title: Hagerstown Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Swatting Charges

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Owen Jarboe, 19, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has pled guilty to conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. According to the guilty plea, from December 2023 through January 18, 2024, Jarboe along with other co-conspirators, knowingly and unlawfully conspired to place swatting calls to multiple police and emergency departments across the United States. Swatting is a form of criminal harassment that involves deceiving an emergency service into sending a police or emergency service response team to another person’s location. Jarboe helped create an online group known as “Purgatory.” The group used multiple online social-media platforms, including Telegram and Instagram, to coordinate and plan swatting activities and to announce swats that they had conducted. Jarboe and his co-conspirators often used shared scripts to obscure their phone numbers and identities. Swatting incidents perpetrated as part of this scheme include threatening to burn down a residential trailer park in Alabama and shoot a teacher and unnamed students at a Delaware high school. Other swatting occurrences include false allegations about multiple homicide events and shooting threats of individuals at a residence in Eastman, Georgia, and bombing and shooting threats of Albany International Airport in New York and an Ohio casino. “Swatting is a very serious offense – one that can easily become dangerous for law enforcement and the victims involved,” Hayes said. “Emergency personnel work hard every day to ensure that first responders are dispatched to render aid to those who truly need it. Mr. Jarboe and his co-conspirators’ actions showed a complete disregard for law enforcement, the victims, and those who actually needed emergency assistance during these incidents.” “Jarboe’s crimes are despicable and dangerous. He put our brave first responders and countless innocent lives at risk while creating unnecessary fear in many different communities,” DelBagno said. “Jarboe’s guilty plea shows that the FBI will not tolerate swatting or hoax threats and will make sure anyone committing these crimes is found and charged to the full extent of the law.” Jarboe is facing a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threat, and a maximum sentence of 10 years for each charge to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosive. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, July 23, at 10 a.m. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its outstanding work in the investigation. Additionally, Ms. Hayes praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Columbus; Ohio Police Department; Newark, Delaware Police Department; Lenoir City, Tennessee Police Department; Albany, New York Police Department; Albany County, New York Sheriff’s Office; Fairburn City, Georgia Police Department; Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Police Department; Giles County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; Blue Springs, Missouri Police Department; Tarboro, North Carolina Police Department; Boston, Massachusetts Police Department; Dodge County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office; Houston County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; and the FBI’s Mobile, Richmond, Boston, Charlotte, and Cincinnati Field Offices for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert I. Goldaris and Patricia C. McLane who are prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Bay Area Defendants Plead Guilty to Bank Robberies in the Eastern District of California and the East Bay

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dontae Jerome Jones Jr., 20, and JoMya Mauriyne Futch, 21, each pleaded guilty today to one count of bank robbery, and Futch pleaded guilty to one count of perjury, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. On March 13, 2025, co-defendant Yasmin Charisse Millett, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. According to court documents, between June 2023 and September 2024, Jones and Millett conspired to commit at least 10 bank robberies in Sacramento, Vallejo, Suisun City, Benicia, Concord, and Antioch. Jones and Millett worked together and with others, primarily women they recruited, such as Futch, to facilitate a patterned series of bank robberies. The participants drove to bank and credit union branches, entered the branches with threatening notes demanding money, presented the notes to branch employees, took cash, and exited the branches to a waiting getaway car. Generally, the notes would instruct the bank employees to provide money or “I will kill everyone in here.” After a successful robbery, the members of the conspiracy distributed the stolen money amongst themselves. Jones and Millett actively sought and groomed recruits to act as the note passers. Millett advertised the conspiracy on Instagram in videos and photographs of herself and other participants holding large amounts of cash. Jones and Millett sometimes directed recruits to wear dark sunglasses during the robberies to conceal their identities and carry purses in order to carry the stolen money away from the banks and credit unions. On July 17, 2023, Jones and Millett used a stolen white Audi A7 with dark tinted windows to pick up Futch and commit a bank robbery at a credit union in Suisun City. Jones and Millett provided Futch with instructions on how to commit the robbery. Jones and Millett waited in the vehicle while Futch entered the bank and handed an employee a note demanding money, threatening to shoot the employee if the employee did not comply with the demand. After reading the note, the employee gave Futch money. Futch returned to the waiting getaway vehicle and Jones, Millett, and Futch each took a portion of the stolen money. The next day, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the stolen white Audi A7. Millett was driving the stolen car and Jones was the front seat passenger. During the traffic stop, law enforcement officers found bait money on Millett and Jones from the bank robbery that occurred the day before in Suisun City. The officers also found a crumpled post-it demand note on the driver’s seat that stated, “Don’t Make eye contact Don’t look suspicious Don’t Push emergency Button Put smile on your face or I will shoot.” On Aug. 15, 2024, Futch appeared as a witness under oath before a grand jury and knowingly made false statements. During her testimony, Futch stated that on July 17, 2023, she believed that she was going to open up a bank account for Millett—not commit a robbery. Futch further claimed that she had no clue that she was committing a bank robbery, and maintained throughout her testimony that she did not know about any plan to commit a bank robbery. However, these statements were false because Millett informed Futch about her plans to commit a bank robbery in the days leading up to July 17, 2023, and Futch had agreed to commit bank robberies with Millett and Jones. This case is the product of an investigation by FBI field offices in San Francisco and Sacramento, with assistance from the Police Departments of Sacramento, Vacaville, Suisun City, Vallejo, Antioch, Benicia, Concord, Hayward, and Fremont, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case. Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley is scheduled to sentence Jones and Futch on Aug. 7, 2025. Jones and Futch face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the bank robbery conviction. Futch faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for her perjury conviction. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Laconia Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine and Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Laconia man was sentenced today in federal court for distributing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Steven Ridgeway, age 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante to 78 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In January 2025, Ridgway pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. “Individuals like the defendant - who choose to traffic illegal drugs and arm themselves despite their prior convictions – demonstrate a brazen disregard for the laws and the safety of our communities. This case underscores the dangerous and persistent threat posed by the combination of methamphetamine and firearms,” said Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack. "Steven Ridgway was a one-stop shop for methamphetamine, profiting from other people’s pain and addiction. With today’s sentence, this previously convicted felon has been held accountable for his blatant disregard for the law,” said James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Getting illegal drugs off the street and illegal firearms out of criminals’ hands, like we did in this case, immediately makes our communities safer.” The defendant sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to confidential witnesses over a six-month period. In addition to selling drugs, Ridgeway also sold two firearms. Ridgeway was prohibited from possessing a firearm by way of a prior felony conviction. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Major Offender Task Force led the investigation. The Laconia Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Cherniske prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Dedham Man Charged with Submitting Multiple Fraudulent Bank Loan Applications

