title: Owner Of Las Vegas Company Indicted In $24 Million Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas business owner made his initial appearance in court yesterday for allegedly misrepresenting that his company was a profitable, up-and-running artificial intelligence company that mined cryptocurrency, verified cryptocurrency transactions, paid fixed rates of return on investments, and provided a 100% money back guarantee. In total, the defendant obtained approximately $24 million from at least 400 investors. “Mr. Kovar allegedly stole victims’ hard-earned money by making false representations regarding his investment company, including misleading some victims to believe their investments were backed by the FDIC,” said Ryan Korner, Special Agent in Charge with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG). “FDIC OIG is committed to identifying, and holding accountable, those who endanger our Nation’s financial system by victimizing others for their personal gain.” Brent C. Kovar, 58, is charged with 12 counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, and three counts of money laundering. A jury trial has been scheduled to begin on April 8, 2025, before United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. According to allegations contained in the indictment, from late 2017 to July 2021, Kovar owned Profit Connect, a Las Vegas, Nev., based company that purportedly used artificial intelligence software on a supercomputer to mine cryptocurrency and verify cryptocurrency transactions. He falsely represented to investors that Profit Connect paid a fixed rate of return of 15%-30% APR and provided a 100% money-back guarantee. In reality, Kovar used investor money to operate Profit Connect, buy gifts for employees, buy a house for himself, and repay investors as if those repayments came from mining cryptocurrency and verifying cryptocurrency transactions. As part of the scheme, Kovar created a website, a YouTube video, and a PowerPoint presentation in which he made the misrepresentations to influence customers to buy investments. Furthermore, he leased office space for a sales office and a warehouse for a data center. As alleged, investments were sold through an entity known as Profit Connect Wealth Services. Kovar sent money via wire transfers to investors, he mailed checks through the U.S. Postal Service, and he engaged in monetary transactions greater than $10,000 that were derived from unlawful activity. If convicted, Kovar faces a total maximum statutory penalty of 330 years in prison and a fine of not more than $4,500,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami, Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division, Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner for the FDIC OIG, and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick for the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office made the announcement. The FBI, FDIC OIG, and IRS-CI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Schiess is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Bennington Man Convicted at Trial of Possessing Bomb

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Rutland, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that yesterday, Tyler Hayes, 42, of Bennington, Vermont, was convicted of two charges stemming from his unlawful possession of a homemade bomb, following a jury trial in U.S. District Court in Rutland. U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante ordered that Hayes remain in jail pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Hayes has been held in custody since his arrest on January 19, 2024. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, a bomb was discovered in Hayes’s former Bennington residence days after he abandoned the property in February of 2023. The property manager contacted law enforcement, who defused the bomb. Witnesses at trial described how Hayes had been discussing and constructing bombs for months, and had offered to trade a bomb for fentanyl. Other witnesses described Hayes making admissions after the bomb was discovered, including that he was “on the run” after a bomb had been found at his residence. An explosives expert from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives testified that, although the homemade bomb was rudimentary and simplistic (constructed from a combination of a pipe bomb and flammable liquids stored in plastic water bottles), it was nonetheless capable of causing substantial destruction and injury had it been detonated. The jury convicted Hayes of possessing an unregistered destructive device, in violation of the National Firearms Act (“NFA”), and of possessing a destructive device while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, in violation of the Gun Control Act (“GCA”). Hayes faces up to 10 years in prison on the NFA violation, and up to 15 years on the GCA violation. The actual sentence will be determined by the judge with reference to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. “Yesterday’s guilty verdict in Rutland reflects not only the investigative skill of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations, but also the work of an extraordinary team of prosecutors and support staff from this office,” stated Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher. “The superb organization and presentation of evidence at trial demonstrated not only that Hayes was guilty of the crimes charged beyond a reasonable doubt, but also the extreme danger he presented to the community.” Drescher also thanked the Vermont State Police, whose Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit disabled the bomb, as well as the Bennington Police Department for their assistance in the case. The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Corinne Smith and Nicole Cate. Hayes is represented by James Valente, Esq., and Chandler Matson, Esq. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Louisville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution Charges

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A local man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement. According to court documents, Shawon Hickman, 51, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine from February to June 8, 2023, and for distributing over 50 grams of methamphetamine on February 16 th and March 1 st , 2023 in Jefferson County, Kentucky. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the ATF with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Porter prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Texas Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Drug Charge

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darlene Ruelas Flores, a/k/a Darlene Sheppard, age 44, of San Antonio, Texas, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. The Indictment alleged that on May 30, 2024, Flores knowingly and intentionally possessed 400 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, with the intent to distribute it. The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Flores will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.


title: Summers County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crimes

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Matthew Harris England, 38, of Meadow Bridge, was sentenced today to one year and eight months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 3, 2023, law enforcement responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at England’s residence in Meadow Bridge. When law enforcement entered the residence, they found and seized a Savage model Stevens 94F, 20-gauge shotgun with a modified and shortened barrel and a modified and shortened stock on a chair in the living room. England was arrested, and told officers he knew the firearm was in the residence and that the length of its barrel appeared to be illegal. The short-barreled shotgun was not registered to England in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law. Federal law also prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. England knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for aiding and abetting the possession of stolen firearms in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 9, 2014. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Summers County Sheriff’s Department, the West Virginia State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-93.


title: Hot Spring County Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Concealing a Material Fact from a Governmental Agency

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: EL DORADO – A Malvern, Arkansas, man entered a plea of guilty today to one count of Engaging in a Scheme to Conceal a Material Fact from a Governmental Agency. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the change of plea hearing, which took place in the United States District Court in El Dorado. According to the plea agreement, Derek” Scott” Finkbeiner, age 47 the elected Sheriff of Hot Spring County (Malvern), admitted that from approximately August 19, 2023, through August 24, 2023, he intentionally misled and concealed material facts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about the true nature of his relationship with a target of an FBI investigation. Finkbeiner admitted that he was present at the target’s residence when the FBI conducted a controlled purchase of narcotics and that he “smoked” crack cocaine and methamphetamine with the target. Further, Finkbeiner admitted that once he learned of the FBI’s investigation, he intentionally lied about the nature of his and the Hot Spring County Sheriff Department’s relationship with the target, all in an effort to convince the FBI to cease its investigation. Finkbeiner’s sentencing is expected to take place in approximately four months. Finkbeiner faces a maximum penalty of up to 5 years in prison for the crime to which he plead guilty. Chief District Judge Susan Hickey will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Harris and Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Achorn and Trent Daniels of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas are prosecuting the case. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov


title: Coweta Resident Sentenced For Making False Statement To A Federal Officer

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ashley Bryanne Rockwell, age 40, of Coweta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to three years of probation for one count of False Statements. The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshal Service and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office. On October 2, 2024, Rockwell was found guilty by a federal jury at trial of knowingly and willfully making a false statement to a Deputy U.S. Marshal as to a material fact. According to investigators, on August 18, 2023, while being questioned during an active investigation, Rockwell denied leaving the state with a registered sex offender who was wanted for Failure to Comply as a Sex Offender. In fact, Rockwell had recently traveled to several states with the individual, including Colorado and Oregon. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Satter and Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.


