title: Seventeen Defendants Sentenced To Prison In Multi-State Drug Trafficking And Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Dudzinski Poole and sixteen co-conspirators to federal prison terms ranging from six years, up to life, imprisonment in a multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy. Poole was the leader of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that was responsible for distributing thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl with sources of supply or distributors in California, multiple other states, and China. The organization also laundered millions of dollars in drug money. Two of Poole’s co-conspirators (Michael Chester and George King, Jr.) were convicted after a ten-day jury trial in July 2024. The rest of the defendants entered guilty pleas. A summary chart of the sentences is below: Name (Age, Residence) Charges Sentence Dudzinski Edwinn Poole a/k/a “Zink” (50, Apopka, FL) Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (two counts) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 21 years, 10 months’ imprisonment Melvin Tyrone Patterson, Jr. a/k/a “Goon” (34, Wildwood, FL) Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (two counts) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 18 years, 7 months’ imprisonment Andrew Woodruff, Jr. a/k/a “Smurf” (40, Mount Dora, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 30 years’ imprisonment Jose Ivan Carbajal a/k/a “Primo” (35, California) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 40 years’ imprisonment Antonio Holmes a/k/a “Tone” (36, Davenport, FL) Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl Drug trafficking conspiracy 15 years, 8 months’ imprisonment Diego Navarro- Martinez a/k/a “Shooter” (34, California) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 15 years’ imprisonment Michael Andre Chester a/k/a “Dre” (50, Apopka, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy Life in prison Samantha Tiesha King a/k/a “Mamp” (34, Altamonte Springs, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 17 years, 6 months’ imprisonment George Nelvin King, Jr. (47, Altamonte Springs, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 14 years, 8 months’ imprisonment Felisha Denise Williams a/k/a “Lil Momma” (35, Apopka, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 12 years, 7 months’ imprisonment Nathaniel Donnell, Jr. a/k/a “Bob” (60, Wildwood, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 13 years’ imprisonment Rodrieka Lashay Manning a/k/a “Drieka” (27, Apopka, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 11 years, 3 months’ imprisonment Mohammed McDowell a/k/a “Mo” (45, Wildwood, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 10 years, 10 months’ imprisonment Janice Denise Anderson a/k/a “Butter” (67, Mount Dora, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 10 years, 4 months’ imprisonment Latonya Sharee Conley a/k/a “Hershey” (47, Mount Dora, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 10 years’ imprisonment Oveda Denise Miller a/k/a “Gangsta Granny” (62, Mount Dora, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 10 years’ imprisonment Roland Richardson (65, Mount Dora, FL) Drug trafficking conspiracy Money laundering conspiracy 6 years’ imprisonment According to court records and the evidence presented at trial, between 2017 and 2023, the DTO operated largely out of Lake County, Florida, where Poole received hundreds of shipments of methamphetamine and fentanyl from sources of supply in California, including Jose Carbajal. The drugs were transported or shipped via commercial planes and through the mail. DEA seized more than 250 pounds of drugs (mostly methamphetamine and fentanyl) during the course of the investigation. The defendants played various roles in the DTO, such as suppliers, distributors, couriers, and courier coordinators. The couriers would fly to California from Florida with large sums of cash to purchase drugs and transport checked luggage full of drugs back to Florida on commercial flights. The conspirators sometimes purchased tickets and checked the suitcases full of drugs or cash at the airport but did not fly on the plane. The suitcases would travel to the destination where they would be picked up by other conspirators awaiting their arrival. Nearly all the flights were between the Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida and the Palm Springs Airport (PSP) or the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California. Flight records during a two-year period show more than 400 flights between California and Orlando among the various conspirators. The DTO also used couriers to transport large amounts of methamphetamine from Orlando to Virginia via train. In April 2022, one of these couriers was arrested at a train station in Virginia with approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine inside a suitcase. In addition to transporting drugs on commercial flights and trains, Poole and his associates had multiple stash houses and received hundreds of mailed packages of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California and other drugs, including fentanyl, from China. Poole’s source of supply in California (Carbajal) would ship packages that contained an average of five to ten pounds of drugs at a time. Poole would provide Carbajal various addresses to ship the drugs, including co-conspirators’ residences. Investigators identified almost 400 packages that were shipped from California as part of this conspiracy from 2019 to 2023. The members of this DTO also conspired with one another to engage in money laundering. Poole developed an entertainment business that he used to promote concerts with famous rap artists, whom he paid with drug proceeds. Poole then commingled the profits from the ticket sales with the drug proceeds in the same business account. Members of the conspiracy also used drug proceeds to pay for various expenses of the DTO (such as flights) or funneled the proceeds through numerous financial accounts into purchases of expensive jewelry, vehicles, residences, and payments to coconspirators. “This multi-state drug trafficking organization used a vast network to move methamphetamine and fentanyl to poison our communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “I’m proud of the way our agents and numerous law enforcement partners worked together to bring this criminal element to justice.” “Greed is the biggest motivation these criminal organizations know,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS – Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Motivated by money, they will try to place themselves above the law to the detriment of our communities. Fortunately, our agents and staff are extremely skilled at following the money to ensure these perpetrators face justice. We are proud to work alongside our partner agencies to put a stop to these dangerous drug trafficking organizations and ensure they are held accountable.” This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Secret Service; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the Orlando Police Department’s Special Enforcement Division and Crime Center and Forensics Division; the Orange County Sheriff’s Office’s including the Gang Enforcement Unit; the Florida Highway Patrol; the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office; the Casselberry Police Department; the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation; the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office; the Marion County Sheriff’s Office; the Lake County Sheriff’s Office; the Kissimmee Police Department; the St. Cloud Police Department; the Winter Park Police Department; the St. Cloud IRS Financial Crimes Task Force; and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office (California). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Belkis H. Callaos. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Saad Healthcare Agrees to Pay $3M to Settle False Claims Act Allegations That It Billed Medicare for Ineligible Hospice Patients

