title: Five Members and Associates of a Long Island-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Indicted for Narcotics Distribution

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal court in Central Islip, an indictment was unsealed charging five members and associates of a Long Island-based drug trafficking organization known as “No Budget” with conspiring to distribute cocaine and fentanyl since 2017. Nicholas Andrade, Julian Hutchins, Prince Jones, Jose Lopez, and Ryan O’Malley engaged in a years’ long drug trafficking operation transporting fentanyl and 137 kilograms of cocaine across the country for distribution primarily in Long Island and Queens, New York. Andrade, the leader of the organization, is also charged for his role in the March 9, 2023 murder of Jose Manuel Sosa in Bay Shore and the March 10, 2023 shooting in Queens of a potential witness to the murder. The four defendants arrested today in New York were arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Steven I. Locke who ordered them detained pending trial. Hutchins was arrested in Florida and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. If convicted of the charges, the defendants face up to life in prison. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, announced the arrests and charges. “As alleged, the defendants participated in the large-scale distribution of deadly narcotics across Long Island and committed crimes of extreme violence to maintain their drug business,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “My Office and our law enforcement partners will continue working tirelessly to eradicate the scourge of fentanyl and drug-related violence on Long Island and the related harm these dangerous drugs pose to our communities.” Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, New York City Police Department, New York State Police, Queens District Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for their work on the case. “The indictment against these individuals who ran a drug trafficking organization known as “No Budget” spared no cost at using violence to run their illicit drug distribution of cocaine and fentanyl,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Tarentino. “Thanks to the hard work and determination of the DEA and our law enforcement partners, we were able to remove 137 kilos of cocaine destined for the streets of Long Island. The DEA remains committed to protecting our communities” As alleged in court filings, since 2017, the defendants carried out the large scale trafficking and distribution of fentanyl and cocaine on Long Island and maintained a series of stash houses in Queens and on Long Island. Throughout the investigation, phone records and surveillance regularly captured the defendants meeting with one another and exchanging duffle bags, luggage, or other bags in manners consistent with narcotics trafficking. As a result of court-authorized searches, law enforcement recovered dozens of kilogram wrappers with cocaine residue, kilogram presses used to reshape narcotics, packaging materials, and quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. On April 27, 2025, law enforcement intercepted a truck travelling from California to New York containing a shipment of 137 kilograms of cocaine destined for No Budget’s distribution operation. In total, the investigation revealed that the defendants were responsible for the distribution of over 235 kilograms of cocaine and 20 kilograms of fentanyl. In addition to Andrade’s narcotics operation, he directed several violent crimes, including the March 2023 murder of Sosa and the subsequent attempted murder of a potential witness to the murder. Sosa’s murder was precipitated by a dispute that had escalated over the preceding months between Andrade, Sosa, and another Long Island based drug dealer. In early March 2023, Andrade and others planned to rob Sosa’s residence. However, on March 9, 2023, Andrade directed other members of No Budget to kill Sosa. Later that day, when Sosa was alone in his driveway, the shooter exited a borrowed Audi and shot Sosa multiple times, killing him. The shooter and getaway driver sped away and the two met up with Andrade. The next day, in an effort to cover up No Budget’s involvement in Sosa’s murder, Andrade and the shooter developed a plan to lure John Doe-1—the owner of the Audi used in the murder—to a location in Queens and kill him. When John Doe-1 arrived at the location, acting at Andrade’s direction, the shooter had a brief conversation with John Doe-1 in the Audi, and upon exiting the Audi, turned and fired into the vehicle, striking John Doe-1 in the head. John Doe-1 sustained serious injuries but ultimately survived his wounds. 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. This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other 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 Project Safe Neighborhood. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys James R. Simmons and Michael R. Maffei are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendants : NICHOLAS ANDRADE Age: 37 White Plains, New York JULIAN HUTCHINS Age: 43 White Plains, New York PRINCE JONES Age: 36 Mineola, New York JOSE LOPEZ Age: 43 Elmont, New York RYAN OMALLEY Age: 34 Port Jefferson Station, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-147 (GRB) 25-cr-147_andrade_et_al.indictment_redacted_indictment.pdf


title: Cuban National Indicted On Charges Related To Credit Card “Skimming” And Submitting A False Naturalization Application

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Yunier Perez-Bertemati (40) with 22 counts of access device fraud, possessing and trafficking in unauthorized device-making equipment, aggravated identity theft, making a false statement on an immigration application, and making a false statement to a federal agent. If convicted, Perez-Bertemati faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each of the access device fraud counts, 15 years on the device-making equipment counts, 10 years on the count related to making a false statement in his immigration application, and 5 years on the count related to making a false statement to a federal agent, as well as a mandatory sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft counts. The indictment also notifies Perez-Bertemati that the United States intends to forfeit $9,650, which are alleged to be proceeds of the offense. According to the indictment, Perez-Bertemati engaged in a series of transactions between November 2023 and January 2025 where he sold counterfeit credit and debit cards containing stolen victim account information. He also sold “skimming” equipment—namely, devices used to appropriate victim credit or debit card information when used at a point-of-sale terminal such as a gas pump or ATM. Further, Perez-Bertemati, a Cuban citizen, recently applied to be a United States citizen but made material misrepresentations on his naturalization application and during an interview with an officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert D. Sowell. 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: Idaho Falls Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Federal Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: POCATELLO – Andrew Clifford Meyer, 36, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. According to court records, on August 18, 2023, officers contacted Meyer in the Fort Hall Casino parking lot, after receiving reports of a fight. After locating Meyer’s car, officers observed fentanyl pills through a window. Officers subsequently searched Meyer’s car and found approximately 12,000 fentanyl pills and a large quantity of cash. Meyer told officers the pills came from Arizona and admitted to selling fentanyl. Meyer pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on September 19, 2024. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Meyer to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fort Hall Police Department and the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock prosecuted the case. ###


title: California man sentenced to 10 years for sexual exploitation of a minor

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for enticing a 12-year-old minor from Prince William County to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Cash Taylor Dalton, 30, of Morro Bay, California, pleaded guilty on Jan. 16, 2025, to enticement of a minor. According to court documents, FBI agents began investigating Dalton after the victim’s parents discovered communications on their daughter’s cellphone between her and Dalton. The investigation revealed that Dalton and the victim had been communicating for approximately three months, and that he sent her sexually explicit images of himself and graphic sexual messages via text and email, including directing her to engage in sexual activity. In November 2024, FBI agents searched Dalton’s home and recovered evidence of Dalton’s communications with the victim, as well as with three other minors who were under the age of 16. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano for the Eastern District of Virginia Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation & Obscenity Section are prosecuting 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1: 24-CR-227.