title: Broken Bow Resident Pleads Guilty To Sexual Exploitation Of A Child

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dylan Hansen Yazzie, age 28, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction. The indictment alleged that between July of 2023 and September of 2023, Yazzie coerced or induced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction to transmit in interstate or foreign commerce. The crime occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Broken Bow Police Department. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Yazzie will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.


title: Colombian Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Alien Smuggling

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Diego Guisao-Zapata, age 41, a citizen of Colombia, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Border Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of the United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement. As part of his earlier guilty plea, Guisao-Zapata, an illegal alien who entered the United States unlawfully in 2023, admitted that on August 25, 2024, he traveled to the northern border in Churubusco, New York, where he smuggled two people – one from Mexico, the other from the Dominican Republic – into the United States for profit. Guisao-Zapata admitted that he had smuggled other people across the border in the past. Guisao-Zapata will be taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for removal proceedings, following his release from prison. United States Border Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Paulbeck prosecuted the case.


title: Anchorage man sentenced to 13 years for distributing meth

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 13 years in prison and will serve five years on supervised release for distributing methamphetamine in Alaska and violating his conditions of release from a previous drug distribution conviction. According to court documents, Todd Robert Klink, 55, made two sales of methamphetamine totaling over 82 grams to a law enforcement witness in July 2023 and January 2024. The first sale was of 97% pure methamphetamine and the second was of 68% pure methamphetamine. On Feb. 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in Alaska indicted Klink and charged him with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. On March 1, 2024, agents arrested Klink and executed a federal search warrant on his home. During the search, agents located and seized over 3.5 kilograms of 100% pure methamphetamine, over 500 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine, digital scales with drug residue and other assorted paraphernalia for drug use and distribution. At all times during this conduct, Klink was on supervised release for a 2011 distribution of methamphetamine conviction in the U.S. District Court, District of Alaska. On Jan. 29, 2025, Klink pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Klink received a 132-month sentence for distributing methamphetamine in 2023 and 2024, and a 24-month sentence for violating his supervised release, which will run consecutive, making his total sentence 156 months. “Despite his past conviction for drug-related offenses and a history of criminal activity, Mr. Klink made the conscious decision to persist in trafficking dangerous drugs within our community, showing a disregard for both the law and well-being of others,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn R. Vogel for the District of Alaska. “The justice system will not stand by while illegal, poisonous substances are distributed in our communities, putting countless lives at risk. This sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to collaborating with law enforcement to dismantle drug trafficking operations and protect Alaskans.” “Drug traffickers like Mr. Klink, who persistently violate our drug laws, pose an especially grave threat,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence he received in this case will both safeguard our communities and hold him accountable for his crimes and I am proud of our team for their hard work achieving this result.” The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division and Anchorage Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody Tirpak prosecuted the case. ###


title: Man Once on FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitives List Appears in Court in St. Louis

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Donald Eugene Fields II, who was on the FBI’s Most Wanted list until his arrest on January 26 in Florida, pleaded not guilty Friday to child sex charges in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Fields, now 60, of Franklin County, Missouri, was originally indicted on Dec. 7, 2022. He now faces a child sex trafficking charge and a charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The indictment accuses him of knowingly attempting to recruit, entice, provide, patronize and solicit a minor into engaging in a commercial sex act from about January 2013 until June 2017 and traveling to Florida in 2016 to engage in sex with a minor. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. Fields was arrested during a traffic stop by police in Lady Lake, Florida after officers learned that he was on the Most Wanted list. “Donald Fields II will finally answer federal charges thanks to the outstanding work by the Lady Lake Police Department,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “We applaud the bravery of the alleged victims, who showed up in court today to face the defendant for the first time since he became a federal fugitive more than two years ago. The FBI will continue to provide victim services to support their emotional journey through the legal process.” The case was investigated jointly by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, with assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Members of prolific fentanyl distribution conspiracy sentenced to prison

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

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Three Virginia men have been sentenced to prison for distributing copious quantities of fentanyl. According to court documents, from at least July 2023 through April 2024, Xavier Elijah Coltrane, aka X or Slime, 21, of Arlington; Vaughn Meachem, aka Vaughn Lockhart, 34, of Alexandria; and Cameron Harris, 24, of Gainesville, conspired to distribute fentanyl pills. Over a series of five controlled purchases conducted by the FBI, the conspirators sold approximately 65,000 fentanyl pills and a kilogram of cocaine. Coltrane was co-owner of Exquisite Luxury Transportation, a car service that Coltrane used to facilitate drug trafficking activity. Coltrane arranged the five drug sales, communicating through Instagram messaging, Telegram, and speaking directly on the phone. In some of the controlled purchases, the purchaser booked a reservation with Exquisite Luxury Transportation and was driven to a delivery location. Once the purchaser arrived at the deal location, Meachem arrived and distributed fentanyl pills. On one occasion, Coltrane distributed the fentanyl pills directly. On another occasion when Coltrane feared the use of cars through Exquisite Luxury Transportation was attracting law enforcement attention, Harris delivered the fentanyl pills in his personal vehicle. Coltrane, Meachem, and Harris each pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. On Feb. 13, 2025, Coltrane was sentenced to 20 years in prison. On Dec.18, 2024, Harris was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Meachem was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, Virginia State Police, and the Prince William County Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation of this case. This investigation is part of the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Northern Virginia Gang Initiative, which seeks to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations; reduce drug-related crime and violence; and identify and respond to emerging drug trends. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Alito, Catherine Rosenberg, and Ryan Bredemeier prosecuted the case. 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. 1:24-cr-115.


