title: Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down Detroit Tax Preparers

component: Tax Division

body_text: Note: View Turner permanent injunction here . View Qualls permanent injunction here . View Stewart permanent injunction here . View Bishop and Green permanent injunction here . A federal court in Michigan issued a permanent injunction on Friday against Detroit-area tax return preparers Alicia Bishop and Tenisha Green, permanently barring them from preparing federal tax returns for others. The court previously barred Alicia Qualls, Michael Turner, and Constance Stewart from preparing federal tax returns for others by judgments entered on March 3. By judgment dated Dec. 16, 2024, the court also barred the business for which all of the preparers worked, United Tax Team Inc., and United Tax Team’s incorporator, Glen Hurst, from preparing federal tax returns for others. Hurst, United Tax Team, Qualls, Turner, and Stewart consented to entry of the judgments against them. According to the civil complaint, Hurst incorporated United Tax Team in 2016, was its sole shareholder and corporate officer, and hired the return preparers who work at United Tax Team —including Qualls, Bishop, Green, Turner, and Stewart — who each worked as tax return preparers at United Tax Team locations in the Detroit area and prepared returns for customers that included false information not provided by the customer. The civil complaint alleges that that the defendants used a variety of schemes to improperly reduce their customers’ tax liabilities or to obtain tax refunds to which the customers were not entitled. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Qualls, Bishop, Green, Turner, and Stewart each repeatedly placed false or incorrect items, deductions, exemptions or statuses on customers’ tax returns without their customers’ knowledge. For example, the complaint alleges that Qualls, Green, Turner, and Stewart fabricated Schedule C businesses to report fictitious business expenses and income to improperly reduce overall taxable income for some customers. The complaint also alleges that Bishop and Green fabricated education expenses on customer returns to falsely add tax credits; that Bishop and Stewart improperly claimed COVID-19 Relief tax credits for some customers; that Qualls and Turner improperly claimed head-of-household status for customers who did not qualify for such status to falsely reduce some customers’ tax liabilities; and that Stewart claimed fictious child and dependent care expenses for some customers. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information. In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.


title: Participant in Nationwide Rental Car Theft Scheme Sentenced to 75 Months in Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Monday sentenced a man who participated in a nationwide scheme that stole $1.17 million worth of luxury rental cars to 75 months in prison. James E. McGhaney, 36, of New York City, was also ordered to repay $938,963. McGhaney recruited and supervised others who picked up the rental cars by using false driver’s licenses and counterfeit credit cards. The vehicles had been reserved using stolen identities. In all, the conspirators used the identities of at least 23 victims to steal 19 rental vehicles. McGhaney was one of eight defendants who have pleaded guilty in the case. Tyrell A. Oliver, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia, was the scheme’s organizer. He was sentenced in February to 90 months in prison after pleading guilty in October to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft. McGhaney pleaded guilty to one conspiracy count and three counts of wire fraud. Rashad Holder, 35, of New York, was sentenced to 65 months in prison and ordered to repay $581,711. Steven B. Matthews, 40, of Atlanta, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and ordered to repay $107,072. Reginald M. Glenn, 36, was sentenced to 13 months in prison. Marlique J. McGhaney, 35, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison and ordered to repay $237,447. Daquasia M. Robinson, 33, was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to repay $119,805. Shawnta B. Fonseca, 34, is scheduled to be sentenced in April. Glenn, Marlique McGhaney, Fonseca and Robinson are all New York residents. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: Putnam County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Edward Leon Sowards, 35, of Hurricane, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. According to court documents and statements made in court, Sowards admitted that he purchased a Taurus model Public Defender Judge Poly .45-caliber/.410-gauge revolver from an individual in June 2023. Sowards further admitted that he knew the individual had stolen the firearm. Sowards was later confronted about the stolen firearm being in his possession. On June 21, 2023, Sowards met with the individual in a Hurricane parking lot and returned the firearm. Sowards admitted that he knew the serial number had been removed from the firearm at the time he returned it to the individual. Federal law prohibits a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Sowards knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior conviction for domestic battery in Putnam County Magistrate Court on April 20, 2012. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney 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. 3:24-cr-147. ###


title: Colombian National Sentenced for Smuggling Other Colombians Illegally into the United States

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Greiby Melissa Barcelo-Velasquez, 39, a Colombian national, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 30 months in prison for Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States. Court documents show that federal agents identified over 100 individuals who used Barcelo-Velasquez’s organization to be smuggled illegally into the United States through Arizona. Since approximately June 2023, Barcelo-Velasquez owned and operated the Baul Travel SAS travel agency in Colombia. In late 2023, United States Border Patrol Sector Intelligence and Homeland Security Investigations began investigating Barcelo-Velasquez after arresting numerous Colombian nationals who identified her as their smuggling coordinator. Barcelo-Velasquez would meet with the Colombian nationals in Colombia, charge them a fee, and then inform them they would travel to Mexico under the false pretense they were vacationing in the country. They were also informed they would need to pay additional fees to her associates in U.S. currency at airports in Cancun or Mexico City to bribe officials to facilitate their travel. Once in Hermosillo, Mexico, the Colombian nationals were taken to stash houses near the border between Mexico and the United States. These stash houses held people from around the world who were also waiting to illegally cross into the United States. From there, they were transported, often by armed gunmen, to the border where they illegally crossed into the United States. This case is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with DHS, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 320 U.S. convictions; more than 265 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol Sector Intelligence Unit and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Stuart Zander and Adriana Genco, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00392-PHX-JJT RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-045_Barcelo-Velasquez


title: Jefferson County man sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for armed robbery spree

