title: Omak Man Who Shot at a Person on the Colville Reservation  Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that William Luquin Xhurape, 34, of Omak, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to a charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 57 months in prison to be followed 3 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on April 1, 2024, Xhurape, who is a convicted felon and not allowed to possess firearms, pulled out a .22 caliber handgun and fired six shots into the ground outside the front door of a trailer on the Colville Reservation. Xhurape then pointed the firearm at the head of a person inside the trailer and fired two shots. The person quickly moved to avoid the shots. “I am grateful for the excellent partnership between the FBI, Tribal Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office on this case,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney, Rich Barker. When we share information and work together, we can achieve so much in our efforts toward public safety within Eastern Washington’s incredible Native American nations and communities. “As a convicted felon, Mr. Xhurape was well aware of the consequences of possessing a firearm,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “His reckless use of a weapon nearly ended in tragedy, and I am thankful no one was injured. The FBI and our partners continue to strive together towards making our state’s tribal lands a safer place.” This case was investigated by the FBI and the Colville Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Ellis. 2:24-cr-00078-TOR


title: U.S. Attorney's Office And FBI Recommit Efforts To Protect Elder Americans From Fraud And Other Abuse

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – The month of June is World Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada and the FBI Las Vegas Division are reinvigorating its efforts to protect older citizens from fraudulent and other criminal schemes that cost the United States billions of dollars and threaten to victimize over 100,000 elder Americans each year. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protect our seniors from fraudulent schemes targeting their hearts and bank accounts,” said United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI and other partner agencies to investigate and prosecute financial exploitation crimes and bring criminals to justice.” “It is essential that we educate the public, specifically our seniors, about the devastating effects of elder fraud schemes,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafik Mattar for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “These schemes are critical to protecting them and their hard-earned money. The far-reaching consequences of these elaborate schemes can decimate the life savings of elderly individuals. The FBI works with our local and federal partners to ensure that our seniors, their caregivers, families, and friends know the signs to look for to keep Americans safe from falling victim to these deceitful criminals.” Romance Fraud United States v. Aurora Phelps . A 21-count superseding indictment charged Aurora Phelps, who has residences in Las Vegas and Guadalajara, Mexico, for allegedly luring older men she met through online dating services and stealing their monies for her personal benefit. In September 2023, a grand jury indicted Phelps with seven counts of wire fraud; three counts of mail fraud; six counts of bank fraud; three counts of identity theft; one count of kidnapping; and one count of kidnapping resulting in death. Phelps is currently in custody in Mexico. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. National Elder Fraud Hotline If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help older Americans is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage, which can be found at elderjustice.gov . For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov . ###


title: Elmwood Man Indicted for Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – JAEQUAN BAILEY, (“BAILEY”) , age 26, of Elmwood, Louisiana was charged on June 20, 2025, in a three-count indictment, announced Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Counts 1, 2, and 3 charged him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). According to the indictment, BAILEY possessed firearms and ammunition on April 19, 2022, September 26, 2024, and November 26, 2024. BAILEY was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his prior felony conviction. If convicted, BAILEY faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for each of Counts 1, 2, and 3. Additionally, BAILEY is required to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count. Acting United States Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit. * * *


title: Former Foundation IT Manager Charged with Theft and Money Laundering of Nearly $1 Million From Employer

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of wire fraud and money laundering, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The nine-count Indictment named Charles A. Richardson, 45, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, Richardson was employed as an information technology professional with the Pittsburgh-based philanthropic foundation The Heinz Endowments. Between 2016 and 2024, Richardson embezzled almost $1 million in funds from his employer through a shell corporation Richardson controlled and fraudulent invoices that billed the foundation for work not performed or performed by other vendors. The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain associated with the offense, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation resulting in the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Honduran National Indicted For  Illegal Re-Entry of Removed Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that CARLOS RENE MEDINA-AYALA (“MEDINA-AYALA”) , age 48, a native of Honduras, was indicted on June 20, 2025 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to the indictment, on June 2, 2025, MEDINA-AYALA was found to have reentered the United States after being previously deported on or about November 7, 2013. For this offense, MEDINA-AYALA faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Acting United States Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. 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: Williamson County waterfowl hunting club shut down for illegal baiting

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: BENTON, Ill. – A district judge ordered a duck hunting club in Williamson County to shutter its doors for two years after the owner admitted to a federal charge for illegal baiting. Hugh Thomas Burns, Jr., 67, of Carbondale, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act by sale of wildlife in violation of federal law, as the sole owner of Burns Hunting Club, LLC. “Hunting and fishing are cherished traditions in Southern Illinois, and our office stands firmly behind sportsmen and women who enjoy those activities,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “But let’s be real: baiting a duck hunting landscape is like other forms of illegal poaching, which disadvantages honest hunters and violates federal law. The district court’s order to close this club demonstrates a commitment to protecting ethical and legal hunting practices.” According to court documents, the hunting club sold memberships and provided paid guiding services on its property to migratory bird hunters. Burns and co-defendant Michael D. McKinney, 52, of Benton, were among individuals who provided the guiding services over illegally baited hunting fields. “Keeping quality hunting opportunities on the landscape is an essential part of America's heritage that we are proud to uphold. This case is an important win for waterfowl hunters everywhere and puts poachers on notice," said Assistant Director Douglas Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. "Many thanks to our law enforcement counterparts with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge." McKinney admitted to distributing corn kernels to attract migratory birds to the club’s property. The pair conspired together to bring guided hunts to blinds near the baited areas in January 2021. The federal judge ordered Burns and Burns Hunting Club, LLC, to pay at total of $11,000 in fines to the Lacey Act Reward Account through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as a total of $50,000 in restitution to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The federal judge also sentenced Burns to two years of probation and barred him from hunting or providing guiding services for the duration of his probation. “Baiting is a serious violation that undermines the principles of fair chase and can negatively impact wildlife populations. Conservation laws are in place to protect natural resources and ensure that the pursuit of wildlife is conducted ethically and sustainably for future generations to enjoy,” said Jed Whitchurch, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Law Enforcement. “I encourage anyone aware of baiting violations in Illinois to come forward with tips. It’s every individual’s responsibility to understand these laws and abide by them.” The judge sentenced McKinney to two years’ probation and ordered him to pay $5,500 in fines and $5,000 in restitution after he pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act by sale of wildlife in violation of federal law. He is also prohibited from hunting and guiding for two years. The Government seized a Chevrolet 2500 HD truck and a UTV that was used in the conspiracy. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.