title: Metairie Man Guilty of Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KEVIN LILLIS (“LILLIS”) , age 51, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, pled guilty today, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, to distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in violation of 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2). According to court documents, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents executed a search warrant at LILLIS’s residence in March 2024. During the execution of the warrant, agents seized and searched electronic devices belonging to LILLIS . These devices contained files depicting the sexual victimization of children and obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. Specifically, the items seized included more than 600 images and 6 videos, 1 of which was almost 12 minutes long, depicting the sexual victimization of children, as well as dozens of other images and videos depicting obscene visual representations. Among the files LILLIS searched, downloaded, stored, and distributed, were images of newborn infants engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and files portraying violent sadistic or masochistic conduct. LILLIS distributed the files numerous times between January 2024 and March 11, 2024. Agents also discovered conversations LILLIS had with other individuals on encrypted messaging applications during 2023-2024, in which LILLIS admitted having hands-on sexual contact with multiple young prepubescent minors over the past two decades. LILLIS faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years in prison up to a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, as to each of Counts 1, 2, and 3. LILLIS also faces at least five years, and up to a lifetime, of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine per count. Additionally, he faces payment of a $300 mandatory special assessment fee. LILLIS may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Milazzo has been scheduled for May 14, 2025. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Maryland recidivist sentenced to over three years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on May 8, 2024, at the Tysons Corner Center in Fairfax County, police stopped and searched a vehicle in which Marcus Gibbs, 28, of Capital Heights, was the front-seat passenger. Inside the vehicle, officers found a handbag containing a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine. Also inside the handbag was Gibbs's wallet, which contained his social security card and state identification card. In 2015, Gibbs was convicted of robbery and sentenced to eight years in prison. In 2021, Gibbs was also convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon and sentenced to five years in prison. As a previously convicted felon, Gibbs cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel K. Amzallag prosecuted the case. 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. 1:24-cr-178.


title: Founder of Miami-Based Cryptocurrency Token CluCoin Sentenced for Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – The founder of CluCoin, a cryptocurrency token project in Miami, was sentenced to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution and forfeit assets in the amount of $1.14 million. The sentence comes after the defendant pleaded guilty to wire fraud in August 2024. Austin Michael Taylor, 41, of Sykesville, Maryland, was the founder of a cryptocurrency project CluCoin and owner of CLU LLC, a company incorporated and headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Fla., that handled CluCoin’s operations. Taylor leveraged his sizable social media following to generate interest in a digital token he called “CLU.” Taylor generated interest in CLU’s initial coin offering (ICO), which is a capital raising event in which an entity offers investors a unique digital token in exchange for a more established cryptocurrency or fiat currency. Taylor created a “white paper” for CluCoin, which was meant to educate and entice investors to participate in the ICO, which promised to have a charitable focus. After raising investor funds, Taylor successfully launched CluCoin’s ICO on May 19, 2021. Taylor then shifted CluCoin’s focus to other projects he devised: the minting of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the development of a computer game and a metaverse platform. Taylor organized and paid for an event called “NFTCon: Into the Metaverse,” which took place in a hotel in Miami on April 4 and 5, 2022, to drive interest and investment in CLU, CluCoin and related projects. Shortly after the conference, in May 2022, Taylor gained the ability to make withdrawals from the cryptocurrency address he controlled into which a portion of the CLU investor funds automatically flowed. From May through December 2022, Taylor sent approximately $1.14 million in investor funds to his personal account at a virtual currency exchange and then used the funds at multiple online casinos, where he lost these investor funds to gambling. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin E. Fleck of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra. FBI Miami and the Washington Field Offices investigated the case. Assistant U.S Attorney Manolo Reboso prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture. Identified victims were notified via NFT. If you invested in CLU, believe you are a victim, and/or received an NFT, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/CluCoinInvestors to provide relevant information to the FBI. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-20308. ###


title: West Virginia Man Sentenced for Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – A West Virginia man, Richard Hudson, 72, was sentenced on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 139 months, for bank robbery by intimidation. According to his plea agreement, on February 15, 2024, Hudson robbed the Traditional Bank on Tates Creek Road in Lexington. Hudson approached a teller, placed a grocery bag and a note on the counter, and demanded that the teller empty the contents of her drawer into the bag. The teller did so and attempted to hand the bag back to Hudson, who then demanded for her to empty the bottom drawer as well. The teller did so, and Hudson was able to obtain $14,106 during the robbery. He fled the scene and was eventually apprehended in Charleston, WV. Hudson, a career offender, has robbed a series of banks across the Nation since the 1980s. Under federal law, Hudson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, Hudson will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Texas Man Guilty Of Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that LEROY OTERO (“OTERO”) , age 35, a resident of Texas, pled guilty before United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on February 4, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectible amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846. As to this charge, OTERO faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to a maximum of life in prison, up to a $10,000,000.00 fine, at least five years of supervised release, and a 100 mandatory special assessment fee. His sentencing is set for May 29, 2025. During the course of this investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents determined that OTERO was supplying large amounts of methamphetamine to local drug dealers, who, in turn, were selling the drugs in Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Houma Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, and the Terrebonne and Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Offices. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Mexican National With Prior Convictions Charged For Illegally Reentering The United States

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national residing in Las Vegas made his initial court appearance on Monday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after twice being removed from the country. Victor Jesus Apodaca-Gomez, a/k/a Carlos Alberto Cardenas, 31, is charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 2, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Brenda N. Weksler. According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made during court proceedings, Apodaca-Gomez is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on April 9, 2020, and again on May 17, 2022, and re-entered the United States illegally on or before October 24, 2023. In October 2023, officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested Apodaca-Gomez on drug-related charges. On March 25, 2024, Apodaca-Gomez was convicted in Clark County of mid-level possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act, and he was sentenced to imprisonment. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), learned on October 25, 2023, of Apodaca-Gomez’s presence in the United States. after he was arrested by state law enforcement, in Clark County, NV. On January 30, 2025, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Apodaca-Gomez to ICE custody. If convicted, Apodaca-Gomez faces the maximum statutory penalty of two years of imprisonment, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.. Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement. The ICE Salt Lake City, Las-Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case. Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form . A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Gibson County Man Charged with Violation of the Sex Offender Registration & Notification Act and Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury in Jackson recently returned an indictment charging a Gibson County man for violating his sex offender registry requirements and for reentering the United States illegally. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the return of the indictment today. Jose Alfredo Melendez-Hernandez, 52 , was arrested on the morning of February 12, 2025, after it was determined that he was residing in Trenton and had failed to register as a sex offender as required under federal law. He was previously convicted of sexual battery in Oklahoma. Further investigation by law enforcement revealed that Melendez-Hernandez was deported in 2009 and had not obtained the express consent from the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. Melendez-Hernandez faces charges for failing to register as a sex offender, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a), and illegal reentry, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(2). The case is pending before United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson in Jackson, TN. If Melendez-Hernandez is convicted of the charges, Judge Anderson will determine the sentence to impose on the defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the United States Department of Homeland Security. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records (if any) and the characteristics of the violation. Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney Immanuel Chioco, who is prosecuting the case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated it. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Fresno Man Charged in Assault on Minor at a Veterans Affairs Facility

