title: Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Charges Arising from Fatal Drunk Driving Crash

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault resulting in serious injury following a fatal drunk driving crash. According to court records, on November 14, 2024, Marvin Wauneka , 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, drove under the influence of alcohol, resulting in a single-vehicle, high-speed rollover crash on Navajo Route 54 within the Navajo Nation. The crash caused the deaths of two passengers and seriously injured a third passenger. As the time, Wauneka had a prior DUI conviction. At sentencing, Wauneka faces a maximum of 26 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Wauneka will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today. The Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement (Wauneka).pdf


title: Fifteen Charged with Drug Conspiracy and Weapons Charges

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

body_text: A 29-count indictment was unsealed today charging 12 men and 3 women for their roles in a drug trafficking organization and related gun offenses. According to court documents, the defendants were part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Xanax, psylocibin mushrooms, and marijuana. Six of the defendants face additional charges for gun crimes relating to their alleged drug trafficking. The defendants are alleged to have used several drug houses and a food truck to store illegal drugs and conduct drug transactions. As alleged, in one notable instance in June of 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized 29 kilograms of methamphetamine that one defendant was attempting to transport into the United States. “As alleged, this drug trafficking organization imported methamphetamine directly from Mexico and used the U.S. mail, a taco truck, and homes in different Houston neighborhoods to distribute and sell methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Several of the defendants are also alleged to have used firearms in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking and illegally possessed firearms despite having previously been convicted of felonies. The Criminal Division, along with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to combat the scourge of drug trafficking in communities.” “The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a multi-drug narcotics distribution ring, and, as often seen in the drug trade, are also alleged to have used illegal firearms to facilitate their enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “Some of the charges indicate methamphetamine was alleged to have been sourced from Mexico, and thus this investigation highlights why this office’s enforcement efforts on the border are so critical. The Southern District of Texas will do everything it can to prevent narcotics from entering our country and will be relentless in apprehending those that would distribute drugs in our communities.” “For years, the transnational criminal organization allegedly operated by these gang members has brazenly flooded our local communities with deadly narcotics,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Houston. “Working in conjunction with the Houston Police Department (HPD) and our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) partners, we were able to expose and dismantle their drug trafficking scheme, eliminating a significant contributor to violent crime in the area and saving an untold number of Houstonians from becoming addicted.” James Michael Brewer, also known as Creeper, 33; Jonathan Alvarado, also known as Joker, 28; Hector Luis Lopez, also known as Capulito, 23; Alfredo Gomez, also known as Fredo, 26; and Victor Norris Ellison, 35, all of Houston, have been indicted on drug trafficking and firearm charges. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The following defendants, all of Houston unless otherwise noted, have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Jose Francisco Garcia-Martinez, also known as Paco, 29, a Mexican national; Enzo Xavier Dominguez, also known as Smiley, 32; Alexis Delgado, also known as Chino, 28; Jose Eduardo Morales, also known as Primo, 22; William Alexander Lazo, also known as Miclo, 21; Kylie Rae Alvarado, 24; Ruby Mata, 31; Mexi Dyan Garcia, also known as Mexi, 31; and Jesus Gomez-Rodriguez, also known as Jr., 33. Marcos Rene Simaj-Guch, also known as Taco Man, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with drug trafficking. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. ICE-HSI and HPD conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Texas Board of Criminal Justice Office of the Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Rodriguez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston, Texas. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the violent offenders and prevent further violence. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Hollywood Man Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Fraudulently Seeking Millions of Dollars in COVID Tax Breaks

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Hollywood man who admitted to seeking more than $65 million from the IRS by falsely claiming on tax returns that his nonexistent farming business was entitled to COVID-19-related tax credits was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison. Kevin J. Gregory, 57, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also ordered him to pay $2,769,173 in restitution. Gregory, who has been in federal custody since May 2023, pleaded guilty on January 17 to one count of making false claims to the IRS. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact, Congress authorized an employee retention tax credit that a small business could use to reduce the employment tax it owed to the IRS, also known as the “employee retention credit.” To qualify, the business had to have been in operation in 2020 and to have experienced at least a partial suspension of its operations because of a government order related to COVID-19 (for example, an order limiting commerce, group meetings or travel) or a significant decline in profits. The credit was an amount equal to a set percentage of the wages that the business paid to its employees during the relevant time period, subject to a maximum amount. Congress also authorized the IRS to give a credit against employment taxes to reimburse businesses for the wages paid to employees who were on sick or family leave and could not work because of COVID-19. This “paid sick and family leave credit” was equal to the wages the business paid the employees during the sick or family leave, also subject to a maximum amount. From November 2020 to April 2022, Gregory made false claims to the IRS for the payment of nearly $65.3 million in tax refunds for a purported Beverly Hills-based farming-and-transportation company named Elijah USA Farm Holdings. The IRS issued a portion of the refunds Gregory claimed, and Gregory used a significant portion – more than $2.7 million – for personal expenses. Specifically, in January 2022, Gregory made a false claim to the IRS for the payment of a tax refund in the amount of $23,877,620, which he submitted as part of Elijah Farm’s quarterly federal tax return. Gregory claimed Elijah Farm employed 33 people, paid nearly $1.6 million in quarterly wages, had deposited nearly $18 million in federal taxes, and was entitled to nearly $6.5 million in COVID-relief tax credits. In fact, Gregory knew that Elijah Farm employed nobody and paid wages to no one and had not made federal tax deposits to the IRS in the amounts stated on his tax return. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. More information on the Justice Department’s response to the pandemic may be found here . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF online complaint form .


title: Washington man arraigned on drug charges

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: GREAT FALLS - A Seattle man accused of distributing drugs on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation appeared yesterday for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Jesse James Cochran, 31, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime charged in the indictment, Cochran faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years, a maximum term of 40 years, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided. Cochran was released pending further proceedings. Count one of the indictment alleges that on or about October 2022, and June 2024, in and near the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, the Cochran knowingly and unlawfully conspired with his co-defendant to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of methamphetamine. Count two alleges that on or about October 2022, and June 2024, in and near Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Cochran knowingly and unlawfully possessed with the intent to distribute 40 grams or ore of fentanyl and aided and abetted the same. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Myers is prosecuting the case. The Tri-Agency Task Force conducted the investigation. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 . PACER case reference. 24-92. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl . XXX


