title: Honduran Man Extradited for Role in International Drug Smuggling Conspiracy

body_text: Extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Honduran law enforcement authorities resulted in the extradition of a Honduran national for his alleged role in a conspiracy to smuggle drugs from Honduras to the United States. According to court documents, Olvin Javier Velasquez Maldonado, 39, conspired with others to bring approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine from Honduras to the United States aboard a vessel attempting to bring 23 Honduran aliens illegally into the United States. In February 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted the M/V Pop, a 65’ sportfishing vessel, approximately 75 miles off the coast of Louisiana after it developed engine trouble and lost power. The U.S. Coast Guard responded, found the aliens and cocaine, and towed the vessel to shore. The M/V Pop departed from Utila, Honduras, and was destined for Cocodrie, Louisiana. Velasquez Maldonado was allegedly responsible for bringing the cocaine on board the M/V Pop and ensuring its safe delivery. When he was apprehended, according to court documents, Velasquez Maldonado posed as an alien intending to remain in the United States so he could avoid prosecution. Velasquez Maldonado is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Velasquez Maldonado made his initial court appearance today in the Eastern District of Louisiana. He was detained and will have his detention hearing on Monday. If convicted, Velasquez Maldonado faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Co-defendants Carl Allison, 47, Darrel Martinez, 41, and Josue Flores-Villeda, 37, previously pleaded guilty in 2023 to conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride. Lenord Cooper, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid and assist aliens to enter the United States unlawfully and attempting to bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. Two co-defendants, Hennessy Devon Cooper Zelaya, 29, and Rudy Jackson Hernandez, 38, were convicted after trial of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain and two counts of attempting to bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Field Office made the announcement. The investigation and extradition of Velasquez Maldonado was coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA is currently comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities. 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood . The HSI Houma, Louisiana Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the HSI Pittsburgh Field Office, HSI Atlanta Field Office, and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, Louisiana State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, North Huntington Township Police and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training in Honduras also provided assistance. Deputy Chief Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice of the General Crimes Unit for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: California Restaurant Owner Sentenced for COVID-19 and Tax Fraud Schemes

component: Tax Division

body_text: A San Diego restaurant owner was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for schemes to defraud COVID-19 relief programs and filing false tax returns. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Leronce Suel was the majority owner of Rockstar Dough LLC and Chicken Feed LLC, both of which operated restaurants in the San Diego area, including Streetcar Merchants in the North Park neighborhood. He conspired with others to underreport over $1.7 million in gross receipts on Rockstar Dough’s 2020 corporate tax return and COVID-19 relief applications. Suel’s businesses fraudulently received $1,773,245 in COVID-related Paycheck Protection Program loans and Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants, two programs created to provide financial assistance to American suffering economic harm as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Suel and his co-conspirator misappropriated COVID-19 relief program funds by making substantial cash withdrawals from their business bank accounts, purchasing a home in Arkansas, and keeping more than $2.4 million in cash in Suel’s bedroom. IRS-CI Photo of approximately $2.4 million of cash seized by law enforcement, exhibit in United States v. Suel et al., number 23-CR-00965 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Credit IRS Criminal Investigation. Suel did not file timely tax returns for 2018 and 2019, despite being legally required to do so. On his 2020 through 2023 tax returns, Suel also did not report the income from his businesses including millions of dollars in cash he withdrew. Finally, in 2023, Suel filed false original and amended tax returns for multiple years, including personal tax returns for 2016 and 2017 that included false depreciable assets and business losses. In September 2024, Suel was convicted by a federal jury of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the United States, filing false tax returns, and failing to file tax returns. Following the convictions, Suel agreed to forfeit $1,466,918 in U.S. currency. In addition to this prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro for the Southern District of California ordered Suel to pay approximately $1,773,245 in restitution to the Small Business Administration and forfeit $1,466,918. Restitution to IRS will be heard on June 6. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Julia Rugg of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Beeler for the Southern District of California prosecuted the case.


component: Criminal Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – Extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Honduran law enforcement authorities resulted in the extradition of a Honduran national for his alleged role in a conspiracy to smuggle drugs from Honduras to the United States. According to court documents, Olvin Javier Velasquez Maldonado, 39, conspired with others to bring approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine from Honduras to the United States aboard a vessel attempting to bring 23 Honduran aliens illegally into the United States. In February 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard interdicted the M/V Pop, a 65’ sportfishing vessel, approximately 75 miles off the coast of Louisiana after it developed engine trouble and lost power. The U.S. Coast Guard responded, found the aliens and cocaine, and towed the vessel to shore. The M/V Pop departed from Utila, Honduras, and was destined for Cocodrie, Louisiana. Velasquez Maldonado was allegedly responsible for bringing the cocaine on board the M/V Pop and ensuring its safe delivery. When he was apprehended, according to court documents, Velasquez Maldonado posed as an alien intending to remain in the United States so he could avoid prosecution. Velasquez Maldonado is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Velasquez Maldonado made his initial court appearance today in the Eastern District of Louisiana. He was detained and will have his detention hearing on Monday. If convicted, Velasquez Maldonado faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Co-defendants Carl Allison, 47, Darrel Martinez, 41, and Josue Flores-Villeda, 37, previously pleaded guilty in 2023 to conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride. Lenord Cooper, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid and assist aliens to enter the United States unlawfully and attempting to bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. Two co-defendants, Hennessy Devon Cooper Zelaya, 29, and Rudy Jackson Hernandez, 38, were convicted after trial of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain and two counts of attempting to bring aliens to the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Field Office made the announcement. The investigation and extradition of Velasquez Maldonado was coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA is currently comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities. 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood . The HSI Houma, Louisiana Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the HSI Pittsburgh Field Office, HSI Atlanta Field Office, and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, Louisiana State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, North Huntington Township Police and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training in Honduras also provided assistance. Deputy Chief Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice of the General Crimes Unit for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Charges 261 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona this Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from April 5, 2025, through April 11, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 261 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 103 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 140 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 14 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Sanchez-Marcial : On April 8, 2025, Ofricino Sanchez-Marcial was arrested and charged for Harboring Illegal Aliens. The criminal complaint alleges that Sanchez-Marcial held a Guatemalan citizen, who was illegally present in the United States, against his will and sent threatening messages to his family members demanding a ransom of $135,000. United States v. Renteria-Cruz : On April 8, 2025, Bonifacio Renteria-Cruz, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested on Illegal Re-Entry charges during an HSI operation led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan. In January 2025, HSI learned that Reinteria-Cruz had illegally returned to the United States after being deported following a 2006 Aggravated Assault conviction. After his deportation, Mexican authorities charged Renteria-Cruz with homicide for events that occurred on July 20, 2009, in Mexico. He was a fugitive until his arrest on Tuesday by HSI. A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) 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). CASE NUMBERS: 25-3144MJ 25-3128MJ RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-055_April 11 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Darknet Vendor Sentenced for Conspiracy to Sell Counterfeit Drugs