title: Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking Violations

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 72 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Eric Gerome Clancy, 38. According to information presented to the Court, on May 15, 2024, following a stop for traffic violations by Mt. Lebanon police and a subsequent search of Clancy’s vehicle, officers discovered nine “bricks” containing a mixture of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and xylazine. Officers also recovered from the vehicle several ounces of crack and powder cocaine, as well as a scale, in addition to finding a large amount of U.S. currency on Clancy. At the time of the offense, Clancy was on federal supervised release following a 90-month sentence in federal prison for a drug trafficking and firearms conviction. Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Mt. Lebanon Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Clancy.


title: New Orleans Man Indicted for Cares Act Fraud and Money Laundering

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that IRVIN C. FRANCOIS, III (“FRANCOIS”) , age 53, of New Orleans, was indicted on June 20, 2025 for making false statements, and money laundering, related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. One of the primary sources of funding for small businesses was the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). According to the charging documents, or about March 24, 2021, FRANCOIS , on behalf of a business that he owned, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain approximately $144,790 for a PPP loan. FRANCOIS then committed money laundering by using these ill-gotten funds to buy an automobile from a dealership in Kenner, Louisiana. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. If found guilty, FRANCOIS faces up to five years in prison for the false statement count and up to ten years in prison for the money laundering count. All of the counts include up to $250,000 in fines, up to three years of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General (a member of the PRAC) and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Man Convicted of Carjacking Resulting in Death

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

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On Friday, June 20, 2025, a federal jury convicted Joseph Payne-Pabón for carjacking resulting in death of an 82-year-old woman on January 7, 2020, in the municipality of San Juan. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on January 7, 2020, Joseph Payne-Pabón, a 34-year-old homeless man, entered the home of Eulalia Combas Sancho during the blackout resulting from the earthquakes, violently killed her and took her Hyundai Sonata. The evidence showed that Mr. Payne Pabón used a cement block to hit the victim in the back of the head causing a fracture to her skull and trauma to her brain that resulted in her death. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 10, 2025, at 10:30 am before United States District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón. “This verdict is a direct result of the tireless efforts and outstanding work of agents and officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and federal prosecutors and professional staff from the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “I commend their exceptional efforts and dedication from the beginning of the investigation of the carjacking and murder of the victim to the guilty verdict at trial.” “This verdict reflects our community’s intolerance for senseless acts of violence, and our commitment to bring violent offenders who endanger innocent persons to justice,” said Gordon Mallory, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ATF Miami Field Division. “In partnership with the US Attorney’s Office in San Juan, the Puerto Rico Police Department, and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, Mr. Payne-Pabón is being held accountable for his violent, and life-altering actions. It is our hope that this conviction can bring some closure to the victim’s family.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeanette M. Collazo-Ortiz and César Rivera-Díaz prosecuted the case. ###


title: Stockton Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ammaad Akhtar, 33, of Stockton, was arrested today and charged by complaint with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, since February 2025, Akhtar has been communicating online with a law enforcement-controlled individual, whom Akhtar believed was a member of ISIS. In these conversations, Akhtar voiced his support for ISIS and jihad, expressed a desire to travel overseas to join and fight with ISIS, and stated a desire to send guns and money to ISIS. In April 2025, during this investigation, Akhtar demonstrated a desire to provide support of ISIS and did so by providing financial funding on multiple occasions. After a few payments, the law enforcement-controlled individual indicated that ISIS had procured several guns with the money Akhtar had sent. In his response, Akhtar said, “may Allah destroy our enemies” and affirmed that he will send more money that same day. Akhtar also talked about planning acts of violence, including conducting an attack against a specific individual and an attack utilizing homemade explosives. He said he “want[s] to die in the cause of Allah fighting the kuffar [infidels]” and asked for instructions on how to make a homemade explosive device in order “to make a boom” at a populated event. Then, on June 23, 2025, Akhtar met with an individual he believed was an ISIS associate, but who was actually an undercover employee. Akhtar provided clothing, binoculars, $400 cash, two loaded guns, and six additional magazines. Akhtar then swore bayat (a pledge of loyalty) to ISIS. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Offices in New York and Sacramento and the New York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong and Trial Attorney Ryan D. White of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case. If convicted, Akhtar faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Drug, Child Pornography Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County on Tuesday admitted recording his sexual activity with a 13-year-old and possessing fentanyl. Tyler Jacob Staub, 24, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams of more of fentanyl. As part of his plea agreement, Staub admitted engaging in sexual activity with the victim, and recording those acts on his phone. On June 22, 2023, the St. Charles County Police Department was notified about a missing 13-year-old. The victim’s parents said she may be with someone driving a red or black Ford Mustang. Officers spotted a Mustang idling down the street from the victim’s home and found Staub and the victim inside. They also found a Glock pistol, an AR-style pistol and two bags containing fentanyl tablets. The victim told investigators that she’d met Staub online about two months earlier via Snapchat. She began meeting him in person three or four weeks earlier. Staub’s sentencing is set for September 24. The child pornography charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine. The fentanyl possession charge carries a penalty of at least five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years, as well as a fine of up to $5 million. The St. Charles County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Missouri Man Admits Trying to Meet Teen for Sex