title: Two Owners of Roofing Companies Indicted for Tax Evasion

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two roofing company owners were indicted for their failure to file tax returns and pay tax on income, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. The Indictment charges Steve Mitchell, also known as “Sonny Mitchell,” of Edison, New Jersey, and Samuel Mitchell of Bohemia, New York with four counts each of tax evasion. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Steve Mitchell, Samuel Mitchell, and others operated roofing businesses under several different names. Despite earning approximately $881,730.26 and $1,397,960.21, respectively, in income from roofing customers from 2018 through 2021, Steve Mitchell and Samuel Mitchell failed to file tax returns with the IRS and pay tax on their income. Instead, Steve Mitchell and Samuel Mitchell took affirmative steps to conceal their income from the IRS, including by providing false social security numbers to check cashing businesses that they used to convert customers’ checks to cash, which prevented the check cashing businesses from reporting the cashed checks to the IRS as required by law. In addition to the income from the roofing customers, Steve Mitchell also received income from an elderly individual for what the elderly individual thought was an investment in a COVID mask-making business. In 2020 and 2021, Steve Mitchell converted over $4.2 million in checks from the elderly individual into cash. The tax evasion counts each carry a maximum potentially penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U. S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Steve Mitchell: Michael A. Baldassare, Esq. Samuel Mitchell: Robert Scrivo, Esq.


title: MS-13 Gang Member who Led Transnational Fentanyl Distribution Operation from Inside State Prison Sentenced to 17 Years by South Florida Federal Judge

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A district judge in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. has sentenced an MS-13 gang member and leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization (DTO) to 210 months in federal prison for running a fentanyl distribution ring, some of which he did from inside a state prison. Mario Clifford Rivera (a/k/a “Chuky”), 32, is a member of MS-13, a designated foreign terrorist organization. From at least 2022, Rivera used the U.S. Postal Service to distribute fentanyl smuggled into the United States from Mexico. The fentanyl’s travel path: over the wall from Mexico to California, then to Florida by mail for distribution by Rivera and the DTO dealers he controlled. In early 2023, while free on bond waiting to report to state prison to serve three years for felon in possession of a firearm, throwing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle, and aggravated assault crimes, Rivera offered to sell two kilograms of fentanyl to a buyer in Florida, some of which was purchased. Once inside state prison, Rivera continued managing and supervising his DTO. He used prison phones and a contraband cell phone to communicate with his dealers on the outside. Rivera directed them on how to sell fentanyl and what prices to charge, all while making sure that he received his share of the drug proceeds. Rivera was responsible in this case for distributing over three kilograms of fentanyl. He pled guilty to drug trafficking charges and will begin serving his federal sentence once he completes his state sentence. “Rivera’s 17-year federal prison sentence should serve as a warning to MS-13 and other terrorist gangs who seek to flood our communities with deadly poisons like fentanyl: Whether you operate on the streets or behind prison walls, we will identify your leaders and members, dismantle your networks, and hold you accountable using the full force of American law,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rinku Tribuiani for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted this case. FBI Miami; U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division; DEA Miami Field Division; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Division, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated it. “The safety of South Florida communities is our top priority,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. “Shutting down drug trafficking networks like Rivera's is a key step towards achieving this priority. Our long-standing partnerships with USPIS Miami, DEA Miami, HSI Miami and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office were crucial to this successful investigation. Let this case serve as a warning to MS-13 and other gangs who terrorize communities with violence and sow misery through drug trafficking: these activities will not be tolerated.” “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to ensuring the U.S. Mail is not used as a tool to distribute dangerous drugs, like fentanyl, to our communities, said Miami Division acting Inspector in Charge Steven L. Hodges. “The sentence handed down should serve as a reminder that we remain steadfast with our law enforcement partners to bring those who engage in drug trafficking through the mail to justice.” “We and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue and arrest those who flood our communities with illicit, dangerous, and highly-addictive drugs,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “It is our top priority to protect our citizens and get these gang members off our streets.” “Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners have a clear message: those who traffic deadly narcotics and endanger our communities through gang violence will face the full force of justice,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of HSI Miami Field Division. “HSI remains relentless in dismantling transnational criminal organizations like MS-13 and stopping the flow of fentanyl that continues to devastate families across our nation.” 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). It is also part of an 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 . You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-80140. ###


title: Meridian Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for  Possession of a Machinegun

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Meridian, Mississippi, man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, Demetriz Romelo Hopson, 25, was found by law enforcement officers in possession of a Glock 9mm handgun that had been equipped with a machinegun conversion device or “switch” while Hopson was attending a football game on the campus of Meridian High School. Hopson pleaded guilty to the charged conduct on January 8, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement. The ATF investigated the case with assistance from the Meridian Schools Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Goff prosecuted the case. 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).


title: Ringleader of Bank Fraud Conspiracy Case Receives Lengthy Federal Prison Sentence

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Destane Glass, 24, of Shreveport, has been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 135 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Glass was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $539,578. In addition, Judge Hicks ordered that Glass’s sentence run consecutive to a 37-month federal prison sentence she is currently serving for Payment Protection Program fraud, making her sentence a total of 172 months (14 years, 4 months). According to evidence presented in court, beginning on or about January 1, 2021, and continuing through October 31, 2022, Glass and her co-conspirators conspired to commit bank fraud from USAA Savings Bank (USAA Bank), Navy Federal Credit Union, and JP Morgan Chase Bank. Glass was the ringleader of this conspiracy and directed and recruited others to participate in the scheme to defraud the banks. Glass was indicted, along with 20 other defendants, in April 2024 in connection with this federal bank fraud scheme. USAA Bank was a financial institution whose deposits were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Teleperformance was a multinational company that provided a wide variety of business services including operating a call center in Shreveport, Louisiana. The call center provided customer service for USAA Bank. Teleperformance employees had access to USAA Bank customer information including, but not limited to, customer names, the age of customers, account balances, and account numbers. Glass was not an employee of Teleperformance but conspired with others who were to execute a scheme to defraud USAA Bank. As part of the conspiracy, Glass worked with her co-defendants to improperly obtain account holder information so that the information could be used by Glass to create counterfeit USAA Bank checks. She instructed her co-defendants to target elderly bank customers whose bank accounts held high account balances as they would be less likely to regularly check their accounts. Glass created counterfeit checks on USAA Bank totaling $2,149,621 from accounts accessed by her co-defendants. After she created the checks, Glass used social media and other methods to recruit individuals in the Shreveport area with bank accounts to use their accounts to deposit the counterfeit checks. Once the counterfeit checks were deposited into the accounts, Glass and others, worked to withdraw the funds at various locations to include area casinos. Glass and her co-conspirators would share the proceeds generated from negotiating the counterfeit checks. ZarRajah Z. Watkins , 23, of Shreveport, who also participated in this scheme and was charged as a defendant in this case was sentenced today. Watkins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $397,930. All of the other defendants charged in this case have now pleaded guilty and received their sentences. This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police and Shreveport Police Department and was prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. # # #


title: Passaic County Man Admits to Using An Explosive to Damage a Chase Bank ATM