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Daryl Vinson, 65, of Fresno, charging him with assault and abusive sexual contact on a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on July 23, 2024, Vinson assaulted the minor at the Veterans Affairs Central California Health Care System in Fresno by touching her breast, pressing his mouth on her mouth and inserting his tongue in her mouth. Vinson is not employed at the facility. If you have information related to this case or believe you may be a victim, please submit a tip online or call 1-800-488-8244. This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs Police and Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Vinson faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Heroin Trafficking and Illegal Weapons Possession Charges

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Alberto Gonzalez Salgado, 45, of Sacramento, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 13 years and one month in prison and ordered to forfeit $100,000 to the government for drug trafficking and firearms crimes, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, in 2019 and 2020, Salgado trafficked fentanyl pills, heroin, marijuana, and firearms. On multiple occasions Salgado sold heroin and fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills and illegal short-barreled rifles to a confidential source. Salgado also maintained a stash house in Sacramento where he grew over 100 marijuana plants and also kept a firearm to protect his drug trafficking operation. When law enforcement attempted to stop Salgado’s vehicle to arrest him on the way to a fentanyl pill deal in October 2020, Salgado fled, leading law enforcement on a high-speed vehicle chase on public roadways that lasted over an hour and a half and endangered law enforcement officers and the public. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Sacramento Area Intelligence/Narcotics Task Force, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: St. Bernard Parish Man Guilty of Federal Gun and Drug Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ABE JYLES (“JYLES”) , age 44, a resident of St. Bernard Parish, pled guilty on February 4, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter to Counts 1, 2, and 3 of a superseding bill of information that was filed against him. Count 1 charged JYLES with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). Count 2 charged him with possession, with the intent to distribute, a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, and cocaine, in violation of Title 21 USC § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). Count 3 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18 USC § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). JYLES faces the following sentences as to each count: As to Count 1, JYLES faces a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 5 years up to a maximum of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. Any jail sentence imposed in connection with Count 1 must run consecutive to any other count. He will also face up to five years of supervised release. He will also face up to five years of supervised release. As to Count 2 , JYLES faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, and a term of supervised release of not less than three years up to life. As to Count 3 , JYLES faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Additionally, as to each charged count, JYLES faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. On February 29, 2024, JYLES was identified as the driver and sole occupant of a vehicle. involved in a traffic stop by St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office personnel. After law enforcement personnel noticed the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle, they detained JYLES and searched the vehicle. During the search, multiple illegal narcotics, a scale, drug paraphernalia, and four firearms were found inside the vehicle. At the time of his arrest, JYLES was on federal supervised release due to his 2008 federal drug trafficking conviction. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Middle School Teacher Charged With Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Anatasia Coleman, the Special Commissioner for Investigation for the Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigation for the NYC School District ("SCI"), announced today the arrest of ROSS LANVIN for possession of child pornography. LANVIN is charged with possessing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography that depict children ranging from approximately 3 to 4 years old to pre-pubescent children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. LANVIN was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron in Manhattan federal court. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Ross Lanvin, who had close contact with students as a teacher at a public school in Manhattan, possessed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. Together with our partners at the NYPD and Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigations for the NYC School District, we will continue to work to root out those who possess child pornography, especially when those individuals work in positions that give them access to children—some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Our investigation into Lanvin is ongoing, and we encourage anyone with information to contact Wendy Olsen-Clancy, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the United States Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York, at 866-874-8900 or wendy.olsen@usdoj.gov.” SCI Special Commissioner for Investigation Anatasia Coleman said: "SCI is grateful for the efforts of its investigators and the opportunity to work alongside all of our partners at the DOJ and NYPD to root out child sex abuse wherever it may occur. This type of crime, as alleged, is always troubling, but when it involves someone entrusted with the daily enrichment of our children, it makes its investigation and prosecution even more urgent." According to the allegations contained in the Complaint : [1] LANVIN is currently a math teacher at a public middle school located in Manhattan, New York (“School-1”). He was employed by the New York City Department of Education from in or about 2006 through in or about 2013, and again beginning in or about 2016. From at least in or about September 2021 through in or about December 2024, LANVIN possessed hundreds of images and videos constituting child pornography on a Google account held under a fake name. On or about December 20, 2024, Google terminated access to this account upon finding that it contained suspected child pornography. On February 13, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at LANVIN’s Manhattan apartment and found child pornography on at least one of LANVIN’s electronic devices. * * * LANVIN, 41, of New York, New York, is charged with two counts of possession of child pornography, including images and videos of prepubescent minors and minors who had not attained 12 years of age, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department Special Investigations Unit, Computer Crimes Squad, SCI, as well as the Task Force Officers and Investigative Analysts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Phillips is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Federal Indictment Unsealed Charging Merced Man with Trafficking Hundreds of Kilograms of Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Heroin, and Fentanyl

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — An indictment was unsealed today charging Jesus Magana Mellin, aka “Compadre,” 34, of Merced, with possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, between October and November of 2022, Magana Mellin conspired with others to traffic substantial amounts of controlled substances in California and elsewhere. After a joint federal, state, and local investigation, law enforcement officers executed search warrants on two storage units connected to Magana Mellin’s drug trafficking ring. Inside the storage units, officers found 160 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, 158 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 14 kilograms of heroin, 7 kilograms of cocaine, and 40 grams of fentanyl pills. Three of Magana Mellin’s associates—Vanessa Arauza, Pedro Duarte Sanchez, and Luis Higuera Lopez—have been charged and convicted in the case. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET). Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Magana Mellin faces a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.