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A Lebanese and Italian national, Alessandro Sabbagh, 27, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier to 78 months in prison, for conspiracy to sell counterfeit drugs and knowingly causing the sale of a counterfeit drug. According to his plea agreement, between January 2017 and October 2021, Sabbagh conspired with others to manufacture and sell counterfeit generic alprazolam pills. Sabbagh and his co-conspirators, without authorization, created pills stamped with manufacturer imprints designed to replicate the appearance of actual alprazolam pills. The benzodiazepine-class drugs used by the co-conspirators in the counterfeit pills have no accepted medical use in the United States. Sabbagh and his co-conspirators then sold these counterfeit pills in the Eastern District of Kentucky and throughout the United States via darknet marketplaces, receiving payment for the sales in cryptocurrencies. Sabbagh managed multiple vendor accounts across several darknet marketplaces and was responsible for sales to customers and providing lists of customer orders to co-conspirators who manufactured and shipped the counterfeit alprazolam pills. Over the course of the conspiracy, Sabbagh and his co-conspirators trafficked counterfeit alprazolam valued at more than $25 million. Under federal law, Sabbagh must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Sabbagh must also forfeit cryptocurrency seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and agreed to the imposition of a $5,055,377 forfeiture money judgment, representing the amount of proceeds he received from the scheme. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigations, Cincinnati Field Division, Quincy Barnett, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Jeff Couch, Manchester Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, IRS, FBI, and Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosenberg is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. 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. – END –


title: Texas drug trafficker convicted in cocaine, fentanyl conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted Kelsey Manning, 31, of Houston, yesterday on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine and fentanyl, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 28, 2023, law enforcement investigators were performing surveillance at an apartment complex in Hampton to locate Manning for outstanding indictments on narcotics distribution offenses out of James City County. When Manning left an apartment and entered his vehicle, investigators took him into custody. At the time, Manning possessed around 7.9 grams of cocaine base, around 1.9 grams of fentanyl, and $5,303. A K9 unit performed an exterior sweep of Manning’s vehicle, resulting in a positive alert for narcotics. Inside the vehicle, investigators recovered a bag containing approximately a kilogram of cocaine, two boxes of baking soda, an aluminum pot, and a measuring cup with a whisk. Manning also possessed a key fob to access the apartment building. The fob was registered to Ashley Manning. During a search of the apartment, Investigators recovered approximately $114,000, approximately two kilograms of cocaine, and approximately a kilogram of fentanyl. Law enforcement also searched a residence where co-defendants Karon Jamar Harris, 44; Michael Dewalt; 33; and Traveon Parker, 32, all of Houston, were present. Within the residence investigators located distribution quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, drug-packaging materials, digital scales, over $30,000, and three firearms. Manning faces a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to life in prison when sentenced on August 14. On Feb. 6, Parker pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Parker is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison. On Feb. 6, Harris pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Harris is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison. On Feb. 13, Dewalt pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Dewalt is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Col. Matt Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; Jimmie Wideman, Chief of Hampton Police; and Mark Jamison, Chief of James City County Police Department, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, are prosecuting the case. The Tri-Rivers Drug Task Force, Hampton Roads Peninsula Drug Initiative-Hampton Division, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Virginia State Police investigated this case. Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-88.


title: Drug User who Bought Firearms for His Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who bought seven firearms for his drug dealer was sentenced on April 10, 2025, to more than one year in federal prison. Desmond Staggers, age 26, from Iowa City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 10, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms by an unlawful user of controlled substance. Information from Staggers’s plea and sentencing hearings showed that over a period of months in 2023 and 2024, Staggers purchased seven firearms. At the time he bought the firearms, Staggers was a user of and addicted to heroin and fentanyl. Staggers bought the firearms at the direction of his drug dealer, and after buying them, gave them directly to the dealer. Staggers was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Staggers was sentenced to 23 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Staggers was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-0084. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Waianae Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Methamphetamine Distribution and Operating Illegal Chicken Fights