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Jefferson County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted trying to meet a 16-year-old to engage in sexual activity. Anthony Justin Snelson, 39, of Arnold, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted receipt of child pornography. He admitted engaging in an inappropriate conversation via TikTok with a teen. After the victim’s mother discovered the conversation, she took it over and began impersonating the victim. She later had her daughter call Snelson, who requested a nude photo and asked if the victim wanted to meet and “mess around,” Snelson’s plea says. The mother called the St. Louis County Police Department on Aug. 12, 2024, after a meeting had been arranged, and officers arrested Snelson when he arrived. He admitted in an interview with police that the reason he met with the teen was “to maybe mess around,” his plea says. Snelson is scheduled to be sentenced on September 30. The charge carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years, and a maximum of 20 years. The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Shelton Man Admits Defrauding Pandemic Relief Program

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, and Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that TONY STERLIN CANTAVE, 45, of Shelton, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven for defrauding a COVID-19 pandemic relief program. In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the distribution of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”), through the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), which provided working capital to eligible small businesses to meet operating expenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2020, Cantave applied for EIDL funding through the SBA. The application contained a number of materially false statements, including that the business for which Cantave sought the loan, Arbitrage 1 Media, was an ongoing, legitimate business involved in the limousine and transportation business, and that he was not more than 60 days delinquent in his child support obligations. After the SBA reviewed and approved the fraudulent EIDL application, Cantave received $96,200. He then used the proceeds from the loan to pay for personal and non-business expenses, including $16,607.26 to pay off an automobile loan. Cantave pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money and one count of making an illegal monetary transaction. Each charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Cantave has agreed to pay $104,176.21 in restitution. Cantave is released pending sentencing, which is not scheduled. Cantave has two prior federal convictions. In December 1999, he was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 18 months of imprisonment for a firearm offense, and in February 2015, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 13 months of imprisonment for his participation in a U.S. Postal Service money order fraud scheme. This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang. Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Michigan City Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Davon Jaqurious Coleman, 21 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Coleman was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, police conducted a traffic stop in Michigan City and found Coleman in possession of a stolen loaded firearm with an extended magazine. Coleman has prior felony convictions for robbery, and as such, he is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Michigan City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius. 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 Taos Man in 2019 Double Homicide


title: Dodson man pleads guilty to strangulation on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS - A Dodson man accused of strangling a woman on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Skychief Chiefstick Lewis, 29, pleaded guilty to strangulation. Lewis faces 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 29, 2025. Lewis was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on September 13, 2024, Skychief Chiefstick Lewis was with Jane Doe. Lewis was mad at Doe, who was sick, because she was sleeping. This resulted in an argument. Lewis then strangled Doe, who later described not being able to breathe as Lewis strangled her with his hands. Lewis also strangled her a second time during the same assault. Law enforcement was contacted and responded. Officers approached and saw a silver car leaving the house at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement stopped the car. Doe was driving and Lewis was in the passenger seat. Officers noted redness around Doe’s face and saw that Doe’s shirt and sweatshirt were torn around the neck area. Red marks and bruising on Doe’s neck were later noted. Doe described the strangulation by putting both of her hands to her throat. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Pittsburgh Felon Indicted for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The one-count Indictment named Raymont Tyrone Dillard, 36, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, on December 30, 2024, Dillard possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. The law provides for a sentence of not less than 15 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. 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. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Previously convicted felon sentenced to over five years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico County man was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Aug. 15, 2024, Henrico County Police responded to a report of gunshots at an apartment complex where Michael Anthony Nolan, 35, had been arguing with his ex-girlfriend. On arriving, officers observed Nolan, who was intoxicated, standing in the apartment complex's parking lot next to the driver-side door of a vehicle inside which officers observed a handgun on the floorboard. In 2010, Nolan was convicted of robbing and attempting to rob pizza delivery drivers with a knife, and subsequently found guilty of two felony probation violations. As a previously convicted felon, Nolan cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. McGorman prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-179.


title: Four people sentenced for kidnapping and stealing $7000 from 83-year-old veteran

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Four people have been sentenced to prison for kidnapping an 83-year-old Arlington man and taking $7,000 from him. According to court documents, on Dec. 30, 2023, Phillip Anderson, 37, Anthony Brockington, 22, Damien Griffin, 23, and K’la Hargrove, 27, traveled to the victim’s home intending to rob him. Hargrove’s boyfriend, who was incarcerated, owed $4,000 to Anderson for drugs, and had performed yardwork and handiwork for the victim. Hargrove, who had previously met the victim through her boyfriend, contacted the victim and arrived at the residence first. After the victim allowed Hargrove into his home, some of her co-conspirators, all of whom were armed, forced their way inside the home, assaulted the victim, and held him at gunpoint while demanding he give them money. When the victim explained he didn’t have enough cash in his home, the co-conspirators kidnapped the victim and took him to a “trap house” in Washington, where they physically restrained the victim and continued to assault him. The victim was forced to transfer $7,000 to the bank account of an associate of Griffin. While the victim was being held, Griffin used the victim’s credit card to make purchases from McDonalds, DoorDash, and a gas station, and attempted to purchase gift cards at a CVS Pharmacy. During the night of Dec. 31, 2023, Griffin and Brockington, at Anderson’s direction, returned to the victim’s home, broke into a locker, and stole firearms. They transferred the firearms to Anderson, who later sold them. On Jan. 1, 2024, the victim escaped from the trap house and returned to his home. A neighbor called 911 to report the kidnapping, and the victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. The kidnappers caused the victim to sustain fractures to his sternum and hands, broken ribs, and bruises and lacerations to his head and face. On Oct. 30, 2024, Griffin pled guilty to conspiracy to kidnap. On Jan. 30, he was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison. Anderson pled guilty on Jan. 16, to conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping. On May 1, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. On Jan. 30, Brockington pled guilty to kidnapping and aiding and abetting kidnapping. On May 1, he was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison. Hargrove pled guilty on March 13 to aiding and abetting kidnapping. She was sentenced today to six years in prison. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff. The Arlington County Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sehar F. Sabir and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina Stam prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-196.