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

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Jahmir Jacobi Riley, 19, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on March 31, 2025. According to court documents, an investigation determined Riley was responsible for convenience store robberies in Jefferson County in the fall of 2024. On September 24, 2024, the Checkpoint gas station on Gulfway Drive in Port Arthur was robbed and the clerk was pistol-whipped. On September 29, 2024, the Exxpress Mart gas station on Interstate-10 South in Beaumont was robbed and on October 3, 2024, the Hamshire Quick Mart gas station on Hwy 73 was also robbed. Riley was identified through witnesses and surveillance video as the suspect. Riley can be seen on one surveillance video brandishing a firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device, also known as a glock switch. Riley was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 4, 2024. This case was sentenced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Beaumont Police Department; the Port Arthur Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Quinn. ###


title: Portland Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of ammunition. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Tyson Dyer , 38, to 24 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. According to court records, in January 2023, officers from the Portland Police Department responded to a 911 call about two people smoking something inside a vehicle and something lit on fire inside the vehicle. When the officers arrived, Dyer was alone in the vehicle, which was registered to him. The officers observed an empty black gun holster on the front seat and after searching the vehicle, located five loaded magazines beneath some items on the seat. In all, officers recovered 103 rounds. Dyer was precluded from possessing ammunition due to previous convictions, including for drug trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm. ATF investigated the case with assistance from the Portland Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods : 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, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn . ###


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking Operation

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Rodney Johnson, 48, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison for his leadership of a drug trafficking organization that sold large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in North Central West Virginia. According to court documents, Johnson recruited others to distribute in Morgantown, West Virginia, paying the distributors a salary to transport and sell the drugs. He supplied significant quantities of illicit drugs to be sold. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. This case was investigated by the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. The task force consists of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia State Police; the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; the Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; the Morgantown Police Department; the WVU Police Department; the Granville Police Department; and the Star City Police Department. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Man Sentenced to 10-Year Prison Term For Stabbing Safe Passage Ambassador in Deanwood Area of Northeast Washington

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ray Stover, 43, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Friday, March 28, 2025, to 120 months in prison for stabbing a Safe Passage Ambassador near the campus of Ron Brown High School in Washington, DC, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Stover pleaded guilty to one count of assault with intent to kill in February 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Following the completion of his term of imprisonment, Stover was ordered to complete a three-year term of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, on June 5, 2024, the victim was working for D.C. Safe Passage, helping students travel safely to and from school, at his post near 45 th Street and Meade Street, NE. Around 12:30 p.m., Stover approached the victim while yelling profanities. Although the victim did not know Stover, Stover brandished a knife and swung it at the victim’s leg causing the victim to collapse to the ground. Stover then proceeded to stab the victim six additional times in his chest, back, and leg. Neighbors who found the victim called 911, and he was taken to a local hospital for treatment for multiple stab wounds. Ring camera footage from a nearby residence captured the attack, which was ultimately used to develop Stover’s identity as the attacker. Stover was apprehended on July 23, 2024, and has been in custody ever since. 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 expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metro Transit Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Claire Hoover and Katerina Shelly, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Lowndes County Man Sentenced in OCDETF Illegal Gun Possession Case

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Oxford, MS – A Lowndes County man was sentenced today to five years in prison for possessing a firearm while being a previously convicted felon. According to court documents, John Alan Glover, Jr., of Columbus, Mississippi pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Glover was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson on Monday to 60 months in prison for the illegal gun charge. He was further sentenced to three years supervised release following his release from prison. “We will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “The illegal possession of firearms by convicted felons is often intertwined with other criminal activities, including drug trafficking,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “The involvement of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force in this case underscores our commitment to targeting the nexus between firearms and drug offenses to enhance public safety.” The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case. This investigation and resulting case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is also a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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: Huntington Man Sentenced for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Timothy Ryan Wolfe, 39, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation, including one year on home detention, for unlawfully engaging in the business of dealing firearms. According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least April 30, 2024, through June 6, 2024, Wolfe engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a Federal Firearms License (FFL). Wolfe advertised the sale of firearms on various social media platforms during this time. Wolfe admitted that he received requests from individuals for specific firearms that he purchased from FFL entities to sell to these individuals, and also purchased firearms without a specific buyer in mind with intent to sell them to other individuals. Wolfe further admitted that he is not licensed to deal in firearms and knew that he needed an FFL based on the quantity and regularity with which he was buying and selling firearms. Wolfe sold a total of 11 firearms to a confidential informant over the course of five transactions during this time period, each time at Wolfe’s residence. Wolfe admitted to these transactions and further admitted that they included the sale of two short-barrel rifles that were not registered to Wolfe in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law. Wolfe also admitted to purchasing and converting one of those firearms after the confidential informant requested a short-barrel rifle. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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. 3:24-cr-160. ###


title: Repeat Trafficker Sentenced to 6 ½ Years for Distributing Fentanyl, and Cocaine from New York Across the Mid-Coast Area

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: An Owls Head man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine. U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Felix Jose Bautista , 35, to 78 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. According to court records, from January 2024 to June 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) covertly investigated a drug dealer who obtained fentanyl, cocaine, and other drugs from sources of supply in New York City and then brought those drugs to Maine to sell. HSI identified three locations where the drug dealer was delivering controlled substances, including an Owls Head residence belonging to Bautista. HSI executed a search warrant at the residence, recovering about $11,319 in cash, two packages containing approximately 154 grams of cocaine and one package containing approximately 62 grams of fentanyl. Bautista admitted to investigators that he had purchased the drugs from a coconspirator, believed them to be cocaine and heroin, and that he was storing the cash on behalf of his accomplice. He claimed to have been operating for about five months, routinely ordering 200 grams of cocaine from the supplier as well as 60 grams of heroin as necessary to fulfill customer demand. HSI, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. ###


title: Michigan Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jason T. Scruggs, 42, of Clinton, Michigan, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for the distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Scruggs, also known as “Rock” and “Roc,” was one of the main conspirators, transporting large quantities of controlled substances from Detroit to Clarksburg, West Virginia. During one of the trips, a traffic stop resulted in the seizure of 443 grams of methamphetamine and more than 50 grams of fentanyl. Scruggs recruited others to assist in the drug trafficking operation. Scruggs has prior convictions that include firearms offenses, domestic violence, retail fraud, assault with a dangerous weapon, and breaking and entering. Scruggs will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Red Bluff Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Austreberto Santamaria-Valencia, 29, of Red Bluff, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to four years and three months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on Feb. 6, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a suspected overdose by a motel guest in Red Bluff. When officers entered the room, they found Santamaria-Valencia sitting in a chair, unconscious but breathing. On the bed near him, officers saw multiple plastic bags containing what appeared to be blue pills, of the type sold as counterfeit oxycodone pills, but which often contain fentanyl. Officers were able to wake Santamaria-Valencia. In response to their questions, Santamaria-Valencia indicated that he had taken fentanyl. Medical personnel tended to Santamaria-Valencia and confirmed he was not in danger of overdosing. A records check indicated that Santamaria-Valencia had a warrant out for his arrest, and officers arrested him at that time. Officers searched Santamaria-Valencia’s room and car and seized approximately 1,000 counterfeit M-30 oxycodone pills, a loaded Taurus G3C 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, two bottles containing a total of 170 Farmapram (alprazolam-Xanax) pills, five packets of suboxone strips, 90 grams of marijuana, approximately $7,000 in cash, and other items commonly used in street sales of narcotics. This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Red Bluff Police Department, and the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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 is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/projectguardian .