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Edward Caspino, 47, of Waianae, was sentenced today in federal court by U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright to 168 months of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine and operating an illegal gambling business. Judge Seabright also ordered that the defendant forfeit any interest in more than $600,000 in cash seized by investigators in this case, and any interest in a 10-acre real property in Waianae that was used to host the illegal gambling business. According to court records, Caspino distributed a total of three pounds of methamphetamine on three occasions in July 2021. With respect to the gambling charges, Caspino organized and conducted a large-scale chicken fighting operation at his property in Waianae from as early as February 2021 through March 2023. He and his five co-defendants hosted regular chicken fighting events that constituted illegal gambling under the laws of the State of Hawaii. Each chicken fight event involved numerous individual chicken fights, during which hundreds of spectators and participants bet on the outcome of the fights. Caspino is the first to be sentenced among the six illegal gambling business conspirators. Co-defendants William Caspino, Lavern Joseph, Kerilyn Caspino, and Fausto Aragon, Jr. each pled guilty to charges related to the illegal gambling conspiracy. Co-defendant Howard Unebasami was convicted of conspiracy and operating an illegal gambling business by a jury after a four-day trial in March 2025. “Today’s lengthy sentence demonstrates that federal authorities will work together to put behind bars those responsible for illegal gambling operations and the community violence and drug trafficking tied to them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “This prosecution has already secured convictions against five coconspirators, and Caspino’s 168-month sentence stands as a stark warning: running an illegal gambling business in Hawaii carries serious and lasting consequences under federal law.” Anthony Chrysanthis, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Hawaii, said today’s announcement underscores the agency’s commitment to halt the flow of drugs on the island. “The methamphetamine epidemic continues to threaten the health, safety and wellbeing of our communities. We are determined to intercept drug suppliers and to disrupt their criminal activities, at every point. DEA will continue to work with partners to safeguard our residents.” “Today’s sentencing of Mr. Caspino and the guilty pleas of the co-defendants is a testament to HSI’s unwavering commitment to combating illegal narcotics and gambling operations that threaten the safety and well-being of our communities,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “We will continue to pursue justice and hold accountable those who violate federal laws designed to protect our communities.” “FBI Special Agents – along with our partner agencies – work relentlessly every day to protect our communities from the dangers of drug trafficking organizations,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that we will use every available resource to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle these organizations.” This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Honolulu Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese prosecuted the case.


title: Phillips Man Sentenced for Drug User in Possession of Firearm

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Tyler Caudill, age 22, of Phillips, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 10, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for possession of a firearm while an unlawful user of marijuana and THC. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Caudill to 37 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Caudill’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release. On the morning of May 4, 2021, authorities in the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office learned that Caudill had taken a pickup without permission and his father was missing an AR-15 style rifle. That same morning, surveillance cameras captured Caudill walking through an aviation building attached to the Central Nebraska Regional Airport (CNRA) in Grand Island, Nebraska. Caudill was carrying several bags including a rifle case. He was able to make his way onto the tarmac where an 11-person Cessna Citation Bravo aircraft was parked. He opened the hatch and entered the aircraft. He brought some personal belongings along with an AR-15 rifle and some ammunition onto the aircraft. Later that afternoon, when pilots entered the aircraft to prepare for flight, they found Caudill asleep on the plane and the firearm in the cabin. One pilot threw Caudill’s bags out of the plane, removed the rifle from the plane, then contacted police. Grand Island police officers arrived to assist. Caudill was seen trying to manipulate the controls of the airplane once he awoke. A tactical team of investigators was eventually able to remove him from the plane after deploying chemical munitions. An inbound flight from Dallas was diverted to Kansas due to the disruption at the airport. No one was injured. Caudill was taken to the hospital where he admitted having used marijuana and THC. A urine sample tested positive for the presence of THC. Caudill claimed possession of the firearm and told investigators he believed he was going to take the plane to a bunker in Montana. Investigators collected THC vape cartridges from his clothing. This case was investigated by the Grand Island Police Department, the Kearney Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: North Platte Man Sentenced to 235 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Brian Titman, 46, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 10, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Titman to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Titman’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Titman was also sentenced to an additional 15 months in prison on a separate case, stemming from the fact he was on supervised release at the time of he committed his new offense. That 15-month sentence will run consecutive to the 235-month sentence. Titman had previously been sentenced in January of 2017 to 60 months in the Bureau of Prisons as a result of a separate federal conviction for distributing 50 grams or more of meth mixture. At the conclusion of his custodial sentence in that case, Titman was sentenced to a term of supervised release, which he violated. A warrant was issued for his arrest in March of 2023, and over the next year, Titman and law enforcement in west-central Nebraska played a game of cat and mouse, with Titman taking steps to conceal his identity and law enforcement actively working to arrest him. On at least two occasions, Titman fled law enforcement at high speeds, pursuits that were eventually terminated because of the risk to the public. On March 15, 2024, a citizen reported to law enforcement the vehicle Titman was driving and where he was headed. Law enforcement again moved to contact Titman on a traffic stop, and Titman, driving the vehicle with two passengers, again took off. During the pursuit occupants of the vehicle threw out multiple baggies of meth, personal belongings including phones, and ammunition. The recovered items included a Walmart bag containing 9mm ammunition and multiple baggies containing a total of 6.3 ounces of meth. Additional meth was located in the vehicle. The vehicle eventually became high centered in a pasture in Lincoln County and all occupants fled into a nearby tree line. Officers were able to call all occupants out and take Titman and the passengers into custody. The following day, the owner of the pasture called law enforcement and turned over approximately 11.5 ounces of methamphetamine, Narcan, and several personal items. The owner indicated he had found the items in the pasture and on the county road used to access it. The methamphetamine he turned over was packaged the same as the items located in the vehicle and during the pursuit. Law enforcement also located additional meth when they re-searched the field. In total, more 600 grams of methamphetamine were located. This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the CODE Task Force.