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to 127 Months for Trafficking in Fentanyl, Illegal Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. James Edward Hughes, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 67 months for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and five years for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Court ordered the sentences to run consecutively for a total sentence of 127 months in federal prison without parole. The Court also sentenced Hughes to four years of supervised release following incarceration. On Feb. 25, 2025, Hughes pleaded guilty to one count of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and one count of knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense. On Sep. 21, 2023, Columbia Police Department officers pulled over a silver Mazda SUV, that had no front license plates. The driver of the vehicle, Hughes was asked to step out of the vehicle, and during a pat down of Hughes, a bag of pills was discovered on his person. Hughes was found to possess 815 pills, which contained fentanyl. During the pat down of Hughes, an officer observed the butt of handgun sticking out from under the driver’s seat. The firearm, a Glock 36, .45 caliber handgun was recovered. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney, Jim Lynn. It was investigated by the Columbia Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. 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: Jefferson County woman sentenced to 30 years in federal prison  for child exploitation violations

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur woman has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Sasha Sheree Abshire, 36, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on June 24, 2025. According to information presented in court, in July 2024, law enforcement authorities received information that sexually explicit photos of a pre-school age child were being offered for distribution online by an individual with a screen name associated with Abshire. Abshire subsequently sent images of child pornography to another person from a cell phone that was later determined to belong to Abshire who was living at an address in Port Arthur. Some of the sexually explicit images contained an adult woman’s face. Social media accounts belonging to Abshire confirmed the woman in some of the photos was in fact Abshire. Federal agents arrested Abshire at her Port Arthur home and confirmed that she was the woman who produced the child pornography. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. This case was investigated by the FBI and Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove. ###


title: Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Aaron Lee Mitter, 39, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 11, 2024, Mitter sold approximately 24.52 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $280. As part of his guilty plea, Mitter admitted to the transaction. Mitter further admitted to selling an unregistered privately made firearm, commonly known as a “ghost gun,” and a magazine capable of holding 45 rounds of ammunition that day for $400. On July 17, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Parkersburg apartment where Mitter was staying at the time. Officers seized approximately 45.67 grams of methamphetamine in the apartment during the search. Mitter admitted that he intended to use some of the seized methamphetamine and distribute the rest. Mitter is scheduled to be sentenced on September 22, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. 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), the Wood County Sheriff's Office, and the Parkersburg Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case. 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-182. ###


title: Dominican National Arrested for His Role in a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Dominican Republic national was arrested yesterday, in connection with an enforcement action last week, for his role in a drug trafficking organization operating out of Massachusetts and distributing illegal narcotics in Manchester, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Cesar Joel Perez Mejia, age 30, a Dominican Republic national unlawfully residing in Hyde Park, Massachusetts, was arrested on one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He will appear in federal court today at 4:30pm. According to the charging documents and statements made in court, on June 23, 2025, the defendant facilitated a drug sale with an undercover officer. When the defendant arrived at the agreed upon location, law enforcement searched the defendant’s vehicle and found small individually wrapped bags containing approximately 57 grams of suspected fentanyl and 43 grams of suspected crack cocaine. Possession with intent to distribute carries a maximum prison term of 20 years, a maximum fine of $1,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least three years and up to life. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Major Offender Task Force and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. DEA New England, HSI New England, and the Boston, Attleboro, Methuen, Lynn, and Providence Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Shannon and Heather Cherniske are prosecuting the case. This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The 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: Mexican national sentenced to federal prison for immigration violation

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. David Sanchez-Mares, 32, a Mexican national illegally living in Longview, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on June 23, 2025. According to information presented in court, on April 4, 2024, Sanchez-Mares was arrested in Longview for an unrelated state violation. Further investigation revealed Sanchez-Mares had been previously convicted in the Southern District of Texas for illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported in 2018. 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). This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Longview Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble. ###


title: Mexico, Missouri Man Sentenced to 160 months for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Mexico, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Jordan Shelton, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 160 months in federal prison without parole for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. The Court also sentenced Shelton to four years of supervised release following incarceration. On Jan. 21, 2025, Shelton pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. On Aug. 10, 2022, members of the Columbia Police Department and Mexico Police Department served a search warrant at Shelton’s residence in Mexico, Mo., after he was identified as a supplier of fentanyl capsules. During the search, 47 capsules containing fentanyl were recovered, as well as fentanyl powder. This case was prosecuted by AUSA, Jim Lynn. It was investigated by Columbia Police Department, Mexico Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Georgian man sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in East Texas

body_text: SHERMAN, Texas – An Atlanta man has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Clarence Nero, 56, was convicted following a three-day trial of conspiring to traffic fentanyl and was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on June 24, 2025. According to information presented in court, Nero was the organizer of a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, that smuggled fentanyl across the United States border into Arizona, and then from Phoenix to New Orleans and the east coast. On February 14, 2022, Quanita Brown, was the subject of a traffic stop on Highway 380 in Denton County, after she was found with 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl. The illegal drugs were hidden in a false compartment in the vehicle and was alerted on by a police K-9. An investigation into the source of the fentanyl revealed Nero as the principal supplier responsible for trafficking fentanyl in a conspiracy that spanned the southern United States. 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). This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Denton County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Anderson and Chris Rapp. ###


title: PENSACOLA MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR MACHINEGUN POSSESSION AND DRUG TRAFFICKING OFFENSES