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dedham man was charged on April 14, 2025 in federal court in Boston with bank fraud and money laundering. Wyoming Killingbarrows, 30, who was born with the name Patricio Junio Brito Pontes Barros, was charged with four counts of bank fraud and one count of money laundering. It is alleged that Killingbarrows submitted 18 fraudulent bank loan applications between June 2, 2021 and July 17, 2021. In the various loan applications, Killingbarrows allegedly used his birth name of Patricio Barros, misrepresented his income and submitted fraudulent paystubs from a company in support of his applications. Based on these misrepresentations, various banks issued loans to Killingbarrows totaling $329,002. It is alleged that Killingbarrows failed to pay back any of the loans. According to court documents, Killingbarrows used the money for various personal expenses, including investments. He was also charged with one count of money laundering for the use of the criminally derived funds. The charges of bank fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The money laundering charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: USAO Committed to Prosecuting Those Who Sexually Exploit and Abuse Children

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio is raising awareness of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April by bringing attention to the some of the youngest victims of crime. While child abuse can take many forms, the USAO specifically handles online cases where children have been sexually exploited by adults. Federal law prohibits the production, advertisement, transportation, distribution, receipt, sale, access or possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) utilizing a means of interstate commerce. The law further prohibits the online coercion or enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. The USAO also prosecutes cases where offenders travel to engage in sexual activity with a minor under 16 or who transport a minor across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Although the term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes, the term “pornography” can conjure up a false connection to adult pornography that is created by consenting adults 18 years and older. Instead, child pornography consists of videos and images of victims ranging in age from newborn to 17 years old, and who are physically tortured, sexually abused, extorted, manipulated, or simply incapable of comprehending the ramifications of their material posted online. Therefore, organizations who work to combat child exploitation prefer that these actions be referred to as “CSAM” as it reflects the abuse and exploitation depicted in the images and videos that result in prolonged trauma to children. “Offenders use the easy access of the internet to perpetuate this type of criminal behavior against our most vulnerable. Unbeknownst to parents, they connect with children online through social media, video games and other apps. In other cases, victims know their abuser. It could be a trusted friend, neighbor, coach, religious leader, babysitter −or even a parent−committing these crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “Our office is determined to go after these perpetrators and will continue to dedicate time and resources to investigate and prosecute CSAM offenders so that we can protect and rescue the children of our District as well as those in the worldwide internet community.” With the proliferation of the internet, the Department of Justice launched the Project Safe Childhood initiative in 2006 to combat technology-facilitated crimes that involve the sexual exploitation of children. Sexual predators use online avenues such as social media, to solicit children for physical sexual contact. Increasingly, offenders entice, coerce or groom minors into producing CSAM. They accomplish this by gaining their trust in a number of ways quickly. Some minors report chatting with offenders for less than an hour before being asked to provide sexually explicit photos of themselves. Minors who comply with the request oftentimes become the victims of sextortion, where the perpetrator threatens to blackmail them in some way. Recent USAO cases involving child exploitation and sexual abuse include: U.S v. Rudra - A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 30 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. He admitted to picking her up in his vehicle to drive her to a hotel for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual acts with her. He was also found to possess CSAM on his electronic devices. U.S. v. Chesser – A former firefighter from Maumee, Ohio, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a two-year-old and produced child pornography of the toddler. He sexually exploited a second minor who was a teenager. U.S. v. Walker – A Rocky River, Ohio, man was sentenced to 35 years in prison after admitted to harming his victims and recording the sexual abuse on his cellphone. He connected with an 11-year-old victim through a children’s app and coerced her to send him sexually explicit photos. Two additional victims were identified as toddlers at a home daycare where he visited a friend who resided there. U.S. v. Patterson – A Canton, Ohio, man was sentenced to 26 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges including possessing hundreds of CSAM images that included children under the age of 12. Some of the images were of a minor who was unaware that she was being surreptitiously recorded by a hidden camera. U.S. v. Hughes – A Piqua, Ohio, man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for admitting his intention to engage in sexual activity with a purported seven-year-old daughter of an undercover agent. U.S. v. Reebel – A federal jury convicted a Toledo, Ohio, man of receiving and distributing CSAM, for nearly eight years. Investigators also discovered that he used social media for years to chat with minors and send them sexually explicit messages and photos of himself. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 23, 2025. U.S. v. Greulich – A Cleveland man pleaded guilty to gaining the trust of a 14-year-old girl through a social media app and then driving to her home in New York on two separate occasions to take her to a hotel where he violently and sexually abused her which he recorded on a digital device. Sentencing is scheduled for June 23, 2025. To report child sexual abuse, please visit www.cybertipline.org , or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


title: New Jersey Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Residential Marijuana Grows in Sacramento and Placer Counties

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Xiu Ping Li, 48, residing in Skillman, New Jersey, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to five years in prison and four years of supervised release for three counts of manufacturing marijuana, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, Li operated multiple residential marijuana grows in Sacramento and Placer Counties that yielded more than 8,000 marijuana plants and 21.4 pounds of processed marijuana found during the execution of search warrants in 2016 and 2017. Li also acknowledged using proceeds from a marijuana grow to buy another property to continue growing marijuana. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Elk Grove Police Department, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Roger Yang prosecuted the case.


title: Eight Individuals Charged with Multi-Million Dollar Fraudulent Lending Scheme Targeting Small Business Owners Across the United States

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Eight individuals have been charged in connection with a large-scale lending scheme that targeted the owners of small businesses from across the United States, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. The complaint charges the defendants with multiple counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Joseph Rosenthal, 33, of Holmdel, New Jersey; Nicholas Smith, 31, of Bradley Beach, New Jersey; James Missry, 40, of New York City, New York; Paul Cotogno, 31, of Long Branch, New Jersey; Blaise Cotogno, 32, of Tinton Falls, New Jersey; and Adam Akel, 30, of Long Branch, New Jersey, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark, III in Newark federal court and were released on bail. Matthew Robertson, 31, of Miami, Florida, who was arrested in the Southern District of Florida, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué A. Lett and was released on bail. Nicholas Winter, 38, of Asbury Park, New Jersey is currently in custody on unrelated state charges. “These defendants perpetrated a years’ long scheme to defraud hard-working business owners in New Jersey and across the United States, stealing millions of dollars from thousands of victims. These charges reflect our Office’s commitment to holding accountable those who prey on small business owners trying to support their communities and earn a decent living.” - U.S. Attorney Alina Habba According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Since June 2020, the defendants enriched themselves by defrauding small business owners interested in obtaining financing for their businesses. Through misrepresentations and falsehoods, the defendants promised their victims that in exchange for money provided upfront, the defendants would ultimately extend a loan or line of credit to the victims. In reality, once a victim provided the upfront payment to the defendants, the defendants did not extend financing to the victim. Instead, the defendants kept the victims’ money and broke off communication. As a result of the scheme, the defendants defrauded thousands of victims out of millions of dollars. The wire fraud conspiracies charged in Counts One and Two of the criminal complaint each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents and intelligence analysts of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James H. Graham of the Special Prosecutions Division and Blake Coppotelli of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### rosenthaletal.complaint.pdf


title: Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 110 Months for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Corey Hobbs, 39, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 110 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Hobbs pleaded guilty to this charge on January 7, 2025. In November and December 2023, Hobbs sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on three occasions. During the largest buy on December 6, 2023, Hobbs sold 261.09 grams of methamphetamine to the informant. Officers arrested Hobbs on December 31, 2023, and when they searched him and his vehicle, they found $10,610 in cash. At sentencing, Judge Peterson highlighted Hobbs’s lengthy criminal history, saying it showed a “sustained pattern of drug dealing.” Judge Peterson also emphasized the pounds of methamphetamine attributed to Hobbs as relevant conduct. The charges against Hobbs were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force, the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Remington and Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.