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 24 Months for Possession of a Glock Semiautomatic Pistol

body_text: WASHINGTON – Tyrell Anthony West, 30, a previously convicted felon and resident of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison in connection with being in possession of a loaded Glock semiautomatic pistol when police encountered him with a stolen Mercedes. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Washington Division, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. West pleaded guilty on Feb. 13, 2025, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered West to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on Feb. 26, 2024, about 7:30 p.m., the officers with the MPD’s Robbery Suppression Unit were travelling down the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE, in unmarked vehicles. An officer noticed a parked silver Mercedes Benz C300 park and watched as West quickly closed the car door and crossed the street at a brisk pace to where a group was congregated. Officers ran the Mercedes’ plate number and learned it was not registered in the database. They approached the vehicle to discover that its VIN number was covered. An officer uncovered the VIN. Another asked West if the car's registration was in the glove compartment. West opened the glove compartment and then opened the vehicle’s center console. One of the officers immediately spotted a firearm. Three seconds later, the officer checking the VIN number learned the Mercedes had been reported stolen from a car dealership in Howard County, Maryland. From the center console, MPD officers recovered a black Glock 30. .45 caliber semi-automatic firearm loaded and ready to fire with one round of ammunition in the chamber and 13 additional rounds in the magazine. DNA evidence later linked West to the firearm. Officers also recovered three plastic bags containing a white rock substance with a combined weight of 82.79 grams, and a black digital scale with white residue. Later testing by the DEA determined the substance was N, Ndimethylpentalone, an illegal synthetic controlled-substance otherwise known as 'boot." Officers also recovered 28 suspected suboxone strips from the trunk of the Mercedes. West has a previous conviction for carrying a pistol without a license. On April 22, 2022, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, which was suspended. On Feb. 9, 2023, he was resentenced to nine months in prison. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Omeed Ali Assefi, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Svetoslavov. 24cr134


title: Several convicted for roles in deadly transnational human smuggling operation

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A sixth and final person has admitted her role in a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Mexican national Cynthia Gabriela Muniz Carreon, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport an undocumented alien causing serious bodily injury and resulting in death. Those previously convicted include Mexican nationals Martha Angelica Limon Parra and David Alejandro Gomez Flores, both 29; Guatemalan national Edy Ronaldo Lima Flores, 37; and Dagoberto Flores, 24, and Angel Elias, 22 both of Laredo. All six were part of a transnational human smuggling organization responsible for moving illegal aliens across the southern border of Texas. Their actions led to the death of a Guatemalan man and several other dangerous events, including a rollover crash. “For those that may have relatives, friends, or other loved ones that are considering hiring a smuggler, urge them to think twice. If you are thinking about coming to this country illegally, also think twice.” said Ganjei. “Human smuggling is a dangerous, and often deadly, business, and those that are transporting you have little or no regard for your safety or well-being. Do not put your life in the hands of these criminals.” Authorities identified Carreon and Parra as Mexico-based coordinators for the organization. Cellphone data revealed both women were part of a WhatsApp group chat titled “La Oficina,” which the organization used to coordinate human smuggling activity. The group maintained detailed ledgers and color-coded spreadsheets documenting the aliens’ biographical information, arrival dates, assigned stash houses, guides and payment status. Although many of the aliens were from Guatemala, the smuggling group instructed them to falsely claim Mexican nationality. This tactic exploited U.S. immigration procedure by ensuring the aliens would be removed to Mexico instead of their home country which made it faster and easier for the organization to smuggle them back into the United States. Ledgers shared in “La Oficina” chat revealed the organization generated approximately $79,000 in smuggling proceeds between April 12 and 17, 2024, alone. Authorities identified Lima Flores as the organization’s Laredo-based transportation coordinator, who hired Dagoberto Flores. Authorities also identified Gomez Flores as the stash house coordinator responsible for receiving aliens from Mexico and illegally harboring them in Laredo. Cellphone evidence revealed Gomez Flores had been involved with the organization since at least 2003 and had received more than $300,000 for helping conceal and transport aliens illegally. Elias worked with Lima Flores and acted as both a transporter and scout for the organization. The investigation revealed additional smuggling incidents dating back to April 2024, including one in which an alien became so weak and delirious that he could no longer walk through the brush. Authorities also linked the same organization to a smuggling event April 19, 2024, that resulted in a rollover crash near Laredo. A Guatemalan alien involved in the crash suffered serious back injuries and required hospitalization. On July 2, 2024, Dagoberto Flores was driving a Ford F-150 transporting aliens. He fled when authorities attempted a traffic stop. The aliens scattered into the brush, including a Guatemalan national who became separated from the group. The investigation revealed he had repeatedly contacted Lima Flores and Carreon asking for help and sharing his location. Carreon told him to stay well hidden and be patient. Authorities later found him deceased. His cause of death was determined to be from heat exhaustion, with temperatures reaching 100 degrees that day. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, each faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. All six have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Laredo Police Department Gang Unit, Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, Encinal Police Department Customs and Border Protections (CBP) and CBP Air and Marine Operations conducted the investigation. The case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation and coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. JTFA, a partnership with Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, Districts of Arizona and New Mexico and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling, more than 334 U.S. convictions, more than 281 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets. 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 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 OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhood . JTFA detailee Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day is prosecuting the case.