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Firearm Possession to Further Drug Trafficking

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Today, Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JOSHUA WILLIAMS (“WILLIAMS”), age 21, was sentenced on March 27, 2025 by Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to 75 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i). According to court documents, on April 4, 2022, New Orleans Police Department officers executed a search warrant at WILLIAMS ’s residence. Officers recovered marijuana that WILLIAMS intended to sell and a digital scale. Officers also recovered two firearms—a Glock Model 22, .40 caliber firearm and a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter firearm—that WILLIAMS possessed, in furtherance of his possession with intent to distribute marijuana. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.


title: Man Sentenced to over 16 Years in Prison for Trafficking 10 Pounds of Fentanyl Pills and over 60 Pounds of Methamphetamine

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Adolfo Montiel, 46, of Lancaster, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 16 years and four months in prison for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, Montiel’s case arose out of Operation Toxic Waste, an investigation into a sophisticated drug trafficking ring, that resulted in the seizure of more than 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 50 pounds of fentanyl mixture, 39 pounds of cocaine, and 22 pounds of heroin. As evidenced by thousands of recorded communications, the organization smuggled methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl (powder and pills) in portable projectors and batteries, under the guise of a legitimate transportation business. The organization also secreted thousands of pounds of methamphetamine inside semi‑trucks and hundreds of pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tanks of cars and brought it across the border. The Mexican-based organization monitored the narcotics with the use of GPS tracking devices hidden with the smuggled drugs. Montiel was sentenced for his role in storing, packaging, and redistributing drugs on behalf of the larger organization. When law enforcement officers searched his residence in 2023, they found over 10 pounds of fentanyl pills and over 60 pounds of methamphetamine, as well as several firearms. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case. 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. 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: Convicted felon sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Belleville man to 240 months’ imprisonment after he was caught with a firearm as a convicted felon after a police chase in Washington County. In December, a federal jury convicted Michael Oliver, 46, of one count of felon in possession of a firearm. “This 20-year sentence delivers an unmistakable warning: felons who arm themselves, flee justice, and threaten our officers’ safety will confront the full, unwavering strength of our commitment to protect those who serve—accountability isn’t just a word, it’s our mission,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nashville Police Department officers tried to conduct a traffic stop on Oliver’s vehicle on July 5, 2024, but Oliver kept driving and tried to evade law enforcement. "The Nashville Police Department would like to thank the assistance received during this investigation. The ATF was extremely resourceful to our agency during this investigation, and the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois did an excellent job with the prosecution of this case,” said Nashville Police Lt. Brock Styninger. “We look forward to working with these agencies again in the future to help bring dangerous individuals to justice." Oliver took officers on a chase through the grass of the Perry County Courthouse. Deputies with the Perry County Sheriff’s Office tried to cut off Oliver in the roadway, and Oliver struck the police vehicle. Oliver then proceeded to flee on foot until his arrest. Along the police chase route, officers located a Lorcin model L380 firearm Oliver discarded from his vehicle. “ATF has no greater mission than working with our law enforcement partners to bring those who blatantly disregard the safety of our communities, to justice. As this sentence shows, those who choose to put the lives of our citizens and police officers at risk, will be held accountable,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Special Agent in Charge, Bernard Hansen. Following imprisonment, Oliver will serve four years of supervised release. The Nashville Police Department and ATF contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Hudson prosecuted the case.


title: Connecticut Man Charged with Murder-for-Hire and Drug Distribution

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on March 27, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Tremaine Knight, also known as “Brody,” 43, of Hartford, Connecticut, with murder-for-hire and distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base. Knight’s arraignment will occur on April 3, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, in Burlington. Knight was ordered detained pending further proceedings on March 25, 2025, following issuance of a complaint charging him with drug distribution on March 20, 2025. According to court records, law enforcement, working with a confidential informant (“CI”), conducted five controlled purchases of drugs from Knight between February and March 2025. The first three buys occurred in Massachusetts, and the last two buys occurred in Brattleboro, Vermont, with Knight traveling from Hartford to meet the CI. During the first Vermont buy, Knight sold to the CI approximately 140 grams of powder cocaine and over 40 grams of fentanyl, and during the second, Knight sold the CI approximately 150 grams of powder cocaine, 30 grams of cocaine base, and 85 grams of fentanyl. During one of the Massachusetts buys, Knight asked the CI if the CI would be willing to kill a man who had disrespected and stolen from Knight. Knight offered $10,000 for the man’s death. In subsequent conversations and during the subsequent buys, Knight provided the CI with additional details regarding the man’s identity and the plan for the murder. During one of the Vermont buys, Knight paid the CI a $1,000 deposit for the murder by canceling a drug debt. Knight was taken into custody following that buy. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Knight is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. For the murder-for-hire charge, Knight faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Because the charged drug distributions involved 40 or more grams of fentanyl, Knight faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police-Vermont Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont State Police Westminster Barracks, the Western Massachusetts FBI Gang Task Force, the Northern Connecticut FBI Gang Task Force, the Brattleboro, Vermont Police Department, and the Hartford, Vermont Police Department. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Smith. Knight is represented by Sarah Star, Esq., and the Office of the Federal Public Defender. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Texas residents admit to smuggling $2 million in fentanyl from Mexico