title: New Orleans and Mississippi Men Indicted for Conspiracy and Interstate Transport of Stolen Vehicles

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JARED THOMAS (“THOMAS”) , age 32, a resident of New Orleans; TERRENCE ROBINSON a/k/a Brian Jacobs (“ROBINSON”) , age 39, a resident of Carriere, Mississippi; CHRISTOPHER MEYERS (“MEYERS”) , age 33, a resident of Slidell; HANNIF BEY (“BEY”) , age 34, a resident of Metairie; and JALEN HILLS (“HILLS”) , age 22, a resident of Lacombe, were charged on April 11, 2025, in a six-count indictment. In Count One, ROBINSON , THOMAS , BEY , MEYERS , ROBINSON , and HILLS were charged for conspiracy, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. In Counts Two through Six, MEYERS , THOMAS , and ROBINSON were charged with interstate transport of stolen vehicles, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2312. According to the indictment, THOMAS, BEY, MEYERS, ROBINSON, and HILLS devised a scheme to create fake credit profiles to secure funding for auto loans. The credit profiles used both stolen and fake social security numbers, drivers’ license numbers, and dates of birth. Once they secured the loan they would purchase Audi vehicles at Audi of New Orleans. After the group would take possession of the vehicles, they would never pack back the auto loan, sell the vehicles for their personal enrichment, or use the vehicles for their personal enjoyment. If convicted of Count One, THOMAS , BEY , MEYERS , ROBINSON , and HILLS face up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. If convicted of Counts Two through Six, THOMAS , MEYERS , and ROBINSON face up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana State Police, and the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: MJH Healthcare Holdings, LLC Agrees to Pay $2 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Postage Rates

component: Civil Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – MJH Healthcare Holdings, LLC, its subsidiary, MJH Life Sciences, LLC, and several affiliates of MJH Life Sciences, LLC (collectively MJH), have agreed to pay $2,006,424 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly certifying their eligibility to use the periodicals postage rate offered by the United States Postal Service when they were ineligible for that rate. MJH, based in Cranbury, New Jersey, publishes educational and promotional materials aimed at healthcare providers and patients. The United States alleged that for 40 mailings of MJH publications between October 2021 and June 2024, MJH calculated the required postage based on the periodicals postage rate. The periodicals rate is only available for publications where more than half of the mailed issues have been requested by recipients. However, in calculating the percentage of these issues that were requested by the addressee, MJH certified figures to the Postal Service that were inaccurate in two ways. First, it allegedly included among the “requesters” addressees appearing on lists received from third-party sources that had not qualified the listed individuals to be requesters, as required. Second, MJH counted requests that had aged out. Under Postal Service rules, requests must be less than three years old to qualify for the periodicals rate. Had MJH excluded these categories from its calculations, as required, the percentage of requesters would have been less than 50 percent of recipients. MJH should not have certified that its requester figures were accurate and that it was eligible for the lower periodicals rate for these mailings. “The United States relies on individuals and companies doing business with it to accurately report what they owe the government. When they do not, we will not hesitate to take appropriate steps to protect the public fisc.” - U.S. Attorney Alina Habba “The USPS OIG will continue to aggressively investigate companies that defraud the Postal Service,” said Tammy Hull, Inspector General U.S. Postal Service. “This settlement demonstrates that our special agents will work with the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office to identify companies that misrepresent their eligibility for lower postage rates.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by John Burke, a former employe of one of the MJH affiliates. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Mr. Burke will receive $341,092 under this resolution. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Burke v. MJH Healthcare Holdings, LLC , et al ., No. 3:22-cv-07367 (D. N.J.). The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey with assistance from the United States Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General. The matter was investigated by Assistant United States Attorney Paul Kaufman and Trial Attorney Wesley Heath. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. ### mjh.agreement.pdf


title: Philadelphia Woman Sentenced to Five Years in Prison For Defrauding Her Employer of More Than $250,000 and the U.S. Government of $23,000

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kimberly Lawson, 44, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson to 60 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and $244,343 in restitution, for the unauthorized use of her employer’s identity to embezzle from him and his company and her fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”). In September 2023, Lawson was charged by indictment with one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and four counts of wire fraud, and pleaded guilty to all charges against her in September 2024. The fraud loss attributed to Lawson for the workplace embezzlement is $250,817.80, and for the fraud against the government $23,000, for a total fraud loss amount of $273,817.80. In March 2018, Lawson began working as the office manager of an area electrical contracting company, where her responsibilities included tracking employee hours, invoices, and vendor payments, and writing checks to vendors from the company’s bank account. She was also responsible for reconciling bank statements, reviewing images of checks, and confirming the checks cleared. Lawson did not have signature authority on the checks but was authorized to use her employer’s signature stamp to sign the checks he authorized. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, between 2018 and 2020, Lawson used her knowledge and access to divert significant amounts of the company’s money to external accounts that she controlled, through hundreds of fraudulent vendor and employee payments, unauthorized payroll transactions, and unauthorized electronic transfers. To avoid discovery of her fraudulent activities, Lawson intentionally mislabeled entries in the company’s accounting software, making them look authentic by recording them as legitimate payables. In addition, the defendant attempted to steal money from her employer’s 401k account, submitting two separate loan requests totaling more than $17,000, but her employer learned of and was able to cancel the requests before any funds were disbursed. In addition to the workplace embezzlement, Lawson fraudulently sought $253,874 in EIDLs from the SBA, filed in 15 separate applications in different names including her own. Only the applications that she submitted in her husband’s and his sister’s names were approved for funding, with each receiving $8,500 and $14,500, respectively, deposited into bank accounts controlled by Lawson. Among numerous false statements made in the applications, Lawson falsely represented that she had a retail business, that her husband had a construction business, and her sister-in-law had a cleaning business. In 2012, Lawson was convicted in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania of defrauding a different employer of more than $293,000 and received a sentence of 21 months’ imprisonment. “Kimberly Lawson’s greed is her downfall,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “This is now the second time that she’s being sentenced for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from an employer — and this go-round, she decided to defraud the federal government, as well. Perhaps today’s longer prison term will prove more impactful than her first. Either way, we won’t rest until criminals like this get the message that we will find and punish financial fraud.” “Through a multitude of deceptions and manipulations, Ms. Lawson stole from her employer and from the United States in the pursuit of her own personal gain,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dave Carter of FBI Philadelphia. “This sentencing serves as a reminder that those who exploit their positions for financial profits will be held accountable. I want to thank our FBI personnel and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their diligent efforts in bringing this defendant to justice.” The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve.