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County man admitted to using an explosive to damage a Chase Bank Automated Teller Machine (“ATM”) in Prospect Park, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Nicolas Torres, 42, of Passaic, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Julien X. Neals in Newark federal court to a one-count information charging him with using an explosive to damage real property used in interstate commerce. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In the early morning hours of July 5, 2022, Torres was captured on surveillance video approaching the Chase Bank ATM in Prospect Park, New Jersey and igniting an item in front of the ATM. Several seconds later, an explosion was seen at the ATM. Torres was seen fleeing the location with two individuals. In addition to the surveillance video, cellular phone location data placed Torres in the area of the Chase Bank at the time of the explosion. The investigation also revealed that Torres had traveled to Pennsylvania the day before and purchased approximately $1,000 worth of fireworks. The use of an explosive to damage real property used in interstate commerce charge carries a statutory minimum of 5 years in prison, a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2025. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, and the Prospect Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Rausch, with the investigation leading to today’s plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vera Varshavsky of the U.S. Attorney’s National Security Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Adalgiza A. Núñez, Office of the Public Defender torres.information.pdf


title: Make DC Safe Again Initiative Continues to Build Momentum

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office brought federal firearms charges against 24 defendants in the month of April —more than twice the monthly average since January 2021— and bringing the total number of firearms prosecutions under the Make D.C. Safe Again initiative to 42 since its inception, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. The U.S. Attorney’s Office charged 24 defendants with federal firearms offenses. This marks the highest number of case adoptions since before January 2021. The surge has taken more dangerous offenders off the streets. Examples of these cases include: Baltimore Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge Following Foot Chase in Southeast Arrest in Chinatown Results in Illegal Firearm Charge Defendant Charged with Illegal Gun Possession in Superior Court Now Faces Federal Firearm Charge District Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Possession Following Arrest in Northeast D.C. Felon Charged with Possession of Firearm Following Arrest in Southeast Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department are investigating these cases. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry after Deportation

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Mexican man convicted of Illegal Reentry after Deportation. The sentencing took place on April 29, 2025. Elver Cerecedo-Tellez, 30, was sentenced to time served and ordered to be removed from the United States. Cerecedo-Tellez was indicted for Illegal Reentry after Deportation by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 21, 2025. Cerecedo-Tellez is a non-citizen of the United States and a Mexican national. Cerecedo-Tellez was deported from the United States to Mexico in 2018 and was found back in the United States in May of 2024. Reentering the United States after deportation is a felony. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. Cerecedo-Tellez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Marty Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison  for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Kidnapping

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Marty, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Kidnapping. The sentencing took place on April 25, 2025. Ellery Zephier, age 39, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200, and restitution in the amount of $22,260. Zephier was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024. Following his trial in January, he was found guilty. The conviction stemmed from incidents between July 20-25, 2024, when Zephier kidnapped and held a woman against her will in his home in Marty and assaulted her resulting in the infliction of serious bodily injury. This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Yankton Sioux Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Petersen and Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case. Zephier was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Union County Teacher Charged with Possession of Child Pornography and Enticement of a Minor

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey man was charged with possessing images of child sexual abuse and for enticing a minor to engage in sexual acts and produce child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today. Jack Wilder, 26, of Somerville, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with one count of possession of child pornography and two counts of enticement of a minor. He made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In or around February 2024, Wilder, a history teacher at a school in Plainfield, New Jersey, communicated with a minor victim using a mobile payment application through which Wilder advised he would pay the minor victim to engage in sexual activity. The minor victim also sent Wilder sexually explicit pictures. Thereafter, on or about July 23, 2024, Wilder returned from an international trip aboard a flight that landed in New York. Law enforcement subsequently lawfully searched Wilder’s cell phone and found a video depicting child sexual abuse material and sexually explicit conversations between Wilder and other individuals who identified themselves as minors. “These charges are the most recent example of this office’s dedication to protecting children in our community. We are tirelessly committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who victimize and prey on the vulnerable are brought to justice.” - U.S. Attorney Alina Habba “Our children are the most innocent members of society and they should never be victimized by anyone, particularly by those in positions of trust such as teachers,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “In partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, every child has our unwavering commitment to bring to justice those that would heinously abuse them for their own profit and perverse self-gratification. No child should have to face a lifetime of trauma caused by a predator. We will continue to make combatting child sexual exploitation a priority, and will always strive to put an end to these disturbing acts from happening around the world.” The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charges of enticement of a minor each carry a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Habba credited the work of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation leading to the charges. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Candace Hom, Esq. wilder.complaint.pdf


title: Vero Beach Meth Dealer Sentenced to 12 years in Prison

body_text: MIAMI – On April 30, Denzil Olajuwon Stewart, 30, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks, for selling 276.7 grams of pure methamphetamine. On Dec. 28, 2023, law enforcement officers observed Stewart drive away from his Vero Beach home in a white Porsche SUV, arrive at another residence about 30 minutes away, and sell what they later discovered was 276.7 grams of pure methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was packaged in a plastic shopping bag, which bore Stewart’s fingerprints. A jury found Stewart guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual, and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA, Miami Field Division, and Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers made the announcement. DEA Port Saint Lucie and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Hudock and Michael Porter prosecuted it. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-14058. ###


title: Ashland man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for trafficking meth on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation

body_text: BILLINGS – An Ashland man who trafficked methamphetamine on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 151 months in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Joe Vega, 49, pleaded guilty in July 2024 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that in December of 2023, the FBI began an investigation into Joe Vega for the distribution of methamphetamine. One source reported purchasing methamphetamine from Vega a dozen times. In April of 2024, the FBI intercepted a package from Arizona destined for Vega’s Billings address. Agents obtained a search warrant for the package and discovered 1331.5 grams of meth, almost three pounds, that was 100% pure. The FBI later learned Vega was traveling to Arizona, possibly to pick up methamphetamine. On April 22, 2024, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper conducted a stop of the vehicle in which Vega was a passenger. Vega and the driver consented to a search and law enforcement found two pounds of methamphetamine in a bag belonging to Vega. That meth was also 100% pure. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with the assistance of BIA, Montana DCI, and the Montana Highway Patrol. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Billings woman man sentenced to 4 years in prison on drug and gun charges

