffle bags containing 61 brick-like packages containing approximately 75 kilograms of cocaine. The investigation was conducted by CBP-AMO, BP, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of FBI and VIPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Payne prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands. This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: California Woman Arraigned on Drug Trafficking Charges

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – Acting United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Jaclyn Raquel Quiroz, of California, was arraigned on June 9, 2025, in the District Court of the Virgin Islands on drug trafficking and conspiracy charges following an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on May 21, 2025. The indictment charges Quiroz with one count of conspiracy to commit a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. According to court records, on March 26, 2025, Quiroz arrived at the Cyril E. King airport on board a United Airlines flight. After the flight arrived, the checked baggage was placed into a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) x-ray machine. CBP officers noticed some anomalies in two suitcases with luggage tags listed under Quiroz’s name. CBP officers identified dense substances inside both suitcases, which they recognized as consistent with the attributes of marijuana. The suitcases were placed on the checked baggage carousel, where they would be retrieved by the owner. CBP officers observing the suitcases witnessed Quiroz retrieve both suitcases from the carousel. CBP officers stopped Quiroz and requested identification, which she provided in the form of a California driver’s license. Quiroz was then escorted to a secondary inspection area. CBP officers opened the suitcases to further examine them. Inside both suitcases, the officers discovered several black vacuum sealed packages covered by a towel. Upon closer inspection, the packaging was found to contain approximately 20 kilograms of marijuana. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise George.


title: Ohio Woman Arraigned on Drug Trafficking Charges

body_text: St. Thomas, VI – Acting United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Kesahia Davis, 32, of Ohio, was arraigned on June 9, 2025, in the District Court of the Virgin Islands on drug trafficking and conspiracy charges following the return of an indictment on May 21, 2025. The indictment charges Davis with one count of conspiracy to commit a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana According to court records, on March 23, 2025, Davis arrived at the Cyril E King Airport on Spirit Airlines. After her flight arrived, the checked baggage for the flight was unloaded and brought to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) X-Ray machine for routine examination. While conducting checked baggage examinations on the X-Ray machine, a CBP Officer discovered anomalies in the checked baggage that he believed to be consistent with marijuana within. CBP allowed the baggage to be sent through the conveyer belt and monitored who would take possession of the baggage. As the baggage arrived on the conveyer belt in the baggage retrieval area, Davis picked the baggage off the belt and proceeded to walk towards the exit of the airport. CBP Officers then stopped and detained Davis. CBP Officers asked Davis if the baggage was hers, and she replied that it was. Davis was then escorted to secondary inspection. Upon CBP inspection of the baggage in secondary, a lock was identified on the baggage. Davis stated she did not have the key to the lock. CBP used a TSA key and unlocked the baggage. CBP then located approximately 3.89 kilograms of marijuana. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and CBP. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise George.


title: Former OSU employee, 2 vendors plead guilty in financial fraud conspiracy

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Three men have been convicted of conspiring to commit federal program fraud. A former Ohio State University employee sold surplus university assets for artificially low prices in exchange for kickbacks. He and two of his customers have been charged federally and have pleaded guilty. According to court documents, from 2009 until 2020, Michael Brammer, 59, of Pataskala, was employed by Ohio State University’s surplus department. As part of Brammer’s duties, he evaluated and classified used surplus university assets like computers. Brammer falsely classified equipment as recyclable and sold them to two recycling vendors – Abraham Amira, 60, and Robert Howard, 73, both of Columbus – for artificially low prices. In return, Amira and Howard made cash payments directly to Brammer. In total, Brammer received at least $650,000 in cash from Amira and Howard that would have been revenues to the surplus department. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, The Ohio State University received more than $10,000 in federal benefits each year through grants. Amira pleaded guilty today to crimes related to the surplus fraud and to separate COVID-19 related fraud schemes. Amira admitted to fraudulently receiving and spending more than $800,000 from various COVID-19 relief programs. He pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit federal program fraud and wire fraud. Brammer and Howard both previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit federal program fraud. Conspiracy to commit federal program fraud is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Wire fraud carries a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; The Ohio State University Police Division Chief Dennis Jeffrey; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphy; announced the guilty pleas. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in these cases, which were investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force. # # #


title: Social media finance influencer pleads guilty to orchestrating $20 million Ponzi scheme