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: Saad Enterprises Inc., doing business as Saad Healthcare, has agreed to pay $3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims for the care of hospice patients in Alabama who were ineligible for the Medicare hospice benefit because they were not terminally ill. Hospice care is special, end-of-life care intended to comfort terminally ill patients. Patients admitted to hospice care generally stop receiving traditional medical care designed to cure their terminal condition and instead receive medical care focused on providing them with relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a terminal illness. Medicare patients are considered to be terminally ill and hospice-eligible when they have a life expectancy of six months or less if their illness runs its normal course. “Respectful and appropriate end-of-life care is the crux of the hospice benefit under Medicare,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will hold accountable those who exploit this benefit for their own gain.” “Caring for terminally ill people is a responsibility the United States and the Medicare program take seriously,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Keith A. Jones for the Southern District of Alabama. “Patients and taxpayers deserve not to be cheated, and the Department of Justice will continue to protect them.” The settlement resolves allegations that between 2013 and 2020 Saad submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare for 21 patients who did not meet the eligibility requirements for the Medicare hospice benefit as defined by statute and regulation, despite Saad knowing the patients were ineligible for the Medicare hospice benefit. The civil settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit was filed by Melissa Wolff and Whitney Sims, former Saad employees, and is captioned United States ex rel. Wolff & Sims v. Saad Enterprises, Inc., Case No. 1:19-cv-00040 (S.D. Ala.). Ms. Wolff and Ms. Sims will receive $540,000 in connection with the settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort amongst the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama; and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Assistant U.S. Attorney Nina Herring for the Southern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Rory Skaggs of the Civil Division handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Dennis Allen Gaal Sentenced To 25 Years For Engaging In Interstate Travel For The Purpose Of Engaging In Illicit Sexual Conduct

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On February 21, 2025, Dennis Allen Gaal, 50, currently of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced to 25 years by the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following his incarceration, Gaal will be on supervised release for life, and he will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Gaal agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of interstate travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b). Gaal, a registered sex offender from Mississippi, traveled to Chattanooga in December 2023, intending to sexually molest a 10-month-old child. In fact, Gaal had been communicating with a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who was posing as a person with access to the child. Gaal noted in the online discussions with the undercover agent that the sexual abuse would be “a dream come true.” He arrived in Chattanooga with gifts for the notional child, including Christmas outfits, a stuffed animal, and a rattle. When Gaal arrived, he was arrested and has remained in custody since his arrest. “The defendant, while already a convicted sex offender, traveled to Tennessee to sexually molest a 10-month-old child,” said Francis M. Hamilton III, U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “The facts are outrageous and disturbing. We are dedicated to prosecuting offenders like this to the full extent of the law.” “Exploitation of children offenses are heinous and leave an immeasurable impact on victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “To protect our children, the FBI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and bring sexual predators to justice.” The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the FBI and the investigation was led by FBI Special Agent Samuel Moore. Assistant United States Attorney James T. Brooks and Special Assistant United States Attorney Charlie Minor with the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office, represented the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.” ###


title: Miami Resident Charged With Leading Money Laundering Operation for Transnational Criminal Organizations

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Alain Bibliowicz Mitrani, a resident of Miami, Florida and a citizen of France and Colombia, with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. The defendant was charged for his role as a leader of a scheme to launder more than $300 million, including for persons affiliated with cartels and other transnational criminal organizations engaged in drug trafficking, such as the Sinaloa Cartel. The defendant is scheduled to make his initial appearance today in federal court in the Southern District of Florida. He will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the charges. “As alleged, the defendant used a seemingly legitimate technology company as a front for engaging in a multi-million dollar scheme that deliberately flouted federal laws to launder over $300 million, including for cartels and transnational criminal organizations engaged in drug trafficking,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Today’s arrest demonstrates that this Office will arrest and vigorously prosecute those who help facilitate financing for international drug traffickers.” “Alain Bibliowicz Mitrani’s alleged money laundering scheme crumbled today, as did any façade of legitimacy behind his purported technology business. These accusations mark the beginning of the end for an alleged criminal organization that stands accused of defrauding financial institutions and enabling the availability of narcotics to American communities. Every day, HSI’s El Dorado Task Force stands alongside our law enforcement partners in utilizing every tool in its belt to ensure the public’s wellbeing is always the priority,” Stated HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “With no regard for the rule of law, Bibliowicz supposedly laundered more than a quarter billion dollars in drug money. It’s alleged he is complicit in the moving of these illicit funds through shell companies to locations around the globe. It’s time that he was stopped, and this arrest means Bibliowicz is no longer in the dirty-cash-washing business,” said Harry T. Chavis, Jr., IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge. As alleged in the indictment and court filings, from approximately 2020 to 2024, the defendant was an owner and leader of a company (the “Company”) that laundered drug proceeds through United States financial institutions. The defendant and his co-conspirators sought to have the Company appear as a legitimate technology business. In reality, the Company’s public-facing operations were a cover for an elaborate multi-million-dollar money laundering enterprise based in Florida and Colombia. Cartels and other transnational criminal organizations that engage in drug trafficking operate vast criminal enterprises that generate significant revenue globally by trafficking illicit narcotics. Because these organizations generate billions of dollars in revenue annually from trafficked narcotics, they must find ways to repatriate these proceeds back to their home countries to fund their ongoing enterprises. In many cases, drug trafficking organizations rely on separate money laundering operations, such as the Company, to repatriate their funds. In exchange, money laundering organizations and their associates, like the defendant, earn a significant commission for taking on the risk of laundering illicit proceeds for these criminal organizations. Here, the defendant established numerous shell companies that were used to open bank accounts that transmitted the illegal proceeds in an effort to obscure the source of the funds. To protect the scheme from detection, the defendant lied to U.S. financial institutions about the purpose and activities of these companies, and he failed to register as a money transmitting business as required under state and federal law. In total, financial records show that the defendant and his organization laundered more than $300 million. The defendant used his profits from this scheme for personal expenses and to fund his lavish lifestyle, including to purchase diamond pendant jewelry from designer jewelry company Van Cleef & Arpels, make payments towards his approximately $4 million Miami mansion, and fund luxury travel, including more than $16,000 on luxury hotel stays abroad in April 2023. If convicted of the money laundering conspiracy offenses, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ and 10 years’ imprisonment on each count. If convicted of the unlicensed money transmitting conspiracy offense, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment on that count. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Amir and Philip Pilmar are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : ALAIN BIBLIOWICZ MITRANI Age: 51 Miami, Florida E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-39 (CBA) 25-cr-39_alain_tzvi_bibliowicz_mitrani_indictment.pdf


title: Vero Beach Meth Dealer Found Guilty at Trial

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A South Florida federal jury has found Denzil Olajuwon Stewart, 30, guilty of narcotics distribution crimes for selling 276.7 grams of pure methamphetamine. On Dec. 28, 2023, law enforcement officers observed Stewart drive away from his Vero Beach home in a white Porsche SUV, arrive at another residence about 30 minutes away, and sell what they later discovered was 276.7 grams of pure methamphetamine to a buyer. The buyer resold the methamphetamine, which was inside a plastic shopping bag, to a confidential informant. Stewart’s fingerprints were on the bag. The jury found Stewart guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual, and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual. He faces between 10 years and life in prison. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA, Miami Field Division, and Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers made the announcement. DEA Port Saint Lucie and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Hudock and Michael Porter prosecuted it. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-14058. ###