title: Sixteen Charged in Takedown of Drug Trafficking Network

component: USAO - California, Southern

number: CAS25-0417-Maciel-Cortez, et al

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Four indictments were unsealed in federal court charging 16 individuals throughout San Diego County with distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin and laundering drug-trafficking proceeds. In a coordinated takedown yesterday, more than 115 federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested 10 defendants and executed three search warrants in the Nestor, Palm City, and Encanto neighborhoods within the City of San Diego. Six defendants were still being sought. Including seizures today and throughout this investigation, authorities have confiscated 26.8 kilograms of powdered fentanyl; 5.7 kilograms of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl (estimated to be 57,000 pills); 25.7 kilograms of methamphetamine; 1.5 kilograms of cocaine; 1.1 kilograms of heroin; ketamine; MDMA; more than $40,000 in U.S. currency; a Maserati Ghibili; and nine firearms including an AK-47. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said: “Together with our law enforcement partners, this office will disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations throughout the district. We are focused on the Department’s Take Back America priorities, and this investigation shows the direct results of implementing these priorities.” “Drug trafficking organizations fuel addiction and erode the safety of our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “This extensive drug trafficking investigation exposed a criminal network that peddled poison from coast to coast. Law enforcement put their collective authorities together to dismantle this organization brick by brick. We stand with our fellow law enforcement partners to ensure the community is safe and those involved in drug trafficking are brought to justice.” “The indictments unsealed today paint a picture of an organization responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs into our communities – drugs that are killing Americans daily,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “These indictments should send a clear signal to drug trafficking organizations that where there’s money, there’s a trail, and IRS-CI is the best in the world at finding and following those trails. We are proud to partner with fellow law enforcement agencies to flush out DTOs that put our communities at risk.” Today’s charges are the result of a 16-month investigation that included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, undercover agents, and confidential sources. According to the indictments, the defendants distributed dangerous drugs such as fentanyl throughout the U.S., including in Ohio and Kansas, on behalf of a San Diego County-based drug trafficking organization. The investigation uncovered the use of shell companies to gather and launder the proceeds of the drug trafficking enterprise from other states, including Colorado, Minnesota and Nebraska. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Deshong. DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr0818-BAS Rodrigo Maciel-Cortez Age: 25 SUMMARY OF CHARGES Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 500 Grams of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846 Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison; $1 million fine. Criminal Forfeiture; Title 21 U.S.C. § 853 Case Number 25cr0819-BAS Elijah Roman Age: 28 Leonela Veronica Leal Age: 26 Cindy Camarena-Gonzalez Age: 27 Adan Antonio Sandoval-Luna Age: 30 SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Distribute more than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual) and more than 400 grams of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846 Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine Distribution of more than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual), in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual), in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1956 Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison; $5,000 fine Criminal Forfeiture; Title 21 U.S.C. § 853 Case Number 25cr0820-AJB Luis Carlos Franco Age: 24 Jesus Adrian Garcia Jr. Age: 32 Jose Alexander Flores Age: 23 Andres Emilio Arce-Corrales Age: 18 SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Distribute more than 100 Grams of Heroin, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846 Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10,000,000 fine Distribution of more than 100 Grams of Heroin, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine Conspiracy to Distribute more than 500 Grams of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846 Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 500 Grams of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine Criminal Forfeiture; Title 21 U.S.C. § 853 Case Number 25cr0821-WQH Diego Hernandez Age: 24 SUMMARY OF CHARGES Distribution of more than 400 Grams of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine Criminal Forfeiture; Title 21 U.S.C. § 853 INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Drug Enforcement Administration Oceanside Police Department IRS Criminal Investigation U.S. Bureau of Land Management San Diego Police Department San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Carlsbad Police Department United States Marshals Service * Six defendants are still being sought *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises. This investigation 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). High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.


title: Ecuadorian man charged with illegal re-entry

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today Manuel Fernando Loja-Loja, 38, a citizen of Ecuador, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Henning and Sasha Mascarenhas, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on March 28, 2025, a North Tonawanda police officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic infraction in the vicinity of Thompson and Payne Avenues. North Tonawanda Police contacted U.S. Border Patrol to assist in identifying the occupants of the vehicle, including Loja-Loja. Through questioning, it was determined that Loja-Loja is a citizen and national of Ecuador, and not a National of the United States. Loja-Loja did not have any documents that would allow him to be or remain in the United States lawfully. A records check determined that Loja-Loja was physically deported from the United States in March 2004. 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). Loja-Loja made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass and U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Martin B. Coombs. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Prison For Engaging In The Business Of Selling Firearms Without A Federal Firearms License

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced Wednesday by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II to five years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release for manufacturing and selling firearms without a serial number and machine gun conversion devices, using a 3-D printer. According to court documents, beginning in September 2023 and continuing through November 2023, James Mosqueda engaged in the business of dealing firearms without a Federal Firearms License. In September 2023, he sold a 9mm privately made firearm (PMF) and a .45 caliber pistol. In October 2023, he sold a total of three 9mm PMFs, a silencer, 68 machine gun conversion devices, 10 Glock switch machine gun conversion devices, and 32 AR drop-in style machine gun conversion devices. A machine gun conversion device converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm. In addition to the firearms, he distributed 1,061 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Mosqueda pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing or manufacturing firearms without a license, one count of trafficking in firearms, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, and five counts of unlawful transfer or possession of a machinegun. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada made the announcement. The ATF investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case. If you have information about illegal firearms activity, you are urged to submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app. ###


title: Couple Sentenced To Prison For $2 Million Bank Loan And Pandemic Relief Fraud Schemes

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Antoine Johnson, 49, and Kimberly Maddox, 44, formerly of Huntersville, N.C., currently residing in Georgia, were sentenced today for fraudulently obtaining approximately $2 million in bank loans and COVID-19 pandemic relief funds, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Johnson was ordered to serve 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Maddox was sentenced to 12 months in prison, with six months of home confinement, followed by three years of supervised release. The couple was also ordered to pay restitution in $3,037,868.10. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and today’s court hearings, the defendants owned and operated Pick Up and Go Moving International, Inc. and affiliated businesses (collectively, PUGMI). Johnson was the president of PUGMI and Maddox the vice president. Court documents show that, between 2018 and 2023, the defendants fraudulently applied for and obtained multiple lines of credit, bank loans, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program loans on behalf of their businesses. Johnson and Maddox applied for loans totaling more than $3.4 million. To secure the loans, the defendants lied on more than 35 loan applications about PUGMI’s income, gross revenues, expenses, and number of employees, and submitted fabricated supporting documents that included fraudulent tax returns and fictitious financial statements. Court documents show that at the time the couple engaged in the fraudulent loan schemes, Johnson was on federal supervised release after he was convicted and sentenced to prison for mortgage fraud. Johnson and Maddox previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and making a false statement to a financial institution. They will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The FBI handled the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caryn Finley and Graham Billings of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Chinese National Sentenced for Taking $95,000 from Elder Fraud Victim