body_text: BILLINGS – A Billings woman who sold methamphetamine and provided a firearm to a juvenile was sentenced today to 4 years in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Ali Sage Hausmann, 26, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and false statement during a firearm transaction. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The government alleged in court documents that in 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated Hausmann for purchasing a gun used by a juvenile during a home invasion. On May 9, 2022, two teenagers burglarized a home in Billings and one of them possessed a Beretta pistol during the burglary. ATF learned Hausmann bought the Beretta at Scheels in Billings one day before the home invasion, which one of the juveniles confirmed during an interview with law enforcement. Approximately two weeks after the burglary, Hausmann pawned the firearm. As part of the investigation into the firearm purchase, ATF obtained a search warrant for Hausmann’s Facebook account and learned she was selling methamphetamine. Agents also located messages confirming she purchased the firearm for the juvenile. On December 7, 2022, law enforcement seized 6.9 grams of meth from Hausmann’s residence, along with an additional firearm from her purse. Hausmann admitted to selling methamphetamine and to purchasing the gun for the juvenile. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Billings Police Department. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Rochester man pleads guilty to stealing $168-thousand dollars from his employer

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Michael Torres, 37, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy to financial institution fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that between September 2021 and February 2022, Torres was employed as a Relationship Manager at Financial Institution 1. While in this position, he misused his position to apply for loans through Financial Institution 1 in the names of individuals without their knowledge or authorization. Torres applied for 19 loans for a total of $168,000, which was deposited into bank accounts that he controlled. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.


title: Prosecutors in CDCA Charge 45 Defendants with Being Illegal Aliens in U.S. Following Removal – a 3,755% Increase from Previous Year

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors in the Central District of California this week criminally charged 45 defendants who allegedly illegally re-entered the United States following removal, bringing the total number of defendants charged with this crime since January 20 of this year to 347, a year-over-year increase of 3,755%, the Justice Department announced today. The defendants charged were previously convicted of felonies before they were removed from the United States, offenses that include attempted burglary and forgery. Since the change in administration this year, federal prosecutors in the seven-county Central District, which includes Los Angeles, have aggressively pursued criminal illegal aliens. In comparison, federal prosecutors in 2024 charged a total of nine defendants with Title 8 United States Code § 1326 – illegal re-entry following removal. In 2023, the office charged eight such defendants. “The government has a duty to protect its citizens,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “During the prior administration, this office abdicated its duty by effectively failing to prosecute any illegal re-entry cases. Those days are over. Criminal illegal aliens will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” “The difference in numbers is staggering,” said United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd M. Lyons. “Since January 20, this jurisdiction has prosecuted 347 illegal aliens for reentering the United States after removal — but last year, there were only nine of these prosecutions. That’s a 3,755% increase in just over a quarter of the time. Partnerships between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ICE, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the FBI play a critical role in ensuring that individuals who pose threats to public safety are removed from our communities.” The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum 10-year sentence and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. The recently filed cases include the following defendants: Paulino González-García, 26, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. González-García was removed in 2018 and has two prior state convictions in Santa Barbara County Superior Court for driving under the influence (DUI). He is in state custody and charged with a third DUI offense. Assistant United States Attorney Christina A. Marquez of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. Ricardo Cruz-García, 31, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States following removal. Cruz-García was removed in 2019. He has a 2018 conviction for attempted burglary and 2019 convictions in Orange County Superior Court for possession of a controlled substance, possession of unlawful paraphernalia, and forgery. Assistant United States Attorney Christina A. Marquez of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. Federal prosecutors this week also charged the following defendant: José Rosales Ramírez, 27, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Ramirez was caught with possession of two firearms because of his involvement in an incident in Compton where it is alleged that he shot at a moving vehicle. Assistant United States Attorney Christina A. Marquez of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case. A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating these matters. 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Rochester man going to prison for 15 years on gun and drug charges

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Shawnle McClary, 49, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that between 2021 and January 17, 2024, McClary conspired with Timothy Jackson, Jr. a/k/a T a/k/a T-Rock, Gary Fuller a/k/a G, Felicia Collins a/k/a Keisha and others to sell cocaine and fentanyl. McClary regularly packaged cocaine for sale, and transported quantities of cocaine and fentanyl from a stash location at residences on Forester Street to stash and/or sale locations on Angle Street in Rochester. On January 17, 2024, law enforcement searched numerous locations in Rochester utilized by members of the conspiracy as well as McClary’s Mobile Drive residence in the Town of Greece. During the searches, approximately 805 grams of cocaine, 210 grams of fentanyl, 223 grams of cocaine, $7,682 in cash, seven loaded firearms, and drug paraphernalia were seized. 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 . The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith. # # # #


title: Afghan citizen charged with visa fraud

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dilbar Gul Dilbar a/k/a Dilbar Gul Taj Ali Khan, a citizen of Afghanistan, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with visa fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in 2016 and 2021, Dilbar submitted applications to the U.S. Department of State (DOS) for a Special Immigrant Visa. A limited supply of these visas is set aside each year for Afghan nationals who have assisted the United States military. Dilbar’s applications included a counterfeit U.S. Embassy Kabul Chief of Mission approval, a fraudulent letter of employment, and a fraudulent Letter of Recommendation. On March 20, 2024, Dilbar’s fraudulent application was approved, and, on April 4, 2024, he was granted admission to the United States and currently resides in the Western District of New York. On the same day Dilbar was granted admission to the United States, he applied for Legal Permanent Resident card, commonly referred to as a “green card,” which was issued on July 22, 2024. Specifically, in July 2016, Dilbar applied to the Department of State for U.S. Embassy Kabul Chief of Mission approval but was denied. However, Dilbar continued his application for a Special Immigrant Visa, submitting a counterfeit approval letter in November 2017. In 2021, Dilbar re-applied for the Special Immigrant Visa. For the second application, Dilbar submitted a letter of employment from a U.S.-based company. Subsequent investigation determined that the U.S.-based company that issued the purported employment verification letter was engaged in a large-scale scheme to provide fraudulent documents, such as employment verification letters, in exchange for a fee. All employment verification letters authored by this entity are fraudulent. Dilbar also submitted a second Letter of Recommendation, which also came from an individual involved in an “advance-fee” scam, which sells fraudulent immigration documents. As a result, Dilbar was granted a Special Immigrant Visa, admitted to the United States and issued a green card. Dilbar made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colleen D. Holland and was held pending a detention hearing on May 9, 2025. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Gun Trafficker Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Robbing ATF Agent with Machine Gun