title: Florida Men Indicted For Federal Drug and Gun Offenses

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that TAVARISS DAVIS (“DAVIS”), age 44, and TOBEY FITCHETT (“FITCHETT”), age 45, of Perry, Florida, were charged in a four-count indictment on February 14, 2025 with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and Federal Gun Control Act. According to the filed indictment, on or about August 1, 2024, DAVIS allegedly possessed with intent to distribute, five hundred (500) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine and possessed a firearm, a Taurus Model GC3, nine-millimeter handgun, in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Additionally, DAVIS was previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year in Florida, that prohibited him from possessing that firearm. On or about August 1, 2024 FITCHETT was previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year in Florida, that, likewise, prohibited FITCHETT from possessing a firearm. DAVIS was indicted in Count 1 for Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(B). If convicted of Count 1, DAVIS faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and up to a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and up to five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. DAVIS was also indicted in Count 2 for Possession of a Firearm, in furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). If convicted of Count 2, DAVIS faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. FITCHETT was indicted in Count 3 for possessing a firearm, having previously been convicted of a felony. Specifically, FITCHETT is accused of possessing a Taurus Model GC3, nine-millimeter handgun. If convicted, FITCHETT faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. DAVIS was also indicted in Count 4 for possessing a firearm having previously been convicted of a felony. Specifically, DAVIS is accused of possessing a Taurus Model GC3, nine-millimeter handgun. If convicted, DAVIS faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. The defendants also face payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Briana Williams of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Founder of Haitian Orphanage Convicted for Sexually Abusing Boys in his Care

body_text: MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami convicted a Colorado man yesterday for sexually abusing numerous boys at the orphanage he founded and directed in Haiti. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michael Karl Geilenfeld, 73, most recently of Littleton, founded St. Joseph’s Home for Boys — a home for orphaned, impoverished, and otherwise vulnerable children in Haiti — in 1985 and operated it for more than two decades. During this time, Geilenfeld repeatedly traveled from the United States to Haiti, where he sexually abused the boys entrusted to his care. The jury convicted Geilenfeld of one count of traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct and six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, between 2005 and 2010. Each of the six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place relates to a particular victim who was a child at the time of the offense. Each of the six victims testified about the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of Geilenfeld, as did four other victims who were not the subject of the charged offenses. Geilenfeld is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each of the seven total counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Miami and the FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacee Monk for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Jessica L. Urban and Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20008. ###


title: Former Ambridge Water Authority Manager Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay Restitution of More Than $1 Million for Defrauding Utility

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on February 20, 2025, to 27 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,073,185 on his conviction of mail fraud, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Michael Dominick, 44, who pleaded guilty to the mail fraud charge on October 8, 2024 (read the plea news release here ). According to information presented to the Court, Dominick was a former manager at the Ambridge Water Authority (AWA), where, during the period of January 2020 through August 2022, Dominick defrauded AWA of money and property totaling approximately $1,073,185. As manager of AWA, Dominick was responsible for overseeing all daily business and financial activity and had access to AWA’s bank accounts as well as cash and check payments made to AWA for water and related services. Dominick secretly diverted AWA’s money into his own personal bank accounts by writing checks to himself, depositing cash and checks issued to AWA into his personal bank accounts, using the AWA debit card to make purchases of personal items, and adjusting or failing to report the true location of AWA’s funds on critical financial records. As part of his sentencing, Dominick was ordered to pay restitution to the AWA and one of its insurers in the full amount stolen. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon stated that the sentence imposed would reflect Dominick’s significant abuse of public trust in perpetrating the fraud. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigators with the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Dominick.


title: TWO TALLAHASSEE MEN FOUND GUILTY IN LARGE-SCALE CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE MARIJUANA

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

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Tyquan M. Watson, 28, and Dezaneil D. Cosby Jr., 27, both of Tallahassee, Florida, were found guilty by a federal jury of conspiring to distribute marijuana as part of a large-scale conspiracy distributing hundreds of pounds of marijuana per week. The guilty verdict, returned at the conclusion of a four-day trial, was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Trial testimony and evidence demonstrated that Watson was purchasing hundred-pound quantities of marijuana per week from farms and brokers in California and reselling the marijuana in Tallahassee and surrounding areas. Evidence demonstrated that Watson had purchased at least 3169 pounds of marijuana between September 24, 2023, and January 10, 2024, with proceeds of at least $2.4 million during that period. The long-term investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). On October 13, 2022, FDLE conducted a controlled purchase of 28 pounds of marijuana from a subsequently charged codefendant. During the surveillance, FDLE agents observed the codefendant obtaining the marijuana from Cosby’s residence immediately prior to the controlled purchase. Both the codefendant and Watson’s fingerprints were identified on packaging material associated with the purchased marijuana. On October 28, 2022, DEA executed a federal search warrant at Cosby’s residence and seized 238 pounds of marijuana and a firearm. Watson and Cosby were both convicted of distribution of marijuana related to the October 13, 2022, controlled purchase. Cosby was also convicted of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana for the October 28, 2022, search warrant. Watson and Cosby were arrested together on federal arrest warrants on March 11, 2024, at another residence in Tallahassee. During that arrest, law enforcement seized another 183 pounds of marijuana and a firearm. Sentencing is scheduled for May 2, 2025, at 11:00am (Watson) and 2:00pm (Cosby) at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Mark E. Walker. This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Harley Ferguson prosecuted the case. This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. More information about OCDETF may be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . 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 available 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: Stowe Man Charged with the Deaths of Jahim Solomon and Eric White

