body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Federal charges have been filed against Jamison Wagner , an Albuquerque resident, in connection with recent arson attacks targeting the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom and the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM) headquarters. Investigators linked Wagner to both incidents through surveillance footage and scene evidence. “Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.” “Hurling firebombs is not political protest,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “It is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent. The impressive work by law enforcement in New Mexico sends a clear message to perpetrators of all of the shameful attacks on Tesla facilities and political establishments: we are coming for you, you can’t hide, and you will do serious jail time to pay for your crimes.” According to court documents, in the early morning hours of February 9, 2025, the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom was targeted in an arson attack. Two Tesla vehicles were involved in the fire, one of which was significantly damaged. Damaged Tesla. An intact glass container containing an improvised napalm material was found in the second vehicle. Investigators noted a hand-written capital “I” or “H” letter on the top of the green metal lid. Class container and lid inside Tesla. Graffiti was spray-painted in red and black paint on the building and six other vehicles, including the phrases “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc,” and “Die Tesla Nazi” along with swastika symbols. Graffiti at a Tesla dealership. Surveillance video captured the suspect on scene, and he was observed as a tall, light-skinned individual, possibly over 6 feet tall, wearing black clothing and a mask and carrying a white box. Suspect carrying a white box. The following month, in the early morning hours of March 30, 2025, a second arson attack occurred, this time at the RPNM office. The fire significantly damaged the front door and entry area. At the scene, investigators collected shattered glass and metal lids from what appeared to be two to three separate glass containers. Two of the lids bore a handwritten capital “I” or “H,” similar in appearance to the letter found on the lid of the glass container at the Tesla scene. Fire damage at Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters building. Fire debris with lid. Graffiti with the phrase “ICE=KKK” was found on the south wall of the building. Graffiti at Republican Party of New Mexico headquarters building. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from nearby businesses and identified a white sedan parking on the north side of the RPNM office building before the fire. A single individual exited the vehicle, approached the RPNM headquarters, and a flash of light was recorded. The individual then returned to the vehicle and drove away. The vehicle was captured on nearby surveillance as it left the RPNM scene. After review of the available surveillance, law enforcement preliminarily identified the suspect vehicle as a white Hyundai Accent between the years 2012 and 2015. Suspect vehicle leaving the RPNM scene. Investigators determined that both arsons involved the use of homemade incendiary devices utilizing glass containers and flammable liquids. Based on subsequent investigation, investigators identified Wagner, 40, as a significant person of interest for both crime scenes. Among other links, Wagner ’s physical description matches that of the suspect in the available surveillance footage from both incidents and investigators determined that Wagner owns a white 2015 Hyundai Accent. Wagner Facebook photo. Tesla arson suspect. Wagner’s driver’s license. On April 12, 2025, agents from the FBI and ATF executed a search warrant at Wagner ’s residence in Albuquerque without incident. Inside, investigators uncovered substantial evidence linking him to both arson attacks including: A white cardboard box containing eight assembled suspected incendiary devices. Blue Styrofoam egg cartons consistent with the polystyrene material found in the improvised napalm used in the Tesla fire. Materials for manufacturing additional incendiary devices and ignitable liquids consistent with the gasoline used at both fire scenes. A jar with a green gingham-style lid similar to one found at the RPNM fire scene, along with several jars marked with handwritten capital letters “I” or “H,” similar to markings seen on lids recovered from both arson sites. Black and red spray paint matching the graffiti used at both crime scenes. A stencil bearing the phrase “ICE=KKK” consistent with graffiti found at the RPNM fire scene. Stencil found inside Wagner’s residence. Wagner ’s white Hyundai Accent was found in his garage during the search. Investigators noted modifications consistent with efforts to avoid identification during the commission of the crimes. “The charges today demonstrate that there is no place in our society for politically or ideologically motivated acts of violence and extremism,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin. “We are grateful for the tireless and exceptional work of our law enforcement partners to identify the alleged perpetrator of these unacceptable criminal acts and commit to prosecuting this case to the fullest extent of the law.” “The work of our ATF Special Agents and Certified Fire Investigators in this case was nothing short of spectacular,” said Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Working tireless hours with our federal partners, we were able to collect vital evidence about the suspects who set fire to the Tesla dealership and the New Mexico Republican Party Headquarters. Our Forensic Science Lab was instrumental in processing evidence immediately and relaying the results back to the investigating agents after processing. These cases are another example of ATF’s fight against violent crime and our steadfast commitment to justice.” "This arrest sends a clear message: those who terrorize our community through acts of arson will not escape justice," said Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. "This affirms our commitment to holding criminals accountable, and we will continue to work with our state, local and federal partners to keep our communities safe." Wagner is charged with two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing which is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, 2025. If convicted of the current charges, Wagner faces between five and twenty years in prison as to each count. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin, Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office jointly investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and the New Mexico Department of Justice. Numerous additional agencies responded to the arson scenes or otherwise provided valuable assistance including the Santa Ana Pueblo Police Department, the Sandoval County Fire Department, the New Mexico State Fire Marshals Office, Albuquerque Fire Rescue, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Nicholas Mote are prosecuting the case. complaint_jamison_wagner.pdf A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Brazilian National Indicted for Selling 12 Firearms

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Brazilian national, living in Massachusetts, was indicted on April 10th by a federal grand jury in Boston for firearm offenses. Lucas Ferreira-Da Silva, 27, was indicted on one count of dealing firearms without a license. Ferreira-DaSilva was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Nov. 7, 2024. According to the charging documents, between September and November 2024, Ferreira-Da Silva sold 12 firearms and ammunition across six different dates and offered others for sale. The sold firearms included rifles, shotguns and pistols. Four of these firearms had obliterated serial numbers. The charge of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will also be 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. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, Malden, Chelsea and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Crowley and John Reynolds, of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are 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: Felon Sentenced After Robbing Bank and Taking a Rideshare Home