title: Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Centers of New York Agrees to Pay $29M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations

component: Civil Division

body_text: SVCMC Inc., formerly known as Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Centers of New York (Saint Vincent), has agreed to pay $29 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly retaining erroneously inflated payments received from the Department of Defense for healthcare services provided to retired military members and their families. Saint Vincent is one of six health plans participating in the Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP) program, which is a federal health insurance program funded by the Defense Health Agency (DHA), a component of the Department of Defense. Under the USFHP program, DHA pays Saint Vincent capitated rates to provide healthcare services to military personnel, retirees, and their families. The complaint alleged that, in 2012, Saint Vincent learned that errors had been made in the calculation of the capitated rates resulting in substantial overpayments to Saint Vincent and the other five USFHP plans over the preceding four years. According to the government’s complaint, instead of notifying the government of the overpayments or repaying the funds, Saint Vincent, along with the other five USFHP plans, took steps to conceal the existence of the overpayments from DHA, continued to submit invoices at the inflated payment rates, and conspired to avoid paying the money back. Today’s settlement resolves the government’s claims against Saint Vincent. “Those who receive public funds, including participants in government health care programs, must return funds to which they are not entitled,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with our partners across the federal government, we will hold accountable those who knowingly violate this obligation to the American taxpayers.” “I want to thank the Justice Department for resolving this case on behalf of TRICARE and the Defense Health Agency,” said Dr. David C. Krulak, Director, TRICARE Health Plan, DHA. “Providing excellent health care to our 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide is essential to maintaining force readiness and keeping our promise to our family members and retirees, while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars at the same time.” The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Jane Rollinson and Daniel Gregorie in the District of Maine. From 2007 to 2015, Ms. Rollinson worked at Martin’s Point Health Care, one of the health plans participating in the USFHP program, including as its Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Gregorie was a consultant to the CEO and Board of Martin’s Point Health Care and later served on its Board of Trustees. Under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The United States may intervene and proceed with the case, as it did here. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Rollinson v. Martin’s Point Health Care, Inc. , No. 2:16-cv-00447-NT (D. Me.). As part of today’s settlement, Ms. Rollinson and Mr. Gregorie will receive $5.655 million. The United States is continuing to pursue the remaining claims in this case. The resolution of this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, with assistance from the DHA. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Diana Cieslak and Evan Ballan and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Lizotte and Sheila Sawyer for the District of Maine. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Mexican National Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pedro Cerna Arias, 62, a Mexican national residing in Milpitas, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to five years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on April 9, 2020, Cerna Arias sold approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Milpitas, in a deal that was initially negotiated between the undercover officer and a Mexico-based drug trafficker. On Oct. 8, 2021, law enforcement searched Cerna Arias’s residence and found about a kilogram of methamphetamine, a bucket with methamphetamine residue, drug ledgers, drug packaging material, and $6,165 in cash. Cerna Arias admitted to law enforcement that the methamphetamine was his and that he distributed methamphetamine in pound quantities. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, the California Highway Patrol, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case. Co-defendant Jose Moreno Albestrain was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Dec. 19, 2024, by Judge Calabretta for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.


title: Phoenix Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 151 Months After Agents Seize Over 90 Pounds of Fentanyl and Over 40 Pounds of Cocaine from Stash House

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Miguel Angel Gaytan-Ramirez, 34, an undocumented Mexican National living in Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 151 months, followed by three years supervised release. Gaytan-Ramirez pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl on November 5, 2024. According to court documents, on January 25, 2024, an undercover agent working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agreed to purchase 150,000 fentanyl pills (approximately 15 kilograms) from a member of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Mexico. The individual in Mexico instructed the undercover agent to travel to a parking lot in Phoenix to complete the transaction. At the parking lot, investigators identified a Dodge Ram pickup truck as the vehicle in which a DTO member was located. A man later identified as Gaytan-Ramirez called the undercover agent and said that he was occupying the Dodge Ram pickup. Thereafter, investigators moved in and detained Gaytan-Ramirez. After detaining Gaytan-Ramirez, investigators identified a nearby apartment used by Gaytan-Ramirez to store narcotics. Gaytan-Ramirez provided investigators consent to search the apartment. Inside a closet in the apartment investigators seized a black American Tactical Omni Hybrid 5.56 NATO caliber rifle with an AOMEKIE Scope, approximately 34 kilograms (74.9 pounds) of blue pills stamped M30 which contained fentanyl, 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) of fentanyl powder, and 19 kilograms (41.9 pounds) of cocaine. Authorities also seized over $18,000 in drug proceeds from Gaytan-Ramirez’s vehicle and the stash house. Drug Enforcement Administration, Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jospeh K. Nwoga and Stuart J. Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00257-PHX-DJH RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-017_Gaytan-Ramirez # # # 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: Miami Federal Prosecutors Charge Two Foreign Nationals Headed for Florida Coast on Boat with 20 Alien Passengers

body_text: MIAMI – A Bahamian national and a Haitian national face federal charges in the Southern District of Florida after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stopped a go-fast boat heading towards South Florida, finding the two defendants at the helm accompanied by 20 other aliens – 12 from China, seven from Haiti, and one from Jamaica. A criminal complaint charges both Demetrius Luciano Kemp, 27, of the Bahamas, and Mikewendzly Nestar Norelus, 22, of Haiti, with failure to heave to, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2237(a)(1). In addition, it charges Kemp with unlawfully encouraging or inducing aliens to come to, enter, and reside in the United Sates, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §1324(a)(1)(A)(iv), and re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §1326(a). According to the charging affidavit: On Feb. 9, a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) cutter spotted a 25-foot go-fast boat about three nautical miles west of Bimini, Bahamas. The cutter followed the boat as it traveled (in the dark and with its lights off) from Bahamian and through international waters. Once the boat entered U.S. territorial waters, a CBP Air and Maritime Operations vessel approached. Agents activated the CBP vessel’s lights and siren and commanded the go-fast boat drivers to stop. The boat kept going, despite these and further commands, as well as warning shots. CBP had to disable the go-fast boat to get it to stop. The affidavit also says that on boarding the boat, CBP agents found 22 aliens: Norelus at the helm and Kemp in the first mate seat, accompanied by 12 Chinese nationals, seven Haitian nationals, and one Jamaican national. Biometrics testing and other checks showed that no one on the go-fast boat had permission or authorization to enter the United States on the date of the interdiction. They also showed that Kemp had been previously removed from the United States in July 2024. Defendants were arrested, charged, and will remain in federal detention pending trial. The other 20 aliens were returned to the Bahamas, where the journey began. U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement. HSI Miami is investigating the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), 7th Coast Guard District provided valuable assistance in this matter. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting it. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 22-cr-20255. ###


title: Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Killing Girlfriend Inside Apartment