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on February 20, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Theodore Bland, 29, of Stowe, Vermont, with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, possession of cocaine base and fentanyl with intent to distribute, using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, discharging that firearm during the commission of the offense, and through his use and carrying of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime causing the deaths of Jahim Solomon and Eric White in circumstances that constitute murder under federal law. Bland’s arraignment on the new charges will occur on a date to be determined by the United States District Court for the District of Vermont. Bland is currently detained pending trial on charges included in the original indictment in the case. According to court records, on October 12, 2023, Bland used, carried, and discharged a firearm, in relation to his drug trafficking activities. Also according to court records, Bland’s October 12 firearm discharges caused the deaths of Jahim Solomon and Eric White. Bland used social media messaging to communicate with his co-conspirators regarding, among other topics, the procurement of controlled substances for distribution, the pricing of controlled substances for sale to drug customers, and the distribution of controlled substances to drug customers. Bland also used social media messaging to communicate with his co-conspirators following the homicides of Solomon and White on October 12, 2023, including communications about his attempts to conceal the homicides. Court documents also state that Bland induced others to help him move the bodies of Solomon and White to two wooded areas in Eden, Vermont, where the bodies were discovered by law enforcement on October 24 and 25, 2023. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Bland is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted of the new charges in the superseding indictment, there is a possibility the federal death penalty could apply. The United States has not yet reached a decision whether it will pursue the death penalty against Bland. If convicted of the new charges Bland also faces a potential prison term of up to life. Any prison sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Morristown Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department. The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Turner and Paul Van de Graaf. Bland is represented by David Sleigh, Esq. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Florida Businessmen Receive Prison Sentences in COVID-19 Mask and Glove Sale Fraud Scheme

body_text: ATLANTA - Brian H. Sperber and Edmond S. Norkus have received prison sentences for conspiring to commit wire fraud in a scheme in which the men tricked expectant purchasers of personal protective equipment out of more than $14 million. “Sperber and Norkus cashed in on the unprecedented scarcity and skyrocketing price of personal protective equipment to get rich quick at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was exploding,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Now they justifiably confront prison terms for their cynical, illegal cash grab.” “These sentences underline the FBI’s commitment to holding those who exploit federal relief programs for personal gain accountable,” said FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke. According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Brian H. Sperber became an authorized distributor for a Georgia-based personal protective equipment (“PPE”) manufacturer. Edmond S. Norkus operated warehouse space in Florida and was Sperber’s longstanding business associate. As the pandemic worsened, demand for, and market value of, PPE steeply increased. Even though Sperber was only authorized to sell to customers in a specific geographic sales territory and manufacturers had only extremely limited supplies available, Sperber and Norkus promised to sell large quantities of PPE to a wide range of would-be buyers. But to make it appear that they could deliver on their promise, Sperber and Norkus diverted and showcased products already earmarked for other customers. They also provided customers with a variety of altered and counterfeit documents, designed to deceive customers into believing the products they had ordered were on the way. Ultimately, there were no products to supply and Sperber and Norkus pocketed the money while providing the victims with nothing. United States District Judge Michael J. Brown sentenced Brian H. Sperber, 48, of Plantation, Fla., to two years, two months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $14,231,605.36. Sperber was convicted on May 28, 2024, after he pleaded guilty. Judge Brown sentenced Edmond S. Norkus, 61, of Deerfield Beach, Fla., to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Norkus was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,821,605.36. Norkus was convicted on May 28, 2024, after he pleaded guilty. Sperber used proceeds from the scheme to purchase a multi-million dollar waterfront mansion in Boca Raton, Florida. In a related civil forfeiture action, the United States and Sperber agreed to sell the property, netting approximately $4 million, and resolve the forfeiture in the criminal prosecution. As part of Sperber’s sentence, the district court forfeited Sperber’s interest in the funds. The United States, in Sperber’s plea agreement, agreed to recommend that the funds seized from the sale of the property be restored to the victims named in the restitution order. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Alana R. Black and C. Brock Brockington prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’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 . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Importing Suicide Drug Into the United States From Mexico

component: USAO - Illinois, Northern

body_text: CHICAGO — A man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge for illegally importing the drug Pentobarbital into the United States from Mexico for use in committing suicide. DANIEL GONZALEZ-MUNGUIA, also known as “Alejandro Vasquez,” 41, of Puebla, Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court in Chicago to one count of importing a controlled substance into the United States. The charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis set sentencing for Sept. 9, 2025. Pentobarbital, also known as Nembutal, is a drug sold in Mexico for the purpose of euthanizing animals. In the U.S., Pentobarbital is a controlled substance and has been used in state-sponsored executions. Gonzalez-Munguia admitted in a plea agreement that from 2012 to 2021, he operated an online drug business that sold and distributed bottles of Pentobarbital to hundreds of individuals in the U.S. and throughout the world, including individuals in Illinois. Many of the buyers consumed the product and died, the plea agreement states. The investigation by Homeland Security Investigations began in 2016 after a parcel of the drug was intercepted in a Chicago suburb. Authorities in the U.S. and several foreign countries conducted well-being checks and recovered Pentobarbital from numerous individuals who admitted to being despondent and ordering the suicide drug online from Gonzalez-Munguia. Law enforcement provided assistance to those individuals. Gonzalez-Munguia admitted that he initially shipped bottles of the drug directly from Mexico and in the manufacturer’s packaging, but thereafter disguised it as a cosmetic product and used intermediaries to transport it into the U.S. before shipping to customers around the world. The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Daniel Johnsen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Illinois Army National Guard Counterdrug Program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, and law enforcement agencies in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman is prosecuting the case. gonzalez-munguia_plea_agreement.pdf


title: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to More Than 2 Years for Trafficking Drugs at a Public Housing Development in Portsmouth

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Dominican man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for trafficking drugs at a public housing development in Portsmouth, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Maikol Jordan Saldivar-Diaz, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 30 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In November 2024, Saldivar-Diaz pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of controlled substances. “Saldivar-Diaz is an illegal immigrant who chose to distribute drugs outside of a public housing development,” said Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack. “The families at the housing development deserve better than to be endangered by those dealing and buying dangerous narcotics nearby. We will continue to support our partners to ensure public neighborhoods in the Granite State are safeguarded from drug activity and violence.” According to court documents, Portsmouth Police Department was notified of drug activity at a public housing development in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Investigators were subsequently able to identify Saldivar-Diaz as the source of this drug activity. On three occasions in June and July of 2024, Saldivar-Diaz sold controlled substances to a confidential informant, including quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Portsmouth Police Department led the investigation. The Drug Enforcement Administration provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Scanlon is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . ###


title: Armed Drug Cartel Member Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Hundreds of Kilos of Cocaine and Methamphetamine