title: Wilburton Resident Sentenced For Involuntary Manslaughter

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Lee Holloway, age 40, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On July 11, 2024, Holloway pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, in the early evening of February 16, 2023, Holloway crossed the centerline of US 270 Highway just outside Wilburton, Oklahoma, causing a multi-vehicle collision that killed one person and severely injured another. A toxicology test conducted on Holloway after the collision revealed methamphetamine, amphetamine, and THC in his system. The crime occurred in Latimer County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Holloway will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.


title: Broken Bow Resident Sentenced To 29 Years For Second Degree Murder

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dylan Thomas Walker, age 29, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 235 months in prison for one count of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country, and to 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively for a total of 355 months in prison. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. On October 31, 2023, Walker pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on the evening of December 3, 2022, Walker drove to a Broken Bow residence armed with a gun and attempted to gain entry. Walker then fired upon an occupant of the residence who answered the front door. The victim, who sustained gunshot wounds to the chest and arm, was later pronounced dead at an area hospital. The crimes occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Walker will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Geizura and Edith Singer represented the United States.


title: Springer Residents Sentenced For Federal Firearms Crimes

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cord Sikes Hutchins, age 43, and David Colbert Johnston, age 65, both of Springer, Oklahoma, were sentenced in federal district court. Hutchins was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Hutchins pleaded guilty to the charges on April 24, 2024. Johnston was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm. Johnston was found guilty by a federal jury at trial on May 7, 2024. The charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Crime Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to investigators, on May 11, 2023, U.S. Marshals apprehended Hutchins at Johnston’s Springer residence on outstanding felony arrest warrants out of Wichita County, Texas. As the entry team prepared to breach the house, Johnston confessed that Hutchins had access to firearms inside the residence. During the arrest, Marshals discovered Hutchins armed with an AR .223 semi-automatic rifle, a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and assorted rounds of ammunition and shotgun shells. After obtaining a search warrant for the residence, investigators discovered a second AR .223 and a 12-gauge shotgun in Hutchins’ bedroom closet and a .22 caliber rifle and ammunition in the living area of the house. At the time of arrest, both Hutchins and Johnston had previously been convicted of crimes punishable by more than one year imprisonment. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hutchins and Johnston will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith Singer and T. Cameron McEwen and represented the United States.


title: Konawa Resident Sentenced To 97 Months For Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Coty Layne Hayes, age 26, of Konawa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police, the Konawa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On September 19, 2024, Hayes pleaded guilty to the charge. As part of that plea, Hayes admitted that between June 9, 2023, and continuing until September 22, 2023, he sexually abused a child who had attained the age of 12 years but not yet attained the age of 16 years, and who was more than four years younger than him. The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Hayes will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan A. Muzljakovich represented the United States.


title: Stilwell Resident Sentenced For Possessing Child Sexual Exploitation Material

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Geoff Edward Luethje, age 47, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Residence Agencies in Atlanta, Georgia, and Muskogee, Oklahoma. On June 18, 2024, Luethje pleaded guilty to the charge. As part of that plea, Luethje admitted to knowingly possessing, and accessing with an intent to view, visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions of children under the age of twelve, between April 28, 2023, and August 3, 2023. According to investigators, in July of 2023, Special Agents were alerted to Luethje’s activity in an online community dedicated to distributing child sexual abuse material. An investigation and subsequent search of Luethje’s electronic devices and cell phone revealed that Luethje possessed over 27,000 images depicting the sexual abuse of children. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.com , through the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or through Homeland Security Investigations at 1-877-4-HSI TIP. The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Luethje will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.


title: Mexican National Admits to Role in Drug Trafficking Operation

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jose Alberto Camarena Rocha, age 31, of Mexico, has admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization that sold cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Rocha has pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and illegal reentry. According to court documents and statements made in court, Rocha, living in California, used his connections with the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico to supply controlled substances to the drug trafficking operation. Others then would sell cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. Rocha is facing at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison for the drug charge and faces up to two years for the reentry charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force was the lead investigative unit. Other investigative agencies that assisted include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the Pittsburgh, San Francisco, San Juan, and Philadelphia Field Offices; United States Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisville and Chicago Divisions; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Martinsburg Police Department; Ranson Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; West Virginia Air National Guard; Mineral County Sheriff's Office; Grant County Sheriff's Office; Hampshire County Sheriff's Department; Keyser Police Department; Northwest Regional Drug Task Force, Virginia; Pennsylvania State Police; Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Pennsylvania; Winchester Police Department, Virginia; Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Virginia; Virginia State Police; Sunnyvale Police Department, California. 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). U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided. Find the related press release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/twenty-five-charged-drug-trafficking-eastern-panhandle


title: Hopkins Man Who Discharged a Firearm in the Columbia City Limits Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tyrone Grailford, 41, of Hopkins, has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on Dec. 12, 2021, the City of Columbia Police Department officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert at a residence on Fairfield Road. When officers arrived Grailford was standing near the open passenger side door of a vehicle and told officers the gunshot came from another location. Officers detained Grailford and found a spent shell casing on the ground near where he was standing. Officers also found a firearm sitting on the passenger’s seat of the vehicle. Witnesses confirmed the gunshot came from the yard of the Fairfield Road residence and one witness who heard the gunshot saw Grailford standing near the passenger’s side of the vehicle immediately after. Officers placed Grailford under arrest and found a box of 9mm ammunition in his pocket. Grailford has prior convictions for burglary, assault and battery with intent to kill, threatening the life of a public official, and domestic violence second degree, all of which prohibit him from possessing a firearm under federal law. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Grailford to 77 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Yesterday, Jorge Luis Jaramillo, 20 years old, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to one count of distributing methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Jaramillo was sentenced to 60 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in May 2023, Jaramillo knowingly distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. At the time of the drug delivery, Jaramillo was 18 years old, and he transported almost two kilograms of methamphetamine from Indianapolis for distribution in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Indiana State Police; the Fort Wayne Police Department; the Allen County Sheriff’s Department; and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Montgomery Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Recovered at Scene of Shooting Where Four-Year-Old Was Injured