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced today for Bank Robbery and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle sentenced Markell Demond Stanley, 29, to 120 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. According to court documents, a “hold up” alarm was triggered at a bank in Tulsa in April 2024. Responding, Tulsa Police officers spoke with several witnesses who provided a description of the armed suspect, later identified as Stanley. Nearby surveillance captured Stanley casing the area before the robbery and fleeing the area in the back of a vehicle. FLOCK cameras helped Tulsa Police narrow down the owner of the vehicle. When officers spoke with the owner, they explained that they were a rideshare driver. The owner described being approached by Stanley on foot and paid a cash tip for a ride to an apartment. After Stanley was arrested, he admitted to robbing the bank. Stanley told officers that he had financial issues and was sorry for robbing the bank. He also stated that he would apologize to the bank employee if given the opportunity. During the search of Stanley’s home, officers found the firearm and clothing worn during the robbery. In the plea agreement, Stanley admitted to knowing he was a felon and that he was not authorized by law to possess a firearm and ammunition. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Flynn and John Brasher prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Ashland City Doctor Sentenced to 3 Years for Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: NASHVILLE – Dr. John R. Manning, 64, of Ashland City, Tennessee, was sentenced last week to three years in federal prison for his participation in a health care fraud conspiracy, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee Manning, a licensed medical doctor, was indicted in July 2022, with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and eight counts of health care fraud. In August 2023, Manning pled guilty to the conspiracy count. As part of his guilty plea, Manning admitted to allegations in the indictment, including that he worked for multiple “telemedicine” companies and signed doctor orders or prescriptions for durable medical equipment (DME), topical creams, and cancer genetic tests (CGx) based on only a brief conversation with a patient, or often no conversation at all. Manning signed those orders and prescriptions in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes. From approximately June 2016 through April 2019, Manning signed orders and prescriptions that caused the submission of at least $41,083,490.62 in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, and Medicare paid over $19 million of those claims. Manning accepted the payment of kickbacks in connection with these orders and prescriptions totaling over $812,000. “This doctor ignored his oath to help people and bilked the taxpayers out of almost $20 million,” said Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney, “now he faces accountability for his actions and the taxpayers get some justice for being taken advantage of.” “Health care providers that participate in the federal health care system are required to obey the laws and regulations meant to protect the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid program,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and hold providers accountable when they do not follow the law.” “Health care fraud is a crime that hurts all of us and drives up health care costs,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Nashville Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The FBI is committed to fighting fraud and protecting taxpayer dollars, and with our law enforcement partners we will continue to identify, investigate and bring to justice the criminals who, driven by greed, manipulate the system for personal benefit.” As part of the sentence, Manning was ordered to pay $19,780,565.44 in restitution to the Medicare program. Manning was also ordered to pay criminal forfeiture in the form of a money judgment totaling $812,303.41. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services-Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office, with the assistance of the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Levine and Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: Shiprock Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing Two Children Over Six-Year Period

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison for sexually abusing two children under 12 years old in separate incidents spanning 2014 and 2020. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, Roderick Bitsilly , 61, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, admitted to engaging in unlawful sexual contact with Jane Doe 1, a child under 12 years old, between February and August 2014. Bitsilly also pleaded guilty to similar charges involving Jane Doe 2, also under 12, between September 2019 and September 2020. Upon his release, Bitsilly will be subject to 15 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC.


title: A Nageezi Man Pleaded Guilty to Sexual Abuse

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Nageezi man pleaded guilty to federal sexual abuse charges after he engaged in non-consensual sexual acts with the victim. According to court records, between January 1, 2024, and April 30, 2024, Patrick Wayne Platero , 47, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engaged in a sexual act with Jane Doe without her consent. At sentencing, Platero faces up to life in prison followed by up not less than five years and up to life of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC. View the Plea Agreement (Platero).pdf


title: Inmate Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy While Serving Time for Prior Drug Cases

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

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A man serving twenty years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for several prior drug offenses was sentenced today for federal Drug Conspiracy charges, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Shane Eugene Miller , 39, to 252 months followed by five years of supervised release. “Miller ran an extensive drug conspiracy from prison with the aid of contraband cell phones and other co-conspirators,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The use of a contraband cellphone by prisoners cannot be tolerated. The actions of Miller threatened our communities with dangerous narcotics. My office, in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, will continue to prosecute individuals who deal drugs, whether they are in prison or out.” “This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to ensuring those who pollute our communities with dangerous drugs are brought to justice,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “We will continue to work side by side with our law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal enterprises, regardless of where they operate.” Miller conspired with others to operate a drug conspiracy while in custody at the Department of Corrections. Court documents show that Miller used contraband cellphones to communicate about the drug distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Miller further directed others to negotiate with buyers and collect payments. Brenda Raelene Blakeley , 65, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced in March 2025 for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Judge Hill ordered Blakeley to 235 months imprisonment, followed by five years supervised release. Blakely was stopped by law enforcement in 2023. Officers found methamphetamine concealed in the vehicle. Cierra Michelle Warner , 32, of Ponca City, was sentenced in March 2025 for Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony. Judge Hill ordered Warner to 24 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release. Warner helped communicate with co-conspirators to coordinate the distribution of fentanyl. Johnathan Allen Perryman , 43, pleaded guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl and is awaiting sentencing. Miller will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Bailey, Attila Bogdan, and Joel-lyn McCormick prosecuted the case. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Elliot County Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Attempted Production of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: ASHLAND, Ky. – A Sandy Hook, Ky., man, Matthew Nelson, 52, was sentenced on Monday, to 35 years in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for attempted production of child pornography and for committing a felony offense involving a minor as a registered sex offender. According to his plea agreement, in November 2023, law enforcement received information that Nelson, a registered sex offender, was engaging in sexual chatting with minor females via the internet and social media platforms. During an interview with law enforcement, Nelson admitted that he drove to one of the minor victim’s homes and provided her with vape products in an effort to get her to engage in sexual activity with him. Nelson also admitted that he attempted to persuade the victim to take sexually explicit images of herself and send them to Nelson via the internet. Nelson was previously convicted in Alaska for sexual abuse of a minor 3 rd degree and was required to register as a sex offender. Under federal law, Nelson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Sheriff Jamie Reihs, Boyd County Sheriff’s Office; and Sheriff Ray Craft, Elliot County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HSI, Boyd County Sheriff’s Office, and Elliot County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 . – END –