title: Colombian National Charged With Voter Fraud; Federal Benefit Fraud; And Identity Theft Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Colombian woman, unlawfully residing in Boston, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for identity theft offenses, including receiving rental assistance, Social Security and SNAP benefits, as well as voter fraud under the stolen identity. The defendant also allegedly applied for a United States passport and obtained a Massachusetts Real ID and eight other state IDs. Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, 59, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of false representation of a Social Security number; one count of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport; one count of aggravated identity theft; three counts of receiving stolen government money or property; one count of fraudulent voter registration; and one count of fraudulent voting. Orovio-Hernandez was previously charged in an indictment in February 2025 and has remained in federal custody since that time. According to court filings , Orovio-Hernandez, a Colombian national without lawful status in the United States, has lived under a stolen identity for more than 20 years. Using this stolen identity, Orovio-Hernandez allegedly obtained nine state IDs, including a Massachusetts Real ID and applied for a U.S. passport. Orovio-Hernandez allegedly used the stolen identity to submit a fraudulent voter registration in January 2023 and cast a fraudulent ballot in the November 2024 presidential election. It is further alleged that Orovio-Hernandez improperly received approximately $400,000 in federal benefits: $259,589 in Section 8 rental assistance benefits from October 2011 through January 2025; $101,257 in Social Security disability benefits from July 2014 through January 2025; and $43,348 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from April 2005 through January 2025. “For more than 20 years, this defendant is alleged to have built an entire life on the foundation of a stolen identity – including illegally voting in our presidential election and collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in government benefits intended for Americans in need. The right to vote is one of the many privileges of being a U.S. citizen. Government funded programs for those in need are intended to be safety nets for those living in our country lawfully – not support an illegal alien without a right to be here. Ms. Orovio-Hernandez was entitled to none of these privileges as a Colombian citizen who was unlawfully in this country. The alleged crimes are an affront to every individual who plays by the rules and undermines many of the programs meant to support the most vulnerable members of our society,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to root out individuals who abuse the system and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.” “The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. passport,” said Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office. “Our special agents work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to detect and stop fraud when criminals attempt to unlawfully obtain and use passports. DSS continues to play a critical role in the United States’ efforts to combat illegal immigration and bring to justice those who seek to exploit the U.S. travel system.” “Stealing someone’s identity to unlawfully obtain Social Security benefits is not just theft—it’s a long-term abuse of a system meant to support those truly in need,” said Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Boston-New York Field Division. “SSA OIG is committed to ensuring ineligible aliens are not receiving funds from SSA programs. For over 20 years, the defendant is alleged to have lived under a stolen identity, fraudulently collecting federal benefits, committing voter fraud, and undermining the integrity of public trust. This indictment reflects our continued commitment to uncovering long-term fraud and holding individuals accountable for exploiting the Social Security system.” “Orovio-Hernandez allegedly spent two decades living under a stolen identity while simultaneously orchestrating a sophisticated multi-agency fraud scheme, misappropriating over $400,000 in federal benefits—funded by taxpayers—including Section 8 rental assistance funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “These critical housing funds support the most vulnerable populations, including families with very low income, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD programs.” The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years of in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of receiving stolen government or property provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charges of fraudulent registration and fraudulent voting each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. U.S. Attorney Foley; DSS SAC O’Brien; SSA OIG SAC Connelly; HUD OIG SAC Rice; and Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Northeast Region made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: MS-13 Leader Currently Serving Federal Prison Sentence for RICO Conspiracy Pleads Guilty to Role in 2010 Murder

body_text: BOSTON – A local leader of the transnational criminal organization known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, pleaded guilty today to committing a previously unsolved murder of a man in Chelsea, Mass. in 2010. Jose Vasquez, a/k/a “Cholo,” a/k/a “Little Crazy,” 31, pleaded guilty to one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2025. Vazquez was indicted by a federal grand jury along with two other MS-13 members in September 2024 . The charge of violent crime in aid of racketeering provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Vasquez is currently serving a 212-month prison sentence for a May 2018 federal conviction of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy. MS-13 is a transnational criminal organization with tens of thousands of members located in the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and elsewhere. MS-13 branches, or “cliques,” operate throughout the United States, including in Massachusetts. In furtherance of its mission, MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence, specifically against rival gang members; kill informants; and support and defend fellow MS-13 members in attacks. MS-13 members maintain and enhance their status in the gang and the overall reputation of the gang by participating in such violent acts. Vasquez was a member and local leader of the Trece Locos Salvatrucha, or TLS, clique of MS-13 operating in Somerville, Mass. In addition to being a leader of an MS-13 clique, Vasquez personally participated in racketeering activity and acts of violence on behalf of MS-13. At approximately 7:10 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2010, law enforcement responded to a 911 call under the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1 in Chelsea. There, a 28-year-old male was found with approximately 10 stab wounds to his head, back and chest. The victim was transported to the hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his wounds. A recent reexamination of evidence collected during the initial investigation identified members of MS-13, including Vasquez, as having committed the murder. In the week leading up to the incident, Vasquez and other MS-13 members conspired to murder the victim because they believed the victim belonged to a rival gang. Evidence revealed that on the day of the murder, Vasquez and other MS-13 members picked the victim up in front of a McDonald’s in Allston. The group then drove to Chelsea where Vasquez and other MS-13 members led the victim to a secluded area under the highway where an MS-13 member hit the victim in the head with a rock and another MS-13 member stabbed the victim with a machete. During the attack, Vasquez stabbed the victim with a knife. Vasquez’s palm print was identified on the handle of a kitchen knife recovered from the scene. The victim’s blood was also found on the knife. An undercover recording obtained of an MS-13 meeting that took place on Jan. 27, 2011 – approximately six weeks after the murder – captured one MS-13 member acknowledging his participation in the murder and other gang members disciplining him for leaving Massachusetts after the murder without the gang’s permission. Vasquez was identified as being present for the meeting. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Shumeane Benford of the Somerville Police Department, and Chief Keith Houghton of the Chelsea Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; United States Customs and Border Protection; and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty and Meghan C. Cleary of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. 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 details contained in the superseding indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Mexican Police Officer Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms

component: USAO - Arizona

number: 2025-081_Molina Lopez

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Martin Eulalio Molina Lopez, 33, of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on May 19, 2025, by United States District Judge Sharad Desai to 63 months in prison. Molina Lopez previously pleaded guilty to Alien in Possession of a Firearm. In early 2024, Molina Lopez was admitted to the United States under a travel visa. In February 2024, Molina Lopez was arrested and charged after law enforcement observed him recruit United States citizens to serve as straw purchasers for firearms at a gun show in Phoenix, Arizona. Law enforcement agents found Molina Lopez in possession of 18 firearms that were purchased by others for him at the show. A subsequent investigation revealed that Molina Lopez, who was prohibited from purchasing firearms in the United States while on a travel visa, had previously recruited United States citizens to purchase an additional 20 firearms on his behalf. Molina Lopez retired from the Hermosillo Municipal Police in 2021 after sustaining a gunshot wound. 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). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Marcus Shand, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00482-PHX-SHD RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-081_MOLINA LOPEZ # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Albany Man Arrested for Posing Online as a Teenage Boy to Obtain Child Sexual Abuse Material from a Minor Victim

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – An Albany man was arrested for posing online as a teenage boy to obtain child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from a minor victim, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Brian Hargraves, 54, was arrested on Tuesday and indicted yesterday on charges of Possession of and Access with Intent to View Child Pornography. He appeared in federal court on May 21, 2025. According to the charging documents, on April 29, 2025, law enforcement conducted a search of Hargraves mobile phones following a citizen complaint. A review of one of the phones revealed sexually explicit images and videos of a 16-year-old minor victim. Hargraves allegedly met the minor victim online and told her that he was a teenage boy and asked her to create explicit videos and images of herself to send to him. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and the Conway Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case. The case is 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 better 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/. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former Illinois Police Officer Sentenced for Assaulting Handcuffed Man