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Mexican national and armed member of the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) was sentenced today in the District of Columbia to 20 years and 10 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that distributed large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine destined for the United States. “For at least five years, Edgar Fabian Villasenor-Garcia took up arms to carry out the CJNG’s criminal activities, including trafficking enormous amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These highly addictive drugs and the violence associated with the CJNG’s criminal operations have devastated communities in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere. Today’s sentence sends another clear message to members of the CJNG and other Mexican drug trafficking organizations: We are committed to working tirelessly with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to eradicate Mexican cartels.” “Eliminating the cartels responsible for the deadly drug crisis in the United States is the Drug Enforcement Administration’s top operational priority, and Edgar Fabian Villasenor-Garcia’s sentencing today — as an armed CJNG operative — brings us a step closer to our goal,” said Acting Administrator Derek S. Maltz of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “The CJNG is responsible for fueling the deadly drug crisis in the United States, as well as unprecedented violence in Mexico, our neighbor. The DEA is relentlessly committed to defeating the CJNG and other cartels, and we will exhaust every tool in the justice system to fight back, to save American lives, and to bring these cartels to justice.” According to court documents, Edgar Fabian Villasenor-Garcia, also known as Gary and El Monje, 54, was responsible for trafficking at least 450 kilograms of cocaine and at least 780 kilograms of methamphetamine for importation into the United States on behalf of the CJNG, one of the most powerful, violent, and prolific drug cartels in Mexico. The CJNG kills, tortures, corrupts, and traffics hundreds of tons, if not more, of cocaine, methamphetamine, and other drugs into the United States and other countries. The CJNG also uses its drug proceeds to fund its violence, and by doing so, ravages communities and imperils countless lives. Villasenor-Garcia joined the CJNG before 2017 and carried a firearm in furtherance of the CJNG’s criminal operations. In November 2024, he pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges and admitted that CJNG members used firearms and violence to advance their mandate, including to protect drugs and drug proceeds, to control the CJNG members, to fight rival cartels, and to escape capture by law enforcement. The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Lernik Begian and Douglas Meisel of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations also provided significant assistance. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Repeat Drug Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker announced today that on February 19, 2025, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Nicholas J. Kloepfel, age 41, of Graham, Washington, to 96 months in prison on one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Judge Rice also imposed 3 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on January 20, 2024, Officers with the Kalispel Police Department identified Kloepfel at the Northen Quest Casino engaged in what was believed to be illegal activity. Klopefel was on federal supervision out of the Western District of Washington and did not have permission to be on this side of the state. Officers learned Kloepfel had an extensive history related to drug trafficking and was on federal supervised release after having been sentenced to more than 190 months previously for a federal firearm and drug trafficking conviction. Through Kalipsel Police Department’s ongoing investigation, they requested the assistance of the Airway Heights Police Department to conduct a traffic stop of Kleopfel. Officers also confirmed there was an active warrant for Kloepfel’s arrest for multiple violations of his federal supervised release. Officers conducted a traffic stop a short distance away and took Kloepfel into custody. Investigators executed a state search warrant and searched Kloepfel’s vehicle, which had been identified in connection with a drug investigation in Eastern Washington. Investigators located three loaded handguns, ammunition, a fake silencer, a small amount of drugs, and drug paraphernalia. Based on Kloepfel’s extensive criminal history, he was prohibited from the possession of firearms. “As part of his arguments at sentencing, Mr. Kloepfel asserted that he possessed the firearms and drugs because of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, resulting from his prior incarceration and from being a gang dropout. The defendant even compared to being a Vietnam veteran,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “As AUSA Stephanie Van Marter put it at the sentencing hearing, Mr. Kloepfel’s comparison of himself with a Vietnam veteran is simply ‘offensive.’” “The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) deeply values its strong partnership with the Kalispel Tribe, which acted swiftly to address this matter. The heightened sentence of this repeat offender underscores the gravity with which Indian Country law enforcement treats crimes committed on and in connection to their lands,” said BIA-DDE Deputy Associate Director Tom Atkinson. “The offender's lack of remorse highlights the necessity of addressing such cases. The BIA - Division of Drug Enforcement (DDE) remains committed to collaborating with tribes to improve their lands and enhance public safety across all their communities.” This case was investigated by the Kalispel Tribal Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter. 2:24-cr-00045-TOR


title: Oklahoma City Woman Sentenced for Stealing More  than $1.1M from her Employer

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Amy D. Shelton, 38, for Bank Fraud and Willfully Making and Subscribing a False Federal Income Tax Return. Judge Frizzell ordered Shelton to be imprisoned for 30 months, followed by five years of supervised release. Further, Judge Frizzell ordered Shelton to pay $870,934.67 in restitution to her former employer and $309,167 to the IRS. “Shelton not only stole from a local business owner, but she also betrayed her employer’s trust,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This deliberate decision not only affected her employer but also defrauded the government, harming taxpayers.” “Ms. Shelton’s sentence sends a clear message that tax fraud is not a victimless crime, and the government will hold these criminals accountable for their actions,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office. “She broke the trust of her former employer by embezzling more than a million dollars and then chose not to include all her income when she filed her taxes. The women and men of IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to bring people to justice who blatantly disregard their civic duty and willfully break the law by filing false tax returns. As part of her plea agreement and sentencing, Ms. Shelton is ordered to pay almost $1.2 million in restitution to her former employer and the IRS for back taxes, penalties, and interest.” According to court documents, Shelton began working as an account manager for her employer in 2015. She was entrusted with handling payroll, paying bills, collecting rent, and updating financial documents. From May 2019 through November 2022, Shelton wrote more than 150 checks to herself, totaling more than 1.1 million dollars. With those funds, Shelton purchased luxury items, including recreational vehicles, purses, jewelry, and dozens of firearms. Further, Shelton did not report her income accurately and falsified her tax refunds. Shelton was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The IRS-Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson prosecuted it.


title: Israeli Freight Forwarder Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Violating Export Restrictions Imposed on Russia

body_text: Gal Haimovich, 49, of Israel, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to illegally ship aircraft parts and avionics from U.S. manufacturers and suppliers to Russia, including for the benefit of sanctioned Russian airline companies. In addition, Haimovich paid the full forfeiture amount of $2,024,435.44 at today’s sentencing. As part of his plea agreement, Haimovich admitted that his scheme involved deceiving U.S. companies about the true destination of the goods at issue, and that the defendant and others attempted to conceal the scheme by submitting false information in export documents filed with the U.S. government. According to court documents, Haimovich owned an international freight forwarding company that was an affiliate in a group of companies that did business in various countries, including the United States and Israel. Haimovich, through those companies, operated as a freight forwarder of choice for individuals and entities seeking to illegally export goods to Russia in violation of U.S. export control laws. Between approximately March 2022 and May 2023, Haimovich facilitated the export of aircraft parts and avionics, including those with missile technology applications, from the United States through the Southern District of Florida, to various third-party transhippers on behalf of Russian customers. These Russian-end customers routinely instructed Haimovich to deceive the U.S.-based manufacturers and suppliers about the ultimate destination of the goods. For example, between April 2022 and April 2023, after the United States imposed additional restrictions on the export of goods to Russia in response to the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Haimovich arranged for more than 160 shipments to companies in the Maldives and United Arab Emirates that were responsible for the illicit transshipment of the goods to Russia. One such shipment, of an air data module, occurred in August 2022. Haimovich, who had been hired by Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines) to deliver the aircraft component to Russia, directed a co-conspirator to falsely inform the U.S. supplier that the part was destined for the Maldives; in fact, Haimovich knew that the part was destined for Russia for the benefit of S7 Airlines. Haimovich also agreed that, between March 2022 and May 2023, he billed Russian customers, including Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines), more than two million dollars to have aircraft parts and avionics illegally exported from the United States to Russia. In connection with Haimovich’s plea, he agreed to the entry of a forfeiture money judgment in the sum of $2,024,435 and to forfeit various aircraft parts and components. Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Kevin J. Kurland of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, and Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division made the announcement. BIS and FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida handled the asset forfeiture component of the case.