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Koran Brown, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, to 21 years in prison for shooting Cynthia Barringer insider her apartment at 2312 Green Street, S.E., announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Brown pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed in November 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, Brown and Ms. Barringer argued around 3:45 pm on the day of the murder. During the argument, Brown shot Ms. Barringer one time in the head with a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. He then started a fire in the bedroom where the shooting occurred and fled the building. Brown was captured on surveillance video leaving the building and arriving shortly thereafter at the home of a family member, where he left his bloody t-shirt and the murder weapon. After that evidence was recovered during a search warrant, DNA testing linked the items to both the defendant and the victim. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Lead Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity and Victim/Witness Advocate Latrice Washington Williams. Finally, they commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Rickard and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana Joseph and Andrea Antonelli, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Unlawful Alien Found Guilty of Gun Crime

body_text: MIAMI – A Martin County man was convicted this week by a Fort Pierce federal jury of being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm. Adam Marc Twinley, 44, of Palm City, Florida, entered the United States lawfully from the United Kingdom in 2013 on a visa for internationally recognized athletes and supporting personnel. Twinley did not leave the United States upon the expiration of his visa at the end of 2013. In 2016, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began Twinley’s removal proceedings, which were ongoing when, in October 2023, Twinley was discovered at a local gun range in possession of several firearms. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and Interim Field Office Director Juan Agudelo of ICE, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), made the announcement. ATF West Palm Beach Field Office and ICE ERO investigated the case. Federal law prohibits an unlawful alien of possessing a firearm in the United States. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-14012. ###


title: Jury convicts wife of murdering husband on military installation

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas woman of murdering her husband who was a U.S. Army soldier assigned to Fort Riley, a federal military installation in Kansas. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Margaret E. Shafe, 31, was found guilty of murder in the second degree for shooting and killing her husband Greg Shafe in February 2024 at their home on Fort Riley. Shafe faces 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. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division, and the Fort Riley Directorate of Emergency Services are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Walton and Lindsey Debenham and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham are prosecuting the case. ###


title: San Diego Woman Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin-Filled Bibles Addressed to California Prison Inmates

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – U.S. District Court Judge Todd Robinson sentenced Lucresia Stone-Rojas of San Diego today to 86 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm on November 12, 2023, and possession with intent to distribute heroin on December 27, 2023. Stone-Rojas previously pleaded guilty in federal court to these charges. According to court records, police stopped Stone-Rojas on November 12, 2023, after license plate readers identified a stolen Porsche near North Second Street and East Main Street in El Cajon. During the stop, police recovered a loaded 9mm Walther firearm and an additional ammunition magazine. Multiple prior felony convictions prohibit Stone-Rojas from possessing a firearm or ammunition. She was therefore charged with unlawful firearm possession, following investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Stone-Rojas was again arrested by federal investigators on December 27, 2023, for a second offense. This time, Stone-Rojas possessed sealed packages and envelopes addressed to multiple prison inmates in the California Department of Corrections. A search of the packages revealed two Bibles containing approximately 23 grams of heroin; the drugs were concealed in the spine of the Bibles and destined for delivery to two different California prisons. “Smuggling drugs into our prisons endangers both the inmates and the correctional staff. It will not be tolerated.” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden “Hopefully this case will serve as a warning to anyone who would be willing to abuse the tools of faith and rehabilitation to perpetuate addiction and despair.” “Multi-convicted felons who possess firearms will be held accountable as we work to keep our communities safe and firearms out of the hands of prohibited people,” said ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kenneth R. Cooper. “ATF will continue to work with local and state law enforcement agencies to investigate the violent career criminals who illegally possess firearms.” “Drug distribution, no matter where it occurs, threatens the safety of our community and will not be tolerated,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. DEFENDANT Case Number 23CR2622 (TWR) Lucresia Stone-Rojas Age: 46 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Felon in Possession of a Firearm — Title 18 U.S.C., Section 922(g)(1) Maximum Penalty: 15 years in prison and $250,000 fine Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C., Section 841(a)(1) Maximum Penalty: 20 years in prison and $1,000,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Drug Enforcement Administration El Cajon Police Department This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.


title: Indiana man sentenced to prison for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Tacoma – A 44-year-old Columbia, Indiana man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to four months in prison and a $25,000 fine for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act for his scheme to interfere with pollution control software on diesel trucks, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Jonathan Achtemeier pleaded guilty in November 2024, admitting that between 2019 and 2022, he tampered with the monitoring devices on hundreds of vehicles nationwide so those trucks would not detect that their owners removed pollution control hardware systems. Achtemeier advertised his services on the internet and was able to tamper with the monitoring devices in diesel trucks remotely. Between 2019 and 2021 Achtemeier’s company grossed $4.3 million. At sentencing U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright said, “This offense is characterized as a lack of respect for the law and a flaunting of the law…. The harm that comes from this type of offense is serious.” “From the comfort of his home, this defendant caused environmental damage across the country, tampering with pollution controls on diesel trucks so that they spewed 30 to 1200 times the pollutants of a legally configured truck,” said Acting U. S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “His motivation was money – but the rest of us will pay the price with dirty air and contamination in our soil and waterways.” According to records filed in the case, Achtemeier conspired with mechanics in garages and operators of truck fleets to manipulate the monitoring software installed on diesel trucks. Coconspirators who wanted to disable their trucks’ pollution control hardware system—a process commonly known as “deleting”—sought Achtemeier’s help to trick the truck’s software into believing the emissions control systems were still functional, a process known as “tuning.” Monitoring devices on a deleted truck will detect that the pollution control hardware is not functioning and will prevent the truck from running. Achtemeier disabled the monitoring software on his client’s trucks by connecting to laptops he had provided to various coconspirators. Some of the coconspirators would pass the laptop on to others seeking to have the anti-pollution parameters disabled or modified on their trucks. Once the laptop was hooked up to the truck’s onboard computer, Achtemeier could access it from his computer and tune the computer designed to monitor the pollution control equipment. Achtemeier could “tune” trucks remotely, which enabled him to maximize his environmental impact and personal profit. Removing the pollution control equipment and disabling the monitoring device results in trucks polluting at 30 to 1,200 times the level of a truck with pollution control systems. Tampering with a monitoring device is a violation of the Clean Air Act. Achtemeier charged as much at $4,500 per truck for work that often took him two hours or less. Achtemeier advertised his services on social media nationwide using images of semi-trucks spewing black exhaust. His company operated under the name Voided Warranty Tuning (VWT) or Optimized Ag. In their request for an 18-month prison sentence and $100,000 fine, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Achtemeier spent years building a business dedicated to illegal tuning. He advertised his services on diesel-focused Facebook groups like West Coast Trucking where he had access to thousands of truck owners and enthusiasts. He encouraged customers to pass along his name and even provided them computers so they could help friends and neighbors delete their vehicles and use Achtemeier for tuning. This enabled him to quickly grow his business into a multi-million-dollar enterprise.” The coconspirators in this case have service garages or truck fleets in various areas of Washington State. The trucks that were altered range from pick-ups such as a Dodge R3500 to Kenworth and Freightliner semi-trucks. The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Watts Staniar and Dane Westermeyer, with Special Assistant United States Attorney Karla Perrin. Ms. Perrin is an attorney with the EPA.