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Thursday sentenced a former police officer who struck a handcuffed man in the face to two years in prison. Justin Gaither was in full uniform and on duty with the Venice Police Department on Nov. 20, 2022, when he began pursuing a car that was displaying stolen license plates. The car drove over spike strips that Gaither deployed, then over the McKinley Bridge and into St. Louis. A Brooklyn Police Department officer was also pursuing the car. The pursuit ended in the 3800 block of Parnell Avenue in St. Louis. The vehicle’s occupants ran away. Gaither, the Brooklyn officer and that officer’s K-9 chased the driver. The driver was bitten while climbing over a fence and fell. His hands were then handcuffed behind his back by the Brooklyn officer. As Gaither lifted the driver from the ground to escort him to a police vehicle, he struck the driver twice in the face without justification and without a legitimate purpose, breaking the driver’s nose. Gaither, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in February to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. The right violated in this case is the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force under the Fourth Amendment. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug prosecuted the case.


title: East Helena man sentenced to over 5 years in prison on drug charges

body_text: HELENA – An East Helena man who admitted distributing meth was sentenced today to 64 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Gordon Eric Barraugh, 63, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that on September 21, 2022, law enforcement agencies conducted a controlled buy from Barraugh at his home in Helena. They purchased over 80 grams of actual methamphetamine from Barraugh in the alley behind his house. On September 23, 2024, law enforcement arrested Barraugh on an arrest warrant. They also searched his truck and seized meth and prescription pills. When Barraugh was brought to the courthouse for an arraignment on December 16, 2024, the United States Marshal’s Service located a small baggie with methamphetamine residue and another pill. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by Missouri River Drug Task Force, State of Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Helena Police Department, and ICE. 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 . XXX


title: District Man Who Wielded a Machine Gun Near Anacostia Elementary School Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jason Jerome Bell, 21, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 21 months in federal prison for brandishing a fully loaded machine gun at a passing car, on a heavily trafficked street in the middle of the afternoon, in the direction of an elementary school with staff present. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Jessica M.E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police. Bell pleaded guilty on January 15, 2025, without a plea agreement to unlawful possession of a machine gun, and to carrying a pistol without a license. In addition to the 21-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Bell to serve three years of supervised release. In light of the severity of Bell’s conduct, the government had asked the Court for an upward variant sentence of 36 months. According to court documents, about 2:45 pm on Oct. 11, 2024, a U.S. Park Police investigator was conducting surveillance of Bell in Anacostia. Bell had been reported to be flashing firearms. The investigator located Bell in the alley behind a house on 1900 block 16th Street SE. The investigator watched as Bell pulled a firearm from his waistband and aimed it at a silver sedan. The USPP investigator captured Bell’s actions on camera. USPP officers subsequently arrested Bell and recovered a loaded Glock 30 gen 4 pistol, .45 caliber, outfitted with a switch which converted the semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic machine gun. The Glock had 26 rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber. This case was investigated by the U.S. Park Police with the assistance of the ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Strong and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren R. Randell. Bell brandishes a Glock outfitted with a “switch” to fire like a machine-gun in the direction of a U.S. Park Police Officer on Oct. 11. 2024. The Glock and magazine found in Bell’s possession. 24cr503


title: 15 charged in wide-ranging narcotics and weapons conspiracy

body_text: HOUSTON – A 29-count indictment has been unsealed following the arrests of nine individuals for their roles in a drug trafficking organization. Some are also charged with related gun offenses. Houston residents James Michael Brewer aka Creeper, 33, Jonathan Alvarado aka Joker, 28, Alexis Delgado aka Chino, 28, Hector Luis Lopez aka Capulito, 23, Kylie Rae Alvarado, 24, Ruby Mata, 31, Victor Norris Ellison, 35, Mexi Dyan Garcia aka Mexi, 31, and Jesus Gomez-Rodriguez aka Jr., 33, made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho, at which time the indictment was unsealed. Also charged are Enzo Xavier Dominguez aka Smiley, 32, William Alexander Lazo aka Miclo, 21, and Alfredo Gomez aka Fredo, 26. They are currently in custody and expected to make their initial appearances in the near future. Three others are considered fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests – Mexican national Jose Francisco Garcia-Martinez aka Paco, 29, Guatemalan national Marcos Rene Simaj-Guch aka Taco Man, 41, as well as Jose Eduardo Morales aka Primo, 22, Houston. “The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a multi-drug narcotics distribution ring, and, as often seen in the drug trade, are also alleged to have used illegal firearms to facilitate their enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Some of the charges indicate methamphetamine was alleged to have been sourced from Mexico, and thus this investigation highlights why this office’s enforcement efforts on the border are so critical. The Southern District of Texas will do everything it can to prevent narcotics from entering our country and will be relentless in apprehending those that would distribute drugs in our communities.” “As alleged, this drug trafficking organization imported methamphetamine directly from Mexico and used the U.S. mail, a taco truck, and homes in different Houston neighborhoods to distribute and sell methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Several of the defendants are also alleged to have used firearms in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking and illegally possessed firearms despite having previously been convicted of felonies. The Criminal Division, along with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to combat the scourge of drug trafficking in communities.” “For years, the transnational criminal organization allegedly operated by these gang members has brazenly flooded our local communities with deadly narcotics,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Working in conjunction with the Houston Police Department (HPD) and our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) partners, we were able to expose and dismantle their drug trafficking scheme, eliminating a significant contributor to violent crime in the area and saving an untold number of Houstonians from becoming addicted.” The indictment, returned under seal May 14, alleges all were members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Xanax psylocibin mushrooms and marijuana. They are alleged to have used several drug houses and a food truck to store illegal drugs and conduct drug transactions. In one notable instance in June 2023, authorities seized 29 kilograms of methamphetamine that one defendant was attempting to transport into the United States, according to the charges. With the exception of Simaj-Guch who faces up to 40 years, the rest could receive up to life, upon conviction. Brewer, Alvarado, Lopez, Gomez and Ellison are further charged with firearms offenses which carry up to another 15 years. ICE-HSI and the HPD led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Texas Board of Criminal Justice-Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Rodriguez is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhood . This case is also part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes gang members and associates have committed through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the offenders and prevent further violence. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Four Mexican Nationals Charged for Conspiring to Distribute Over 30 Kilograms of Cocaine