title: Mexican National Indicted After Traffic Stop for Alleged Criminal Possession of a Firearm

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment this week charging a Mexican national with one count of possession of firearm by illegal alien. According to court documents, Marcelo Olvera-Moreno was stopped while driving in Hutto, Jan. 24. A Williamson Country Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted the traffic stop after allegedly observing the passenger in Olvera-Moreno’s vehicle fire a handgun from the front passenger window. Olvera-Moreno admitted to law enforcement that he knew that he was illegally and unlawfully in the United States and that he had purchased the pistol at a flea market approximately three months prior. Olvera-Moreno made his initial court appearance Jan. 28. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Williamson Country Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel Cohen and Daniel Castillo are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Superseding Indictment Charges Two Brothers and a City Mayor’s Assistant with Tax Fraud, Public Corruption, and Money Laundering

body_text: CLEVELAND – A federal grand jury returned a 32-count superseding indictment charging Zubair Mehmet Abdur Razzaq Al Zubair, 42, recently of Bratenahl, Ohio, his brother Muzzammil Muhammad Al Zubair, 31, recently of Pepper Pike, Ohio, and their associate Michael Leon Smedley, 56, of Cleveland, with multiple fraud, tax fraud, money laundering, and public corruption schemes. The initial 22-count indictment was issued Jan. 24, 2024. All three defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and Hobbs Act conspiracy. The Al Zubair brothers were both charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, four counts of money laundering, theft of government funds, and aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. Zubair Al Zubair was also charged with harboring a fugitive and willful failure to file a tax return. According to court documents, from June 2020 through August 2023, the Al Zubair brothers allegedly employed several deceptive strategies to obtain money and property from victims. Their schemes involved investment fraud, a Small Business Administration COVID-19 relief Emergency Income Disaster Loan, cryptocurrency mining, and commercial and residential real estate transactions. One scheme was international in scope and involved military munitions. After the Al Zubair brothers found a buyer who was looking to purchase military-grade weapons, they made contact with individuals in Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and New York about finding sources to supply the munitions their buyer was seeking. The true intent was not the actual sale of the munitions, but rather to convince the purchaser to transfer a commission to the brothers for arranging the transaction. The Al Zubair brothers’ ill-gotten proceeds allowed them to acquire a trove of jewelry, luxury timepieces and vehicles, as well as more than 80 firearms. Zubair Al Zubair also leased a high-end residential property in Bratenahl, Ohio, before being evicted in August 2023. The superseding indictment alleges that the two made exorbitant claims about their extraordinary wealth and government connections. Zubair Al Zubair said he was a member of the royal family of the United Arab Emirates through his marriage to a princess. His brother, Muzzammil, claimed to be a hedge fund manager. According to the superseding indictment, he was not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or as a broker with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and his only education on hedge funds came from watching YouTube videos. Using the illusion of being extremely educated, successful, and well-connected, the brothers befriended a public official employed with the city of East Cleveland to help them to carry out their elaborate and deceptive plots. As the chief of staff and executive assistant to the mayor of East Cleveland, Smedley allegedly used his position to help navigate red-tape bureaucracy and obtain specific outcomes for the Al Zubair brothers in return for things of value including checks, food and meals at high-end restaurants, and offers of future employment. For example, Smedley secured official letters on city letterhead to sway administrative and judicial proceedings, helped obtain appointment of Zubair Al Zubair as an International Economic Advisor to the city, obtained city business cards in Zubair Al Zubair’s name, and even provided the brothers with City of East Cleveland Police Badges. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of actors unique to this case. These include each defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum. This case is being investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and the IRS−Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd and Om Kakani for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Tri-Cities Based Drug Traffickers Caught with More Than 100,000 Fentanyl Pills, 50 Pounds of Methamphetamine, and a Kilo of Cocaine Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: Richland, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced today that two men responsible for trafficking large amounts of drugs across Eastern Washington have been sentenced to federal prison. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Angel Ramon Barajas-Zarate, age 26, from Colima, Mexico, to 132 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. Hector Sanchez-Mendez, age 42, of Oaxaca, Mexico, was sentenced to 72 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearings, in February 2022, Investigators developed information that Barajas-Zarate was using the United State Postal Service to ship multiple-pound quantities of dangerous controlled substances, including thousands of fentanyl-laced pills and methamphetamine. Sanchez-Mendez also operated a drug stash house for Barajas-Zarate. On December 14, 2022, investigators executed several search warrants in Richland, Washington, involving three homes as well as several vehicles identified during the investigation. In the attic of the stash house operated by Sanchez-Mendez, investigators found 45 pounds of methamphetamine in the process of being packaged for sale. Investigators also located 13 firearms around the house. Investigators then searched Barajas-Zarate’s truck and located several large bags of methamphetamine and several thousand fentanyl-laced pills packaged for distribution. In total, the FBI and its local law enforcement partners seized more than 100,000 fentanyl-laced pills (to include pink and rainbow-colored pills), more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine, and approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine, making it one of the larger drug seizures in Eastern Washington history. The FBI and its local partners also seized approximately $15,000 in U.S. Currency and several money counters, which typically are used by banks to count large amounts of U.S. Currency. More than 20 firearms were seized, along with a significant amount of ammunition. “This case serves as a powerful reminder that those who engage in trafficking dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, will be held accountable for the harm they cause in our communities. The FBI and our law enforcement partners have demonstrated tremendous skill and dedication in dismantling these criminal operations. This case also highlights the unwavering commitment of our team of dedicated prosecutors, who has have dedicated their careers to combating the opioid crisis and the dangerous drug trade that threatens the safety and well-being of Eastern Washington,” stated Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker. “Our office will continue to work tirelessly to protect our district from individuals who profit from the devastation caused to Eastern Washington communities and families.” “Putting a stop to these two men’s crimes may have saved countless lives,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “This is an extraordinary amount of dangerous drugs and firearms taken off our streets. When investigating these kinds of complex cases, partnerships are absolutely crucial, and I would like to thank our federal, state, and local partners on the Southeast Washington Safe Streets Task Force for their work on this case and safeguarding our communities.” This case was investigated by the FBI Southeast Washington Safe Streets Task Force, along with the United States Postal Inspection Service. The FBI Southeast Washington Safe Streets Task Force was assisted by multiple local law enforcement entities, including the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Richland Police Department, Kennewick Police Department, Pasco Police Department, West Richland Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the METRO Drug Task Force, and the Washington State Department of Corrections. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Border Patrol also provided assistance. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter. 4:22-cr-06052-SAB