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – Two people have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import 11.65 kilograms of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Taneka Desha Felder, 27, Amarillo, and Gustavo Morales Aguilar, 40, a naturalized U.S. citizen living in Dumas, admitted they traveled into Mexico Dec. 17, 2024. There, they allowed drug smugglers to load their car with 10 bundles of fentanyl powder in the car’s hidden compartment. They then attempted to enter the United States from Mexico at the Lincoln Juarez International Bridge. At secondary inspection, authorities discovered the bundles hidden in the specially-manufactured compartment under the center console. They admitted they bought the car a few days before traveling to Mexico for the specific purpose of smuggling drugs on their return trip. Both admitted that they expected to be paid after successful delivery of the car and drugs to other persons in Dallas. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Felder and Morales Aguilar face up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. Both have been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.


title: Five Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Money Launderers Charged

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Two federal grand jury indictments were unsealed in San Diego today against five alleged Sinaloa Cartel money launderers, including Alberto David Benguiat Jimenez, Israel Daniel Paez Vargas, Salvador Diaz Rodriguez, Christopher Ortega-Lomeli, and Christian Noe Amador Valenzuela. The indictments, returned in September and October 2022, charge the defendants with multiple drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. All defendants remain fugitives. To date, these money laundering investigations have resulted in charges against 51 defendants and the seizure of more than $4.1 million dollars and approximately 1,304 kilograms of methamphetamine, 34 kilograms of heroin, 11 kilograms of cocaine, and 14 kilograms of fentanyl. Four of the defendants - Benguiat Jimenez, Paez Vargas, Diaz Rodriguez and Amador Valezuela - along with Enrique Dann Esparragoza Rosas, who was previously charged, were also the target of sanctions imposed today by the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). OFAC has identified the defendants and others as members of a money laundering network supporting the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most notorious and violent drug trafficking organizations in the world, and a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The Sinaloa Cartel is responsible for a significant portion of the illicit fentanyl and other deadly drugs trafficked into the United States and has exploited multiple ports of entry along the southern border for its criminal activities. Please see https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0064 . The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Imperial Country District Office and Mexico City Country Office, along with the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation San Diego Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation San Diego Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Calexico Office, and San Diego – Imperial County HIDTA are investigating these cases with assistance from the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Sutton, Joshua Mellor, Victor White, and Paul Benjamin. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Owen Roth provided substantial assistance in these cases. DEFENDANTS Case Number 22-cr-02386-TWR Israel Daniel Paez Vargas Age: 45 Mexicali, MX SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 952, 960 and 963. Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison, $10 million fine. Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846. Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison, $10 million fine. Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved. Case Number 22-cr-02387-TWR Alberto David Benguiat Jimenez Age: 43 Mexico City, MX Salvador Diaz Rodriguez Age: 39 Mexicali, MX Christian Noe Amador Valenzuela Age: 36 Mexicali, MX Christopher Ortega-Lomeli Age: 38 Mexicali, MX SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §1956(h). Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved. Case Number 22-cr-02185-BAS Enrique Dann Esparragoza Rosas Age: 39 Culiacan, MX SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §1956(h). Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved. Hobbs Act Extortion, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a) Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Drug Enforcement Administration Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation Homeland Security Investigations San Diego - Imperial County HIDTA Imperial Valley Law Enforcement Coordination Center - Intelligence Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides coordination and assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Executive Office of the President - Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced For Illegal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on March 25, 2025, CARESSES PERIQUE (“PERIQUE”) , age 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to 92 months imprisonment, after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). Following imprisonment, PERIQUE will be placed in supervised release for three (3) years. According to court documents, on Sunday, November 27, 2022, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) personnel were monitoring the 2600 block of Monroe Street during the annual Lady Buck Jumpers second line at which time PERIQUE was observed in possession of a concealed firearm in his waistband. When approached by officers, PERIQUE immediately put his hands inside his front waistband. The officers gained control of his hands and removed a loaded black Ruger P95, nine-millimeter handgun, from his front waistband. The handgun had one live round in the chamber and nine live rounds in the magazine. Officers subsequently learned that PERIQUE had several felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing a firearm. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Tren de Aragua members arrested on federal charges of international drug distribution

body_text: HOUSTON – Two Venezuelan nationals and alleged members of the recently designated foreign terrorist organization known as the Tren de Aragua (TdA) have been arrested on charges filed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX), announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jesus Miguel Barreto Lezama, 29, who was residing in Houston, has now appeared in federal court in Houston. Also in custody is Briley Jesus Ballera Farias aka Derek, 32, who was arrested March 30 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he made his initial appearance. A federal grand jury returned the indictment Jan. 29. According to the allegations in the indictment, both men participated in a conspiracy, along with others, to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Venezuela and Colombia. Barreto Lezama is also charged with importing nearly five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Colombia between June 26, 2024, and July 3, 2024. If convicted, they face a up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine. The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Colombian National Police. FBI-Houston’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force made the Houston arrest with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney David C. Smith from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood . This case is also part of JTFV, which was created in 2019 to destroy MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA. It is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including SDTX; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada, Alaska; Northern District of Ohio; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; and the District of Columbia; as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners and spearheaded JTFV’s investigations. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: FDC-SeaTac inmate who distributed heroin and fentanyl within the prison sentenced to 52 months in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A 37-year-old Tacoma, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to a total term of 52 months for providing drug contraband within a federal prison and 28 supervised release violations, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. David A. McKean smuggled balloons of fentanyl and heroin into the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac (“FDC-SeaTac”) inside of his body, and distributed those drugs to other inmates in his unit. Two of those inmates who received drugs from McKean suffered near-fatal fentanyl poisonings. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John H. Chun labeled McKean’s conduct “a serious offense,” and noted that it is “critical that deadly drugs be kept out of penal institutions.” According to the plea agreement and other information filed in the case, McKean appeared at a September 8, 2023 supervised release hearing at the U.S. District Courthouse in Tacoma with heroin and fentanyl on his person. He was ordered detained at FDC-SeaTac during that hearing and, at some point before his admission to the prison, swallowed balloons of drugs for purposes of smuggling them into the facility. Shortly after his arrival at FDC-SeaTac, McKean began distributing the drugs to other inmates. Two of those inmates who received fentanyl from McKean suffered fentanyl poisonings—one on the evening of September 9, 2023 and another the following morning. The first overdose had to be reversed by life-saving interventions from other inmates and multiple doses of naloxone administered by Bureau of Prisons (BOP) staff. The second overdose also had to be reversed by multiple doses of naloxone and hospitalization. BOP employees searched McKean’s cell after the overdoses, and found heroin, fentanyl, suboxone, and other suspected contraband inside McKean’s cell. McKean was also facing 28 admitted supervised release violations that arose during his supervision for a prior federal conviction. At sentencing, the Court imposed a sentence of four months for the supervised release violations, plus 48 months for McKean’s guilty plea to providing contraband in prison, for a total sentence of 52 months in custody. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dane A. Westermeyer.