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 20, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a 4-count indictment charging four defendants with offenses related to a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The indictment charged the defendants as follows: Ruben Salgado Espinoza (50), of Rockford, IL Conspiracy to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine and Illegal Re-entry. Pablo Sifuentes Navarro (20), of Rockford, IL, Conspiracy to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine and Distribution of at least 500 grams of Cocaine. Pedro Sifuentes Navarro (20) of Louisville, KY, Conspiracy to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute at least 5 Kilograms of Cocaine. Sanjuana Montenegro Ochoa (27)of Rockford, IL Conspiracy to Distribute over 5 Kilograms of Cocaine and over 50 grams of Methamphetamine. According to court records, on April 22, 2025, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized 30 kilograms of cocaine from vehicles occupied by Ruben Salgado Espinoza, Pablo Sifuentes Navarro, and Pedro Sifuentes Navarro, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Court documents allege that the defendants expected to receive $495,000 cash in exchange for the cocaine. Prior to this arrest, the four defendants are alleged to have distributed and conspired to distribute 1 kilogram of cocaine and 1 pound of methamphetamine. Court records indicate that all four defendants are Mexican nationals who entered the country illegally. Ruben Salgado Espinoza was previously deported to Mexico. If convicted of the conspiracy charge, the defendants face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – Green Bay Resident Office (DEA-GBRO), with assistance from DEA – Rockford, the Brown County Drug Task Force, the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group – Drug Unit (LWAM), and the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation (DOJ-DCI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alex Duros. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700


title: Former United States Forest Service Special Agent Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government Property

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Edward Williams, 49, of Auburn, a former Special Agent with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), pleaded guilty today to theft of government property, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, Williams was a USFS Special Agent in the Grass Valley field office. On Oct. 25, 2021, Williams accessed the USFS Truckee Ranger District office and stole at least 21 pieces of equipment. These items were DRMO, which stands for Defense Reutilization Marketing Office, and refers to retired military-grade equipment from the U.S. Department of Defense. The DRMO equipment that Williams took belonged to the USFS and was not meant for Williams’ personal use, to be given to others, or to be sold for profit. On May 19, 2022, law enforcement interviewed Williams. He confessed to the Oct. 25, 2021, theft. Later that day, Williams’ home was searched pursuant to a federal warrant and agents seized dozens of pieces of equipment that originated from the USFS, both from the October theft as well as at other times. Law enforcement later recovered additional pieces of night vision equipment that Williams had stolen from the USFS and had given to two of his friends. As part of his plea agreement, Williams agreed to return these items back to the USFS. The total value of these items is approximately $206,371. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and USFS Office of Professional Responsibility, with assistance by USFS and Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case. Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. Williams faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Kansas City Woman Indicted for Fraudulent Tax Returns

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for preparing fraudulent tax returns that illegally claimed more than $300,000 in refunds for her clients. Tanisha Spencer, 34, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in an 11-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, May 20. Spencer was arrested today and made her first appearance in federal court. The federal indictment charges Spencer with 11 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false and fraudulent income tax returns. The indictment alleges that Spencer assisted at least 6 individuals to file at least 11 false and fraudulent income tax returns for the tax years 2021 through 2022. The tax loss associated with those false returns is approximately $334,445. The federal income tax returns prepared by Spencer allegedly included Sick and Family Leave Credits, illegitimate Fuel Tax Credits, and fraudulently inflated Federal Withholding amounts. By including these and other fraudulent items on the client’s tax returns, the indictment says, Spencer was able to manufacture substantial refunds to her clients that they would not have been entitled to if the returns had been accurately prepared. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.


title: Federal Charges Brought After Shots Fired at Bertie County Deputies

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Federal charges were brought today against a Lewiston-Woodville man charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Dominique Javon Thompson, 34, appeared in federal court for his initial appearance. According to information presented in the Criminal Complaint, Thompson fired at Bertie County Deputies who were responding to a call regarding an armed individual at a residence in Lewiston-Woodville. The Complaint alleges that when deputies arrived, Thompson opened fire at their patrol vehicles. Neither the deputies nor the K-9 deputy were struck by the gunfire, although their vehicles were hit multiple times. Thompson then fled in a White Hyundai Elantra. Deputies received information that Thompson had family in the Kinston area, and the Kinston Police Department found the white Elantra abandoned on the side of the road around 9 am. Kinston PD later found Thompson in a car during a traffic stop. Upon approaching the car, the officer found Thompson in the back seat and took him into custody. A firearm was found in the glovebox, which matched the description of the one used in the shooting in Bertie County. “We will work quickly and tirelessly to investigate anyone who tries to inflict violence against our law enforcement partners and break federal laws, as alleged in the complaint,” Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated today. “I’m proud of the investigative response provided by our federal and state partners in this case.” “Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the defendant was taken into custody without incident,” Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone M. Ruffin stated today. “Law enforcement officers dedicate themselves to public service and we leave home daily not knowing if we will return. We are thankful for the partnerships of our local, state, and federal resources.” Thompson is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of Title 18, United States Code Sections 922(g)(1) and 924. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison if convicted. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, State Highway Patrol, Bertie Police Department, Martin Police Department, Williamston Police Department, and Kinston Police Department assisted with the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Aubart is prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-mj-01049. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. ###


title: Arizona Man Guilty Of Drug Trafficking Offense

component: Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CASEY THORNTON (“THORNTON”) , age 33, of Phoenix, Arizona pled guilty on May 14, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846. According to court documents, THORNTON conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere. On August 17, 2023, THORNTON mailed two packages, using the United States Postal Service in Scottsdale, Arizona, to a co-conspirator in New Orleans. Each package contained over 500 grams of blue fentanyl pills. On October 19, 2023, THORNTON mailed two additional packages from Arizona to a co-conspirator in New Orleans. Each of those packages contained over 500 grams of blue fentanyl pills. THORNTON faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $ 1,000,000, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Three Mexican Nationals Charged with Illegal Reentry

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Mexican nationals were charged with illegal reentry this week. The first alien, Arturo Cantu-Santiago, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty on May 13, 2025, to illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Cantu-Santiago was arrested on March 28, 2025, by Kansas City, Missouri Police Department officers. He had been removed from the United States twice previously – on July 1, 2011, and on Dec. 22, 2011. The second alien, Florencio Aburto-Feliciano, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 20, 2025, with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Aburto-Feliciano was arrested on May 8, 2025, by Greenwood, Missouri police officers. He had been removed from the United States at least once previously, on May 28, 2021. The third alien, Juan Ramirez-Valencia, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 20, 2025, with illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Ramirez-Valencia was arrested on March 27, 2025, by the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office. He had been removed from the United States at least once previously, on Aug. 22, 2020. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Under federal statutes, Cantu-Santiago, Aburto-Feliciano, and Ramirez-Valencia are subject to a sentence of up to two years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. These cases were investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations. Operation Take Back America These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: California Man Sentenced for 20-Year Scheme to Evade Employment Taxes