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Antoine Booker, Jr., 21, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for trafficking in large amounts of marijuana and possessing a loaded machinegun in Escambia County. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “The public should rest assured that law enforcement will not stand for armed drug traffickers endangering citizens in our streets. If you possess a machinegun to protect your drug trafficking operations, you should know that federal prison awaits you,” stated United States Attorney Heekin. Court documents reflect that on December 6, 2023, Booker fled from the Florida Highway Patrol at a high rate of speed during an attempted traffic stop in Pensacola. After driving down the wrong side of the road and throwing drugs out of his window, Booker collided with a curb on Pensacola Boulevard, and his vehicle overturned. The vehicle chase involved Booker driving approximately 100 miles per hour on heavily trafficked streets. As law enforcement approached the overturned vehicle, Booker crawled out and was caught in possession of the firearm. The firearm was a Glock 9 millimeter pistol, which was modified with a “conversion device” that rendered it an automatic firing machinegun. The machinegun contained 32 rounds of ammunition in its chamber and extended high-capacity magazine. Law enforcement also located a large amount of marijuana, multiple digital scales for weighing and distributing the marijuana, and other illicit substances. “Had it not been for law enforcement’s training and determination, this armed suspect would have undoubtedly wreaked havoc in Northwest Florida,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard. “We are proud of the partnerships we’ve built with Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal prosecutors.” The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Florida Highway Patrol; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 48 Months for Stealing from ATMs

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Houston, Tx., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in bank burglary and bank theft conspiracies involving the theft of United States currency from an automated teller machine (ATM) in Ozark, Mo. Nigel Dwayne Luchin, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 48 months in federal prison without parole. He was also ordered to pay $175,700 in restitution to the bank in Ozark, Mo., a bank in Seekonk, Ma., and a bank in LaVale, Md. Luchin was charged on Aug. 28, 2024, in a six-count superseding indictment, along with two other Texas men. The federal indictment alleges that Luchin, and his co-conspirators participated in a conspiracy to commit bank burglary and a conspiracy to commit bank theft from Oct. 3 to Nov. 8, 2023. On Nov. 7, 2024, Luchin pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit bank burglary, bank burglary, conspiracy to commit bank theft, and bank theft. Luchin admitted during his plea that early in the morning on Oct. 30, 2023, he and his co-conspirators used a stolen white Ford F-250 to destroy an ATM. The conspirators used a tow chain and two large hooks to dismantle the door to the ATM by pulling the chain and hooks with the stolen pickup truck. They stole $30,700 from the ATM, left the bank, and abandoned the pickup nearby. Investigators reviewed surveillance videos from businesses in the area where the Ford F-250 was stolen. The videos allegedly showed conspirators arriving at the area in two vehicles – a Chrysler Voyager minivan and a Toyota Highlander – and leaving the area with the stolen pickup. Both the Voyager and the Highlander were identified on a license plate reader and traced to two car rental agencies in Houston. Later the same day, a license plate reader in Houston captured both of those vehicles traveling in the same direction. Ozark police officers searched the stolen pickup truck and found Luchin’s Texas identification card on the driver’s seat. Using Luchin’s phone data, the FBI was able to determine that Luchin was present when the truck was stolen, and at the ATM burglary. Using that same phone data, the FBI connected Luchin to an ATM burglary in Seekonk, Ma. that occurred on Oct. 28, 2023, and an attempted ATM burglary in LaVale, Md. that occurred on Oct. 29, 2023. Luchin is the first of two defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case to be sentenced. One of his co-defendants, Christopher Merchant, pleaded guilty on March 11, 2025. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.


title: Ghostface Gangster Leader Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for  Distributing Mexico-Sourced Methamphetamine from a Georgia Prison