title: Placer County Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Randy Anger, 57, of Carnelian Bay, was sentenced today to five years in prison and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and $10,200 in special assessments for distribution and receipt of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, in May 2021, Anger distributed and received child sexual abuse material on the Kik Messenger app while communicating with Brent Hooton. Hooton was separately charged and convicted in the Eastern District of California with production and distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to 27 years in prison. In November 2021, Anger also received several images of child sexual abuse material on the Wickr app. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance by Homeland Security Investigations and the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Transporting over 200,000 Fentanyl Pills

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Miguel Obed Romero Reyes, 25, of Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty today to trafficking large amounts of fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, Romero Reyes was pulled over by law enforcement officers while driving north on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. Deputies searched his vehicle and discovered a large duffel bag containing 48 pounds (21.8 kilograms) of blue counterfeit M-30 pills in 20 separate 1-gallon Ziploc bags. In total, Romero Reyes was transporting more than 200,000 fentanyl pills in his car. Romero Reyes had picked up the pills in Arizona and was transporting them to Washington state for distribution. 21.8 Kilograms of Fentanyl Pills Seized from Romero Reyes’s Vehicle This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case. Romero Reyes is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 30, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Venezuela Man Charged With Assaulting a Federal Officer

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – Abraham Gonzalez Romero, 23, a citizen of Venezuela, was charged with forcibly assaulting a federal officer with physical contact and made his initial appearance in federal court today. According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Gonzalez Romero last entered the United States unlawfully at or near Eagle Pass, Texas, on or about September 20, 2023. On February 28, 2025, ICE Denver Fugitive Operations Unit and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver encountered Gonzalez Romero upon his release from the Denver County jail. The officers present had ICE badges and placards clearly visible as they approached Gonzalez Romero. As one of the officers attempted to contact Gonzalez Romero, he jumped over a nearby handrail and began to run. Officers pursued him, and one officer positioned himself to block his exit. Gonzalez Romero continued running and ran straight at the officer rather than swerve to avoid him. The two collided, the officer was knocked backwards from the impact, and both fell to the ground. The officers subsequently subdued and arrested Gonzalez. The prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crimes and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The charges in the complaint and indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Case Number: 25-cr-00106-REB


title: Jury Convicts Vallejo Man of Drug and Gun Offenses

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a five–day trial, a federal jury found Darren Tramaine Tony Mitchell, 35, of Vallejo, guilty on Friday of one count of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The trial was held before Senior United States District Judge William B. Shubb. According to evidence presented at trial, including recordings of his telephone conversations, Mitchell negotiated a transaction for 1,000 methamphetamine pills with a buyer who testified at trial. Federal law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Mitchell’s Vallejo residence a few days following these recorded calls. Inside Mitchell’s residence, agents recovered methamphetamine-laced pills and an industrial pill pressing machine. Hidden inside the residence’s dishwasher, agents recovered a loaded AR-15 assault-style rifle and a loaded Smith & Wesson pistol with an obliterated serial number: This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron Desmond and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case. Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Shubb on July 7, 2025. Mitchell faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Amador County Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Illegal Marijuana Cultivation

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Timothy Charles Wilson, 76, of Pioneer, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to five years in prison and ordered him to pay $24,778 in restitution for manufacturing marijuana, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, Wilson illegally manufactured 238 marijuana plants inside and around his residence in Pioneer. He grew these plants as part of a larger conspiracy with his three co-defendants to grow marijuana in the Tomhead Mountain area in Shasta-Trinity National Forest that consisted of 1,054 marijuana plants. In furtherance of this conspiracy, co-defendant Filemon Padilla Martinez recruited, trained, and supplied Oscar Francisco-Diego and Francisco Gomez Sanchez, the other two co-defendants in this case, whom he left to live and work on the site while he stayed either at a nearby stash house or at his residence in Ione. Wilson paid Padilla Martinez and funded the supplies. According to court documents, surveillance captured Wilson and Padilla Martinez visiting the marijuana grow on Tomhead Mountain on Aug. 2, 2019. A subsequent search of Wilson’s residence in Pioneer resulted in the discovery of a multiple receipts for marijuana supplies, carbon copies of checks to Padilla Martinez, marijuana cultivation supplies, 238 marijuana plants, and other evidence of illegal marijuana cultivation. This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, the Tehama County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, with assistance from the Amador County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case. Padilla Martinez, Francisco-Diego and Gomez Sanchez have been previously sentenced for their roles in the offense. There were each sentenced to 10 years, 19 months, and 22 months of incarceration, respectively.


title: Oakland Woman Who Made Multiple Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance Claims Using Stolen Identities Sentenced To 33 Months And One Day