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A social media finance influencer pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to federal crimes related to a real estate Ponzi scheme. Tyler Bossetti, 31, of Columbus, received more than $23 million in investments from victim investors throughout the United States and abroad. In total, dozens of investors lost more than $11 million. He pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aiding in a false tax filing. According to court documents, from 2019 until 2023, Bossetti widely publicized what he described as a real estate investment program. The defendant, through his company Boss Lifestyle LLC, guaranteed large rates of return for short-term investments. He advertised the investments, often promising thirty percent or more rate of return, through social media, especially Facebook and YouTube. The plea agreement further details that Bossetti also caused the issuance and filing of approximately 14 false and fraudulent 1099-INT tax forms. The defendant filed the IRS forms to report interest income for investors who did not earn interest. Bossetti claimed he had reinvested victims’ interest earnings when in fact he did not. Bossetti admitted to misappropriating investor funds to further his lifestyle and make purchases like rental payments on a condo in downtown Columbus, frequent travel, a $150,000 Mercedes SUV and various cryptocurrency investments. Bossetti was charged by a bill of information in April 2025. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and aiding in a false filing carries a potential maximum penalty of up to three years in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation; announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Dayton man charged with immigration fraud for concealing role as perpetrator of Rwandan genocide

body_text: DAYTON, Ohio – An indictment unsealed today charges a Dayton man with lying on his applications for a green card and United States citizenship by concealing his past role as a leader and perpetrator of the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. According to court documents, Vincent Nzigiyimfura, 65, was a prominent businessman and shop owner in Rwanda in 1994 when the genocide began. He allegedly used his wealth and leadership position in Rwandan society to organize violence against and killings of Tutsis, the minority population persecuted in the genocide. “The indictment alleges this defendant facilitated the killings of Tutsis during the Rwandan genocide and then lied about it on immigration applications in the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio. “This egregious conduct will not be tolerated.” “As alleged, Vincent Nzigiyimfura directed and encouraged murders during the genocide in Rwanda and then lied to U.S. authorities to start a new life in this country,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The United States is not safe haven for human rights violators. Those, like the defendant, who commit immigration fraud to hide their violent pasts will be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” “ICE HSI is committed to pursuing justice for victims of genocide by ensuring that those who committed atrocities in foreign lands cannot hide in Ohio or any other community in the United States,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “No one wants a war criminal as their neighbor and these allegations paint a grim picture of the horror Nzigiyimfura inflicted on the Tutsi people. His indictment and arrest is a step toward justice for those victims.” As alleged in the indictment, Nzigiyimfura directed groups of armed Hutus – the majority population – to kill Tutsis. He allegedly set up roadblocks during the genocide to detain and kill Tutsis, including a roadblock directly in front of his home, where Tutsis were allegedly killed at his direction. Nzigiyimfura also allegedly participated in killings. According to court filings, the defendant was subsequently convicted in absentia by a Rwandan court for genocide. Court documents detail that Nzigiyimfura applied for a visa to enter the United States and was granted lawful permanent resident status in 2008. In 2014, he submitted an application for naturalization. Nzigiyimfura allegedly lied to U.S. immigration officials in his immigration applications, including by falsely denying any involvement as a perpetrator of the Rwandan genocide. Nzigiyimfura was arrested yesterday and is charged with one count of visa fraud and two counts of attempted naturalization fraud. If convicted as charged, he could face up to 30 years in prison. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit is investigating this case, with assistance from the interagency Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Painter of the Southern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Brian Morgan of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) are representing the United States in this case. Members of the public who have information about potential former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE. They can also email HRV.ICE@ice.dhs.gov or complete the online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp . An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Two Nevada Residents Charged for Conspiring to Engage in Voter Registration Fraud in Minnesota