component: Tax Division

body_text: A California man was sentenced today to 96 months in prison and ordered to pay $38 million in restitution for a decades-long scheme to evade employment taxes. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: for more than 20 years, Luis E. Perez was the owner and primary decision-maker for more than a dozen labor staffing companies including Check Mate Inc., BaronHR LLC, BaronHR West Inc., and Fortress Holding Group LLC. Typically, a labor staffing company helps connect job candidates with client-companies looking for temporary employees. The staffing company also usually remains responsible for paying the temporary employees’ wages and complying with associated reporting and tax obligations. Specifically, the companies were responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS each quarter. They were also responsible for paying their own Social Security and Medicare taxes. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year. For nearly as long as Perez was in business, he was noncompliant with his tax obligations. Starting as early as 2001, Perez began not paying over the full amount of taxes withheld from employees’ wages or the full amount of Social Security and Medicare taxes his companies owed. In June 2007, Perez personally owed the IRS taxes related to Check Mate Inc., which the IRS was attempting to collect. By 2017, Perez’s outstanding tax liability had ballooned to nearly $30 million. Between 2007 and 2017, Perez tried to hinder IRS collection efforts in a number of ways. He used BaronHR and Fortress Holding Group’s bank accounts to make personal purchases, such as several luxury items, including automobiles and a boat. He titled the items in the names of several nominees to conceal his ownership from the IRS and to prevent the IRS from seizing them. In addition, he opened a credit card in the name of a nominee and used the card to make personal purchases. He then paid the bills for that credit card from those same business bank accounts. Perez also funneled money from BaronHR and Fortress Holding Group to a nominee, but then used the funds for himself. To further impede IRS collection efforts, Perez lied to IRS revenue officers and submitted false forms to the IRS about his income. Perez’s misconduct continued even after he was charged for tax offenses in February 2018. From January 2018 through June 2019, he reported that BaronHR West had paid total wages of approximately $54 million and paid approximately $7 million in total taxes on these wages to the IRS. In fact, BaronHR West paid approximately $185 million in total wages and was required but did not pay approximately $37 million in total taxes to the IRS. Similarly, during the first quarter of 2022, BaronHR West paid about $30 million in wages and was obligated to pay nearly $6 million in taxes. The company paid only $76,000. In total, Perez caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $60 million. Instead of paying his tax obligations, Perez used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle for himself, including multiple large residences, courtside seats to the Los Angeles Lakers, a private jet, a yacht, and dozens of luxury automobiles, including Bentleys and Lamborghinis. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Kenly Kiya Kato for the Central District of California ordered Perez to serve three years of supervised release and pay $38,052,767 in restitution to the IRS. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Robert Kemins of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brett A. Sagel and James C. Hughes for the Central District of California prosecuted the case


title: Placer County Man Sentenced for Child Exploitation

body_text: Paul Hughes, 42, of Colfax, was sentenced today to 24 years and four months in prison for sexual exploitation of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, between September 2018 and June 2019, on three separate occasions Hughes created visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hughes used a cellphone to surreptitiously record at least three videos containing child sexual abuse material and saved them on an external hard drive. In addition to these videos, agents recovered more than 3,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material on Hughes’s external hard drive and Google account. Further, agents located on Hughes’ devices hundreds of videos and photographs that were taken by Hughes of females between the ages of five to 55 in various public venues in Colfax. In each image, Hughes was attempting to obtain images of the female’s private parts by angling the camera in an upwards direction towards her groin. “This defendant preyed on the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society—children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “Keeping children safe from sexual exploitation is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to investigate the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and bring them to justice.” “Paul Hughes exploited children, forever damaging the memories of their childhood,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The FBI has no tolerance for any adult who preys upon the innocence of children and anyone who exploits a child faces severe consequences for their actions.” This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is 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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Seven-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced To More Than Two Years For Attempting To Illegally Purchase A Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Stephen K. Gainous (38, Jacksonville) to 30 months in federal prison for making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the attempted purchase of a firearm. Gainous pled guilty on February 14, 2025. According to court documents, Gainous completed an ATF Form 4473 during the attempted purchase of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer. Gainous indicated on the required paperwork that he was not a felon. This was a false statement, in that Gainous was previously convicted of seven felonies, including battery on a child, making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm, possession of cocaine, criminal use of personal identification, and fraudulent use of a credit card. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta. This is another case uncovered through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution. Federal law makes it a felony offense to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when trying to buy a gun. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Two St. Louis Area Doctors Admit Health Crimes

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two doctors from the St. Louis, Missouri area have pleaded guilty to federal crimes. Dr. Asim Muhammad Ali, 54, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled substances and to maintain a drug-involved premises. Dr. Mohd Azfar Malik, 71, pleaded guilty in April to two counts of making false statements related to health care matters. Malik, a psychiatrist, also agreed to surrender his Drug Enforcement Administration registrations authorizing him to administer controlled substances. As part of his plea agreement Thursday, Dr. Ali admitted agreeing to perform health care services for Medicare patients of a company Dr. Malik owned, Psych Care Consultants LLC, but bill using Dr. Malik’s name and Medicare billing number. The doctors billed Medicare for “annual wellness visits,” a yearly appointment in which the health care provider develops, creates, or updates a personalized prevention plan and performs tasks including a cognitive function assessment. Dr. Ali did not see them in person but called asked a series of questions. Dr. Ali admitted that Medicare paid $3,902 for the fraudulent claims. Dr. Malik admitted submitting claims for payment to Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurers in which he falsely claimed to have performed in-person services when he was out of Missouri or out of the country. In one example in the plea agreement, Dr. Malik admitted submitting a claim to Missouri Medicaid for an initial inpatient hospital visit on Dec. 3, 2023. Dr. Malik was in Hawaii at the time. He also admitted billing a private insurance company for the intravenous infusion of ketamine when he was out of town. The infusion was conducted by Dr. Ali. Dr. Malik knew Dr. Ali was under indictment and lacked a DEA registration authorizing him to administer controlled substances, including ketamine. Dr. Malik admitted causing a total loss of $19,442 to Medicare, Medicaid, and the private health care insurers, Dr. Ali also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled substances, one count of illegally prescribing controlled substances, one count of paying illegal kickbacks for referrals and one count of a submitting false claims last year in a separate 2020 case. He admitted involvement in a conspiracy to pay kickbacks for urine specimens referred for testing to one of his companies, Central Diagnostic Laboratory. Dr. Ali also pre-signed prescriptions for controlled substances to be given to patients on their next visit to one of his other businesses, the Institute for Pain Management LLC. Dr. Ali did not see the patients on the dates they received the prescriptions and rarely looked at patient charts or determined a legitimate medical need for the controlled substances that they were prescribing. Dr. Ali also signed prescriptions for patients who appeared to be selling or giving away their controlled substances. Dr. Ali is scheduled to sentenced on August 25 for both cases. Dr. Malik is scheduled to be sentenced on August 11. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric is prosecuting Thursday’s case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Sestric, Derek Wiseman and Jonathan Clow are prosecuting the 2020 case.