title: Tennessee Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

body_text: ASHLAND, Ky. – A Rock Island, Tenn., man, Mark Dillon Mason, 32, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning on Monday to 324 months in prison for production of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, Mason traveled to Morehead, Ky., on three occasions in2022 and engaged in sexual intercourse with a minor victim during each visit. Mason used his cellphone and the victim’s cellphone to record the sexually explicit conduct. Under federal law, Mason must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Derrick Blevins, Morehead Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by HSI, Morehead Police Department, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 . – END –


title: ‘Kilo Weight Dealer’ Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Massachusetts man described in court documents as being a “kilo weight dealer” of cocaine has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Juan Betancourt Sosa, 29, pleaded guilty on October 16, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 70 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervised release. At the time of his guilty plea, Betancourt admitted that he was a source of supply of cocaine to a person who was providing kilograms of cocaine to a Rhode Island-based conspiracy that trafficked crack cocaine and fentanyl. According to information presented to the court, Betancourt supplied at least six kilograms of cocaine to a person who then delivered the drugs to the leader of the conspiracy. At the time of his arrest, two kilos of cocaine were found inside the trunk of a car in which Betancourt was traveling. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey A. Erickson . The matter was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, DEA, and Providence Police Department, with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service and East Providence Police Department. ###


title: Worcester Man Charged for Drug Offense

body_text: WORCESTER – A Worcester man has been charged in federal court in Worcester for drug offenses involving methamphetamine and materials for pressing illicit pills. Tong Tran, 34, was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Tran made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon before Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy. According to the charging documents, on or about Sept. 19, 2024, Tran was allegedly identified shipping a package at a Worcester Post Office. A search of the package allegedly revealed it to contain approximately 2.4 kilograms of orange pills concealed within packaging for a children’s toy. It is alleged that a partial fingerprint on the wrapping materials inside the children’s toy box belongs to Tran. The pills field tested positive for methamphetamine. On April 14, 2025, a search was conducted at Tran’s residence where a pill press, binding agent and additional equipment used to manufacture pills, including pill dyes were located. The search also resulted in the seizure of 3.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately $8,000 in cash. The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Auburn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced For Reentering the United States

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Honduran national was sentenced today for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. According to court documents, Tomas Rivera-Melgar, 39, was encountered by agents from United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security while he was working at a construction site. Agents were able to determine that Rivera-Melgar had previously been removed from the United States in 2011 and in 2016. Rivera-Melgar has prior convictions for Illegal Entry, Driving While Intoxicated, and Assault Causing Bodily Injury. At sentencing, Chief Judge Beaverstock imposed a time-served sentence and a 1-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Rivera-Melgar had been in custody since his arrest on February 26, 2025. Upon his release from prison, Rivera-Melgar is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Rivera-Melgar was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Pike County Man Sentenced to 30 Years’ Imprisonment for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

component: Department of Justice

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Anthony Westemeyer, 37, of Nebo, Illinois, was sentenced on April 9, 2025, to 30 years’ imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a child. The term of imprisonment is to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release. At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Westemeyer created a coercive environment of physical and emotional abuse. He forced the minor victim, through threats of violence, into engaging in sexual acts while he filmed the victim. Westemeyer provided compensation to other men, including two co-defendants, in exchange for their participation in sexual acts with the minor victim; some of these men knew they were being filmed and others did not. Westemeyer became verbally and physically abusive if the minor victim was not successful in filming the videos – even if it was one of the men who ended the contact. The government also presented evidence at sentencing that Westemeyer provided methamphetamine to others to entice them to or compensate them for engaging in sexual activity with the minor victim. He also provided methamphetamine to the minor victim. Also at the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless found that multiple sentencing enhancements applied including one based on Westemeyer’s role as the leader of the offense and another based on the fact that the minor victim was in Westemeyer’s custody, care or supervisory control. Judge Lawless also referred to the “level of cruelty and abuse” to which the victim was subjected and noted the “heinous nature” of the crime. “This case highlights that many children are victimized by someone known to them,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Seberger. “I applaud the victim’s resilience and courage throughout this prosecution. We are also grateful for our partnerships with state and local law, enforcement, which led to this outcome. It was a team effort.” “Children should never be subjected to the depraved behavior demonstrated by this defendant,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “Thanks to the outstanding teamwork and tireless effort by HSI special agents and our law enforcement partners, this child predator has been removed from the community and put in federal prison for a 30-year sentence.” The defendant pleaded guilty in July 2024. He has been detained since his arrest. The statutory penalties for a count of sexual exploitation of a child are 15 to 30 years’ imprisonment, up to a life term of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and various special assessments. Agencies participating in the investigation include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; the Illinois Attorney General’s Office; the Pike County Sheriff’s Office; and the Pike County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Seberger and Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution. This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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.