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Jonathan Manuel Flores was sentenced in federal court today to 135 months in prison for his role in an illegal firearms business and for robbing an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent at gun point during a machine gun deal gone wrong. ATF special agents were conducting a months-long investigation into the trafficking of privately manufactured firearms, commonly referred to as “ghost guns,” and guns modified with illegal auto conversion devices that transform everyday firearms into dangerous machine guns, when the defendant decided to rob an undercover ATF special agent, instead of selling the agent the firearm. During that deal on February 17, 2023, ATF special agents conducted an undercover operation in San Diego to purchase a Glock pistol with a full auto conversion device, commonly known as a “Glock Switch,” for $2,400. In a meeting in the parking lot of Walmart on Murphy Canyon Road, the defendant insisted that the gun deal take place in the backseat of his car. The undercover agent got into the back seat of the defendant’s parked car as requested. When the undercover agent entered the car there were two other individuals seated in the driver’s seat and front passenger seat of the car. Once inside the car, Flores showed the agent a Glock pistol with an extended magazine inserted and a machinegun conversion device installed. Although the agent asked to hold the firearm, Flores insisted the agent show and count the money first. As the undercover agent finished counting $2,000 in cash, the defendant pulled back the slide on the pistol to make it ready to shoot and pushed the muzzle into the undercover agent’s ribcage. He then said, “Get the f---- out of the car dog before I smoke you” while grabbing the cash from the agent’s hand. The agent successfully exited the vehicle. Flores and his two companions fled. Flores was later apprehended with the assistance of the San Diego Police Department. “This robbery is a stark reminder of the extreme danger our agents face every day in their efforts to keep illegal firearms off our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We are grateful for our law enforcement partners working to keep these dangerous firearms out of the hands of felons.” “ATF’s core mission is to protect the public by investigating and apprehending the most violent offenders in our communities,” said ATF Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Kenny Cooper. “It is an honor to work with our state, local, and federal partners to successfully carry out our public safety mission.” Cooper thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the El Cajon Police Department, and San Diego Police Department for working with ATF in the investigation, apprehension, and successful prosecution of Jonathan Manuel Flores. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evangeline Dech and Alicia Williams. DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr00512CAB Jonathan Manuel Flores Age: 20 Chula Vista, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon - 18 U.S.C. § 111(b) Maximum Penalties: Twenty Years in prison; $250,000 fine Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence - 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum seven years to life in prison, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed as to Count 5; $250,000 fine Engaging in the Business of Dealing Firearms Without a License - 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A), 923(a), and 924(a)(1)(D); Aiding and Abetting - 18 U.S.C. § 2 Maximum penalties: Five years in prison; $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.


title: Greenwood Man Will Serve Over 17 Years for Conspiracy Involving Over 6 Kilograms of Methamphetamine Shipped from U.S.-Mexico Border Town

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: OXFORD, MS – Timothy Terrell Robinson, 31, was sentenced today to over 17 years in prison for conspiring to distribute more than fifty grams of methamphetamine. The investigation began when law enforcement seized three packages sent through the United States Mail to Robinson from an individual in San Luis, Arizona, a town along the U.S.-Mexico border. During a subsequent search, officers discovered the packages contained methamphetamine with 97% purity. In total, Robinson’s conduct involved over 6 kilograms of methamphetamine that arrived in Greenwood, Mississippi. U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Robinson to 212 months imprisonment followed by a three-year term of supervised release for the offense. Robinson will be ineligible for federal benefits for five years. “Our citizens should have the right to expect that defendants who traffic dangerous and highly addictive drugs into the Northern District of Mississippi will face time in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Our office and our federal law enforcement partners at the Postal Inspection Service will continue to disrupt drug traffickers and reduce the harm they bring to our communities.” “The Postal Service has no interest in being the unwitting accomplice to anyone using the U.S. Mail to distribute illegal drugs or other harmful substances,” said Shameka Jackson, Acting Postal Inspector in Charge of the Houston Division of the US Postal Inspection Service. “Postal inspectors will continue to work with our local and federal law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who misuse the U.S. Mail. We thank the members of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service, for partnering with us to bring this criminal to justice.” The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Oxford, Mississippi Domicile. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Howell Addison prosecuted the case.


title: Wedowee Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials and Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, AL. – On April 30, 2025, a federal judge sentenced Robert Aaron Sheppard, 33, of Wedowee, Alabama, to 108 months (9 years) in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse materials and multiple firearms violations, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. Following his release, Sheppard will be subject to five years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, in May 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip about the online upload of child sexual abuse materials, including images of nude young females. The tip was referred to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Child Exploitation Unit, which identified Sheppard as the source of the uploads. A search warrant was executed at Sheppard’s residence in Wedowee, where agents examined multiple electronic devices. Forensic analysis revealed numerous images of child sexual abuse materials stored on those devices. In addition to the digital evidence, law enforcement officers discovered a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD)—a component that turns a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic weapon. Under federal law, MCDs are classified as machineguns regardless of whether they are installed. Officers also recovered an unmarked and unregistered silencer, which is illegal under federal firearms regulations. On October 8, 2024, Sheppard pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse materials and to the possession of a machinegun and silencer. This case was investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation (ALEA-SBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from NCMEC. Assistant United States Attorneys Tara S. Ratz and Michelle R. Turner prosecuted the case.


title: Sioux City Man Who Fled Traffic Stop with Stolen Firearm Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who attempted to flee a traffic stop was sentenced April 25, 2025, to more than 9 years in federal prison consecutive to his state sentence. Alpacino Lewis Jr., age 24, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a January 10, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. Lewis’ criminal possession of a stolen, loaded, semiautomatic firearm was discovered on February 14, 2024, after he attempted to flee from a traffic stop. He struck a police cruiser, drove over a parking meter, and sped away at a high rate of speed. He ultimately lost control of his vehicle and unsuccessfully attempted to escape on foot. During a search and further investigation, officers located a grinder with marijuana residue on Lewis’ person, the loaded firearm in his flight path, and three jars of THC Wax weighing a total of 112 grams and 4-THC vapes at a home he was sharing with another. Lewis has a criminal history including possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance – marijuana and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance – methamphetamine. Lewis was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 110 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This is consecutive to the independent state sentence Lewis is already serving. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Lewis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by Sioux City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4019. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: LaPorte Man Found Guilty by Jury