title: Oregon man found guilty of assaulting a Yellowstone National Park employee in a construction zone

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: David Tyler Regnier, 67, of Bend, Oregon, was convicted by a federal jury on May 21 for assaulting a federal employee with a dangerous weapon. The trial lasted three days and was held before U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on September 18, 2024, two Yellowstone National Park employees were directing traffic near Canyon Junction where road construction was underway. They noticed a jeep approaching the intersection and driving the wrong way down the road to bypass waiting traffic. Mr. Regnier was driving the jeep. He expressed his displeasure at how traffic was being directed through the construction zone. One employee told Regnier that he could not proceed and needed to back up. The other employee stood in the way of the jeep with a stop sign. Regnier accelerated, driving into the employee and physically pushing him backwards. The employee jumped out of the Jeep’s path after it struck him. Regnier was later stopped by Yellowstone National Park Service law enforcement officers and arrested. Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie I. Sprecher said, “Our office will take a strong stance against the frequent acts of violence directed at public servants who are merely doing their jobs to protect the community.” Sentencing has been set for August 7, 2025. Regnier faces up to 20 years in federal prison with three years of supervised release to follow, up to a $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. National Park Service law enforcement officers investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-CR-00174


title: Sheboygan Man Indicted for Child Pornography Production and Possession

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 13, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Nolan M. Pitsch (age: 31) of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on five counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a) & (e) & 2252A (a)(5)(B) &)(b)(2). The indictment alleges that between approximately March 1, 2024, and continuing until at least September 30, 2024, Pitsch knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced multiple minor children to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, knowing and having reason to know that such visual depiction was and would be produced and transmitted using materials that have been mailed, shipped, and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce by any means, including by computer. The indictment also alleges that on September 26, 2024, Pitsch knowingly possessed images of child pornography, including images of minors who were under the age of twelve years old. If convicted of any of the production charges, Pitsch faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment. If convicted of the possession charge, Pitsch faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment. He also faces up to a $250,000 fine on all of the counts. 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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ 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.projectsafechildhood.gov . This case was investigated by multiply offices of the DHS’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) offices in Albany, NY, and HSI Milwaukee, HSI Chicago and Indianapolis offices, as well as the Sheboygan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan J. Paulson and Trial Attorney William Clayman from the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Bank Robbery

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to rob a local bank. Cleburn Bruce Greene, 50, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes today to one count of attempted bank robbery. Greene has been detained in federal custody since his arrest. According to reports of bank employees and surveillance videos, on October 1 st , 2024, Greene entered the bank at approximately 10:08 a.m. and went to the customer service counter where he wrote on a piece of paper. Greene then approached a teller and showed the note that read: “Give me your money.” The teller asked Greene if the male had an account at the bank and Greene stated: “No. this is a robbery.” Greene further stated: “Don’t play with me” and “don’t make me do something crazy,” or words to that effect. While the teller was typing on his computer to get access to emergency cash, Greene exited the bank and threw the note in a dumpster adjacent to the bank. Investigators later recovered the note. Surveillance video footage captured Greene fleeing the scene in a nearby Kia Sportage vehicle. At approximately 3:30 p.m., Kansas City, Missouri Police Department Officers observed Greene in a restaurant parking lot in Kanas City, Missouri. Greene was wearing the same clothing he had on during the attempted bank robbery. Greene drove to a Gas Station where officers arrested him without further incident. Under federal statutes, Greene is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Owner of O.C. Staffing Companies Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison  for Tax Crimes, Admits to Cheating IRS Out of Nearly $60 Million

body_text: RIVERSIDE, California – The owner of Orange County-based temporary staffing companies was sentenced today to 96 months in federal prison for willfully evading the payment of nearly $30 million in taxes, penalties and interest, assessed against him to the IRS as well as causing a false tax return to be filed with the IRS as part of defendant’s efforts to conceal nearly $30 million in additional tax liabilities incurred by his staffing companies. Luis E. Perez, 56, who has maintained residences in Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda, and Dove Canyon, was sentenced by United States District Judge Kenly Kiya Kato, who also ordered him to pay $38,052,767 in restitution. At today’s hearing, Judge Kato emphasized the “astonishing” period of time defendant engaged in his criminal conduct and the “staggering” amount of money he caused in loss to the government. Perez pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of tax evasion and one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. According to his plea agreement, Perez’s companies – which include Checkmates Staffing Inc.; Staffaide Inc.; BaronHR, LLC; BaronHR West Inc.; and Fortress Holding Group LLC – were required to withhold taxes from employee wages and to pay the withheld amounts to the IRS on a periodic basis. These withheld taxes, sometimes known as “trust fund taxes,” include income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare. From May 2009 to January 2017, Perez’s companies failed to pay the IRS the payroll taxes for the tax years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010, including trust fund taxes that Perez’s companies withheld from employees’ paychecks. Beginning in June 2007, the IRS attempted to collect Perez’s outstanding tax liability, including penalties and interest. By February 2017, the outstanding balance had grown to $29,593,378, which included the unpaid taxes, interest and the “Trust Fund Recovery Penalty.” Perez attempted to thwart the IRS’s collection efforts by purchasing luxury items from his business bank accounts – including numerous cars and a boat – and concealing his ownership by placing the titles of these items in the names of his businesses and other individuals. Those luxury items included a Ferrari 360 Spider F, a Rolls Royce Phantom, a Duffy D 22 Bay Island boat, a Mercedes-Benz SLS, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and a Lamborghini Aventador. Perez also evaded the IRS’s collection efforts by obtaining a Visa Black credit card in the name of another person (now his wife) to make personal purchases and paid off the credit card using funds from his business bank accounts. As part of his efforts to impede the IRS, Perez lied to IRS revenue officers during interviews and failed to include material information in documents submitted to the IRS. For example, Perez falsely claimed that he received a salary of only $1,000 per week from BaronHR and he did not receive any other funds from the company, when in fact, Perez distributed money to himself from his businesses by making payments to his now wife for his own benefit. While on pretrial release for the abovementioned criminal conduct, Perez engaged in additional criminal tax violations. From October 2018 to August 2019, Perez willfully aided and assisted in the preparation of false tax returns that substantially understated the wages paid to the employees of Anaheim-based temporary staffing company BaronHR West from January 2018 through June 2019. Specifically, Perez admitted in his plea agreement that he caused BaronHR West to underreport employee wages and other compensation paid by the company by approximately $130,879,521, which resulted in the company’s failure to pay approximately $29,633,516 in federal employment taxes. Perez has been in federal custody since August 2024, when a federal magistrate judge revoked his bond after a two-day evidentiary hearing finding probable cause to believe that Perez had violated the terms of his pretrial release by committing still more criminal tax violations between 2021 and 2023. In a motion to revoke Perez’s bond filed with the court in August 2024, the government alleged that Perez had willfully caused his staffing companies to fail to pay over $25 million in federal payroll taxes (including over $13 million in federal trust fund taxes withheld from employee wages) since March 2021. “[Perez] is a prolific employment tax cheat who engaged in a decades long pattern of willful non-payment, false statements, and outright evasion,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Perez] has been unrepentant and unwavering in his violations of the internal revenue laws; he continued his pattern of tax fraud despite extensive efforts to halt his behavior.” IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Brett A. Sagel of the Orange County Office, James C. Hughes of the Major Frauds Section, and Robert A. Kemins of the Department of Justice Tax Division prosecuted this case.