title: Man Sentenced To More Than 10 Years In Prison For Kidnapping Elderly Victim

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jordan Nathaniel Hedden, 32, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for the 2023 kidnapping of an elderly victim, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Hedden’s co-conspirator, Stephanie Miranda Neace, 32, of Blairsville, Georgia, is currently awaiting sentencing, after a federal jury last week convicted her of kidnapping. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to filed documents, court proceedings, and trial evidence presented at Neace’s trial, on November 30, 2023, the victim, a 71-year-old female, was driving from Georgia to North Carolina, when she saw the defendants walking. The victim offered the defendants a ride because it was cold outside. The defendants accepted the ride, and soon after they entered North Carolina, Hedden instructed the victim to drive to his car. When they arrived at the location, a car was not there. Hedden then ordered the victim to stop the vehicle, and when the victim refused, Hedden forced the victim to stop the car and get in the back seat. Hedden then took over driving. According to court records, the victim began to cry and Hedden yelled at her and told her to shut up. Hedden appeared to be high and agitated and became paranoid that the victim had a tracking device. At one point, Hedden stopped the vehicle, and he and Neace searched the car and the victim herself for tracking devices. Then, they took the victim’s phone and disabled it. Hedden also demanded money from the victim, but the victim only had $2. Fearing for her safety, the victim told the defendants to take her to an ATM and the defendants agreed. During the drive into Tennessee, Hedden made the victim promise that she would not identify them to the police. During the drive to the ATM, the victim convinced Hedden to let her withdraw money from a gas station ATM instead of a bank. The victim also told Hedden that she would give the defendants the money if they let her stay behind safely at the gas station. When they arrived at the gas station, the victim took her purse and her car key fob. She told Hedden to turn off the car so the headlights could not be seen from the people inside the gas station, and Hedden complied. As the victim and Hedden were walking toward the gas station, the victim began to run to the door and scream for help. Hedden ran back to the car, attempted to use it to flee but was unable to start the car without the key fob. Hedden and Neace then fled on foot and escaped into the woods but were apprehended days later. On November 13, 2024, Hedden pleaded guilty to kidnapping and aiding and abetting. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Gast and Alexis Solheim of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl Resulting in Overdose Death

body_text: ASHLAND, Ky. – A Columbus, Ohio, man, Angelo Dre Clifton, 31, was sentenced on Monday, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 25 years in prison, for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in an overdose death. According to Clifton’s plea agreement, on June 9, 2019, law enforcement responded to reports of an unresponsive victim in Boyd County, Ky. When law enforcement arrived, the victim was pronounced dead; her cause was death was later determined to be a fentanyl overdose. Law enforcement searched the victim’s phone and found messages between the victim and Clifton discussing the purchase of controlled substances. When Clifton learned of the victim’s death, he admitted to a friend via video message that the victim had overdosed on “[his] dope.” In his plea agreement, Clifton also admitted that from May 2019 through June 2019, he routinely offered to distribute and distributed heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine to others in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Under federal law, Clifton must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for six years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Jamie Reihs, Boyd County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by DEA and Boyd County Sheriff’s Office. – END –


title: Two Kilos of Cocaine Seized, Providence Man Detained on a Federal Drug Charge

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A joint federal, state, and local law enforcement drug trafficking investigation has resulted in the seizure of two kilos of cocaine and the arrest and detention of a Providence man, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Eluid Rosa-Escudero, 35, is detained in federal custody charged by way of a criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. It is alleged in charging documents that a three-month, multi-agency investigation into Rosa-Escudero’s drug trafficking activities culminated on April 10, 2025, with the execution of a court-authorized search of his Providence residence and the seizure of two kilograms of cocaine, $10,000 in cash, and other items associated with the trafficking of narcotics. As reflected in court documents, law enforcement surveilled the retrieval of a package delivered by the U.S. Postal Service to the front porch of a Providence residence. The package was retrieved by a person who arrived by car and allegedly then drove to a nearby gas station where he met with Rosa-Escudero, who was in a separate vehicle parked at a gas pump. As the two vehicles pulled away, the defendant was followed by a law enforcement surveillance team to his residence. East Providence Police effected an investigative stop of the car driven by the person who allegedly retrieved the package from the porch of the residence, who they then identified as being 15 years old. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine D. Lowell, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton. The matter is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service Contraband Interdiction and Investigations Task Force, with the assistance of the Providence Police Department, the Pawtucket Police Department, and the Rhode Island State Police. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Two Cedar Rapids Men Plead Guilty  to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: In recent days, two men who conspired to distribute controlled substances pled guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Isaiah Pirtle, also known as “Pudge,” age 33, from Cedar Rapids was convicted today of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Daxxton Cook, age 36, from Cedar Rapids was convicted on April 10, 2025, of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. In a plea agreement, Cook admitted that he agreed with other people to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. On February 7, 2024, in Cedar Rapids, Cook sold someone 16 fentanyl pills. On February 8, 2024, in Cedar Rapids, Cook sold someone 1.93 grams of cocaine and 5.37 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl. On May 28, 2024, in Cedar Rapids, Cook sold someone 12.55 grams of cocaine and 20.75 grams of fentanyl. Cook was previously convicted of a felony drug offense. In a plea agreement, Pirtle admitted that he agreed with other people to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, as well as a detectable amount of cocaine. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center. 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 . Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Pirtle and Cook remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Pirtle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. Cook faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-4. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Monrovia Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley man was sentenced today to 360 months in federal prison for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting himself sexually abusing a toddler. David Lisandro Perez Figueroa, 23, of Monrovia, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered Perez Figueroa to pay $2,799 in restitution and placed him on lifetime supervised release. Perez Figueroa pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. From an unknown date until December 2023, Perez Figueroa recorded his sexual abuse of a 2-year-old child for the purpose of making a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct. In July 2023, Perez Figueroa distributed the CSAM via the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in an account linked to Perez Figueroa. British law enforcement investigating a target in the United Kingdom discovered the X chat logs with CSAM and, soon after, notified federal law enforcement in the United States, according to court documents. Based on this information, federal agents executed a search warrant at Perez Figueroa’s residence on December 5, 2023 and arrested him. Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jenna W. Long of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, Mirelle N. Raza of the General Crimes Section, Amy E. Pomerantz of the Criminal Appeals Section, and Sarah E. Spielberger of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section prosecuted this case.