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Montgomery, Alabama man for illegally possessing a firearm recovered at the scene of a shooting. On April 9, 2025, a judge ordered that 27-year-old Grenden James Jordan serve 174 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Following his 14-and-a-half-year prison sentence, Jordan will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records and evidence presented at his January 2025 trial, on March 16, 2024, an officer with the Montgomery Police Department responded to the scene of a shooting on Atlanta Highway near the Eastern Boulevard overpass after hearing gun shots. Upon arrival, the officer saw three men walking away from a blue Dodge Challenger that was stopped in one of the lanes of traffic. One of the men, later identified as Grenden James Jordan, was observed by the officer throwing a firearm towards the side of the road. This was also captured on the officer’s dash cam video. The three men fled the scene. Witnesses stated that the three men were occupants of the Dodge Challenger and had exchanged gunfire with a red sedan, which left the scene when law enforcement arrived. Numerous bullet holes were found on the Dodge Challenger. There was a third vehicle on the scene that had been caught in the crossfire and had gunshot damage as well. This vehicle was occupied by innocent bystanders including a mother, father, and four-year-old child. The child sustained injuries from broken glass caused by the gunshots and was treated. Officers recovered an AR-style pistol from the area where the firearm had been thrown by Jordan, along with a high-capacity drum magazine with ammunition. During the trial, the jury saw a photo taken prior to March 16, 2024, showing Jordan posing with an AR-style pistol matching the one found on the scene of the shooting. Law enforcement found two additional firearms when searching Jordan’s residence in April of 2024. Jordan has previous felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The jury found Jordan guilty earlier this year for illegally possessing the firearm recovered on March 16, 2024. “This significant sentence not only reflects the need to ensure justice is served, but it also reflects the gravity of the danger posed by Grenden Jordan’s reckless behavior,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Violent crime has an enormous impact on communities and those that work and live within them, including our children. This case is a stark reminder of the harm that can be inflicted when individuals use guns to settle disputes without regard for the wellbeing of others. Montgomery is a safer place with Grenden Jordan off the streets.” “This type of disregard for human life will not be tolerated and most especially by a previously convicted felon,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd. “FBI Mobile will continue to work alongside our state, local, and federal partners to bring justice to the victims of this senseless gun violence.” This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon W. Bates and Michelle R. Turner prosecuted.


title: Hadley Man Arrested for Unlawful Possession of Ammunition and Firearms

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON –A Hadley, Mass. man has been arrested and charged for unlawful possession of ammunition and firearms. Jacob D. Miller, 43, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of ammunition and firearms by a person previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in person. Miller was arrested yesterday and appeared in federal court in Springfield, Mass. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson. Miller was released on conditions. According to the charging documents , on Feb. 9, 2004, Miller was convicted of felony crimes in two separate Hampshire Superior Court cases. In the first case, Miller was convicted of one count of possession of child pornography and sentenced to seven years of probation. In a separate case, Miller was convicted of two counts of possession of an explosive device and sentenced to two and one-half years in jail and 10 years of probation. On April 8, 2025, following the execution of search at Miller’s residence, a box of approximately 50 rounds of Federal brand, American Eagle .45 auto, 230 grain ammunition was recovered in a bedside table, as well as six firearms inside a safe in a hallway closet. At the hearing, the Court was informed that, based on the materials known to be present at Miller’s residence , the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) “is greatly concerned about potential impacts to public safety. Accidental release, breaking of containers, mixing of incompatible or reactive chemicals and or a fire at the residence pose a serious risk to public safety. MassDEP strongly urges a full and comprehensive evaluation at the residence and removal of any remaining hazardous chemicals.” The Court released Miller on various conditions, including the condition that he consent to MassDEP conduct a complete examination of his residence and remove any hazardous substances. The charge of unlawful possession of ammunition and firearms provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hadley Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Man Admits Fraudulently Obtaining Student Visa, Other Documents

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted fraudulently obtaining a student visa and admission to the University of Missouri and admitted using the visa to obtain a Social Security card, a driver license, a bank account and an apartment. Mercy Ojedeji, 24, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of unlawful use of fraudulent immigration documents and one count of wire fraud. Ojedeji admitted using counterfeit academic transcripts, recommendations, a resume and a report about his English language proficiency to obtain a student visa from the University of Missouri and admission to the chemistry PhD program in the fall of 2023. Ojedeji also obtained a stipend and a tuition waiver worth more than $49,000. Ojedeji presented his student visa and other documents to the Social Security Administration to obtain a Social Security card and used the fraudulently-issued Social Security number and other documents to open a bank account. He also used the Social Security number and documents produced by his paramour to rent an apartment. After Ojedeji failed to attend classes, his assistantship or join a research group, the university terminated him from the graduate program in January 2024. This also resulted in the termination of his student visa. On Feb. 26, 2024, Ojedeji used his fraudulently-obtained and now invalid visa and other documents to obtain a Missouri driver license. The investigation into Ojedeji began when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service received complaints that romance fraud victims were mailing packages containing cash and gift cards to the home of Ojedeji’s paramour. Between Dec. 19, 2023, and Jan. 4, 2024, 35 Express Mail packages that had been tracked by Nigerian internet protocol addresses were delivered to the paramour’s address. A court-approved search of the home resulted in the discovery of packages sent pursuant to a Nigerian romance fraud scheme. A total of 193 packages were sent to the home through the Postal Services Express Mail, Federal Express, and United Parcel Service during Ojedeji’s relationship with the woman. At sentencing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will argue that the total intended loss is more than $1 million, based on the $94,150 contained in the 17 packages seized by law enforcement. Ojedeji continues to deny any involvement in romance fraud. A judge will ultimately determine the loss amount at Ojedeji’s sentencing hearing, scheduled for July 10. Wire fraud carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The immigration charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and the same fine. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to defending the nation’s mail system from criminal activity, preserving the integrity of the U.S. Mail, and protecting United States Postal Service employees. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners for supporting our mission to protect the integrity of the U.S. Mail,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, with the assistance of the FBI and the Town and Country Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is prosecuting the case.