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Thursday sentenced a man from China who took $95,000 in cash from a 79-year-old Missouri fraud victim to 21 months in prison. Judge Ross also ordered Dongyi Guo, 28, to repay the money. Guo was part of a conspiracy that targeted elderly victims. Members of the conspiracy began contacting the victim in March of 2024. In phone calls and electronic messages, they claimed to represent her financial institutions and/or the Social Security Office and falsely claimed that her financial accounts had been compromised. They told her that she needed to pay to prevent her money from being stolen, and that a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) employee would pick up the money. Guo flew from New York City to Chicago and then rented a car to drive to the woman’s home. On March 4, 2024, he picked up $40,000 in cash. He took another $35,000 in cash the next day, and $20,000 on March 6. Guo’s co-conspirators continued to pressure the victim into providing more money. Guo was arrested on March 7 while trying to pick up $15,000 more. In a letter to the court, a daughter of the victim said her mother died seven months after Guo took her money, and that the crime “unquestionably contributed” to her death. After clicking on a link that said, “You’ve been hacked. Call (this number) for assistance,” her mother was tricked and shamed into withdrawing cash and placing it in shoeboxes that she them turned over to Guo. The scammers claimed Guo would “keep her money secure while this matter was resolved.” She responded by to the crime by refusing medication, food and exercise and declining to attend church. She was left “mentally and physically broken, alone, and wanting to die.” Guo pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in November to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Knox County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting and provide resources and referrals. Reporting frauds can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. The Federal Trade Commission also provides a hotline at 877-FTC-HELP and a website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov for consumer complaints.


title: Nine facing federal immigration-related offenses in southern Illinois

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal grand jury has charged nine illegal aliens with immigration-related offenses in Effingham, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties over the last two months. “Every time an illegal immigrant unlawfully enters the United States, they commit a federal crime. But eight of these individuals are repeat offenders—often deported after earlier crimes, only to reenter and face new charges,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The only person who wasn’t a prior offender was indicted for a firearms offense. These charges show our commitment to prioritizing repeat offenders and those who threaten public safety.” Josue Lopez-Serrano, 35, a Mexican national, was charged with one count of illegal reentry after deportation in Monroe County. Angel Carmona-Perez, 44, a Mexican national, is facing one count of illegal reentry after deportation in Madison County. Gaspar Lux-Lopez, 30, a Guatemalan national, was charged with one count of illegal reentry after deportation in Madison County. Luis Morocho-Minga, 42, an Ecuadorian national, is facing one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm in St. Clair County. Pedro Ramos-Garcia, 36, a Guatemalan national, was charged with one count of illegal reentry after deportation in Effingham County. Andres Jimenez-Santiago, 26, a Mexican national, is facing one count of illegal reentry after deportation in St. Clair County. Jose Ariza-Angula, 37, a Mexican national, is facing one count of illegal reentry after deportation in St. Clair County. Erick Roman-Roman, 49, a Mexican national, was charged with one count of illegal reentry after deportation in St. Clair County. Mayorie Fernandez-Ormeno , 44, a Chilean national, is facing one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud, attempted access device fraud and illegal entry after deportation in Madison County and two counts of aggravated identity theft. An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. In February, a southern Illinois jury convicted an illegal alien from India for participating in an imposter scam and working to exploit more than $400,000 from elderly victims across the Midwest. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 29 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is leading the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Kapsak, Madalyn Campbell and Kathleen Howard are prosecuting the cases. The 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Rochester woman pleads guilty to defrauding Social Security

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Wendy Stone, 63, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to conversion/unlawful conveyance of government money, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that in December 2022, Victim 1 was a recipient of benefits under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program. On December 28, 2022, Victim 1 died at a residence in Rochester. Stone discovered Victim 1’s body days after Victim 1 died. She was also aware that Victim 1 collected SSI Program benefits. But rather than inform authorities of Victim 1’s death, Stone took Victim 1’s debit card and spent SSI Program money still being deposited into Victim 1’s account for her own benefit. In furtherance of this scheme, Stone used Victim 1’s social security number to activate a new debit card in the name of Victim 1. In order to conceal Victim 1’s death and continue receiving Victim 1’s SSI Program benefits, Stone moved Victim 1’s corpse into the basement of the residence Victim 1 died in. She wrapped Victim 1’s corpse in plastic, placed it in a recycling bin, and periodically poured bleach on it. Victim 1’s corpse remained in the basement from December 2022 to September 2023. Between January 2023 and September 2023, Stone improperly collected $7,902.00 in SSI Program benefits intended for Victim 1. In addition, on February 6, 2023, Stone recertified SNAP benefits. In her recertification, Stone stated that Victim 1 still resided with her. As a result of this false information, Stone received an additional $1,072.00 in SNAP benefits that she was not entitled to receive. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Amy Connelly and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. Sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2025, at 11:30 a.m., before Judge Geraci. # # # #


title: Convicted Felons Arrested by DEA With Fifty Kilograms of Cocaine  and Over $250,000 In Cash

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NASHVILLE – Larry S. Stoker and Calvin L. Trahan have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine after their arrest yesterday outside of a Nashville hotel, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Our law enforcement partners work diligently every day to stop loads of illegal drugs from reaching our citizens,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “The arrests of the defendants and the seizure of fifty kilos of cocaine as well as over a quarter of a million dollars in cash the latest result in our consistent efforts to stop the flow of illegal drugs into our communities.” According to court documents, during a months’ long drug investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), agents identified individuals suspected of trafficking in large quantities of drugs in the Nashville area and elsewhere. Two of those individuals were identified as Deshawn Jones (a/k/a Deshaune Jones) and Larry Stoker, both convicted felons. Jones had been previously convicted in 2012 in federal court in Nashville as part of a racketeering conspiracy, and Stoker had been previously convicted of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in federal court in Texas in 2010 and is currently on federal supervised release. On April 15, 2025, as part of that ongoing investigation, agents determined that Jones had traveled to Nashville International Airport and picked up Stoker, who had arrived on a flight that evening. Jones then delivered Stoker to a hotel on 29 th Avenue North in Nashville. That evening, agents surveilled the hotel and observed Calvin Trahan arrive in a vehicle with a Texas registration which he parked in the hotel parking lot. Trahan was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in federal court in Illinois in 2006. On the morning of April 16, 2025, agents observed Stoker go to the vehicle that Trahan had previously driven to the hotel. Agents observed Trahan using a key fob from still inside the hotel. After Trahan used the key fob, Stoker then began unloading heavy bags from the vehicle. Once he had unloaded several bags from Trahan’s vehicle he returned to his hotel room with the bags. Later that morning, Jones drove to the same Nashville hotel from his apartment on Charlotte Avenue. When Jones arrived at the hotel, he met Stoker outside and the pair eventually went into the hotel together. When Jones entered the hotel, he was carrying a blue suitcase. Jones and Stoker then went to Stoker’s hotel room. A short time later, Jones and Stoker emerged from Stoker’s hotel room carrying the bags Stoker had unloaded from Trahan’s car as well as the blue suitcase. Once Jones and Stoker exited hotel and were observed carrying the bags, agents approached and identified themselves as law enforcement officers. Stoker and Jones dropped the bags and fled on foot. Stoker was apprehended. Jones was shot by a DEA agent during this operation. In the blue suitcase and the bags abandoned by Jones and Stoker, agents found approximately fifty rectangular packages weighing approximately one kilogram each. Field tests of the packages revealed the presence of cocaine. Agents also recovered multiple bundles of banded cash which totaled over $250,000. Trahan, who had remained in the hotel, was then taken into custody inside the hotel. Based on the agents’ investigation, training, and experience, it appeared that Jones and Stoker had exchanged cash for drugs and swapped the contents of the bags and the suitcase as part of the transaction. If convicted, Stoker and Trahan face a mandatory minimum of ten years in federal prison and a maximum of life imprisonment with a maximum fine of $10 million. The shooting incident is being reviewed by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration per standard protocols. “The Metro Nashville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will conduct their own separate reviews of the agent-involved shooting,” added McGuire. “Once those reviews are concluded, I have asked them to share their findings with our office for appropriate action.” This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Wehby is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # # #


title: South Bend Man Sentenced to 128 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – James Dockins, 37 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Dockins was sentenced to 128 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in February 2024, Dockins received a package that contained over 400 grams of fentanyl pills. He stored the fentanyl pills in his home in a cabinet alongside other fentanyl pills that were packaged and ready for distribution. When Dockins left his home, law enforcement attempted to stop him, but he fled in his car through a residential neighborhood and surrendered after he had crashed his car into a fire hydrant. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service including the USPIS Forensic Laboratory, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, the Mishawaka Police Department, the St. Joseph County Police Department, and the Indiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.


title: Edinburg man sent to prison for trying to smuggle $3 million in cocaine

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 37-year-old South Texan has been ordered to federal prison for illegally smuggling 43 kilograms of cocaine into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Hector Julian Sustaita pleaded guilty Dec. 12, 2024. U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered him to serve 48 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. On June 7, 2024, Sustaita approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint in a Chevrolet Silverado. He claimed he was heading to Houston to work on solar panels. However, authorities did not observe any luggage or tools in the vehicle. An x-ray scan then revealed anomalies in the areas of the vehicle’s frame. A K-9 also alerted to odor of drugs. A subsequent search resulted in the seizure of 36 bundles of cocaine wrapped in cellophane and tape. Five were located inside the dashboard, another five were inside the rear door and 26 inside a hidden compartment near the truck bed. The cocaine had a gross weight of 43.04 kilograms with an estimated street value of over $3 million. Previously released on bond, Sustaita was taken into custody following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine K. Tucker prosecuted the case.


title: Guinea-Bissau Surrenders Four Men to United States to Face Cartel-Linked Cocaine Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Ramon Manriquez Castillo, 68, a dual U.S. and Mexican citizen; Edgar Rodriguez Ruano, 29, a Mexican citizen; Fernando Javier Escobar Tito, 48, an Ecuadorian citizen; and Anderson Jair Gamboa Nieto, 30, a Colombian citizen, made their initial appearances today in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. on drug trafficking charges after the Republic of Guinea-Bissau surrendered them to the United States on April 16. A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges the defendants with conspiring to distribute large quantities of cocaine through Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Guinea-Bissau using a U.S.-registered airplane, with a U.S. citizen onboard, from about November 2023 to September 2024. It also charges them with distributing cocaine in these countries using an airplane with a U.S. citizen onboard. In September 2024, law enforcement authorities arrested the defendants in Guinea-Bissau and seized 2.6 metric tons of cocaine. Due to the strong and ongoing collaboration between the Government of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, the Judicial Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI WFO, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the U.S. Embassy to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of Guinea-Bissau surrendered the four alleged drug cartel affiliates to U.S. authorities on April 16. The defendants made their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hunt in the Southern District of Florida. If convicted, they face between 10 years and life in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter for DEA Miami Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. DEA Miami and FBI Washington Field Office are investigating this case. The U.S. Marshals Service assisted with the surrender. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Ustynoski is prosecuting 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 https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . This matter is also 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). An indictment is merely an allegation, and defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-60048. ###


title: Repeat Gun Offender Sentenced to 58 Months in Federal Prison

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Tre Enrique Jackson, 31, of the District, was sentenced to 58 months in federal prison today after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes ordered that Jackson serve three years on supervised release when he is released from prison. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). On Sept. 18, 2023, MPD detectives and officers executed a search warrant at a residence where Jackson was staying. While searching the residence, detectives looked inside a backpack that Jackson had been seen carrying earlier that day and discovered a Glock-style Privately Manufactured Firearm– commonly referred to as a ghost gun. The firearm was chambered for 9mm ammunition and was loaded with one round in the chamber and 12 rounds in a 17-round capacity magazine. A review of Jackson’s criminal history revealed that he was on supervised release in D.C. Superior Court for a prior gun conviction, and Jackson was placed under arrest. DNA testing confirmed the presence of Jackson’s DNA on the firearm seized from his backpack. This case was investigated by MPD and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson. 23cr173


title: St. Louis County Tax Preparer Admits Falsifying Tax Returns

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County tax preparer on Thursday admitted falsifying 42 federal income tax returns for clients. Elisa Y. Brown, 60, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. She admitted preparing false tax returns from 2016-2020. Brown prepared the returns with commercial tax preparation software from her home in exchange for between $150 and $250 per return. She did not have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), which is issued by the IRS and required on returns prepared for compensation. Brown digitally signed each tax return in the name of the taxpayer, making it appear to the IRS that the taxpayer had prepared the return. Brown claimed false medical and dental expenses and cash donations as deductibles and included false schedule C forms reflecting tens of thousands of dollars of false business expenses. Brown admitted filing false tax returns for 11 clients from 2016-2020, resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of $171,866. During the same time, she prepared and submitted a total of 560 tax returns, many of which contained similar false deductible expenses. Brown is scheduled to be sentenced July 22. Each charge carries a penalty of up to three years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. The case was investigated by IRS - Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Drug and Gun Crimes