title: North Andover Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Possessing Over 30 Firearms and Explosives as a Convicted Felon

body_text: BOSTON – A North Andover, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing over 30 firearms and explosives as a convicted felon. Daniel Medina, 65, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 63 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In December 2024, Medina pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a machine gun, unlawful possession of explosive materials and felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Sentencing is scheduled for April 3, 2025. In October 2024, Medina was charged by criminal complaint. On July 1, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to the area of Medina’s North Andover residence after receiving a report of an explosion. Upon arrival, damage to two vehicles was observed as well as a piece of mail addressed to Medina beneath the damaged rear passenger door of one vehicle. The damage to the vehicles and materials left behind were consistent with common items used in manufacturing homemade explosive devices, specifically ball bearings or shrapnel. Witnesses observed Medina running from the damaged vehicles toward his residence following the explosion. During a search of Medina’s residence, the following items were seized: more than 32 firearms, including 12 rifles, 15 pistols, three shotguns and two antique firearms; 9,000 rounds of various calibers of modern ammunition manufactured outside of Massachusetts; 75 magazines for various caliber firearms; various firearm parts; a Glock switch device; books pertaining to the building of firearms and manufacturing of explosives and drugs; shrapnel accessories such as BB’s and ball bearings; multiple firework containers; and various containers of powders produced and shipped in interstate commerce. Potassium chlorate and aluminum powder – the same flash powder found in the suspected explosive material used in the explosion – were found in the containers. Medina is prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition and explosive material due to a 2002 state conviction of assault and battery in Lawrence District Court, for which he was sentenced to two and a half years in jail. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the North Andover Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Waterbury Gang Member Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: JUSTIN CABRERA, also known as “J.U.,” 26, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 204 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses stemming from his participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang. Today’s announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo. According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Cabrera and 15 other alleged 960 gang members with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses. On October 31, 2017, four 960 members used a stolen car to carry out a drive-by shooting of members of ATM, a rival gang, at the corner of Bank Street and Porter Street in Waterbury. An ATM member was shot and wounded in the attack. Cabrera drove a second vehicle, or “trail car,” used in the shooting, conducted surveillance of ATM members prior to the shooting, and picked up the shooters after the event. Cabrera has been detained since September 16, 2021. On September 16, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo, who were cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn . OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Winter Haven Man Indicted For Narcotics And Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Dontavious Grant (31, Winter Haven) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted on all counts, Grant faces a minimum penalty of five years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Grant that the United States intends to forfeit a Glock firearm used in the commission of the offense. According to the indictment, on September 18, 2024, Grant possessed a Glock firearm knowing he had been convicted of multiple felonies, including robbery, attempted manslaughter, armed false imprisonment, attempted robbery, and a prior conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, Grant is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. On the same day, Grant also possessed marijuana with the intent to distribute it and his possession of the Glock firearm was in furtherance of that offense. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Essex County Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Stealing Federal Benefits Meant for Missing Girlfriend’s Disabled Son and Violating Supervised Release

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 38 months in prison for stealing federal benefits meant for the disabled child of his former girlfriend shortly after she went missing, and for an additional 8 months in prison for violating supervised release, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Asmar Earp, 37, of Newark, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to three counts of an Indictment charging him with two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Earp was in a romantic relationship and shared a house in Newark, New Jersey with V.W. Through a program administered by Social Security Administration, V.W. received monthly payments on behalf of Victim-1, her disabled minor son, who was not capable of managing these benefits on his own. On December 24, 2017, V.W. went missing and her whereabouts remain unknown. Six days after V.W.’s disappearance, Earp fraudulently gained control of Victim-1’s benefits by changing the PIN code on the debit card used to access those funds. In March and April 2018, Earp also fraudulently used V.W.’s name, date of birth, and social security number to receive a replacement debit card to continue accessing and using Victim-1’s benefits. Overall, from December 2017 through February 2020, Earp and others acting at his direction repeatedly and fraudulently took the money intended to help Victim-1 and used it on themselves. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Amy Connelly, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the leadership of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, with the investigation that led to the sentencing in this case. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Rosenblum of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Timothy Donahue, Assistant Federal Public Defender


title: Honduran National Sentenced To Sixteen Months In Federal Prison For Illegal Reentry