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 121 Months for Carjacking a Woman at Gunpoint

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kavon Coleman, 23, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to ten years and one month in prison and five supervised release by United States District Court Judge Juan R. Sánchez for carjacking, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence, and aiding and abetting. On December 7, 2023, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania indicted Kavon Coleman on one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting, as well as one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. These charges arose from the defendant and an accomplice committing a gunpoint carjacking of a woman sitting in her car in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 17, 2022. The victim was waiting for a food order at 3300 Fairmont Avenue around 5 p.m., when Coleman and his accomplice approached with guns. Coleman’s accomplice pointed his gun at the victim and demanded her keys, while Coleman got into her driver’s seat. The two men drove her car away. The next day, Coleman and others engaged police in a high-speed chase in a different carjacked vehicle and crashed into another driver during their flight. Police ultimately located a gun discarded by Coleman with no serial number, known as a ghost gun, along with other evidence. On July 9, 2024, the defendant pleaded guilty to the Indictment after jurors had been selected for trial. This case was investigated by the joint Carjacking Task Force comprised of the FBI, ATF, and the Philadelphia Police Department. The Carjacking Task Force was launched in January of 2022 to combat the rise of violent carjackings in and around Philadelphia. The case was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Shulman and Joseph LaBar.


title: Deltona Man Sentenced To 57 Months In Federal Prison For Possessing Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger has sentenced Juan Santiago (36, Deltona) to 57 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material. Santiago entered a guilty plea on December 19, 2024. According to court documents, between August and December of 2022, Santiago purchased child sexual abuse material on multiple occasions from an individual that he communicated with via the messaging application Telegram. Santiago’s cell phone contained over 80 files of child sexual abuse material, including images depicting prepubescent children, toddlers, and infants. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu. 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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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: Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 148 Months in Federal Prison for Involvement in Armed Robberies of U.S. Postal Carriers

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 22, 2025, Huria H. Abu (age 22) was sentenced to 148 months in federal prison for his role in multiple armed robberies of U.S. postal carriers that occurred between October 2022 and March 2023 in Milwaukee. After completing his prison sentence, Abu will also spend five years on supervised release. According to court records, Abu and his co-defendants (who named themselves the “Scamily”) robbed U.S. postal carriers at gunpoint for the postal carriers’ arrow keys, which were then used to steal U.S. mail from mail receptacles. The following co-defendants have also been sentenced in relation to their individual roles in this case: • Jessie L. Cook (21): 94 months’ prison, followed by four years of supervised release (sentenced August 9, 2024); • Abdi A. Abdi (24): 96 months’ prison, followed by three years of supervised release (sentenced April 14, 2024); • Darrion M. Allison (24): 72 months’ prison, followed by five years of supervised release (sentenced November 8, 2024); • Abdi I. Baba (27): 120 months’ prison, followed by three years of supervised release (sentenced July 24, 2024) This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crimes Task Force and the Milwaukee Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Abbey M. Marzick and Bill T. Berens. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: St. Louis Felon Admits Being Caught Three Times with Guns

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis felon on Thursday admitted being caught by police three times with a gun. Damon L. Foster, 41, pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on Jan. 1, 2024, a license plate reader alerted Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers to a stolen Ford F-250 truck. Officers then located the vehicle. After a high-speed chase, Foster crashed into the wall of a skating rink in a park. He ran away, discarding a 9mm pistol with a 33-round capacity. He also had pouch clipped to his chest that contained fentanyl and methamphetamine. On May 15, 2024, Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted Foster on an unregistered motorcycle. He resisted officers but was arrested and police found a 9mm pistol in his pocket. On Sept. 7, 2024, police responding to a call about squatters spotted Foster with a silver .22-caliber revolver. Foster is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Foster’s lawyer have agreed to recommend 70 months in prison. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Hoag is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Wolf Point man pleads guilty to sexual abuse charges

body_text: GREAT FALLS - A Wolf Point man accused of sexually abusing two victims admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Jason Wise Spirit, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse. Wise Spirit faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a $250,000 fine, and five years to a lifetime of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 2, 2025. Wise Spirit was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on November 15, 2023, a victim referred to here as Jane Doe 1 started crying in class. She alleged Wise Spirit had sexually abused her older sister, referred to as Jane Doe 2. The FBI opened an investigation and both Jane Does 1 and 2 were interviewed on November 20, 2023. Jane Doe 1 said Wise Spirit sexually assaulted her more than 20 times on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation when she was between the ages of 6 and 9. She disclosed vaginal, anal, and oral sex while her mom was at work. Jane Doe 1 disclosed that Jane Doe 2 had also been abused. Jane Doe 2 corroborated some of the information from Jane Doe 1’s interview but denied any abuse. Jane Doe 2 was interviewed again on April 10, 2024, and disclosed she was afraid of Wise Spirit because he said he would kill her if she told anyone about the abuse. Jane Doe 2 described being forced to have anal and oral sex with Wise Spirit at their residence and in a car in a Walmart parking lot in Williston while their mom was at work. Wise Spirit was interviewed and made partial admissions. He said both Jane Does 1 and 2 touched his penis at different times. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation. 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 https://www.justice.gov/psn . XXX