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Yesterday, Ron Deming, 38 years old, of LaPorte, Indiana, was found guilty today of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography after a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2025. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police and the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hannah T Jones and Katelan McKenzie Doyle. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: South Carolina Resident Sentenced in Connection With $1.4 Million Embezzlement and Identity Theft Scheme

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Valerie Joseph, 61, of Murells Inlet, South Carolina, to 53 months in federal prison and 12 months of home detention. Joseph was convicted of wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with a decade-long, $1.4 million embezzlement scheme. Judge Gallagher also ordered the defendant to pay $1.4 million in restitution. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. Beginning in January 2011, at the latest, and continuing into August 2021, Joseph, and her husband Robin, conspired to defraud Victim Business l and Victim K.F. According to court documents, from 2003 until August 2021, Valerie Joseph served as a bookkeeper for Victim Business 1, a wholesale greenhouse and garden center owned by Victim K.F., located in Caroline County, Maryland. Valerie and Robin Joseph schemed to make unauthorized charges to three credit-card accounts —associated with Victim Business 1 and Victim K.F. — for personal gain. This included American Express and Capital One accounts, along with a Lowes/Synchrony financial account. Routinely, for more than a decade, Valerie and Robin Joseph used credit cards associated with the victims’ accounts to make numerous unauthorized purchases. The theft included unauthorized credit-card charges for $200,000-plus at Walmart; $53,000-plus to AT&T for personal phone bills; $30,000-plus at a Japanese steak and seafood restaurant; and $116,000-plus to PayPal. Valerie and Robin Joseph charged more than $90,000 to Easton Utilities for utility bills; $16,000 to Chesapeake College for tuition payments; $2,500 to the University of Hawaii for college expenses; and $3,800 for cosmetics. The couple also charged more than $195,000 to the Lowes Account. Several of the unauthorized Lowes account charges were to purchase materials and supplies to renovate their previous residence in Easton, Maryland. Additionally, Valerie and Robin Joseph paid for airline tickets, cruises, Airbnb expenses, and hundreds of retailor gift cards using the victims’ account. The couple also used the victims’ account to pay more than $33,000 in veterinary expenses and charged various items related to their pets, including high-end bird cages for their tropical birds. On April 25, 2025, Robin Joseph pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme. He is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy and a mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Riley who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: BATON ROUGE MAN SENTENCED TO 151 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR BANK ROBBERY

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Jonathan Wayne Lanaute, age 40, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 151 months in federal prison following his conviction for bank robbery. The Court further sentenced Lanaute to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $20,000 in restitution. According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on the morning of May 3, 2024, Lanaute entered United Community Bank, located on Bluebonnet Boulevard in Baton Rouge, and stated that he needed to cash a check. He approached a counter and passed a handwritten note to the bank teller which stated, “give me all the money in the cash resgister [sic] before everybody die in here.” The teller, fearful of bodily harm, directed the bank’s computer to begin dispensing $100 bills. While waiting for the bills to be dispensed, Lanaute was fidgeting in his sweatshirt pockets as if he had a firearm. He told the teller to “hurry up, hurry up,” and not to make any moves. The machine dispensed fifty $100 bills at a time and ran through four (4) cycles. When complete, Lanaute took the money from the teller and walked towards the bank to leave. Before exiting the building, he heard the machine continuing to dispense money and he returned to the teller counter to retrieve the additional bills before finally exiting the building with $20,000. Law enforcement was dispatched to the scene and retrieved video footage from the bank’s surveillance system. The surveillance footage showed Lanaute entering the bank wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a black Saints baseball cap, and ultimately fleeing the scene in a dark colored sedan with a spoiler on the rear of the vehicle. Law enforcement identified the vehicle as a dark grey Mitsubishi Lancer which had been reported stolen during an armed robbery near the bank the previous night. The vehicle was identified around the immediate area of United Community Bank and law enforcement visually confirmed the driver to be the same individual identified as the robber from the bank’s video surveillance. Officers attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle. Lanaute refused to stop and a vehicle pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, he drove the vehicle into ongoing traffic, ran another motorist off the road, and drove in the wrong direction on the interstate. The pursuit of the vehicle ended when the driver crashed head-on into an innocent motorist on the interstate. After the crash, Lanaute fled on foot. Following a short foot pursuit, he was apprehended and taken into custody. Lanaute was wearing the same clothing as seen in the bank’s video surveillance. Approximately $8,207.89 was recovered from his person. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Baton Rouge Police Department, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.


title: Honduras Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Honduras resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served of approximately 92 days of imprisonment on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Luis Fernando Diaz-Garcia, 27, on April 29, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, Diaz-Garcia was arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol as well as other traffic violations, including driving without a license, after he allegedly nearly side-swiped a marked police vehicle, charges which remain pending. Following this encounter, immigration officials determined that Diaz-Garcia was illegally present in the United States and arrested him on January 27, 2025. Diaz-Garcia was previously removed from the United States on November 13, 2019, and had not received the required permission to be in the United States. Diaz-Garcia has been in federal custody since his January arrest on the illegal reentry charge, and will be returned to immigration custody. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Diaz-Garcia. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Chester Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion, False Statements, and Illegal Gun Possession in Multi-Million Dollar Business Scheme

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lawrencium Germaine Martin, a/k/a Germaine Martin, 47, of Chester, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to federal tax evasion, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and making false statements to federal investigators. According to evidence presented in court, from 2019 through 2021, Martin operated a business known as Lancaster Tactical Supply (LTS) through the website LTacticalSupply.com. Martin presented LTS as if it were a legitimate business that sold firearm accessories and parts, including 80% build kits, firearm slides, imitation suppressors, optics, and body armor. He also modified and customized firearms. Build kits are products that include the component parts of an operable firearm with some parts disassembled. When the parts are combined, the product is converted into a fully functioning firearm, often without a manufacturer or serial number, making the firearm more difficult to trace. At least 380 customers from 43 states complained that they were defrauded by LTS, generally reporting that LTS took their money and failed to ship the products they purchased. Martin generated substantial revenue through LTS, including more than $2 million in 2020 alone. Although Martin personally operated LTS and deposited its proceeds into his personal bank accounts, Martin failed to pay state or federal income tax any year from 2015 through 2022. Martin also evaded federal income tax by using the identity of a former employee without authorization to set LTS payment systems up in a way that caused the IRS to identify the former employee as the person who owed income tax for the business, rather than Martin. When agents searched Martin’s residence and business in Chester, pursuant to a federal search warrant, he was found in possession of numerous firearms – including a 5.56 x 45 mm “80%” rifle; a 9 x 19 mm “80%” pistol, with a stabilizer brace and muzzle attachment; a 9mm pistol; and another 9mm pistol loaded with 16 rounds. Only one of the firearms had a serial number. Martin had 15 prior criminal convictions at the time, many of which are felonies, which made firearm possession illegal for Martin under federal law. As for false statements, when agents searched his house and business, Martin told FBI agents that he had never heard of LTS, that he had never received money from LTS, and that he did not know how his name became associated with the businesses, all of which Martin knew were untrue. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Martin to 57 months in federal prison, the high end of the advisory guidelines, with 3 years supervision by U.S. Probation to follow. Martin was also ordered to pay $215,374.00 in restitution to the IRS. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation, with critical assistance from the Chester County Sheriff’s Department and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Roanoke Man Sentenced for Killing Drug Supplier, Setting Body on Fire