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Edwin Analfi Mejia (39), a Honduran national, to 16 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. Mejia pleaded guilty on January 14, 2025. According to court documents, Mejia is a native and citizen of Honduras. He has been removed from the United States on three occasions: on September 22, 2006, on February 21, 2014, and April 21, 2014. Mejia then voluntarily reentered the United States without permission. Federal law enforcement found Mejia when the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested him for contempt of court and burglary with assault. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.


title: Federal Judge Sentences Cherokee Man To 30 Years In Prison For Second Degree Murder In Indian Country

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced Brandon Tyler Buchanan to 30 years in prison for second degree murder, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Buchanan, 33, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term and to pay $888,500 in restitution to the victim’s estate. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Carla Neadeau of the Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to filed court records and court proceedings, on November 11, 2022, CIPD officers responded to a 911 call following reports of a shooting. When the officers arrived, Buchanan admitted to shooting someone. CIPD officers discovered the body of the victim, Kobe Toineeta, a short distance away behind a row of trees, who had sustained five gunshot wounds. Court documents show that a Smith & Wesson, Model M&P, .9mm handgun was later found in Buchanan’s apartment. Laboratory testing confirmed that it was the firearm Buchanan used to shoot and kill the victim. On May 31, 2024, Buchanan pleaded guilty to second degree murder and remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI and the Cherokee Indian Police Department for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Scott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.


title: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Anthony Broadnax, 61, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to failure to register as a sex offender, after moving from Virginia to West Virginia, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about May 2021 through on or about July 26, 2021, Broadnax resided in Beckley, West Virginia, after relocating from Virginia. Broadnax failed to register in West Virginia or update his registration in Virginia as required by SORNA after his relocation. Broadnax is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his convictions for aggravated sexual battery on August 25, 1990, and rape on February 7, 1991, both in Prince William County, Virginia. Broadnax is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS). United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case. SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:21-cr-226. ###


title: New Hampshire Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sex Abuse Images

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAVID EDDY, 59, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 210 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for child exploitation offenses stemming from his sexual abuse of a young girl. According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2022, Eddy sexually abused a minor girl, who was approximately five years old, and used his cell phone to take photographs of his sexual abuse. Analysis of Eddy’s phone revealed more than 150 child sexual abuse images and videos of the minor victim and other child victims of sexual abuse. Eddy was arrested on related state charges on October 5, 2022. On September 25, 2024, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Eddy has been detained since his arrest. The state charges are pending. This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Simsbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Manchester (N.H.) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anastasia E. King and Nancy V. Gifford. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: Man Who Staged Auto Accidents and Committed Insurance Fraud Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Monday sentenced a man who defrauded insurance companies by staging vehicle accidents and injuries to 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay $107,951 in restitution. From September 2021 to January 2023, Adrian Peebles staged auto accidents, usually at night and in remote areas to minimize his chances of getting caught. Peebles nearly always claimed to have been injured and went to the emergency room complaining of “pain that required expensive tests that never identified any particular injury,” according to his plea agreement. Peebles insisted that the resulting payments from the vehicle insurance companies be made to him rather than the hospital and then did not pay his medical bills. His scheme cost two insurance companies $107,951. Peebles, now 32, pleaded guilty in January to one count of mail fraud. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the case.


title: Companies Pay $1.3 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims Act Violations Concerning Small Business Size Representations

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that Whitcraft LLC and Berkshire Manufactured Products, Inc. (collectively the “Whitcraft Companies”), have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States and have paid $1,317,653.44 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act when the Whitcraft Companies improperly obtained set-aside contracts reserved for small businesses that they were ineligible to receive. Whitcraft LLC, a limited liability company located in Eastford, Connecticut, and Berkshire Manufactured Products, Inc., a corporation located in Newburyport, Massachusetts, machine and fabricate sheet metal aerospace parts and components for commercial and military aviation applications. In April 2017, controlling interests in both companies were acquired by a private equity group. The government contends that, after they were acquired in April 2017, the Whitcraft Companies ceased to qualify as “small business concerns” within the meaning of the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) regulations relating to government contracts due to the Whitcraft Companies’ affiliation through stock ownership with other businesses. Between April 2017 and November 2022, the Whitcraft Companies falsely certified that they were “small business concerns” and, as a result, they were awarded 71 small business set-aside contracts that they were ineligible to receive. Government contractors are required to timely disclose to the government, in writing, whenever they have credible evidence that they have committed a violation of the False Claims Act. On December 23, 2022, in connection with due diligence performed relating to the Whitcraft Companies’ sale to another entity, the Whitcraft Companies voluntarily disclosed to the government facts concerning their potential affiliation with other businesses that the government contends made them ineligible to be awarded contracts set aside for small businesses. The Whitcraft Companies received credit in the settlement for their voluntary disclosure and cooperation with the government during its investigation. This investigation was conducted by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Defense Contract Audit Agency Operations Investigative Support Division, the SBA Office of General Counsel, and DLA Aviation Fraud Counsel. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Gruber.


title: Former Fargo Businessman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Leading a Large-Scale Cocaine Distribution Enterprise