title: USAO Recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week April 6-12, 2025

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND – National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 6-12, 2025. The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) is commemorating this important awareness week by highlighting those who have been impacted by crime. In a September 2024 report, the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs released data from their National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), that indicated that in 2023, the rate of nonfatal violent victimization in the United States was 22.5 victimizations per 1,000 persons ages 12 or older, which was similar to the 2022 rate of 23.5 violent victimizations per 1,000 persons ages 12 or older. Violent victimization includes rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault and simple assault. The USAO has a special unit dedicated to ensuring that the victims of federal crimes are treated with dignity, fairness, and respect throughout their involvement with the federal criminal justice system. A team of dedicated Victim Assistance Specialists work with those who are recognized as crime victims and make sure that they are notified about case-related matters. Victims are provided with an opportunity to be heard and receive the services and protections provided by federal law. In particular, Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Victim Specialists in the Northern District of Ohio take special care to protect the most vulnerable among us, our senior citizens and our children.. “Our district has a deep commitment to victims from all populations, including our seniors and children. Criminals prey on these populations because they are, or appear to be the most vulnerable among us,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “Our office’s dedicated team of prosecutors serves to bring justice to victims of all federal crimes. We realize that the work we do to hold criminals accountable is of vital importance to those that have suffered at their hands. Whether it’s achieving a sense of safety in their home, their community, or on the internet, our work is an important first step to their healing. That’s why most of us signed up for this job.” The DOJ’s Elder Justice Initiative combats elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and other scams that target our nation’s senior citizens. Elder fraud schemes take a variety of forms that range from small-scale identity thefts to mass mail fraud schemes that steal money and other assets from thousands of elderly victims. Annually, these fraud schemes bilk seniors out of billions of dollars throughout the country. In recent years, USAO cases related to elder fraud involved more than 360 victims from across the country including seven in the Northern District of Ohio. Project Safe Childhood is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. The danger of perpetrators who produce, distribute and possess child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also known as child pornography, is equally dramatic and disturbing as it creates a permanent record of the child’s victimization. In 2024, District cases included nearly 30 identified victims under the age of 18 that were discovered during federal investigations. However, because perpetrators share files digitally across the country, the number of CSAM victims can number into the hundreds in some cases.” To learn more about how to support all victims of crime, visit the Office for Victims of Crime’s website at ovc.ojp.gov . About the Northern District of Ohio The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio covers the 40 northern-most counties in the state of Ohio, which is home to nearly six million people. The office operates from its main headquarters in Cleveland, with additional branches in Akron, Toledo, and Youngstown. The U.S. Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the District and oversees the prosecution of federal crimes and protect victims’ rights.


title: Shiprock Man Guilty of Assault in Stabbing Case

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty as charged in his federal indictment for assault with a dangerous weapon because he intentionally stabbed his ex-girlfriend and struck her with his vehicle during a violent altercation. According to court records, on November 2, 2024, Jane Doe, and her sister were stopped at a road construction zone when her ex-boyfriend, Tyrell Lee Johnson , 29, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, approached their vehicle. Johnson physically attacked Jane Doe, striking her head, stabbing her abdomen with a knife, and striking her with his vehicle as he fled the scene. Jane Doe sustained injuries, including an abdominal wound, bruises, abrasions, and a concussion. Navajo Police located Johnson ’s vehicle in Cudei, New Mexico, identified by its damaged front bumper, and apprehended him after a brief pursuit. Officers recovered a black folding knife from Johnson’s possession and confirmed he had no alcohol in his system during processing. At sentencing, Johnson faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.


title: Las Cruces Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearms Offenses

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after a federal search warrant uncovered large quantities of fentanyl, firearms, and cash linked to drug trafficking activities. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, on April 10, 2024, FBI Southern New Mexico Safe Streets Gang Task Force agents and Task Force Officers along with agents from Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics executed a federal search warrant at the residence of Joe Angel Sandoval , 29, in Las Cruces, New Mexico, uncovering substantial evidence of drug trafficking. During the search, investigators located: Over 500 grams of fentanyl pills. Three firearms and ammunition. Approximately $139,857 in cash was found inside the residence, along with $1,900 in Sandoval ’s vehicle. In his plea agreement, Sandoval admitted to being an unlawful user of fentanyl at the time of the search and acknowledged selling the fentanyl pills for approximately three to four years, making him a prohibited possessor of firearms and ammunition under federal law. Upon his release, Sandoval will be subject to 10 years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency, Las Cruces Police Department, and Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Y. Armijo prosecuted this case.


title: U.S. Extradites Alleged Co-Conspirator of 2008 Mumbai Terrorist Attacks to Face Charges in India