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – Kari Marie Russo was sentenced today to 33 months and one day in federal prison for submitting numerous fraudulent unemployment insurance claims using stolen identities. U.S. District Judge James Donato handed down the sentence. Russo, 46, and her co-defendant Steven Dunsmore, 35, both of Oakland, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 3, 2023. A federal grand jury also indicted Russo on Sept. 17, 2024, on a single count of failure to appear. On Dec. 10, 2024, Russo pleaded guilty to two counts of fraudulent use of unauthorized access device, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of failure to appear. According to court documents, beginning in June 2020, Russo and Dunsmore engaged in an elaborate scheme to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) using other people’s personally identifying information, such as their names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, without their authorization. As a result of the fraudulent applications, Dunsmore and Russo received approximately $336,545 in EDD funds. Additionally, while Russo was on pretrial release so that she could participate in a residential drug treatment program, Russo left the program without permission and failed to appear in court on Jan. 8, 2024, as ordered. She was captured by the U.S. Marshals Service on June 11, 2024. Dunsmore previously pleaded guilty on Feb. 26, 2024, to two counts of fraudulent use of unauthorized access device and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Judge Donato sentenced Dunsmore on June 17, 2024, to 24 months and one day in federal prison and ordered him to pay $336,545 in restitution. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Donato also ordered Russo to pay $336,545 in restitution, jointly and severally with Dunsmore. Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Garbers is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DOL-OIG, FBI, DHS-OIG, and California’s Employment Development Department.


title: Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: According to court documents, James Walker Stewart, 38, was arrested on November 18, 2023, following a traffic stop in Atmore, Alabama. During that stop, agents found Stewart in possession of half a kilogram bulk fentanyl, a small amount of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. Stewart admitted that he and a coconspirator, Zachary Heaton Thaggard, had picked up the fentanyl in Atlanta, Georgia, and were transporting it to Pensacola, Florida. Stewart further admitted that he had coordinated the fentanyl transaction with another coconspirator, Justin Brian Melton, who was incarcerated in an Alabama prison and brokered the deal using a contraband cell phone. Agents seized and searched Stewart’s cell phone, which contained text messages, pictures, videos, and other evidence of his drug-trafficking activities with Melton and other coconspirators. In addition to the 120-month prison sentence, United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Stewart to serve a 10-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Stewart to pay $200 in special assessments. For their roles in the conspiracy, the court previously sentenced Melton and Thaggard to serve 210 months and 30 months in prison, respectively. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Mobile Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Machinegun

body_text: According to court documents, Nijel Malik Smith, 22, was arrested by Mobile police in April 2023 following a traffic stop. During that stop, police seized marijuana and a Glock .45 caliber pistol from Smith. The pistol was fully loaded and equipped with an illegal machinegun-conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” which rendered the pistol a fully automatic weapon. The slide of the pistol was marked with “Gretna PD.” It had previously been reported stolen by a law enforcement officer in Louisiana. During an interview with police, Smith admitted that he possessed the marijuana and the illegally modified pistol. He further admitted that he knew what a “switch” was and suspected that the pistol might be stolen due to the “Gretna PD” markings on it. In January 2025, while under federal conditions of release and pending sentencing, Mobile police again arrested Smith following a traffic stop. During that stop, Smith again possessed marijuana and a pistol. The January 2025 incident led to revocation of Smith’s bond and denial of credit for acceptance of responsibility at his sentencing. In addition to the 51-month prison term, United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Smith to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Smith to pay $100 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 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.


title: San Francisco Resident Who Shot And Killed Victim In The Presidio Found Guilty Of Voluntary Manslaughter

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury today found Leion Butler, aka Leniyah Butler, 21, of San Francisco, guilty of voluntary manslaughter. The verdict followed a two-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Susan Illston. The jury found that Butler, a sex worker, killed a man in the Crissy Field East Beach area of the Presidio of San Francisco on Nov. 12, 2023, after performing a sex act on the victim. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Butler shot the victim once in the eye after he asked for a refund and asked Butler to get out of the car. After killing him, Butler stole the victim’s vehicle, drove it to Hunters Point, and tried to wipe away the fingerprints and DNA. Butler spent the rest of that morning scattering the physical evidence, including the murder weapon. “We extend our sincere condolences to the victim’s family, whose son and brother was taken from them prematurely, and hope today’s verdict brings some measure of justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “We commend the swift actions of the FBI agents, who promptly and thoroughly investigated this case from the moment the victim’s body was found in the Presidio.” “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to seeking justice for victims of violent crime,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Through tireless investigative work and collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we ensured that the defendant was held accountable for this senseless act. The FBI will continue to pursue those who commit violent offenses and threaten the safety of our communities.” The jury acquitted Butler of murder in the second degree. Butler, who is currently being held in custody, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2025. The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1112 is 15 years and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Davidson and George Hageman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Helen Yee, Jessie Chelsea, Marina Ponomarchuk, and Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of a monthslong investigation by the FBI.


title: Cumberland County Man Who Fired at Lee County Deputies Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO – A Hope Mills, North Carolina man was sentenced today in Greensboro to the statutory maximum of 10 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). JEREMY SHANE GENTRY, JR., age 30, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment plus 3 years of post-release supervision by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, Chief United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. According to court records, on January 14, 2022, Deputies Thomas, Amezquita, and Holmes, with the Lee County Sherriff’s Office, were dispatched to the area of 1026 Post Office Road in Sanford, North Carolina following a call. The caller reported that a white male, wearing a hoodie and jeans, was walking down the street with a gun. When the deputies got there, they saw GENTRY, who matched the description provided. Deputy Amezquita asked GENTRY if he would allow him to pat him down for weapons. GENTRY did not consent. Deputy Amezquita asked GENTRY if he had any drugs or weapons on his person, and GENTRY said he did not. Deputy Amezquita then told GENTRY that given the call received, he was going to pat GENTRY down for officer safety. GENTRY began to move away from the deputies, dropped his bookbag, and reached toward his right hip. Deputies Amezquita and Thomas grabbed GENTRY by the arms to try to restrain him, while Deputy Holmes grabbed GENTRY from behind the shoulder in an attempt to take him to the ground, but GENTRY produced a black pistol, later determined to be a Sig Sauer .45 caliber handgun. GENTRY fired one round in the direction of Deputies Amezquita and Holmes, striking Deputy Holmes. The bullet hit Deputy Holmes’s underneath the body-worn camera and lodged in his bullet proof vest. Deputy Holmes was fortunately not seriously injured. GENTRY then placed his gun to his head and pulled the trigger, but the gun malfunctioned, and no bullet was discharged. Ultimately, GENTRY was detained. The Court found, after an evidentiary hearing, that GENTRY intended to kill one or more of the deputies involved. Charges against GENTRY in Lee County relating to that incident are still pending. At the time of his arrest, GENTRY had been previously convicted of felony human trafficking of an adult victim and felony promoting prostitution (Cumberland County, 2018) and was sentenced to 13-25 months imprisonment. Thus, at the time of the instant offense, GENTRY was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. GENTRY pleaded guilty on December 6, 2024, to one count of felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). The case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by former MDNC Assistant United States Attorney Tanner L. Kroeger and current MDNC Assistant United States Attorney Tracy M. Williams-Durham. ###