title: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 105 months in Federal Prison  for Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine

body_text: Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Jesse Fegurgur Belen, age 46, from Dededo, Guam was sentenced to serve 105 months imprisonment. Belen pled guilty to Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fifty or More Grams of Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment, 50 hours of community service, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of $1,636 in U.S. currency. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits. During November 2022, Belen attempted to possess a postal package containing one pound of 98% pure methamphetamine. The drugs were mailed from Colton, California, and addressed to the Yigo Post Office. Belen and co-defendant Lorina Fejeran received the package and drove to Wusstig Road in Dededo. When law enforcement stopped their vehicle at a commercial building, Belen grabbed the methamphetamine and fled on foot. Belen threw the methamphetamine into the yard of a nearby residence to conceal the drugs. Law enforcement found him hiding 15 feet from the roadway. “We will continue to interdict drugs trafficked through our mail system in an effort to keep Guam safe,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Belen’s significant criminal history also made him a worthy target for federal prosecution. I applaud the work of our federal partners in bringing him to justice.” "One crucial aspect of HSI's mission is to prevent deadly drugs from infiltrating our borders and endangering our communities. By leveraging our partnerships with law enforcement, we can hold individuals accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “The arrest of Mr. Belen exemplifies our commitment to ensuring the safety of our community from the threat of deadly drugs." “United States Postal Inspectors are dedicated to maintaining the sanctity of trust placed in the US Mail. We will aggressively pursue anyone who uses the US Mail to transport and distribute deadly drugs which impact the safety of our postal employees and customers.” said, Inspector in Charge Stephen Sherwood, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) San Francisco Division. “We thank our federal and local law enforcement partners, including Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency and Guam Police Department, for working with us to combat these crimes in the effort to make our communities a safer place to live and work.” This investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Services. The case was prosecuted by Rosetta L. San Nicolas, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam. 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 .


title: Asheboro Man Sentenced for Possession of Ammunition

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO – An Asheboro, North Carolina man was sentenced today in Winston-Salem to 9 years in prison after pleading guilty to a firearm charge, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC). MUSIN SHABORR ROBERTS, age 22, was sentenced to 108 months imprisonment plus 3 years supervised release by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. According to court records, on June 30, 2023, an officer with the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) saw people standing around a car in the parking lot of a Greensboro Housing Authority property. Aware of recent violent crime in the area as well as issues with trespassing on that property, the officer asked the parties to provide identifications to ensure no one was banned from the property. ROBERTS identified himself as “Justin Jones.” The officer was eventually able to identify ROBERTS and learned that ROBERTS had active warrants for arrest. ROBERTS was arrested and the GPD officer found a round of 9mm ammunition in ROBERTS’ left front pants pocket. The outstanding arrest warrant related to an incident which was the basis for a sentencing enhancement today. The Court found, after an evidentiary hearing, that ROBERTS and four to six other individuals went to a party in Asheboro on June 24, 2023, wearing ski masks and long-sleeved jackets and opened fire on the partygoers, striking four men, one in the back of the head. The Court characterized it as “a planned, coordinated, cold-blooded attack.” Charges against ROBERTS in Randolph County relating to that incident are still pending. At the time of his arrest in Greensboro, ROBERTS had been previously convicted of felony possession of a stolen firearm (Randolph County, 2022) and was sentenced to a suspended term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Thus, at the time of the instant offense, ROBERTS was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. ROBERTS pleaded guilty on June 5, 2024, to one count of felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). The case was investigated by the Asheboro Police Department, the Greensboro Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Waukee Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl and Fraud-Related Charges

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Waukee man was sentenced today to 32 years in federal prison for fraud, money laundering, and fentanyl distribution. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Stephan Rashad Haley, 36, also known as “Ace” and “Bosh,” acquired large quantities of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl from multiple drug sources and distributed the fentanyl-laced pills in the Southern District of Iowa. During an October 2023 search warrant at Haley’s Waukee residence, law enforcement located a stolen, loaded pistol, marijuana, cocaine, and pills containing fentanyl. Haley used the stolen pistol during an October 2023 shooting at an apartment complex in West Des Moines. At sentencing, the Court found Haley was responsible for more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl. From May to August 2023, Haley also participated in a vast, multi-million-dollar fraud scheme. Working with coconspirators located throughout the country, Haley recruited at least three other individuals to open fraudulent bank accounts and deposit stolen checks. The portion of the conspiracies in which Haley participated caused an intended loss of over $3.5 million to more than 10 victims. After completing his term of imprisonment, Haley will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Haley was also ordered to pay $66,437 in restitution. Ten of Haley’s co-defendants in the fraud and money laundering case remain set for trial, currently scheduled to begin on June 23, 2025. Eight co‑defendants have pleaded guilty. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and West Des Moines Police Department, with assistance from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Clive Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Des Moines Police Department, Secret Service, and numerous state and local agencies from across the country. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 46 Months’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine Charge

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Rodrigo Marrufo-Pineda, 34, of Zitacuaro, Michoacan, Mexico, was sentenced on February 14, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Marrufo-Pineda to 46 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Marrufo-Pineda will be subject to deportation to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen. Marrufo-Pineda was charged as a result of his involvement with a Mexico Source of Supply (SOS) of meth who supplies the Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa areas. Marrufo-Pineda was a local courier who was distributing the SOS’s meth in Nebraska and Iowa. On January 25, 2024, special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation utilized a cooperating witness who purchased approximately one pound of meth from Marrufo-Pineda at an Omaha location. At the time of Marrufo-Pineda’s arrest, he gave a post-arrest statement admitting to distributing pound quantities of meth in the Omaha area. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.