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

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Anthony Owen Pawley, 66, of Murray, Utah, was sentenced today to 96 months’ imprisonment after law enforcement arrested him and seized over 40 pounds of methamphetamine,15,000 fentanyl pills, and a firearm with associated ammunition in 2024. The sentence, imposed by Judge David Sam, comes after Pawley pleaded guilty in February 2025 to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to Pawley’s sentence, the court ordered him to five years’ supervised release. According to court documents and statements made at Pawley’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on May 9, 2024, Pawley was stopped for a traffic violation by detectives assigned to the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team. During a search of the vehicle, detectives found methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, and $35,665. During a subsequent search of Pawley’s residence and storage unit, detectives found additional methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, a GForce Arms, model GFY-1, 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun, associated ammunition, and $278. “Protecting our citizens and stopping poisonous drugs from being distributed into our communities is a top priority of the Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “I am grateful for our law enforcement partnerships and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute and hold offenders accountable.” “This case shows what can happen when law enforcement comes together to address public safety,” said Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd. “Our officers, detectives, and federal partners moved quickly to coordinate this complex investigation with one goal: protecting our neighborhoods. Their work is directly responsible for removing dangerous drugs from our streets and holding drug traffickers accountable. The Salt Lake City Police Department remains fully committed to tackling the drug crisis head-on. Because of this investigation and the resulting prosecution, Salt Lake City and Utah are safer.” The case was investigated by the Salt Lake City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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 . The Salt Lake City Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) is a specialized unit within the department tasked with combating violent crime by identifying and apprehending violent criminals and fugitives. Operating under the SLCPD’s Special Operations Division, VCAT collaborates closely with the Investigations Division, patrol divisions, and Data and Research divisions to pinpoint and enforce targeted measures in hot spot areas and regions experiencing a surge in violent crime. Established to address emerging violent crime trends and the activities of repeat violent offenders in Salt Lake City, VCAT coordinates efforts with detectives, the Salt Lake Information Center (SLIC), and the SLCPD’s Crime Intelligence and Analysis Unit (CIAU) to identify and apprehend violent offenders.


title: Texas Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Roles in Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery While Posing as DEA Agents

body_text: MEDFORD, Ore.—Two San Antonio, Texas men were sentenced to federal prison and another San Antonio man pleaded guilty Wednesday for conspiring to travel from Texas to Southern Oregon to commit an armed robbery while disguised as agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Nevin Cuevas Morales, 23, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release, and Michael Rey Acuna, 23, was sentenced to 64 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. The sum of restitution they each must pay to victims will be determined at a later date. Juan Carlos Conchas, 23, pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and conspiring to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute. Conchas faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and four years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on July 17, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai. According to court documents, on March 12, 2022, deputies from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office responded to a rural address in Josephine County, Oregon after receiving reports of an armed robbery in progress. The deputies found a residence with a closed driveway gate and two empty vehicles with Texas license plates in the driveway with their doors open. Deputies saw several people running toward the back of the property and found victims inside the house. The victims reported that armed individuals dressed in what appeared to be DEA attire and wearing body armor arrived at the property and used zip ties and duct tape to restrain several of them. The deputies searched the property and found large plastic totes containing packaged marijuana in the buildings and vehicles. They also found body armor, firearms, ammunition, shell casings, and badges that resembled those carried by DEA agents along the path that Morales, Acuna, Conchas and others used to flee the property. Investigators learned that in late February 2022, the group traveled from San Antonio to Southern Oregon to steal over 200 pounds of marijuana and recovered photographs taken by the group in which they posed with firearms while dressed as DEA agents. On October 6, 2022, Morales and Acuna were located and arrested in San Antonio. One week later, on October 13, 2022, Conchas was also arrested in San Antonio. On September 1, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a three-count indictment charging Morales, Acuna, Conchas and co-conspirators with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On February 2, 2024, Morales pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On November 6, 2024, Acuna pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and conspiring to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute. In addition, three co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from their roles in the conspiracy. Two have been sentenced to federal prison and the third is awaiting sentencing. This case was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. It is being prosecuted by Judith R. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Iranian National Indicted for Operating Online Marketplace Offering Fentanyl and Money Laundering Services

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal grand jury has charged Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national, for his role as the founder and operator of Nemesis Market, a dark web marketplace for illegal drugs and criminal cyber-services, such as stolen financial information, fraudulent identification documents, counterfeit currencies, and computer malware. According to the indictment, Parsarad, 36, of Tehran, launched Nemesis Market on the dark web in March 2021. At its peak, Nemesis Market had over 150,000 users and more than 1,100 vendor accounts registered worldwide. Between 2021 and 2024, Nemesis Market processed more than 400,000 orders. Of these, more than 55,000 orders were categorized as orders for stimulants, including methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine), and other controlled substances. An additional 17,000 orders were categorized as orders for opioids, including fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone. Certain substances covertly purchased by the government from Nemesis were confirmed by laboratory reports to be mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and/or acetylfentanyl, heroin, and/or protonitazene, each a Schedule I controlled substance. “The allegations in this indictment span over four hundred thousand transactions involving fentanyl, other dangerous drugs, and a wide range of contraband made accessible on the darknet for more than three years,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through cooperation with German and Lithuanian partners, the alleged administrator of this marketplace has been charged, servers and other infrastructure have been seized, and dangerous drugs and other contraband have been stopped from entering the United States. This case demonstrates the Department’s tireless commitment to protecting U.S. communities from the harms caused by fentanyl and darknet marketplaces and pursuing accountability for those who would endanger our communities no matter where they are located.” “Anyone who tries to profit from the sale of illegal drugs - whether it’s on the streets or online – will face consequences. Whether you sell or help others sell these dangerous drugs, you will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “I want to acknowledge the excellent investigative work of our federal agency partners here in Ohio who helped us to bring the charges in this case. Together, we remain committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe and our streets free from illegal narcotics.” “This indictment, made possible by the assistance of our German and Lithuanian allies, underscores the importance of global partnerships and international collaboration,” said FBI Cleveland Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Johnston. “Nemesis Market, through the darknet, was a borderless powerhouse of criminal activity that not only fueled the drug epidemic, but also a multitude of illegal acts with the capacity to harm our citizens and destroy our communities. The FBI stands firm in its commitment to identify and investigate unlawful individuals and dismantle their networks operating with criminal intent.” Parsarad is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances in the Northern District of Ohio and elsewhere. In addition, Parsarad is also charged with money laundering conspiracy for both using proceeds to promote illegal drug dealing and for offering money laundering services through Nemesis Market by mixing cryptocurrencies used to pay for goods and services to obscure their origins. Nemesis users were not allowed to conduct transactions in official, government-backed currencies. On March 20, 2024, U.S. law enforcement, in cooperation with German and Lithuanian authorities, seized Nemesis Market and blocked the flow of these drugs into the United States and elsewhere. In March 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Parsarad for his role as the administrator of Nemesis Market. According to OFAC, Nemesis Market facilitated the sale of nearly $30 million worth of drugs between 2021 and 2024. If convicted, Parsarad faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life. The FBI Cleveland Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from the DEA and IRS-CI in Chicago. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Cybercrime Liaison Prosecutor to Eurojust provided significant assistance. Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Segev Phillips for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Northern District of Illinois and District of Massachusetts. This case was investigated as part of an FBI-led interagency Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) operation. J-CODE brings together experts from the DEA, the Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Department of Defense and the Customs and Border Protection, along with the FBI. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance provided by law enforcement partners in the British Virgin Islands, Germany, Lithuania, and Türkiye. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Marathon County Woman Sentenced to 6 Years for Conspiring to Traffic Methamphetamine