title: Memphis Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

body_text: A Tennessee man was sentenced today to over seven years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Memphis area. According to court documents, Courtney Davis, 28, of Memphis, also known as Geo and Geo Grape, conspired with co-defendant Brian Lackland, also known as Stupid Duke, Spooky Duke, Duke, and Homework, and others, in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. This investigation targeted a Memphis-based gang Young Mob, also known as Young Mob Military, and its involvement in the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in March 2024, investigators and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Memphis Multiagency Gang Unit began court-authorized wiretaps in which Davis was intercepted multiple times discussing with Lackland the acquisition and distribution of “blues,” which are fentanyl pills that resembled blue 30mg oxycodone pills. Davis was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of approximately 90 grams of fentanyl and 1360 grams of methamphetamine. Davis is one of 18 defendants charged as part of this ongoing investigation and the first to be sentenced. In December 2024, Davis pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl. Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement. The ATF and the Memphis Multiagency Gang Unit investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Neal Oldham for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in Memphis.


title: Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced To Over 11 Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Querida Moran, age 53, of Owings Mills, to 135 months’ imprisonment in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Moran pled guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute two kilograms of fentanyl and over 50 kilograms of cocaine recovered from a storage unit and from her purse in August 2023. Moran was on federal supervised release at the time. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, made the announcement with Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (“DEA”) Washington Division. According to the guilty plea, in 2023, the DEA identified Moran as a source of supply for numerous drug traffickers in the Baltimore region. During the investigation, agents watched Moran conduct numerous drug transactions. For example, on July 26, 2023, Moran drove her SUV to a restaurant parking lot in Arundel Mills, Maryland. While in the parking lot, a Subaru arrived and parked. Moran walked over to the Subaru, gave the driver a bag, and returned to her SUV. Both vehicles drove away in different directions. Agents followed the Subaru and initiated a traffic stop. A probable cause search followed, and they recovered 100 grams of fentanyl from the driver. A week later, on August 1, 2023, agents were monitoring the GPS tracking device on Moran’s SUV as she drove to a Travel Plaza and parked near the area where tractor trailers park. From there, Moran drove directly to a storage center. Agents watched the video footage from the storage center and saw Moran transport two large duffle bags and a cardboard box to her storage unit. The next day, Moran returned to her storage unit and left with a black suitcase. After leaving the storage unit, agents watched Moran conduct multiple drug transactions. In response, they obtained search warrants, which included Moran’s storage unit and her residence. On August 3, 2023, agents searched Moran’s storage unit and recovered fifty kilograms of cocaine and two kilograms of fentanyl. After the search, Moran was arrested at a separate location from the storage unit. Agents searched Moran’s purse and recovered two additional kilograms of cocaine. A forensic analysis of the drugs recovered confirmed two kilograms of fentanyl and fifty kilograms of cocaine was in Moran’s storage unit and two kilograms of cocaine was in her purse. On the same date, agents searched Moran’s residence, located in Owings Mills, Maryland. Agents seized approximately $56,000 in U.S. currency from the apartment. The seized currency constituted proceeds of Moran’s drug trafficking activity or was used, or intended to be used, to facilitate Moran’s drug offense. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Calvin C. Miner, who is prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: 23 Lubbock-Area Defendants Charged in Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking Cases