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man, who robbed, shot, and killed his drug supplier then later burned the body to conceal his crimes, was sentenced yesterday to 35 years in federal prison. Joseph Richard Walker, 30, pled guilty in February to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence. A second man, Garrett Isaac Williams, has also pled guilty to related charges and is awaiting sentencing. According to court documents, from about December 2021, to about April 17, 2023, Walker engaged in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana with Williams. Beginning no later than January 2023, both Walker and Williams acquired marijuana and marijuana wax from E.B., who would travel from Pennsylvania to meet the pair at Walker' s residence in Roanoke, Virginia. At some point in April 2023, Williams owed E.B. a large sum of money for marijuana that had been fronted. After having difficulty reaching Williams to discuss this debt, E.B. attempted to contact Walker, but inadvertently called Walker's mother instead. This phone call caused Walker and Williams to set in motion a plan to end their relationship with E.B. However, instead of paying E.B. the money that was owed, they planned to order more marijuana from E.B., rob E.B. of that marijuana when he made the delivery, and in so doing, scare him from returning to Virginia. After receiving the "order" from Williams, on April 17, 2023, E.B. traveled from Pennsylvania to Walker's residence in Roanoke, bringing with him approximately ten pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax. Prior to E.B.'s arrival, Walker concealed on his person a Sig Sauer, model 1911, .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, intending to use it in the robbery. Upon E.B.'s arrival, Walker confronted E.B. about the phone call to Walker's mother. This resulted in a brief verbal exchange and was followed by Walker committing the robbery against E.B., during which Walker shot E.B. twice, resulting in his death. To conceal the crime, Walker dragged E.B. 's body out of his residence, placed it in the trunk of E.B. 's car, and then drove the car out to Bedford County, Virginia, where he set it on fire. Prior to departing his residence in E.B.'s car, Walker took the marijuana that E.B. had brought with him. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Virginia State Police, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Roanoke City Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Roanoke City Police Department, the Roanoke County Police Department, the City of Lynchburg Police Department, and the Bedford County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division and Col. Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police, announced the sentence today. The Star City Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, comprised of officers from the Roanoke City Police Department, Roanoke County Police Department, City of Salem Virginia Police Department, the Vinton Police Department, and Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Salem Field Office, also aided in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys M. Coleman Adams and Kelly J. McGann are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman. 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: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in New Hampshire Religious Land Use Case Brought by Small Church

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department filed a statement of interest yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire explaining that the claims brought by a Christian church and its pastor under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) are ready to be heard and determined in federal court. The statement of interest was filed in Grace New England v. Town of Weare , a private lawsuit alleging that the town violated RLUIPA by threating fines against a small home-based church and its pastor. “RLUIPA protects the freedom of religious groups to worship without undue government interference,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When localities threaten fines against religious groups to force them to undertake unnecessary land use review, RLUIPA offers them an avenue for relief through the courts. The Civil Rights Division stands ready to protect the fundamental religious freedom rights of all Americans.” The plaintiffs operate a home-based church on a 5-acre property in the town of Weare, New Hampshire. The complaint alleges that the town permitted secular assemblies and events on the property, but once plaintiffs began to hold religious services, the town demanded a formal site plan review – despite a New Hampshire state law prohibiting this requirement for religious land use. The plaintiffs sued the town, alleging that its demands and threatened fines constitute a substantial burden on their religious exercise and demonstrate unequal treatment by the town as compared to similar secular uses. The town filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing in part that the plaintiffs’ claims are not ready to be heard by the court. The department’s statement of interest refutes these contentions, explaining that the plaintiffs’ claims are ripe for judicial review even though plaintiffs have not gone through the full site review process and that RLUIPA does not require a plaintiff to exhaust administrative appeals before filing a lawsuit. RLUIPA is a federal law that guards individuals and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s work can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage . Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal . More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php .


title: Postal Employee Guilty of Destruction of U.S. Mail

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that JORRY HARRISON (“HARRISON”) , age 38, of Houma, Louisiana, pled guilty April 24, 2025 to Destruction of Mail, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1703(a). According to court documents, on or about October 25, 2023, HARRISON , while employed as a Postal Service employee, unlawfully opened packages, intended to be conveyed by mail, that had come into his possession while he worked on a Small Parcel and Bundle Sorter. Sentencing in this case is set for July 31, 2025. At sentencing, HARRISON faces up to five (5) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Christine Calogero and Duane A. Evans of the General Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Leaders of 764 Arrested and Charged for Operating Global Child Exploitation Enterprise