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that Barrett Clair Prody, Age 52 of Fort Lauderdale, FL, appeared in United States District Court today and was sentenced by Chief Judge Peter Welte to serve 190 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for the offenses of Continuing Criminal Enterprise, Money Laundering Conspiracy, and Obstruction of Justice. Prody was also ordered to pay a $300 special assessment fee. As reflected in court documents, for nearly four years, former businessman Barrett Prody led a cocaine distribution enterprise in the Fargo-Moorhead area. In total, Prody’s organization distributed as much as 25 kilograms of cocaine. A financial investigation showed Prody reaped hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds, which he then laundered through ostensibly legitimate business accounts. Prody used drug proceeds to pay for a condominium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to rent an apartment in Medellin, Colombia, and to stash more than $100,000 in an investment account. After his arrest in April 2024, Prody attempted to obstruct justice by directing a third party to transfer his condominium and investment account ownership to avoid forfeiture. “Barrett Prody pushed a substantial amount of cocaine into Fargo and Moorhead, with little concern for the lives impacted and families destroyed by this poisonous product,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei said. “Traffickers like Prody see only personal gain, not individual human lives or the life-altering consequences that can come from drug use.” “Barrett Prody’s greed fueled a yearslong cocaine enterprise that profited off addiction and human suffering,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Kopp. “Today’s sentence ensures accountability for his crimes.” This case is part of Operation Winter Weather, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation targeting cocaine trafficking in North Dakota. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Internal Revenue Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Cass County Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of North Dakota, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Kopp and Christopher C. Myers. # # #


title: KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearms Trafficking

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, MO man pled guilty in federal court today to conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to illegally trafficking firearms, to include a handgun that was converted into a machinegun. Antonio Manning, 23, pled guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to the aforementioned charges. By pleading guilty today, Antonio Manning admitted that he knowingly and willfully joined in an agreement to sell firearms to individuals who were prohibited from possessing them under federal law. According to the plea agreement, the defendants trafficked at least 22 firearms to persons who were known felons or they sold firearms that were converted into unregistered machineguns in violation of federal law. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Antonio Manning admitted that he was personally involved in illegally selling at least nine firearms and one of those firearms was an unregistered machinegun. On Jan. 22, 2025, co-defendant Sheron Manning, the brother of Antonio Manning, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun. On April 07, 2025, co-defendant Michael Dewayne Hardy pled guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun. Under federal statutes, Antonio Manning is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based upon 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 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: Jury Convicts Home Health Agency Executive of Fixing Wages and Fraudulently Concealing Criminal Investigation

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a Nevada man today for participating in a three-year conspiracy to fix the wages for home healthcare nurses in Las Vegas and for fraudulently failing to disclose the criminal antitrust investigation during the sale of his home healthcare staffing company. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Eduardo “Eddie” Lopez of Las Vegas, Nevada conspired to artificially cap the wages of home healthcare nurses in the Las Vegas area between March 2016 and May 2019. The three-year conspiracy affected the wages of hundreds of Las Vegas registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who provide care to patients in their homes. During the pendency of the government’s investigation, Lopez then sold his home healthcare staffing company for over $10 million while fraudulently concealing the government’s criminal investigation from the buyer. “Wage-fixing agreements are nakedly unlawful attempts at unjustly profiting off American workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail A. Slater of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. “Today’s verdict highlights what should be a clear message with antitrust crimes: the agreement is the crime. The Antitrust Division will zealously prosecute those who seek to unjustly profit off their employees. The nurses here deserved better and, under President Trump’s leadership, they will be protected.” “Hundreds of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses were affected by the defendant’s three-year conspiracy to fix wages,” said U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting executives who seek to line their own pockets.” "The FBI, along with our partners, will not condone fraud schemes that undermine the wages of dedicated nurses and licensed practical nurses," said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. "This guilty verdict serves as an important reminder that illegal activities will face strict consequences. We will remain committed to diligently pursuing individuals who exploit others for personal gain." Lopez was convicted of one count of participating in a wage-fixing conspiracy and five counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14. A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals. A violation of the wire fraud statute carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Senior Litigation Counsel Jeffrey Cramer and Mikal Condon, Assistant Chief Andrew Mast, and Trial Attorneys Paradi Javandel and Conor Bradley, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez are prosecuting the case. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations .


title: Mexican National Sentenced after Smuggling Illegal Aliens into the United States and Encouraging them to Claim Asylum under False Pretenses

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ivan Mauricio Hernandez-Mosqueda, 32, a Mexican national from Penjamo, Guanajuato, Mexico, illegally present in the United States, was sentenced on April 2, 2025, by United States District Judge Krissa M. Lanham to 46 months in prison for Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States. Court documents show that federal agents identified well over 100 individuals who used Hernandez-Mosqueda’s organization to be smuggled illegally into the United States through Arizona. Beginning in early 2023, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered many Mexican nationals who entered the United States illegally and were claiming asylum. A number of the encounters involved family units who stated that Hernandez-Mosqueda was known in their hometown of Penjamo as someone who would guide individuals from Penjamo to Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico. From Sonoyta, the illegal aliens were smuggled into the United States by associates of Hernandez-Mosqueda. These aliens were referred to Hernandez-Mosqueda via Facebook and WhatsApp by individuals who had already been successfully smuggled illegally into the United States through his organization. In addition to coordinating their illegal entry into the United States, Hernandez-Mosqueda coached the illegal aliens on how to claim asylum under false pretenses to gain legal status in the United States. Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol Sector Intelligence Unit conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Stuart Zander and Matthew Doyle, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00820-PHX-KML RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-056_Hernandez-Mosqueda # # # 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: Nicholas County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nathaniel Martin, 50, of Fenwick, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 6, 2021, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle traveling in the Monongahela National Forest in Nicholas County that was blocking a one-lane bridge. Martin was a passenger in the vehicle. The officer located two firearms in the vehicle during the traffic stop. Martin possessed one of the firearms, a Smith & Wesson Model M&P Shield .40-caliber handgun. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Martin knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for two counts of delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance in Nicholas County Circuit Court on June 2, 2009. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Forest Service. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-25. ###