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The United States on Wednesday extradited convicted terrorist Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan, to stand trial in India on 10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Rana’s extradition is a critical step toward seeking justice for the six Americans and scores of other victims who were killed in the heinous attacks. Rana, 64, is charged in India with numerous offenses, including conspiracy, murder, commission of a terrorist act, and forgery, related to his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks committed by Laskhar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) , a designated foreign terrorist organization. Between November 26 and 29, 2008, ten LeT terrorists carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks in Mumbai. They infiltrated the city by sea and then broke into teams, dispersing to multiple locations. Attackers at a train station fired guns and threw grenades into crowds. Attackers at two restaurants shot indiscriminately at patrons. Attackers at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel gunned people down and detonated explosives. Attackers also shot and killed people at a Jewish community center. When the terror finally subsided, 166 victims, including six Americans, were dead, along with all but one of the LeT terrorists. Hundreds more were injured, and Mumbai sustained more than $1.5 billion in property damage. The attacks were among the most horrific and catastrophic in India’s history. India alleges that Rana facilitated a fraudulent cover so that his childhood friend David Coleman Headley (Headley), a U.S. citizen born Daood Gilani, could freely travel to Mumbai for the purpose of conducting surveillance of potential attack sites for LeT . As India alleges, Headley had received training from LeT members in Pakistan and was in direct communication with LeT about plans to attack Mumbai. Among other things, Rana allegedly agreed to open a Mumbai branch of his immigration business and appoint Headley as the manager of the office, despite Headley’s having no immigration experience. On two separate occasions, Rana allegedly helped Headley prepare and submit visa applications to Indian authorities that contained information Rana knew to be false. Rana also allegedly supplied, through his unsuspecting business partner, documentation in support of Headley’s attempt to secure formal approval from Indian authorities to open a branch office of Rana’s business. Over the course of more than two years, Headley allegedly repeatedly met with Rana in Chicago and described his surveillance activities on behalf of LeT , LeT’s responses to Headley’s activities, and LeT’s potential plans for attacking Mumbai. After the attacks were complete, Rana allegedly told Headley that the Indians “deserved it.” In an intercepted conversation with Headley, Rana allegedly commended the nine LeT terrorists who had been killed committing the attacks, saying that “[t]hey should be given Nishan-e-Haider”—Pakistan’s “highest award for gallantry in battle,” which is reserved for fallen soldiers. India’s pending proceedings against Rana are not the first proceedings in which Rana has been accused of conspiring to commit violent acts of terrorism. In 2013, Rana was sentenced to 14 years in prison following his trial conviction in the Northern District of Illinois for conspiring to provide material support to LeT and to a foiled LeT -sponsored terrorist plot in Copenhagen, Denmark. As part of those same criminal proceedings, Headley pleaded guilty to 12 federal terrorism charges, including aiding and abetting the murders of the six Americans in Mumbai and later planning to attack a Danish newspaper, and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. In June 2020, the United States acted on a request for Rana’s extradition submitted by the Republic of India, which Rana contested for almost five years. On May 16, 2023, a U.S. magistrate judge in the Central District of California certified Rana’s extradition to India. Rana then filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, which the U.S. District Court in the Central District of California denied on August 10, 2023. On August 15, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed that decision. The Supreme Court likewise denied Rana’s petition for certiorari on January 21, 2025. The Secretary of State issued a warrant ordering Rana’s surrender to Indian authorities. Both the district court and the Ninth Circuit denied Rana’s application for a stay of extradition, and on April 7, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Rana’s application for a stay of extradition. On April 9, the U.S. Marshals Service executed the Secretary’s surrender warrant by surrendering Rana to Indian authorities for transportation to India. Rana’s extradition is now complete. The extradition litigation was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John J. Lulejian and David R. Friedman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bram M. Alden of the Central District of California and Deputy Director Christopher J. Smith, Associate Director Kerry A. Monaco, and former Associate Director Rebecca A. Haciski of the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs. The U.S. Marshals Service and attorneys and international affairs specialists in the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided support to this extradition. The FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in New Delhi also provided assistance. U.S. Marshals Service photo by Shane T. McCoy U.S. Marshals in the Central District of California on April 9 transferred custody of Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani national and Canadian citizen, to representatives from India’s National Investigation Agency. U.S. Marshals Service photo by Shane T. McCoy U.S. Marshals in the Central District of California on April 9 transferred custody of Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani national and Canadian citizen, to representatives from India’s National Investigation Agency.


title: Honduran National Indicted For Illegal Reentry Into The United States

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Alexander Neptali Mejia-Martinez (36), a Honduran national, with illegal reentry into the United States by a removed alien. If convicted, Mejia-Martinez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, in 2016, Mejia-Martinez was convicted of unlawful reentry of a removed alien and removed from the United States shortly thereafter. At some point, Mejia-Martinez illegally reentered the United States and was found to be living in Jacksonville on April 2, 2025. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry. 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: Church Rock Man Faces Federal Charges for Shooting Two Navajo-Nation Members

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An 18-year-old Gallup man is facing federal charges following a shooting that left one Navajo-Nation member dead and another seriously injured. According to court records, in the early morning hours of April 6, 2025, a shooting occurred at a Church Rock, New Mexico residence. A resident of the home awoke to gunshots and, along with a second resident, entered 16-year-old Jane Doe’s bedroom, where the residents discovered 18-year-old John Doe deceased on the floor, Jane Doe suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, and the suspect, Mario Israel Barraza . Barraza —identified by both residents as Jane Doe’s former boyfriend—fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Investigators found evidence of forced entry through Jane Doe’s bedroom window, shell casings inside and outside the bedroom, and spent rounds resembling a bullet later extracted from Jane Doe during surgery. Security footage corroborated witness accounts of Barraza fleeing the scene, while Jane Doe confirmed she heard Barraza and John Doe arguing prior to the shooting and that he had a history of entering her bedroom through her window. Jane and John Doe are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation. Barraza is not an enrolled member of any federally recognized Tribe. Barraza stands charged with murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Barraza faces up to life in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Barraza).pdf A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Fort Pierce Men Plead Guilty To Bank Fraud And Mail Theft