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: Minneapolis, Minn. – Two Nevada residents, formally of Minnesota, were charged by Information with Conspiracy to Engage in Voter Registration Fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Election fraud strikes at the heart of our democracy,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Thankfully, the FBI stopped this fraud in its tracks, before anyone successfully cast a fraudulent ballot. But we will stay vigilant. Whether its jury bribery, witness tampering, or now election fraud—crimes that threaten our democracy have no place in Minnesota.” “Nothing is more central to our democracy than fair and impartially conducted elections,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Through their actions, Combs and Williams attempted to deprive the citizens of Minnesota of a secure and reliable election process. Along with our partners, the FBI will stop at nothing to identify and bring to justice anyone who threatens the security of our electoral system.” According to court documents, beginning in 2021 and continuing through 2022, Ronnie Williams and Lorraine Lee Combs participated in a conspiracy to generate fictitious names and information that they used to fill out Minnesota voter registration applications. Williams and Combs then signed a form certifying that they “have read and understand this statements” and “that giving false information is a felony punishable by not more than 5 years imprisonment or a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.” According to court documents, Williams then provided the completed voter registration forms to Foundation 1, an entity seeking to register voters in Minnesota, which submitted the false voter registration applications to county election offices across Minnesota. Foundation 1 paid Williams for the registrations, and Williams split the proceeds with Combs. Williams is scheduled to appear for an arraignment and change of plea hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Laura M. Provinzino on July 8, 2025. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office wishes to thank the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section for partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also wishes to thank the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State and the Carver County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance and full cooperation with this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Jacobs and Trial Attorney Jonathan Jacobson of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Okemah Resident Sentenced For Felony Assault

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dustin James Coggins, age 34, of Okemah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Okemah Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On January 14, 2025, Coggins pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on August 2, 2024, while driving in Okemah, Oklahoma, Coggins aggressively tailgated another vehicle and pointed his rifle at the driver. The crime occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Coggins will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.


title: Coal County Resident Pleads Guilty To Possessing Stolen Firearm

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Treyian Jamal Mason, a/k/a Tray Mason, age 22, of Coalgate, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Stolen Firearm, a crime punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The Indictment alleged that on February 13, 2025, Mason knowingly possessed, concealed, and disposed of a stolen semi-automatic pistol which he knew or had reasonable cause to believe was stolen. The charge arose from an investigation by the Coalgate Police Department, the Coal County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Mason will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Joshua Satter represented the United States.


title: Dominican National Indicted for Illegal Re-entry

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national twice deported from the United States has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island on a charge of illegal re-entry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Celso Herrera-De Los Santos, 49, of Cranston, recently arrested on Rhode Island state charges of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession with intent to deliver 1oz to 1 kilo of cocaine is currently detained at the Adult Correctional Institutions. According to government records, Herrera-De Los Santos was previously deported in 2011 and in 2017. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter I. Roklan, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan. The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 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: Guatemalan National Indicted for Illegal Re-entry

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Guatemalan national deported from the United States in 2004 has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island on a charge of illegal re-entry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Marco Tulio Gonzales Cahueque aka Santos Israel Ortiz Cahueque, 48, came to the attention of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through an automated biometric fingerprint match of fingerprints entered into the National Crime Information Center as a result of his arrest on a driving under the influence charge in Rhode Island in December 2024. ICE encountered him in his car on June 3, 2025, and he was arrested. Government records indicate that Marco Tulio Gonzales Cahueque was deported from the United States in May 2004. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julianne Klein and Dulce Donovan. The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the Assistance of the U.S. Marshals 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: Romanian National Illegally in the United States  Sentenced for Bank Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Romanian national present in the United States illegally has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison and will subsequently face deportation proceedings for his role in an elaborate, methodical scheme across at least five states to defraud banks and banking customers, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. For more than two years beginning as early as May 2022, Dumitru Bogdan Pancu, a/k/a Stefano Garioli, a/k/a Leon Vutkus, 40, and others, surreptitiously installed skimming devices on ATMs in multiple states, allowing them to intercept hundreds of ATM customers’ debit card information. Pancu and others used that information to create hundreds of counterfeit debit cards which were used to make unauthorized cash withdrawals, attempted withdrawals, and retail purchases. Pancu admitted that between May 2022 and July 2024, he and others installed skimming devices on ATMs and stole banking information from unsuspecting banking customers in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey. Pancu pleaded guilty on December 11, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to a term of incarceration of 27 months to be followed by two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution totaling $16,562.06. The defendant faces deportation proceedings upon completion of his term of incarceration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor Dean and Ly Chin. The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with valuable assistance from the Warwick, RI, Police Department, Cranston, RI, Police Department, East Greenwich, RI, Police Department, North Kingstown, RI, Police Department, East Providence, RI, Police Department, Boston, MA, Police Department, New York City Police Department, and the Stratford, CT, Police Department. ###