component: Criminal Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – Leonidas Varagiannis, also known as “War,” 21, a citizen of the United States residing in Thessaloniki, Greece, and Prasan Nepal, also known as “Trippy,” 20, of North Carolina, were arrested and charged for operating an international child exploitation enterprise known as “764,” a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) network. Varagiannis was arrested yesterday in Greece; Nepal was arrested on April 22, 2025, in North Carolina and had a court appearance. Court hearings in Washington, D.C. are pending for both defendants. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia of the New York Field Office. According to the affidavit in the District of Columbia, 764 is a network of nihilistic violent extremists who engage in criminal conduct in the United States and abroad, seeking to destroy civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government. As alleged, the defendants engaged in a coordinated criminal enterprise and led a core subgroup within 764 known as 764 Inferno, operated through encrypted messaging applications. As alleged, they directed, participated in, and otherwise caused the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and the defendants facilitated the grooming, manipulation, and extortion of minors. Veragiannis and Nepal allegedly ordered their victims to commit acts of self-harm and engaged in psychological torment and extreme violence against minors. The affidavit alleges that the group targeted vulnerable children online, coercing them into producing degrading and explicit content under threat and manipulation. This content includes “cut signs” and “blood signs” through which young girls would cut symbols into their bodies. The defendants and their co-conspirators around the world used the CSAM and other gore and violent material to create digital “Lorebooks,” which NVEs used as digital currency within the 764 network — traded, archived in encrypted “vaults,” and used as a means to recruit new members or maintain status within the network. The affidavit also details how the defendants instructed others members in grooming tactics and set content production expectations for new recruits. In multiple instances, defendants threatened and caused their victims to engage in self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. Also according to the complaint affidavit, the defendants exploited at least eight minor victims across multiple jurisdictions, with some content traced back to children as young as 13 years old. The network’s activities spanned from late 2020 through early 2025, with core leadership roles attributed to both defendants throughout the period. “The allegations in this case are not only disturbing, they are also every parent’s nightmare” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “The number of victims allegedly exploited by these defendants, and the depths of depravity are staggering. Justice demands that our response be swift in order to ensure public safety, hold the wrongdoers accountable, and bring the victims some sense of closure so they can heal.” “These defendants are accused of orchestrating one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises we have ever encountered – a network built on terror, abuse, and the deliberate targeting of children,” said Attorney General Bondi. “We will find those who exploit and abuse children, prosecute them, and dismantle every part of their operation.” “The charges against these subjects represent our resolve to dismantle violent networks that seek to destroy civilized society,” said Assistant Director in Charge Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Our work is not done until justice is restored for all impacted victims.” “Prasan Nepal, a leader of 764, allegedly instructed other members of the network to use explicit material to induce and extort victims into producing child exploitative content,” said Assistant Director in Charge Raia of the FBI New York Field Office. “Manipulating the most vulnerable members of society—our children—to produce sexually harmful material to further their depraved goals is unconscionable. The FBI is determined to do whatever necessary to stop the heinous actions of 764 members and hold them accountable in the justice system.” “These arrests expose one of the most disturbing online child exploitation networks we’ve ever encountered,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “A group that glorified violence, weaponized abuse, and targeted children to advance a deeply depraved ideology. Through the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the NYPD is proud to have partnered with federal and international authorities to dismantle this horrific operation and protect the most vulnerable among us.” If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison. This case is being investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and New York Field Office with assistance from the FBI Charlotte Field Office, the FBI Athens (Greece) Legal Attaché Office and the Hellenic National Police (HNP) . It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Hughes, Karen Ditzler Shinskie, and Jack Korba for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Paralegal Specialists Marissa Mondelli, Kristina Hamil, and Jorge Casillas provided assistance. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina provided invaluable assistance. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Charges in a criminal complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Altoona Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Transporting and Possessing Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Altoona, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to six-and-a-half years in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, on his convictions of transporting and possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Kevin Myers, 48, on April 29, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, from in and around December 2020 to in and around December 2021, Myers transported and possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The images were produced using materials that were shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations forthe investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Myers. This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Greenwich Investment Group Operator Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Money Laundering Offenses

component: Criminal - Office of International Affairs

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JUSTIN C. MURPHY, 50, of Stamford, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to offenses stemming from an investment fraud scheme. According to court documents and statements made in court, Murphy owned and operated Greenwich-based Mara Investment Group, LLC, also known as Mara Investment Management LP and Mara Investments Global Management LLC (“Mara”), which Murphy purported to be a hedge fund that solicited and accepted investments and used a quantitative strategy that balanced long and short positions in securities. Between approximately 2016 and September 2022, Murphy defrauded investors by pursuing a much riskier investment strategy than he told investors; diverting substantial investor funds for his own personal use and benefit; representing to investors that their invested funds were performing more favorably than was, in fact, the case, including providing investors with account statements that falsely representing their account balances; and providing investors with federal tax forms that falsely reported business income upon which investors would be required to pay tax. Murphy stole approximately $3,465,812 in investor funds through this scheme and used the funds to pay for personal expenses and to purchase a personal stake in his relative’s startup company. Murphy pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled. Murphy was arrested in Brazil on December 6, 2023, and was detained for nearly 11 months while awaiting extradition to the U.S. He has been released on a $250,000 bond since November 1, 2024. This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Brazilian authorities provided assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.


title: Lake Charles Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: LAKE CHARLES, La. – Kenneth Blake LeBlanc , 33, of Lake Charles, was sentenced yesterday on child pornography charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced LeBlanc to 180 months (15 years) in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release. LeBlanc was arrested in April 2024 after law enforcement officers with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office (“CPSO”) received a complaint about an individual, later determined to be LeBlanc, who had recorded a prepubescent minor female undressing in the bathroom. Detectives with CPSO and agents with Homeland Security Investigations began an investigation into the allegations and learned that in April 2024, LeBlanc hid a cell phone and used it as a recording device to capture a minor undressing in the bathroom of a known residence. The phone was positioned to capture someone getting in and out of the shower. The video LeBlanc created included images of the private areas of the minor, who was under the age of 11 years old at the time. Using the internet, LeBlanc transported this video from his Android phone to an iPhone, knowing that the video contained child pornography. LeBlanc pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information charging him with one count of attempted transportation of child pornography. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . Child Sexual Abuse Material - To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678 . # # #


title: Robberies of Convenience Stores in Vinton Lead to Arrest and Conviction of Sunset Man

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Bracelon Armon Charles , 22, of Sunset, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 155 months (12 years, 11 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. According to information presented in court, on or about October 6, 2023, Charles and a juvenile used a 2018 Kia which had been stolen from a residence in Lafayette, to drive to Vinton, Louisiana. Charles and the juvenile entered Tiger Mart, a gas station and convenience store located in Vinton, and entered the store brandishing firearms and demanded money from the store clerk. The clerk complied and gave them money from the cash register in the amount of $400. Charles and the juvenile immediately left the Tiger Mart. Just minutes later, Charles and the juvenile entered More 4 Less, another gas station and convenience store in Vinton. As in the previous store just minutes before, Charles and the juvenile brandished their firearms and demanded money from the store clerk as they pointed their firearms at the clerk. The clerk complied and gave all the money in the cash drawer over to Charles and the juvenile, which was $400. Charles and the juvenile then traveled into Texas where law enforcement officers engaged them in a high speed chase back into Louisiana where they were subsequently apprehended. Charles was charged in a federal indictment and pleaded guilty to using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner. # # #