title: U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit Concludes Service as Top Federal Law Enforcement Official for Idaho

component: U.S. Attorneys (USAO)

body_text: BOISE – Josh Hurwit, 44, of Boise, concluded his service today as United States Attorney for the District of Idaho, the top federal law enforcement position in the state. It is customary for political appointees to depart at the start of a new presidential administration. Hurwit thanked President Biden for nominating him and Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo for their support during the nomination and confirmation process. “It has been the honor of my professional life to serve as United States Attorney, and I am profoundly grateful to my colleagues and to all those who joined with us to fight crime and ensure justice for all Idahoans,” said former U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Leading a team of dedicated and extremely talented public servants has been a privilege every single day. The professionals in the U.S. Attorney’s Office exemplify the highest standards of excellence in their commitment to justice. Alongside our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners, we have used collaborative strategies to address the most pressing threats to Idaho communities, like fentanyl trafficking and the online exploitation of children. Our efforts have made an impact, and I have no doubt that this office will continue to positively impact our communities and ensure Idaho remains a wonderful place to live.” During U.S. Attorney Hurwit’s tenure, the office redoubled its efforts to dismantle cartel-connected networks responsible for bringing dangerous drugs into Idaho. Working with its law enforcement partners, the office successfully prosecuted several drug trafficking conspiracies involving more than 10 defendants, including the Perez-Gomez, et. al. case in Jerome and the Cisneros-Guzman, et. al. set of cases in Canyon County. As the Perez-Gomez prosecution shows, the U.S. Attorney’s Office focused on ensuring that state and local enforcement can use federal prosecution in all parts of Idaho, even more rural areas hours away from a federal courthouse. The office also is now poised to host a new Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in its Coeur d’Alene branch office as a result of a partnership between the State of Idaho, Shoshone County, and other counties and cities in North Idaho. The office remained focused on the opioid epidemic and the deadly scourge of illicit fentanyl, prosecuting 13 cases against drug dealers whose conduct led to a death due to the use of illicit fentanyl. The Basil , Walsh , and Goforth cases exemplify the office’s commitment to holding fentanyl dealers accountable and deterring other dealers from selling fentanyl in Idaho. Under U.S. Attorney Hurwit’s leadership, the office also addressed fentanyl through robust training and awareness programs across Idaho: Along with federal and state partners, the office designed and conducted multiple two‑day fentanyl enforcement trainings for local law enforcement. These trainings provided up‑to‑date intelligence and covered investigation best practices for approximately two dozen agencies, including many in rural Idaho. With the DEA and the Idaho Office of Drug Policy, the office held the first Fentanyl Family Summit in Idaho , which provided support to the families of eight victims of fentanyl poisoning and, through the courageous and selfless efforts, raised awareness about fentanyl. The office also supported Idaho’s first Fentanyl Youth Summit , which brought together middle school students from three school districts to design projects in their schools to raise awareness about dangerous drugs and support healthy decision-making. The office also continued to grow its Project Safe Childhood program, through which the office prosecutes child exploitation crimes. Since June 2022, 135 such cases were sentenced or charged. The Aguayo case from Pocatello, the Malone case from Boise, and the Richmond case from Post Falls are representative examples of how Project Safe Childhood removes dangerous predators from all parts of Idaho. This program is positioned to continue to excel through a broad array of partnerships, among them joint efforts with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at the Idaho Office of the Attorney General and the Treasure Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also remained focused on violent crime trends even as the violent crime rate declined in Idaho consistent with national trends. Through the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, the office’s prosecutors partnered with local and state law enforcement to target violent offenders in Idaho communities. The Bright , Logan , and Rhyne cases are prime examples. In eastern Idaho, the prosecution of Morales, et. al. broke up a dangerous criminal network through which drugs from the southern border were exchanged for firearms in Idaho, some of which were recovered at crime scenes in Idaho and states across the region. During U.S. Attorney Hurwit’s tenure, the office also dedicated increased resources to financial fraud. U.S. Attorney Hurwit established a COVID-19 Fraud Task Force to investigate illegal misuse of pandemic relief funds. So far, this effort has resulted in cases against 17 criminal defendants and civil settlements with four defendants. The amount of fraud associated with these cases is over $8.5 million. The office’s prosecutors also obtained guilty jury verdicts against (i) defendants in Meridian who sold counterfeit electronic devices made in China , (ii) a defendant who defrauded his partners in a Rexburg construction project , and (iii) a defendant from Coeur d’Alene who committed financial fraud as part of his forestry management business . The office’s civil enforcement attorneys obtained $5.9 million in judgments and settlements in cases involving health care fraud and procurement fraud. The office also emphasized civil rights and hate crimes enforcement , including by hosting “United Against Hate” forums with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe , the Nez Perce Tribe, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes , and the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, among many other partners. The office was proud to strengthen its government-to-government relationships with Idaho’s sovereign Native American Tribes in other ways—for example, co‑hosting a regional law enforcement workshop with the Nez Perce Tribe. U.S. Attorney Hurwit streamlined the office’s financial collection and asset forfeiture functions into a reorganized Asset Recovery Division. This team collected approximately $17.25 million in criminal and civil judgments, fines, restitution, and forfeiture. These funds were returned to victims and taxpayers. Between 2012 and his confirmation as U.S. Attorney in 2022, Hurwit served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Idaho, first in the Civil Division and then the Criminal Division. He primarily prosecuted complex financial and environmental crimes, and he led the investigation into the Aryan Knights white supremacist prison gang, which resulted in charges against 10 defendants under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. In 2015, he received the Director’s Award for Excellence by a Litigative Team for his work as part of the team that successfully prosecuted United States v. Swenson et. al. , the securities and wire fraud case arising from the collapse of DBSI, Inc. Prior to government service, Hurwit worked at the law firms of Covington & Burling LLP and Kirkland & Ellis in San Francisco, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York City. After law school, Hurwit clerked for U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in the Southern District of New York. During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, Hurwit served on numerous Attorney General Advisory Council subcommittees. He was the Chair of the Border and Immigration Subcommittee, the Chair of the Hate Crimes Working Group within the Civil Rights Subcommittee, and served on the White Collar Crime and Cyber and Intellectual Property Subcommittees. U.S. Attorney Hurwit proudly worked to strengthen relations between his office and tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, traveling to 40 of Idaho’s 44 counties to meet with sheriffs, police chiefs, and county prosecuting attorneys. As provided for under the Vacancies Reform Act, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney will immediately assume office as Acting U.S. Attorney until further action by the new administration. “I am excited to watch the office’s continued success,” said former U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Every member of the team has the highest professional and ethical standards and, together with our law enforcement partners, they will ensure that the administration of justice will continue seamlessly in the District of Idaho.” The District of Idaho covers all counties and five tribal reservations across the state. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, with staffed offices in Boise, Pocatello, and Coeur d’Alene, employs 31 attorneys and 28 support staff who are responsible for conducting all criminal and civil litigation in the district involving the United States government. U.S. Attorney Hurwit had the distinct privilege of hiring 15 of these career public servants. U.S. Attorney Hurwit will continue to reside in Boise and has not yet decided on his future professional plans. ###