title: Massachusetts Attorney Sentenced in a Conspiracy to Smuggle Contraband Inside a Federal Detention Center

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Massachusetts attorney who participated in a conspiracy to smuggle contraband to a detainee housed at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center in Rhode Island has been sentenced to three years’ probation, the first six months to be served in home confinement with GPS monitoring, and 100 hours of community service, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Theresa Marie DiJoseph, 51, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025, to one count each of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance analogue, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and providing a prohibited object to an inmate. She was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose. In pleading guilty, DiJoseph admitted that in late 2023, she conspired with other individuals to smuggle ten papers soaked with K2, a synthetic marijuana, into the Wyatt Detention Center. DiJoseph also admitted that she later made false statements to the FBI during their investigation into the source of the contraband. According to information presented to the court, DiJoseph used her status as an attorney to meet multiple times with detainee Shawn D. Hart, 47, with whom she had a personal relationship, in a visiting room used for attorney visits to conduct legal work. On December 1, 2023, during an attempt to visit with Hart, Wyatt correctional officers seized from DiJoseph 10 sheets of paper that appeared discolored, thicker than normal, and to have been wet and dried. The papers were later sent to an FBI testing lab that confirmed the presence of Schedule I controlled substances. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julianne Klein and Peter I. Roklan. The matter was investigated by the FBI and the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center Professional Standards Unit. ###


title: Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-entry

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Honduran national deported from the United States in January 2020 has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island on a charge of illegal re-entry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Pedro Marquez Benetiz, 56, recently arrested on a Rhode Island state charge of simple assault, is currently detained at the Adult Correctional Institutions. Immigration officers learned of the defendant’s presence in the United States through an automated biometric fingerprint match. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan. The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 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: Former CEO of Guam Helicopter Company Sentenced to 405 Months in Federal Prison for Criminal Aviation Violations