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Aquarius Jones (24, Fort Pierce) and Johnathan Bryant (26, Fort Pierce) have pleaded guilty for their roles in a mail theft scheme. Jones pleaded guilty to bank fraud and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Bryant pleaded guilty to mail theft and faces up to five years in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not yet been set. According to court documents, on July 22, 2022, Jones and Bryant assembled mail “fishing” devices using shoelaces, mouthwash bottles, and mouse glue traps. They lowered the fishing devices into the mail slot of a United States Postal Service collection box and stole mail from inside the box. Additionally, between January and July 2022, Jones obtained checks which had been stolen from mailboxes, altered the names of the recipients on the stolen checks, and fraudulently deposited those checks into various bank accounts belonging to individuals other than the intended check recipients. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Winter Park Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.


title: Dark Web Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced To More Than 15 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced James Bookman (30, Largo) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Bookman pleaded guilty on October 2, 2024. According to court documents and statements presented at the sentencing hearing, Bookman, from the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere, using a dark web marketplace, distributed significant amounts of fentanyl (disguised and sold as oxycodone pills), methamphetamine (disguised and sold as Adderall pills), and other drugs, throughout the United States. One such sale resulted in the fentanyl overdose death of an internet customer in Montana. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Boston), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montana State Medical Examiner’s Office, the Butte-Silver Bow (Montana) Law Enforcement Department, and the Mantatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jim Preston.


title: Oklahoma Felon Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing A Loaded Firearm

body_text: Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Andre Dominique Barnes (35, Lehigh Acres) has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Barnes faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, on September 20, 2024, Barnes was stopped in Lee County by the Florida Highway Patrol for speeding. Barnes was identified by his Oklahoma identification card and had a suspended driver license. During a search of his vehicle, troopers located a loaded pistol. Court records show that Barnes was previously convicted of multiple felony offenses in Oklahoma. DNA swabs taken from the pistol and from Barnes linked him to the firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Barnes is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan. 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: Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Shooting at Mail Carrier and Illegal Possession of Firearm

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 120 months of imprisonment on his convictions for shooting at a mail carrier and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Martinel Humphries, 30, on April 9, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, Humphries fired four shots from a semi-automatic pistol at a mail carrier on January 5, 2023, for no apparent reason. The bullets missed the mail carrier, who fell to the ground upon seeing the defendant’s gun, but entered a nearby home, shattering the glass front door. Humphries fled and was apprehended soon after by law enforcement. Humphries has a lengthy criminal history, including two separate firearms convictions in 2015 relating to arrests in 2013 and 2015, and a 2021 conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, for which he still was serving a term of federal supervised release at the time he shot at the mail carrier. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. “Federal employees must be able to work without fearing for their personal safety,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s violent act, shooting at a mail carrier who was in the middle of his route. Our office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners at all levels to prioritize combating violent crimes such as committed by this defendant.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to its core mission of protecting postal employees,” said Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge of the Pittsburgh Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “Thankfully, the letter carrier escaped being physically hurt in this crime, and, with the assistance of our local law enforcement partners, Humphries was quickly apprehended to prevent further harm to the public. Postal Inspectors will always strive to keep our employees safe while delivering mail to our communities. And we take pride in working with our law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served to those like Humphries, who bring violence to our communities.” Assistant United States Attorney William B. Guappone prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the United States Postal Inspection Service, City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police Department, Ross Township Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Humphries.


title: H Block Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to drug conspiracy charges. Dennis Wilson, a/k/a “Deuce,” 36 of Boston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025. Wilson was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation of H Block beginning in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation. According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation. From 2022 through 2023, Wilson, a long-time H Block gang member, participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, including fentanyl, powdered cocaine and cocaine base (crack). On numerus occasions, Wilson accompanied a co-conspirator on various drug deals with undercover officers. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Wilson is the fourth defendant to plead guilty in the case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Bank Officer Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Edward L. Jenkinson (47, Trinity) has pleaded guilty to misappropriation of bank funds and embezzlement. Jenkinson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. Jenkinson has also agreed to forfeit to the United States $122,004.04, the proceeds of his criminal activity. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement and court proceedings, Jenkinson was employed as a bank officer at Bank 1, an FDIC insured institution that was a member bank of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. As a bank officer, Jenkinson was responsible for managing a Bank 1 financial center located in Tampa. One of Jenkinson’s duties was to oversee the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and teller cash drawers at the financial center. Between March and November 2024, Jenkinson embezzled FDIC-insured funds. As part of his embezzlement scheme, Jenkinson redeemed certificates of deposit without the customers’ knowledge or consent. He then prepared deposit tickets and deposited the redeemed funds in customer checking accounts. Subsequently, Jenkinson embezzled the funds from the victim customers’ accounts and drafted cashiers’ checks payable to himself, which he deposited into his own bank accounts. Jenkinson depleted most of the embezzled funds through cash withdrawals. He also embezzled $52,000 from the ATM machine at the Bank 1 financial center he managed in Tampa, as well as $2,500 from a bank teller drawer. Jenkinson spent the embezzled funds on gambling, paying off debt, and retail purchases. This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.