body_text: ALBANY, Ga. – A high-ranking member of the Ghostface Gangsters (GFG)—a criminal organization founded in the prison system—was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy that was funneling a large amount of Mexico-sourced drugs from behind bars. Codefendant Donald Jason Miles, aka “Crash,” aka “Cocho,” 39, of Forsyth, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 360 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on June 24. Miles pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 13, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system. Two co-conspirators were sentenced to prison on Feb. 28: Warren Frederick Courts, aka “Dirty,” 38, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 1, 2024; and Keeli Nycole Wallace, 34, of Covington, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 14, 2024. Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner presided over the case. There is no parole in the federal system. “Prison gangs and drug cartels pose a direct threat to the safety of our citizens and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office is working with law enforcement at every level to identify and bring to justice the most dangerous criminal offenders.” “The Ghostface Gangsters have systematically worked to flood the communities of Georgia with dangerous drugs,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The brazenness of these gang members to continue their criminal acts even behind bars must be met with decisive action to ensure justice and safety for our communities. This investigation shows that the GBI and our partners will work relentlessly to hold those who seek to poison our communities accountable.” “This career criminal continued his drug trafficking activities despite being incarcerated, demonstrating his complete and wanton disregard for the safety of our community,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA’s efforts in bringing him to justice will ensure this gang member spends even more time in prison.” According to court documents and statements referenced in court, undercover Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agents conducted a drug bust at Motel 6 in Albany on Sept. 12, 2022, resulting from a larger investigation into drug trafficking from Georgia prisons. Agents learned Courts, a state prisoner, had arranged a drug transaction from behind bars and hired Wallace as a drug courier to move methamphetamine from a Mexico-based source located in metro Atlanta to Southwest Georgia. Agents arrested Wallace in the parking lot of Motel 6, finding approximately 1,400 grams of methamphetamine and her cell phones. Investigators discovered that Miles had recruited Wallace as a drug courier several months before her arrest. Wallace admitted she had performed 10-15 deliveries of 250 grams or less of methamphetamine at Miles’s direction. Miles introduced Wallace to Courts; both Miles and Courts are members of the prison-based criminal organization Ghostface Gangsters. Courts is a subordinate of Miles, as demonstrated by Courts giving Miles a portion of the profits he made from selling narcotics. During one transaction, Courts instructed Wallace to obtain methamphetamine from a Mexico-based source of supply near Atlanta and take it to meet a buyer at a Walmart in Albany. The buyer did not show up, and Miles instructed Wallace to return to Atlanta. The next day, Courts told Wallace that the intended buyer was ready. She returned to Motel 6 in Albany, where she was subsequently arrested. At the time, Miles was incarcerated at Valdosta State Prison, and Courts was incarcerated at Rutledge State Prison for separate drug trafficking offenses. Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) officers searched their prison cells and recovered contraband mobile phones on Sept. 16, 2022. Search warrants were executed on the phones, and investigators discovered detailed communications between Miles, Courts and Wallace related to the drug conspiracy, including communications involving the Mexico-based source of supply and the trafficking of large quantities of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that Wallace was just one courier recruited by Miles and that Miles and Courts had funneled numerous redistributors to the Mexican source of supply near Atlanta, resulting in the distribution of at least 50 kilograms of methamphetamine in two months as a part of this conspiracy. Of the 50 kilograms distributed, Courts was directly responsible for facilitating the distribution of approximately 13 kilograms. Both Miles and Courts have lengthy criminal histories, including multiple felony convictions for drug distribution and trafficking. At the time of this offense, Miles was serving state sentences for three separate cases: armed robbery, hijacking a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, and trafficking methamphetamine in Fulton County, Georgia, Case No. 15-SC-132843; conspiracy to commit trafficking in methamphetamine and criminal gang activity in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Case No. 16-B-1793-5; and conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in Chatham County, Georgia, Case No. CR16-1756. Courts was most recently convicted in the Superior Court of Cobb County, Georgia, on Oct. 1, 2021, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 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 other transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid prosecuted the case for the Government.


title: MEXICAN WOMAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR ILLEGAL REENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Griselda Vazquez-Duran, 46, of the country of Mexico was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. According to court records, Vazquez-Duran was discovered to be illegally in the United States after she was encountered in Leon County, Florida, and arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol for operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. Upon being booked into the Leon County Jail, Vazquez-Duran was fingerprinted. Based on her fingerprints, law enforcement determined that she was a Mexican national who had been previously deported or removed from the United States in June 2013. Vazquez-Duran had not applied for nor obtained permission from the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General to reenter the United States. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have made enforcing our nation’s immigration laws a top priority, and my office will continue to aggressively pursue these cases to deter future illegal reentries. I want to thank our federal, state, and local partners for their hard work as we fight to keep our communities safe.” “This sentence underscores the critical importance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement important role in upholding the rule of law, maintaining the integrity of our legal system, and protecting the fabric of American society,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “When individuals blatantly ignore our laws, it erodes public trust and puts our community’s safety at risk.” The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol and the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Harley Ferguson and Justin M. Keen. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Miami Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for $2.3 Million COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced David Godin, 34, of Miami, Florida, aka “James St Patrick,” “David Wetty,” and “Vic Pro,” to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Godin pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to defraud the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) and California Employment Development Department (CA-EDD). Judge Maddox also ordered Godin to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $1,087,345.66 and restitution of $1,137,894.56. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office. According to the plea agreement, from June 2020 through November 2023, Godin engaged in a sophisticated scheme to defraud the MD-DOL and CA-EDD by using the personal identifiable information of identity theft victims, anonymous email addresses, virtual private networks, and proxy servers. This enabled Godin to file numerous fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims with multiple states from a single location; aggregate UI information in discrete accounts; and avoid fraud safeguards put in place by state UI insurance programs. Godin submitted and caused the submission of at least 140 fraudulent UI claims to MD-DOL, CA-EDD, and other state workforce agencies, resulting in more than $2.3 million in UI benefits. He obtained well over $1 million through the fraud scheme. As the United States set forth in its sentencing submission, Godin used the money to buy nice things and live a life of luxury. Godin then recorded himself with the spoils of his fraud, including stacks of cash, expensive watches, and sports cars. The District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Jared Murphy, who prosecuted the case, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for her assistance and legal support. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud . # # #


title: Seven Dallas-area family members plead guilty to Paycheck Protection Program fraud scheme

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: Seven family members from the Dallas area pled guilty to participating in a fraud scheme to obtain federal funds through the Paycheck Protection Program, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. The seven defendants were indicted in December 2023 for conspiracy and wire fraud related to forgivable federal loans they obtained through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”)—a program created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic which provided emergency financial assistance to existing small businesses. According to plea documents, the PPP loan applications that were submitted falsely claimed each family member was a sole proprietor with a monthly payroll of approximately $8,000. Purported tax documents filed in support of the applications provided additional false details about the sole proprietorships, including the type of businesses and annual net profits. PPP loans were approved and deposited into the family members’ personal bank accounts. In their plea papers, each family member admitted to receiving federal funds issued to non-existent businesses. On Wednesday, June 18, six of the defendants pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud: • Lori Jackson, 63 • Saidrick Jackson, 61 • Saidrick Jackson II, 36 • Saundria Jackson, 36 • D’Andria Todd, 46 • Bianca Williams, 33 Today, the seventh charged individual, Valencia Williams, 53, also pled guilty to the conspiracy. Each defendant faces up to five years in federal prison. Their sentencing dates have not been set. The Environmental Protection Agency – Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Douglas and Marty Basu are prosecuting the case. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Fort Myers Felon Sentenced To Federal Prison For Unlawfully Possessing A Loaded Firearm