title: Illinois Woman Sentenced for Misprision of Felony

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Mia Armani Williams, 22, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on April 14, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for misprision of a felony. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Williams to two years of probation. There is no parole in the federal system. On October 1, 2022, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper saw two nearly identical black Mercedes SUVs with Illinois plates traveling eastbound on I-80 in Seward County. A traffic stop was made on one SUV which was driven by co-defendant Jennilee Velez. Velez’s passenger was Mia Williams. The other SUV sped away and was later stopped by a Saline County deputy who was working with the Seward County Task Force. That SUV was driven by co-defendant Samantha Francisco, and her sister, co-defendant Julany Rivera, was her passenger. Both SUVs were searched after Williams and Francisco admitted having marijuana. In the SUV driven by Velez, more than 16 pounds of cocaine were found along with 393 oxycodone pills. In the other SUV, more than 24 pounds of cocaine and 66 oxycodone pills were found. Searches of Velez’s and Francisco’s phones showed the four women had traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles, where other persons loaded the drugs into the two SUVs. The four were headed back to Chicago at the time they were stopped. Williams failed to notify law enforcement about Velez’s illegal activities when initially contacted. Jennilee Velez was previously sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release on April 29, 2024. The other co-defendants’ cases remain pending. This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, the Seward County Sheriff’s Department, the Saline County Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Convicted Felon Who Possessed a Firearm and Fled from Police Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: A convicted felon who possessed a handgun and fled from Cedar Rapids police officers was sentenced today to two years in federal prison. Brent Robinson, age 23, from Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 25, 2024, guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, on March 19, 2025, at approximately 2:15 a.m., officers with the Cedar Rapids Police Department attempted to stop a red car that they suspected was involved in a theft earlier that morning. Robinson was driving the red car. Rather than stopping, Robinson drove away at a high rate of speed, reaching 55 mph, ran multiple stop signs, and eventually crashed into a parked car. After the crash, Robinson, who was the lone occupant, got out and ran from officers. Despite repeat commands to stop, Robinson did not do so. An officer eventually tackled Robinson and fell into a ditch, sustaining injuries to his knee. Officers determined that Robinson was intoxicated. Officers also searched the car Robinson had been driving. Officers found items from the earlier theft in the glovebox. They also found a loaded .380 caliber handgun. Robinson later admitted that the gun belonged to a friend, but that Robinson had handled it, and his fingerprints would be on it. At the time he possessed the handgun, Robinson was a convicted felon. He had previously been convicted of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and robbery. In addition to the federal conviction for possessing the handgun, Robinson was convicted in the Iowa District Court for Linn County of first-degree theft in relation to the stolen items found in the glovebox. Robinson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Robinson was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Robinson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-cr-54. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Former Muskogee City Employee Sentenced For Federal Drug Crimes

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that John Paul Cruz Rosado, age 45, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced on April 10, 2025, to 135 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Cocaine, and 135 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine. The two prison terms will be served concurrently. The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, with the assistance of the Zanesville, Ohio Police Department. On July 24, 2024, Cruz Rosado, the former Director/Event Manager for the Muskogee Civic Center, pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to investigators, on November 29, 2023, Cruz Rosado sold approximately ten ounces of cocaine. On December 6, 2023, during the execution of a search warrant at Cruz Rosado’s Muskogee residence, law enforcement seized over nine pounds of cocaine, along with scales, baggies, cash, firearms, and other evidence of drug trafficking. “OBN is grateful to our partners with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for helping secure a significant sentence in this case,” said OBN Director Donnie Anderson. “Cocaine distribution is on the rise across Oklahoma, leading to increased overdoses and deaths in recent years. My agency is committed to stopping those who are profiting while putting Oklahoma lives at risk.” “I commend the work of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics in dismantling Cruz Rosado’s cocaine distribution operations, and taking a drug dealer off the streets,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Cruz Rosado will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.


title: Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Child Pornography Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Walter Tharrington, aka “Black” and “Roaadblock,” 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted this week at trial of sex trafficking and child pornography offenses. Tharrington was charged by indictment in August of 2024, and convicted on Wednesday, April 9, of sex trafficking of a minor, advertising child pornography, and possession of child pornography. As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, in or about the summer of 2023, the defendant asked Minor 1, then 14 years old, to help him make money. In order to do so, Tharrington directed Minor 1 to engage in commercial sex, with the defendant facilitating the commercial sex by soliciting customers through online advertisements. Tharrington used his cellular phone to post explicit content of Minor 1 to accompany the online advertisements. The defendant set the prices for the encounters and instructed Minor 1 on what sexual acts to perform in exchange for money. At the defendant’s direction, Minor 1 engaged in sexual encounters with buyers. The evidence established that Tharrington kept and controlled the profits from the encounters, while providing shelter for Minor 1, who lived at Tharrington’s house during the summer of 2023. Tharrington physically assaulted Minor 1 on multiple occasions. Minor 1’s injuries were observed by another minor female, who corroborated Minor 1’s account and confirmed that the defendant had solicited her to work for him, as well. The defendant will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. “Walter Tharrington made money by sexually exploiting a child, advertising her for sex with strangers,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Putting anyone through that, let alone a vulnerable minor, is unconscionable. Know that my office and the FBI are working every day to put traffickers like this defendant behind bars and ensure some justice for their victims.” “Sex trafficking — especially when it involves a child — is among the most heinous crimes the FBI investigates,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Field Office. “This conviction is a powerful testament to the tireless efforts of the FBI and our dedicated law enforcement partners to protect the most vulnerable among us. It reaffirms our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice for victims and holding predators accountable.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov . This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Amanda McCool.