component: Asset Forfeiture Program

body_text: Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that John D. Walker, age 60, was sentenced on June 9, 2025 by Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood in the District Court of Guam to 405 months imprisonment. On September 9, 2022, a jury returned guilty verdicts against Walker and his company, Hansen Helicopters, Inc., on 110 counts involving conspiracy to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) and National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”), aircraft parts fraud that caused serious bodily injury and death, employing a mechanic without a mechanic’s certificate, registration violations involving helicopters, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Walker was also ordered to pay a $250,000 fine, and a $9,900 special assessment fee. Walker forfeited $58,407,513, which represented the proceeds of aircraft parts fraud and wire fraud, in addition to $11,770,000, which represented the amount of money involved in the money laundering offenses. Hansen Helicopters, Inc., was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the FAA and NTSB, in addition to aircraft parts fraud that caused serious bodily injury and death. Hansen received a five-year term of probation, a $4,900,000 fine, and a $2,000 special assessment fee. Walker subverted aviation laws and regulations, enforced by the FAA and NTSB, which protect public health and safety. Walker used at least 48 shell companies, most incorporated internationally, to operate an illicit helicopter/pilot/mechanic leasing business in Guam. By concealing that his aircraft were unregistered or illegally registered, unairworthy, and maintained and operated by uncertificated airmen, Walker entered fraudulent lease agreements with numerous tuna boat companies. He earned over $400 million dollars through his scheme. He concealed his crimes by forging documents, counterfeiting aircraft parts, and bribing aviation officials. “The defendants built helicopters from an assortment of discarded frames and counterfeit parts,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “They blatantly disregarded aviation laws to build and operate aircraft that should never have left the ground. Fishing companies throughout the Pacific region relied on these aircraft for spotting tuna. Unfortunately, the defendants’ quest for money resulted in the deaths of many pilots. This was a difficult case to investigate and prosecute, but well worth federal resources. I commend our law enforcement partners on bringing these defendants to justice.” “Unchecked greed and flagrant disregard for aviation safety create a recipe for disaster with catastrophic results,” said Special Agent in Charge Cory LeGars of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Western Region. “This sentencing epitomizes the criminal justice system’s commitment to holding individuals and companies accountable for egregious illicit conduct. I commend the relentless efforts of our special agents and the outstanding collaboration between our law enforcement, prosecutorial, and regulatory partners, whose collective efforts brought this complex and hazardous fraud scheme to justice.” “How many times have we heard, ’It’s just money…’ when it comes to financial crime?” asked Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “This case shows that all too often, innocent people suffer catastrophic harm because of someone else’s greed. Financial crime is not victimless, and IRS-CI will continue to protect our communities from people like Mr. Walker who put their greed above all else.” “Over several years, Mr. Walker engaged in a multi-layered scheme to bribe public officials and defraud the government, significantly jeopardizing public safety in the process,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “The FBI remains steadfast and persistent in our efforts to investigate these schemes and bring bad actors to justice.” This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and in partnership with the Customs and Quarantine Agency of Guam. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen F. Leon Guerrero, Special Assistant United States Attorney Marie L. Miller, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha R. Miller prosecuted this case.


title: West Columbia Man Indicted for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Greenville returned a 10-count indictment against Robert John May III, 38, of West Columbia, for distributing child sexual abuse material.* According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber-tip from the social messaging app Kik. Kik flagged several videos from the username “joebidennnn69” as containing child sexual abuse. Investigators connected the account to the home IP address and mobile device of May and identified at least 10 videos depicting child sexual abuse that were shared from the account. May faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison with a minimum of five years, a fine of $250,000, and a term of at least five years of supervised release to follow any term of imprisonment. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Matthews and Dean Secor are prosecuting the case with Austin M. Berry of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation & Obscenity Section. All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### * The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child. The Associated Press Stylebook also discourages the use of the phrase “child pornography.”


title: Sioux Falls Man Found Guilty of Possession of Ammunition by a Felon Following Federal Jury Trial

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Lamont Victor Garrett, age 52, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on June 11, 2025. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Garrett was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. On August 21, 2024, law enforcement searched a residence in Sioux Falls where Garrett was residing. In his bedroom, a black Sig Sauer magazine with 9mm ammunition and .22 caliber ammunition were found. Garrett is a felon and thus prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department Violent Crimes Unit and Homeland Security Investigations. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case. 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. A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date will be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Muhlenberg County, Kentucky Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation Offense

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Owensboro, KY – A Muhlenberg County, Kentucky man was sentenced on June 10, 2025, to 5 years in federal prison for distribution of child pornography. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement. According to court documents, James Matthew Rosenkranz, 41, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for one count of distribution of child pornography. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the FBI Owensboro Resident Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Paducah Woman Sentenced to Over 2 Years in Federal Prison  and Ordered to Pay $400,000 in Restitution for Defrauding Employer

body_text: Paducah, KY – A Paducah woman was sentenced on June 11, 2025, to 2 years and 4 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement. Nichole M. Lawrence, 35, was sentenced to 2 years and 4 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for six counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. According to court documents, between December 2019 and February 2023, Lawrence was employed as an office manager for a business in Western Kentucky and used her position to embezzle approximately $400,000 from the business. Lawrence used the stolen money to pay personal expenses. Lawrence was also ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution. “Ms. Lawrence’s conduct was fueled by pure greed to the detriment of her employer—who provides many solid jobs to Western Kentuckians,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner. “This sentence appropriately reflects the abuse of trust her employer bestowed on her.” There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the FBI Paducah Satellite Office and the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case. ###