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: Twenty-three alleged methamphetamine and fentanyl traffickers in Lubbock, Texas, have been federally charged with drug crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. The defendants, charged in nine indictments, were apprehended on Wednesday, March 26th. Initial appearances began today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda ‘Amy’ R. Burch. This investigation began in March 2023. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over 43 kilograms of methamphetamine, 285.4 grams of fentanyl (approx. 1,902 pills), 335.5 grams of cocaine, 2,296.7 grams of marijuana, and six firearms. The 285.4 grams of seized fentanyl equals potentially 21,662 lethal doses of fentanyl. Those charged in the indictments include: • Vida Tamor Overstreet, 49, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, distribution of methamphetamine • Patrick Wayne Frazier aka Pat Pat, 38, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine • Juantay Dewayne Frazier aka Broadway, 39, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • David Wayne Frazier aka Dinky, 39, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Santiago Daniel Baltazar aka Chago, 26, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Walter Wood, 36, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl • Santos Moncada aka Tos, 28, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine • Jessie Franco, 41, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Shondra Christine Walker, 40, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Orian Emanuel Garcia, 35, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Rudolfo Luna aka Roy Luna, 43, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine • Adam Lee Arredondo, 37, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Justin Lee Dominguez, 37, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine • Anthony James Lockett, 44, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, distribution of methamphetamine • Rita Adelita Castillo, 44, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine • Paul Wayne Frazier, 38, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Charles Andre Sykes, 41, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Heather Jane Whitehead, 40, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Henry Tienda, Jr., 35, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Gary Dewayne Bolton aka Bay Bay, 36, charged with distribution of fentanyl • Arhmad Rashad Fountain aka Ra Ra, 47, charged with distribution of methamphetamine • Rubith Diaz Rodriguez, age 24, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine • Tyler Kristian Piseno, 37, charged with distribution of fentanyl. “Cooperation of local, state and federal law enforcement led to success in disrupting a drug trafficking organization,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “These arrests will have a considerable impact on the distribution of methamphetamine in the greater-Lubbock area, and law enforcement will continue work together to ensure the safety and security of our communities.” “This operation sends a clear message that we will not tolerate the flow of illegal drugs into our neighborhoods,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA. “By working together at every level of law enforcement, we are leveraging all available resources to destroy these criminal networks and commit to safeguard our communities from drug trafficking and violent crime.” An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, some of the defendants face up to life in federal prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham praised the joint efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in the case, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Office, the Caprock HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lubbock Police Department, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Anti-Gang Center, the Levelland Police Department, and the Hockley County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by the West Texas Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. This prosecution stems from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transitional criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Files More Than 250 New Immigration Cases This Week in the Western District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 261 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from March 21 through March 27. Among the new cases, Guatemalan national Noe Mardoquero Calel-Cabinal was pulled over March 24 on Highway 85 near Dilley by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper. The area is known to be commonly used to smuggle undocumented aliens further into the U.S. from Mexico. A U.S. Border Patrol agent stopped to assist with the traffic stop. Calel-Cabinal allegedly presented a Guatemalan identification card, did not have proper immigration documentation to be in the U.S. legally, and could not provide a reason for being in the area that aligned with his travel route. A criminal complaint alleges that Calel-Cabinal later confessed to being in the area to pick up and transport four illegal aliens to San Antonio and would be paid $1,300 per illegal alien. A review of his cell phone allegedly confirmed Calel-Cabinal’s confession and he was charged with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. In El Paso, Mexican national Luis Francisco Alarcon-Sanchez allegedly stated at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry on March 22 that he was a U.S. citizen born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and was returning to Albuquerque to visit his ex-wife and mother. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer received a system alert for prior deport and further procedures confirmed that Alarcon-Sanchez had been previously removed on May 16, 2024. A criminal complaint alleges that Alarcon-Sanchez admitted he is affiliated with the Paisas Gang. In addition to the 2024 removal, records show he was removed from Texas to Mexico in 2015, 2003, and in 1998 following an aggravated felony conviction. Mexican national Jesus Barraza-Frias was also arrested in El Paso. He was allegedly located less than a mile east of the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry without immigration documents allowing him to be or remain in the U.S. legally. Barraza-Frias was just removed from the U.S. on Nov. 27, 2024, after being convicted for illegal re-entry in El Paso. He now has three total removals as well as a domestic violence/harassment conviction in Lamar, Colorado from 2007, a 2002 disorderly conduct conviction as a juvenile in Lamar, and a sexual assault conviction as a juvenile in Prowers County, Colorado from 2001. In Del Rio, Honduran national Carlos Alejandro Varela-Avila was arrested March 20 and charged with re-entry after deportation from the United States. A criminal complaint alleges that Varela-Avila was previously deported on April 16, 2024 through Alexandria, Louisiana and has five prior removals and a criminal record that includes aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Another Honduran national, Alba Jeannet Medina-Chavez , was arrested March 23 near Del Rio after being previously deported Dec. 29, 2014 through Phoenix, Arizona. A criminal complaint reflects five prior removals for Medina-Chavez as well as a criminal history that includes child cruelty, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and assault against an elderly or disabled individual. Amir Hassan Riley was also arrested March 23 near Eagle Pass. According to a criminal complaint, U.S. Border Patrol agents inspected a vehicle drive by Riley at a Highway 57 checkpoint and allegedly located three illegal aliens from Honduras and Yemen concealed in the rear seat and trunk of the vehicle. Further investigation allegedly led to the discovery of two more illegal aliens at a motel. The complaint alleges that Riley said he responded to a job post on Facebook and coordinated to pick up people at pinned locations in Eagle Pass. Riley is charged with one count of conspiring with others to transport illegal aliens within the United States. A Mexican national is charged in Pecos with illegal re-entry. Ibrahim Villanueva was arrested by Presidio Border Patrol agents after being previously removed on June 6, 2024 through El Paso. Villanueva’s criminal and immigration history indicate four total deportations and a 2007 felony conviction for aggravated sexual assault of a child in Odessa. In Austin, Mexican national Cesario Bueno-Figueroa was arrested March 23 and charged with driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a crash. If convicted, criminal records show that this would be at least his third DWI. He previously served 18 months in jail after he was arrested for driving under the influence of liquor in 2010, and 65 days for the same charge in 2018. Bueno-Figueroa has also served 30 days in jail after being arrested in 2012 for illegal entry and 97 days in 2018 for illegal re-entry. Bueno-Figueroa is federally charged with illegal re-entry. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Greensboro Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug Offense

body_text: GREENSBORO – A Greensboro, North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday in Winston-Salem to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC). MICHAELL HUMBERTO GUTIERREZ, age 31, was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment plus 5 years of supervised release by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison and supervision, GUTIERREZ was ordered to forfeit a Glock 9mm handgun, a Romarm Micro Draco 7.62x39mm handgun, a Romarm 5.45x39mm AK-style rifle, and a Hi-Point .380 handgun. According to court records, GUTIERREZ was a member of a California-based drug trafficking organization and distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in North Carolina. From December 2023 through February 2024, he and his co-defendant coordinated the shipment of large amounts of narcotics from California to Greensboro for GUTIERREZ to sell. Unbeknownst to GUTIERREZ, he was regularly communicating with an undercover agent about the sale of these drugs, as well as firearms. On January 24, 2024, GUTIERREZ was involved in a single-car accident after which law enforcement found a bag containing 980 grams of methamphetamine GUTIERREZ had hidden as he ran from the scene. On February 23, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on GUTIERREZ’s residence and found methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, as well as a loaded assault-style pistol, a loaded semi-automatic handgun, and a loaded semi-automatic rifle, among other contraband. GUTIERREZ pleaded guilty on October 8, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B). “Fentanyl and methamphetamine continue to devastate communities in the Middle District of North Carolina,” said Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon. “We are dedicated to holding those responsible for distributing these drugs accountable in the court of law.” “This sentencing is another step forward in our ongoing mission to protect our communities from the devastating impact of drug trafficking,” said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte, which oversees North and South Carolina. “By dismantling this criminal network and seizing dangerous drugs like methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, along with numerous firearms, HSI and its partners are making our neighborhoods safer and sending a clear message that these illegal activities will not be allowed to thrive.” The case was investigated by Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, Greensboro Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Assistant United States Attorney Laura Jeanne Dildine. ###