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Court Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jordon Shanquial Brown (34, Fort Myers) to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Brown pled guilty on March 12, 2025. According to court documents, on September 12, 2024, the Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Brown—a multi-time convicted felon—was the front-seat passenger. During a search of the vehicle, FMPD officers located a bag partially underneath the front passenger seat containing a loaded Smith & Wesson firearm, belonging to Brown. As a previously convicted felon, Brown is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth. 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: Florida Man Convicted In Multimillion-Dollar Medicare Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the conviction of TED ALBIN for his role in orchestrating a multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud scheme. ALBIN was convicted following a 12-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl. “Ted Albin brazenly defrauded our Medicare system using fake and fraudulent prescriptions,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He cheated Medicare out of millions meant for real patients with every taxpayer footing the bill. Today’s verdict makes clear: if you cheat Medicare, you will be prosecuted.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial: From approximately 2016 through April 2021, ALBIN operated Grapevine Professional Services (“Grapevine”), a medical billing company, which he used to submit fraudulent reimbursement claims for durable medical equipment (“DME”), including back braces, knee braces, wrist braces, and shoulder braces. ALBIN submitted thousands of fraudulent claims on behalf of DME supply companies that had engaged Grapevine for its billing services, including at least three DME supply companies owned and controlled by ALBIN and his sister, Erin Foley—Liberty Bell Medical, Skye Medical, and Priority Medical. ALBIN’s fraudulent claims were based on prescriptions for DME which he knew had been illegally bought with kickbacks paid by the DME supply companies. At least some of the kickback-tainted prescriptions billed by ALBIN were generated with forged doctor’s signatures and without regard to the medical need of the patients for whom braces had been prescribed. ALBIN knew of the fraudulent nature of the claims he submitted to Medicare and nonetheless continued to submit such claims, over and over, for years. In total, the DME companies that ALBIN submitted claims for billed Medicare for over $38 million, on which Medicare paid out over $12 million. * * * ALBIN, 48, of Stuart, Florida, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; one count of health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years; and one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, which carries a maximum sentence of five years. ALBIN is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10, 2025. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Kinder, Jackie Delligatti, Brandon Thompson, and Ryan Finkel are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Suburban Chicago Man Indicted for Allegedly Fraudulently Obtaining Social Security Benefits

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been charged in federal court with fraudulently obtaining Social Security benefits in the name of his deceased father. A grand jury sitting in Chicago has indicted RICHARD YOUNG, JR., 61, of Maywood, Ill., on four counts of bank fraud and one count of embezzlement of government funds. Young pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim in Chicago. A status hearing before U.S. District Judge John F. Kness has been scheduled for July 23, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. According to the indictment, Young’s father died in 2006. Seven years later, Young filed an application with the Social Security Administration for benefits in the name of his deceased father. Unaware that the purported applicant was deceased, the Social Security Administration granted the application and began issuing benefits, eventually paying them via direct deposit into a bank account in the deceased father’s name, the indictment states. From 2015 to 2021, Young accessed approximately $178,683 from the account and used the money to make purchases at casinos, restaurants, gas stations, retail stores, and elsewhere, the indictment states. The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit at the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani. “The indictment accuses Mr. Young of fraudulently obtaining benefits for years from a critically important retirement program,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Social Security fraud threatens the very foundation of a program that many millions of hard-working Americans depend upon in retirement—and which taxpayers fund through their hard-earned income. My Office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute anyone who seeks to fraudulently obtain Social Security or other program benefits.” The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison, while the embezzlement count is punishable by up to ten years. young_indictment.pdf


title: Republic Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearms and Threats Against Law Enforcement

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Republic, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 18, 2025, for illegally possessing firearms and threats against law enforcement. The indictment was unsealed and made public today following his arrest and initial court appearance. Franklin E. Brownlee, 40, was charged with attempted destruction of an aircraft, being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of firearms, and transmitting a threat to injure law enforcement across state lines. The indictment specifically alleges that, on March 27, 2025, Brownlee attempted to destroy an unmanned aerial system operated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, illegally possessed a Glock pistol and a Remington shotgun knowing that he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and knowingly & willfully transmitted a threat to injure law enforcement in interstate and foreign commerce. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office. Operation Take Back America 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: Rockford Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison on Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. JOVINO RAMIREZ, 35, pleaded guilty earlier this year to knowingly and intentionally possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a loaded handgun in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Ramirez to 78 months in federal prison. Ramirez admitted in a plea agreement that following a traffic stop in May 2024 he was in possession of a bag containing 19.1 grams of cocaine and 1.9 grams of methamphetamine, which he tried to conceal during his encounter with the police. He also possessed a loaded handgun beneath the driver’s seat of his vehicle. Ramirez admitted he intended to sell the cocaine that he possessed. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher C. Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The Illinois State Police provided assistance in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Rosati and Lisa R. Munch. Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.


title: Former Santa Cruz County Treasurer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Stealing Over $38 Million in County Funds