title: Former Indiana Resident Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Michelle L. Bernskoetter, 37 years old, of Wheeling, Missouri, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to five counts of wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Bernskoetter was sentenced to 27 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $402,513.96 in restitution to the victim of the offense. According to documents in the case, between June 12, 2020, and July 5, 2022, while employed as a financial manager, Bernskoetter devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money from her employer. She abused her position of trust by embezzling funds from her employer to pay her own personal credit card debt, resulting in a loss of over $400,000. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.


title: Arizona Woman Sentenced To 92 Months In Prison For Conspiracy To Distribute And Distribution Of Fentanyl

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Tyla Griffin, age 36, of Phoenix, Arizona, to 92 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Griffin relocated from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to Phoenix, Arizona in or about January 2020. Once settled in Arizona, she and co-conspirator, Davon Beckford, developed a relationship with an Arizona source of supply for fentanyl pills. Griffin then conspired with Beckford and others to sell fentanyl pills to drug dealers formerly known to them throughout Luzerne County. Griffin distributed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills via the U.S. Postal Service to drug associates in Pennsylvania from Arizona. Griffin was indicted by a grand jury in Scranton on February 15, 2022. She appeared in federal court in Scranton on February 28, 2023, and plead guilty to her role in the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Davon Beckford was sentenced by Judge Mariani on January 24, 2025, to a term of 240 months in prison. Beckford plead guilty to the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The charges stem from a joint investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Scranton, and the Wilkes-Barre Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. This case is also 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. ###


body_text: MIAMI – Gal Haimovich, 49, of Israel, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to illegally ship aircraft parts and avionics from U.S. manufacturers and suppliers to Russia, including for the benefit of sanctioned Russian airline companies. In addition, Haimovich paid the full forfeiture amount of $2,024,435.44 at today’s sentencing. As part of his plea agreement, Haimovich admitted that his scheme involved deceiving U.S. companies about the true destination of the goods at issue, and that the defendant and others attempted to conceal the scheme by submitting false information in export documents filed with the U.S. government. According to court documents, Haimovich owned an international freight forwarding company that was an affiliate in a group of companies that did business in various countries, including the United States and Israel. Haimovich, through those companies, operated as a freight forwarder of choice for individuals and entities seeking to illegally export goods to Russia in violation of U.S. export control laws. Between approximately March 2022 and May 2023, Haimovich facilitated the export of aircraft parts and avionics, including those with missile technology applications, from the United States through the Southern District of Florida, to various third-party transhippers on behalf of Russian customers. These Russian-end customers routinely instructed Haimovich to deceive the U.S.-based manufacturers and suppliers about the ultimate destination of the goods. For example, between April 2022 and April 2023, after the United States imposed additional restrictions on the export of goods to Russia in response to the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Haimovich arranged for more than 160 shipments to companies in the Maldives and United Arab Emirates that were responsible for the illicit transshipment of the goods to Russia. One such shipment, of an air data module, occurred in August 2022. Haimovich, who had been hired by Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines) to deliver the aircraft component to Russia, directed a co-conspirator to falsely inform the U.S. supplier that the part was destined for the Maldives; in fact, Haimovich knew that the part was destined for Russia for the benefit of S7 Airlines. Haimovich also agreed that, between March 2022 and May 2023, he billed Russian customers, including Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines), more than two million dollars to have aircraft parts and avionics illegally exported from the United States to Russia. In connection with Haimovich’s plea, he agreed to the entry of a forfeiture money judgment in the sum of $2,024,435 and to forfeit various aircraft parts and components. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Kevin J. Kurland of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division made the announcement. BIS and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida handled the asset forfeiture component of the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20374. ###


title: Wolcott Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Offense

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOSE COLON, 37, of Wolcott, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon. According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 13, 2024, Waterbury Police arrested Colon after he discarded a privately made 9mm handgun (“ghost gun”) loaded with six rounds of ammunition during a foot pursuit. Colon’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for assault, weapon, and risk of injury offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for May 13, at which time Colon faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Colon has been detained since his arrest. This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn .


title: Colorado City Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Role in Child Sexual Abuse Ring

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – LaDell Jay Bistline, Jr., 46, of Colorado City, was sentenced on Wednesday by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to life in prison. On October 2, 2024, a jury convicted Bistline of one count of Receipt of Child Pornography; one count of Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor; two counts of Persuading or Coercing Travel to Engage in Sexual Activity; two counts of Using a Means of Interstate Commerce to Persuade or Coerce a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity; and two counts of Transportation of a Minor for Criminal Sexual Activity. Bistline’s charges are based on his participation in a years-long child sexual abuse conspiracy that spanned several states and victimized at least 10 children. Bistline committed his crimes with others, including co-defendant Samuel Rappylee Bateman, the self-proclaimed leader of a religious sect based in Colorado City. Bateman and 10 of his other followers previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the child sexual abuse conspiracy and were not part of the trial against Bistline. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bistline delivered two of his own daughters to Bateman to become child “brides” and be sexually abused when the girls were nine and 11 years old. Bistline and others transported the victims between states including Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona to facilitate the sexual abuse. Bistline also participated in group sexual activity involving children, including one event he watched over a video livestream. The Phoenix Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office continues to extend special gratitude to the Arizona Department of Child Safety for its work rescuing and protecting Arizona children impacted by this matter, the Colorado City Police Department, the Iron County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the St. George Resident Agency of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office for their assistance in this matter. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-8092-006-PHX-SMB RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-021_Bistline # # # 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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: FIVE PEOPLE CONVICTED IN $1 MILLION FRAUD SCHEME INVOLVING ELDERLY VICTIMS

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Five defendants who participated in a conspiracy and a fraud scheme involving 401(k) accounts of elderly retired Florida school district employees have been convicted after three defendants pleaded guilty and two defendants were found guilty by a federal jury. Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the convictions of the following defendants: Ronald Vargas, 38, of Osteen, Florida, pleaded guilty on August 21, 2024, to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Sarina Levy, 34, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, pleaded guilty on August 8, 2024, to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft. Lambert Aguebor, 33, of Miramar, Florida, and Floyd Bostic, 42 , of Tallahassee, Florida, were both found guilty by a federal jury on February 3, 2025, at the conclusion of a six-day jury trial. The jury found Lambert Aguebor guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Bostic was found guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, three counts of Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, 16 counts of Money Laundering, and Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business. Grace Aguebor, 36, of Miramar, Florida, pleaded guilty on February 6, 2025, to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft. Evidence presented at trial and court records show that the defendants were involved in a conspiracy to steal retirement funds from participants in a retirement 401(k) savings program comprised largely of Florida school district employees or prior employees. Between January 2022, and March 2022, Vargas, who worked for the company handling the retirement fund, conspired with the other defendants to have fraudulent withdraw forms faxed to the company requesting that the victims’ retirement funds be transferred to accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy. In total, the conspirators withdrew and attempted to withdraw retirement funds from 25 different 401(k) accounts, resulting in a net total of $1.1 million being stolen. Evidence presented at trial also established that Bostic was engaging in money laundering with the stolen funds. Sentencing hearings for all defendants are scheduled for April 28, 2025, beginning at 10:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle. All defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to three years on supervised release for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Vargas, Levy, Grace Aguebor, and Bostic face a mandatory minimum sentence of two years imprisonment—consecutive to any other prison sentence imposed by the court. These convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. 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 American seniors is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice . 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 . 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: Kansas man sentenced for crimes related to child sexual abuse

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man received a combined sentence of 87 months in prison after pleading guilty in two separate cases related to criminal misconduct involving minors. According to court documents, Daniel Paul Prekopa, 46, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of attempted travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. In a separate case, Prekopa pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child sexual abuse materials. In September 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) notified the Wichita Police Department about a cybertip concerning child sexual abuse materials uploaded to a Dropbox account. Law enforcement confirmed through investigation that the account to belonged to Prekopa. The materials depicted children under the age of 12 years old engaged in sexual conduct. In a separate investigation in September 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Child Exploitation Task Force engaged in covert chat sessions on platforms known to be frequented by adults attempting to lure children into sexual acts. An undercover agent posing as a minor received a direct message from a user later to be confirmed as Daniel Prekopa. Prekopa sent provocative photos of himself and made sexually illicit comments during multiple exchanges with whom he thought to be a minor, at one point writing, “I could get in major trouble since you're under 16. But idc either” and “And you have damn cops online trying to catfish people to get them in trouble”. FBI agents arrested Prekopa after he traveled from Kansas City, Missouri, to Overland Park, Kansas, for the intended purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a person under the age of 18. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), and the Wichita Police Department investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the cases. Project Safe Childhood 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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc. ###


title: Dauphin County Man Sentenced to 97 Months’ Imprisonment for Receipt of Images Containing the Sexual Exploitation of a Child

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dylan Ruppert, age 29, formerly of Halifax, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 20, 2025, to 97 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, for receiving images containing sexual exploitation of a child. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on August 11, 2023, law enforcement recovered approximately 65 electronic files of child pornography from Ruppert’s phone during a search of his home. Law enforcement also recovered electronic communications from Ruppert to another individual in which Ruppert discussed his desire to groom a child to engage in sexual activity. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Varley prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Mexican citizen was sentenced yesterday to two years in federal prison for illegally returning to the United States after being deported. According to public court documents, Juan Carlos Solis Roan, 40, had previously been deported from the United States four times between 2008 and 2020. Solis Roan had been convicted twice of illegal reentry, including in 2019 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. In January 2024, law enforcement encountered Solis Roan, and in March 2024, Solis Roan was convicted in the Iowa District Court for Polk County of contempt for violating his probation for a 2006 drug conviction. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.


title: Carjacker Sentenced to 96-Month Prison Term for Carjacking Valet Driver in Southeast Washington

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Raymond Davese, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for carjacking a valet driver using a taser, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Davese pleaded guilty on November 13, 2024, before D.C. Superior Court Judge Heidi M. Pasichow, to one count of carjacking and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. According to the government’s evidence, Davese carjacked a valet driver on June 7, 2024. The victim had just parked a client’s SUV in the parking garage at 221 Tingey Street Southeast when Davese attacked her from behind, put her in a headlock, and deployed a taser into her neck. After Davese brought the victim to the ground, he took the keys from her and drove away in the SUV. Davese crashed the SUV a short distance later, and was apprehended on the scene by members of the Metropolitan Police Department. Davese has been in custody since his arrest on June 7, 2024. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, and the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney John Parron, who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: Four Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Prison for Mailing, Distributing Methamphetamine and Cocaine Throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that four members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that mailed methamphetamine and cocaine to, and distributed it throughout, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, including in Reading, Quakertown, Bensalem, Plymouth Township, Coopersburg, and elsewhere, have been sentenced to prison by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson. In January 2024, the defendants were charged by indictment with drug trafficking offenses. They entered guilty pleas late last year. Aived Abel Garcia, aka “Nephew,” 26, of Chula Vista, California, was sentenced today by Judge Wolson to 70 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in the drug trafficking organization. Miguel Aliaga, aka “Migz,” 37, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, and Avrian Haywood Mack, aka “The Kid,” 22, of Reading, Pennsylvania, were both sentenced earlier this month to 60 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The DTO’s leader, Michael Sanchez, aka “West Coast,” 33, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced in January to 14½ years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Members of the DTO mailed the drugs from California to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where members of the organization would then pick up the packages for subsequent distribution to their dealers. Sanchez organized and managed the DTO, overseeing the drug shipments. Garcia would travel from California to Pennsylvania to pick up the packages of narcotics, collect money owed to the DTO, and deposit it into a bank account. He, Mack, and Aliaga then distributed bulk amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine for the organization. “These defendants took part in a cross-country conspiracy that brought significant amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine from California to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer. “This office and our law enforcement partners at every level will continue to investigate and prosecute such traffickers, as we work to take illegal drugs off the street and make our communities safer.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia’s El Dorado Task Force, HSI Allentown, HSI Los Angeles, HSI San Diego, HSI LAX, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office Drug Strike Force, Quakertown Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Richland Township Police Department, Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Berks County Detectives, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Bensalem Police Department, Montgomery County Detectives, and the Orange County Probation Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lizmar Bosques and Special Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Gannon, specially assigned from the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.