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mercadys A. Perkins, 32, Weston, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 6 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Perkins pleaded guilty to this charge on January 21, 2025. In early 2024, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a group of individuals who were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Marathon County area. Perkins was identified as a distributor for the group. In March and April of 2024, Perkins sold methamphetamine three times to an informant, the largest sale being 230 grams. On April 16, 2024, task force officers executed a search warrant at Perkins’s residence in Weston. Officers found over 300 grams of methamphetamine, over $2,000 in cash, drug ledgers, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia during the search. Perkins later admitted to trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine. Further investigation revealed that between February 18, 2024, and April 12, 2024, a co-conspirator provided Perkins and another individual approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 ounces of cocaine intended for further distribution. At the time of these events, Perkins was serving a term of state probation for a methamphetamine possession conviction and was out on bond on four open state cases, three of which involved methamphetamine trafficking. Her state probation was revoked, and she was sentenced to 2 years in state prison, which she is currently serving. Judge Conley ordered the federal sentence to run concurrently with the remainder of Perkins’ state prison sentence. At sentencing, Judge Conley said Perkins participated with her co-defendants to distribute significant quantities of methamphetamine in an around Marathon County. He said he weighed this serious conduct against some mitigating factors including her profound drug addiction. Three others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking conspiracy. Co-defendants Joshua Lake, Jessica Colby, and Dustin Brunker have all pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks. The charge against Perkins was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and the Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.


title: Bahamian Alien Smuggler Sentenced to 20 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: MIAMI – A federal district judge in Miami sentenced a Bahamian national to 20 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to alien smuggling in January. On Nov. 8, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers interdicted an alien smuggling vessel approximately six miles off the coast of Miami, Florida. The CBP vessel intercepted Keith Kevin Russell, 46, while he was transporting 18 individuals on his boat from The Bahamas to the United States. Russell initially refused to stop, only stopping when CBP officers shot warning flares near the vessel. The CBP officers brought the individuals from Russell’s boat onboard the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Richard Etheridge and confirmed that all the individuals were aliens who did not have authorization to enter the United States. The aliens on the vessel were from China, Haiti, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. The Coast Guard officers and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents also determined that Patrick Angelo Percentie, 45, was a Bahamian alien that had been previously removed from the United States after a conviction for an aggravated felony. USCG officers brought Russell and Percentie to shore to face charges. The rest of the aliens were returned to the Bahamas. Percentie also pled guilty and received a 16-month prison sentence. U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of HSI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence. HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from CBP and USCG, 7th Coast Guard District. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-20514. ###


title: Iranian National Indicted for Operating Online Marketplace Offering Fentanyl, Other Drugs, and Money Laundering Services

body_text: CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury has charged Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national, for his role as the creator and operator of Nemesis Market, a dark web marketplace designed to enable users to buy and sell illegal drugs and other illicit goods. The market also sold criminal cyber-services such as obtaining stolen financial information, fraudulent identification documents, counterfeit currencies, and computer malware. According to the indictment, Parsarad, 36, of Tehran, Iran, launched Nemesis Market in or around March 2021. Nemesis Market operated on the dark web, a network that uses The Onion Router (TOR) to encrypt traffic and hide users’ Internet Protocol (IP) address. At its peak, Nemesis Market had over 150,000 users and more than 1,100 vendor accounts registered worldwide. Between 2021 and 2024, Nemesis Market processed more than 400,000 orders, including more than 60,000 orders in 2022 and more than 250,000 orders in 2023. Of these, more than 55,000 orders were categorized as stimulants, which included sub-categories for methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and other controlled substances. More than 17,000 orders were categorized as opioids, which included sub-categories for fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone. All of the substances covertly purchased by the government and marketed on Nemesis as “isotonitazene,” “M30s” (purporting to be oxycodone), and “Percs” (purporting to be Percocet) were confirmed by laboratory reports to be mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance and/or acetylfentanyl, heroin, and/or protonitazene, each a Schedule I controlled substance. “The allegations in this indictment span over four hundred thousand transactions involving fentanyl, other dangerous drugs, and a wide range of contraband made accessible on the darknet for more than three years,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through cooperation with German and Lithuanian partners, the alleged administrator of this marketplace has been charged, servers and other infrastructure have been seized, and dangerous drugs and other contraband have been stopped from entering the United States. This case demonstrates the Department’s tireless commitment to protecting U.S. communities from the harms caused by fentanyl and darknet marketplaces and pursuing accountability for those who would endanger our communities no matter where they are located.” “Anyone who tries to profit from the sale of illegal drugs - whether it’s on the streets or online – will face consequences. Whether you sell or help others sell these dangerous drugs, you will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “I want to acknowledge the excellent investigative work of our federal agency partners here in Ohio who helped us to bring the charges in this case. Together, we remain committed to keeping our neighborhoods safe and our streets free from illegal narcotics.” “This indictment, made possible by the assistance of our German and Lithuanian allies, underscores the importance of global partnerships and international collaboration,” said FBI Cleveland Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Johnston. “Nemesis Market, through the darknet, was a borderless powerhouse of criminal activity that not only fueled the drug epidemic, but also a multitude of illegal acts with the capacity to harm our citizens and destroy our communities. The FBI stands firm in its commitment to identify and investigate unlawful individuals and dismantle their networks operating with criminal intent.” Parsarad is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances in the Northern District of Ohio and elsewhere. In addition, Parsarad is also charged with money laundering conspiracy for both using proceeds to promote illegal drug dealing and for offering money laundering services through Nemesis Market by mixing cryptocurrencies used to pay for goods and services to obscure their origins. Nemesis users were not allowed to conduct transactions in official, government-backed currencies. On March 20, 2024, U.S. law enforcement, in cooperation with German and Lithuanian authorities, seized Nemesis Market and stemmed the flow of these drugs into the United States and elsewhere. In March 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Parsarad for his role as the administrator of Nemesis Market. According to OFAC, Nemesis Market facilitated the sale of nearly $30 million worth of drugs between 2021 and 2024. If convicted, Parsarad faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life. The FBI Cleveland Division is investigating the case with assistance from the DEA and IRS-Criminal Investigations Chicago. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Cybercrime Liaison Prosecutor to Eurojust provided significant assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Segev Phillips for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Northern District of Illinois and District of Massachusetts. This case was investigated as part of an FBI-led interagency Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) operation. J-CODE brings together experts from the DEA, the Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Department of Defense and the Customs and Border Protection, along with the FBI. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance provided by law enforcement partners in the British Virgin Islands, Germany, Lithuania, and Türkiye. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Tucson Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Firearms Trafficking Offenses

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Julian Canastillo, 23, of Tucson, was sentenced on April 15, 2025, by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to six years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Canastillo previously pleaded guilty to six counts of Smuggling Goods from the United States and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Canastillo was the lead defendant in a 51-count indictment filed on September 15, 2022, charging 10 individuals involved in a firearms trafficking organization based in Tucson. An investigation leading to the indictment revealed a series of transactions linked to the organization for firearms that were later seized in the Republic of Mexico. In total, the Tucson-based organization is connected to more than 200 firearms transactions, and Canastillo alone admitted to smuggling 36 firearms into Mexico. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela W. Woolridge, Craig H. Russell, and Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01857-001-TUC-JCH RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-058_Canastillo # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.