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Elizabeth Gutfahr, 63 of Rio Rico, Arizona, was sentenced on June 23, 2025, by United States District Judge Rosemary C. Márquez to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gutfahr previously pleaded guilty to Embezzlement by a Public Official, Money Laundering, and Tax Evasion. Gutfahr was also ordered to pay approximately $51.8 million in restitution to Santa Cruz County and the United States Treasury. “The people of Santa Cruz County and all Arizonans have a right to expect their elected leaders to serve with integrity and in the best interest of their constituents,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Ms. Gutfahr stole more than money from the people of her county, she betrayed the confidence of the voters who elected her. This sentence shows that abuse of public trust will be punished.” “Ms. Gutfahr will now be held accountable for using her official position for huge financial gain at the expense of the residents of Santa Cruz County,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “Each act of greed and dishonor negatively affected fundamental aspects of the county’s operations. The FBI continues to investigate public corruption cases, and we remain committed to identifying and pursuing those who violate the public’s trust.” “Ms. Gutfahr violated her sworn duty by enriching herself with the public money she was entrusted to protect,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office. “Taxpayers deserve to know that their elected leaders are working in the community’s best interest — not just their own. IRS-CI remains committed to rooting out corruption at every level.” According to court documents, Gutfahr, who served as Santa Cruz County Treasurer from 2012 through 2024, embezzled and laundered approximately $38.7 million by wiring public funds from Santa Cruz County’s account to accounts in the names of fake companies she had created that performed no legitimate business. Gutfahr then used the money to purchase real estate, to renovate her family ranch, to pay expenses for her cattle business, and to buy at least 20 vehicles. Gutfahr’s 10-year scheme involved approximately 187 wire transfers, which she was able to complete by undermining the two-step approval process required for transfers. Gutfahr used the token of a subordinate Santa Cruz County employee so that she could both initiate and approve the wire transfers. To cover up the scheme, Gutfahr falsified accounting records, cash reconciliation records, and reports of the County’s investment accounts, thereby hiding the millions of dollars that she had stolen from Santa Cruz County. Gutfahr also failed to report any of the stolen funds as income for tax purposes. The FBI and IRS-CI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane L. Westby for the District of Arizona and Senior Litigation Counsel Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-08132-TUC-RM RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-098_Gutfahr # # # 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: Former District of Columbia Public Schools Official Found Guilty in Bribery Scheme

body_text: WASHINGTON — Dana Garnett, 61, a former contract specialist for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), was found guilty today by a federal jury for her role in a conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud that illegally steered lucrative DCPS business to local vendors while also agreeing to defraud DCPS by accepting significantly fewer quantities of supplies than had been ordered by DCPS. In exchange, the local vendors paid kickbacks and bribes to Garnett for years. Garnett faces 15 years in prison as a result of the conviction. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, during the course of at least five years, Garnett, of Hyattsville, Maryland, accepted payments from several vendors who supplied goods to DCPS. In exchange, Garnett steered business to the vendors. Some of the payments were generated from falsified orders awarded to the vendors that had been paid in full by DCPS. Garnett and a DCPS co-conspirator who had pleaded guilty before trial coordinated with the vendors to deliver a lesser amount of goods than were listed on the orders. Based on false certifications made by or with the knowledge of Garnett, DCPS paid the full amount of the orders as if the orders had been fulfilled in full. The vendors then provided cash to Garnett and her co-conspirator in various locations in the D.C. and Maryland area, including in the parking lots of restaurants in strip malls. Evidence presented at trial showed that Garnett used the payments for gambling expenses and a major household appliance. Three related defendants have accepted responsibility and pleaded guilty to their roles in the bribery conspiracy. Patricia Bailey, a former administrative officer for DCPS’s Cardozo Education Campus, pleaded guilty on Oct. 12, 2023, to one count of bribery for her participation in the scheme. Duane King, the owner of DCPS vendor American Business Supplies, pleaded to one count of bribery on Sept. 27, 2023. King additionally pleaded guilty to his role in a similar scheme in which King made bribe payments to District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Services Department (DC FEMS) employees Charity Keys and Louis Mitchell in return for the award of business by DC FEMS to King’s company and for the authorization of payments to King’s company for goods that were not actually delivered. Donald McWhirter, the owner of DCPS vendor General Business Supplies Unlimited, also pleaded guilty to one count of bribery on July 18, 2024. Sentencing is pending for each of the three defendants who have pleaded guilty. Yelake Meseretu, 41, owner of U.S. Office Solutions, a supplier of goods to DCPS, is charged as a co-defendant with bribery and wire fraud in exchange for having Garnett direct business to Meseretu’s company. Meseretu’s trial is pending. This case was investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Howland and John Borchert of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section. Garnett and Meseretu: 24cr281 Bailey: 23cr336 King: 23cr319 McWhirter: 24cr280


title: Wolf Point man pleads guilty to assault on Fort Peck Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS - A Wolf Point man accused of assault another individual on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Roger Sylvan Bissonette, III, 23, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Bissonette faces 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 30, 2025. Bissonette was released on conditions pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that on January 27, 2024, the defendant, Roger Sylvan Bissonette III, and several friends, including co-defendants and the victim, John Doe, were in a yard in Wolf Point, Montana, playing a game of “slap-boxing.” The fighting escalated and the group broke up. Doe approached the house demanding to get his phone back. A confrontation between Doe, Bissonette, and his co-defendants ultimately ensued in the driveway. Several people witnessed the assault. One witness described seeing Bissonette and co-defendants hitting John Doe. The witness described seeing one person hit Doe with a bat, then the other two started hitting Doe as well, with Bissonette using a hammer. Another witness saw Bissonette and his co-defendants approaching Doe while he backed away. The witness described the three then “jumping” Doe. Bissonette told law enforcement that Doe was chasing others around the yard with a knife, so he went into the house to get a weapon, and one of the residents gave him a hammer. Bissonette said that after one co-defendant hit Doe with the bar, Doe went down, but as he was getting back up, a co-defendant stabbed him in the chest. It was then that Bissonette started hitting Doe in the head with the hammer. He continued to hit Doe even when Doe was down. None of the independent witnesses reported Doe having a knife. Doe died at the scene before law enforcement could arrive. According to an autopsy, Doe died from blunt and sharp force injuries to the head and chest. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law & Justice, Wolf Point Police Department, and State of Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX