title: MILTON FELON CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF A FIREARM AND AMMUNITION

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Willie Curtis Slack, Jr., 49, of Milton, Florida has been indicted in federal court for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Slack is scheduled to appear before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon on August 13, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. for his arraignment at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. If convicted, he faces a minimum mandatory term of 15 years’ imprisonment under the Armed Career Criminal Act. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Recidivist Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Four Victims

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for sex trafficking four separate female victims. Trevor Jones, 47, of Everett, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $639,500. In May 2025 , Jones pleaded guilty to four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. Jones was arrested on related state charges on March 23, 2023. He was later indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023 . “Justice was served today. Trevor Jones’s decades-long criminal career is defined by his willingness to exploit women and profit from their pain. He preyed on women struggling with addiction, fueled their dependence and inflicted violence and fear to maintain control. The victims in this case endured unimaginable abuse at his hands,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This case is a stark reminder of the devastating intersection between drug trafficking and human trafficking, and why we will continue to aggressively pursue offenders who operate at that intersection. Today’s sentence should send a clear message that this office will dismantle those who traffic in human lives with the same relentlessness they show their victims.” “We thank the brave women who came forward in this case to help us put Trevor Jones behind bars for more than a decade. This career criminal is both a predator and a coward, who manipulated and abused his victims, both physically and emotionally, and forced them to sell their bodies to strangers for his own financial gain,” Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “No sentence can ever make up for the significant harm this man inflicted, but it does punish him for his crimes and protects the public.” “The Massachusetts State Police shares the unwavering commitment of our local, state, and federal partners to end all forms of human trafficking,” said Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police. “We will not tolerate this modern form of slavery in the Commonwealth. Whether we serve in public safety functions or in other professional services, each of us should educate ourselves to recognize the signs of exploitation, report them via 911 to police, and stand together in support of victims.” “It is my hope that the courageous women who came forward to help hold this defendant accountable get some measure of comfort and healing with today’s sentence. The criminal behavior exhibited by this defendant in preying upon vulnerable victims is deserving of the strong sentence he now faces,” said Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker. In 2007, Jones was convicted of deriving support from prostitution, for which he received a sentence of two to five years in state prison. Almost immediately after completing his prison sentence in that case, Jones resumed trafficking women at least as early as 2016. From at least 2016 until 2023, Jones ran a sex trafficking operation targeting victims who were suffering from substance use disorder. As part of his sex trafficking operation, Jones provided his victims with controlled substances, including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine to intensify their drug dependence and gain their compliance, while prohibiting the victims from obtaining controlled substances from other sources. Jones demanded “loyalty” and “dedication” from his victims, enforcing his requirements by punishing victims with acts of violence, threats of violence and withholding controlled substance from drug-dependent victims. At times, to compel some women to follow his rules, Jones used his fists or other weapons – including a belt, cane, metal rod and pistol. In one instance, the violence he inflicted on a victim resulted in a broken nose and missing teeth. Jones beat another victim with a belt causing bruising throughout her body. When confronted with the injuries he caused, Jones told the victim that she deserved the abuse. Jones was also verbally abusive toward another victim, locking her out of the house, demanding to know where her “loyalty” was and berating her for not “contributing everything” she was making. Another victim experienced degradation from Jones, with him telling her that she needed to “make daddy proud” and scolding her for being “disobedient.” U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Docks, MSP Colonel Noble and Essex DA Tucker made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Revere, Arlington and Boston Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Assistant United States Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit prosecuted the case along with Essex County Assistant District Attorneys Jessica Strasnick and Marina Moriarty, who were sworn in as Special Assistant United States Attorneys.


title: Media Advisory - U.S. Attorney to Announce Office Priorities

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney W. Ellis Boyle, will hold a press conference tomorrow to announce the offices priorities for the coming year. WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office 150 Fayetteville St., Suite 2100, Raleigh, NC 27601 WHEN: Tomorrow at 3:30PM Media, please arrive at our office by 3:00PM for set up . For logistical information in advance of the media availability, please contact Katie Holcomb Vollmer at USANCE.PublicInfoOfficer@usdoj.gov .


title: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Stop for Inspection at Calais International Port of Entry

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to failing to report his arrival and present himself for inspection at the international port of entry in Calais. According to court records, on July 1, 2025, Jason Brenner , 52, drove a vehicle traveling outbound from the United States and entered Canada. After a brief encounter with Canadian immigration officials, Brenner turned his vehicle around and sped back towards the U.S. Instead of stopping his vehicle and presenting himself for inspection at the Calais port of entry, Brenner entered the U.S. by traveling in the outbound lane in the wrong direction, bypassing the incoming traffic inspection lanes. Following a pursuit where Brenner reached speeds of over 100 mph, he crashed the vehicle and was found in the woods with a loaded firearm, two loaded magazines, and wearing body armor. Another loaded firearm was found inside the vehicle. Brenner faces up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and up to one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal magistrate judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol and the Baileyville and Indian Township police departments. ###


title: Justice Department Settles Lawsuits Challenging Race-Based Admissions at West Point and Air Force Academy

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The Justice Department today announced the settlement of litigation challenging former race-based admissions practices at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy. The settlement results in dismissal of two lawsuits brought by plaintiff Students for Fair Admissions Inc. The lawsuits challenged race-based admissions at the two military academies as unconstitutional under the Fifth Amendment. “This Department is committed to eliminating DEI practices throughout the federal government,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are proud to partner with the Department of Defense to permanently end race-based admissions at West Point and the Air Force Academy — admission to these prestigious military institutions should be based exclusively on merit.” “America is the land of equal opportunity, in spirit and in law,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “Today’s agreement ensures that our future military leaders will carry on the greatness that is born of opportunity, effort, and a level playing field.” The Department’s agreement with Students for Fair Admissions avoids the need for continued litigation in these two cases. It includes agreed-upon terms that help ensure that admission to these prestigious institutions is based exclusively on merit, not race or ethnicity. Earlier this year, the Department resolved similar litigation in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit regarding the U.S. Naval Academy’s former race-based admissions practices. Combatting unlawful discrimination is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. Additional information about the Civil Division is available at www.justice.gov/civil .


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the Country

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Guatemalan man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for reentry after removal. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Geremias Josue Sanchez-Velasquez , 31, to time served (110 days). He pleaded guilty on June 11, 2025. According to court records, on April 23, 2025, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent encountered Sanchez-Velasquez in Palmyra, Maine. Sachez-Velasquez acknowledged that he was not a U.S. citizen and that he did not have any authorization to be in the country. Records checks revealed that Sanchez-Velasquez has a previous conviction for illegal entry and had been removed from the United States in 2019. Sanchez-Velasquez was turned over to immigration authorities at the conclusion of the proceedings. Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Former Federal Employee and Two Other Women Plead Guilty in Pandemic Fraud Cases

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – Rena Barrett, a former Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loan officer, pled guilty on August 11, 2025 to making false statements to the SBA in connection with applications for more than $550,000 in fraudulent COVID-19 pandemic loans. “The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provided critical relief to small businesses and supported our economy during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “It is intolerable that Barrett—who was entrusted to process loans for desperate small businesses—placed her personal greed ahead of doing her job honestly. With the help of our law enforcement partners, we are committed to rooting out and punishing government employees who betray the public’s trust.” “Abusing authority to fraudulently obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds betrays the trust of small businesses relying on critical relief,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of SBA Office of the Inspector General’s Eastern Region. “OIG is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring accountability for those who exploit vital programs for personal gain.” “Government employees who exploit their positions for personal gain betray the public trust and undermine critical programs designed to help those in need,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our partners to hold accountable those who abuse their authority and harm the integrity of pandemic relief efforts.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Rena Barrett, 45, of Covington, Ga., became an SBA employee in October 2020. In May 2021, she submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) application for $170,000. SBA initially declined to approve this loan, but in July 2021, Barrett approved the loan herself. SBA shortly thereafter discovered that Barrett had abused her position by approving that loan and other loans she or her relatives submitted. Barrett received nearly half of the approximately $550,000 she sought to obtain and resigned from the SBA after her wrongdoing was discovered. In a related case, on April 15, 2025, Sheena Thompson, 49, of Conyers, Ga., pled guilty to a criminal information charging her with making false statements to the SBA. Thompson admitted to trying to obtain more than $150,000 in fraudulent EIDL loans. Barrett is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2025, and Thompson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 28, 2025. Separately, on August 12, 2025, Detra Lewis, 40, of Atlanta, Ga., pled guilty to making false statements to the SBA. Lewis obtained more than $1.25 million after submitting a false Paycheck Protection Program loan application on behalf of God’s Anointed Youth Ministry. Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2025. The case against Barrett and Thompson is being investigated by the United States Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case against Lewis is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alex R. Sistla is prosecuting each case. On May 17, 2021, the Department of Justice established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the Department’s resources 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) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Stamford Nurse Who Stole and Tampered with Hydromorphone and Fentanyl Vials Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KRISTEN CAROTENUTO, 35, of Pelham, New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to five months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for tampering with vials of hydromorphone and fentanyl at a surgical clinic in Stamford where she was employed as a nurse. Judge Oliver also ordered Carotenuto to pay a $5,000 fine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Carotenuto was employed as a nurse at an outpatient surgical center in Stamford. As part of her employment, she was granted access to a secure location used by the surgical center to store controlled substances, including hydromorphone and fentanyl. In December 2024, Carotenuto removed several vials, each containing hydromorphone or fentanyl, from the secure storage area. She then took the vials home, removed the controlled substances using a syringe, and used the drugs. She then refilled the vials with either saline or water and returned the tampered vials to the storage area in a location where they could be distributed for patient use. There is no evidence that any patients received the tampered medications. On August 7, 2025, Carotenuto pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product. Carotenuto, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on October 1. She has surrendered her nursing license. This matter was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.


title: Missouri Man Who Stole the Identities of 13 People Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a man who stole the identities of 13 people to apply for loans and obtain other things of value to four years in prison and ordered him to repay $26,812. Deleon Ford, 32, of Ferguson, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in March to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He admitted using the identities of multiple people to open financial accounts, obtain unsecured loans, rent a U-Haul truck and open a cell phone account. Ford submitted online credit applications to various lenders, transmitted or hand-delivered identification documents bearing his picture and the stolen identifiers of others and created fake pay stubs, utility bills and bank statements to further his scheme. Ford also helped an Illinois jail inmate to obtain loans in the name of others. In all, Ford admitted stealing the identity of 13 people in an attempt to obtain more than $40,000, including loans, cellphone service and the rental truck. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Ellisville (Missouri) Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.


title: Chinese national sent to federal prison after bringing child sexual abuse material into the U.S.

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 19-year-old woman from China caught illegally entering the United States has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jinyi Zheng pleaded guilty June 2. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Zheng to serve 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, she is expected to face removal proceedings following her prison term. If not immediately removed from the United States after her imprisonment, she must also serve an additional 24 months on home confinement. Zheng will also be on supervised release for five years following the completion of her imprisonment, during which time she will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict her access to children and the internet. Zheng will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. On Feb. 12, authorities encountered Zheng near Hidalgo after she illegally enter the United States from Mexico. At that time, they located an Apple iPhone 14 belonging to her. A forensic examination of the phone revealed six videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. “This case shows why border security is so imperative,” said Ganjei. “Zheng is not the kind of person who we want walking around free in American communities, with the ability to prey on children. Fortunately, swift action by our law enforcement partners prevented this would-be predator from ever gaining access to our nation’s interior.” Zheng has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Haitian Gang Leader ‘Barbecue’ Indicted for Conspiracy to Violate U.S. Sanctions

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court charging Jimmy Cherizier, also known as Barbecue, 48, of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Bazile Richardson, also known as Fredo, Fred Lion, Leo Danger, and Lepe Blode, 48, a naturalized U.S. citizen, with leading a conspiracy to transfer funds from the United States to Cherizier to fund his gang activities in Haiti in violation of the U.S sanctions imposed on Cherizier. Cherizier is a fugitive believed to be Haiti. Richardson was arrested on July 23 in Pasadena, Texas, and is expected to make his initial court appearance today in the District of Columbia. Concurrent with the indictment, the U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Cherizier. If you have information, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at www.tips.fbi.gov . Information may also be provided to HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or online at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form . “Cherizier and a U.S. associate sought to raise funds in the United States to bankroll Cherizier’s violent criminal enterprise, which is driving a security crisis in Haiti,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division does not tolerate criminal gang fundraising in the United States, and will continue to pursue those who enable Haiti’s violence and instability.” “There’s a good reason that there’s a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier’s arrest. He’s a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “The U.S. government sanctioned Cherizier in 2020 because he was responsible for an ongoing campaign of violence, including the 2018 La Saline massacre, in which 71 people were killed, more than 400 houses were destroyed, and at least seven women raped by armed gangs. The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to apprehending Cherizier and bringing him to justice, along with individuals like defendant Richardson, who has sent money and other support to Cherizier from the United States in violation of U.S. sanctions. Our office is committed to keeping Americans safe anywhere in the world, and the gang violence that has ravaged Haiti must end.” “The FBI is committed to confronting foreign terrorist organizations wherever they operate, and Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier’s gang is no exception,” said Acting Assistant Director Darren Cox of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Through intelligence, partnerships, and the full weight of federal law, we are dismantling FTOs and rooting out those who threaten the safety of our communities.” “The unsealing of this indictment marks the results of a lengthy investigation into Jimmy Cherizier’s criminal activities,” said Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd M. Lyons. “His actions to fund the oppression and slaughter of Haitians, including firearm procurement and trafficking networks, fundraising activities, movement and usage of U.S. dollars, and violations of sanctions, are unconscionable — but today marks a step towards accountability.” “The Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Jimmy Cherizier, the leader of Foreign Terrorist Organization Viv Ansanm,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “The State Department will continue to apply its tools, including rewards programs, to combat the scourge of transnational organized crime and its violence — especially to stop the worst of the worst criminal ringleaders threatening the people of our hemisphere.” According to court documents, Cherizier is a former officer in the Haitian National Police and the leader of a gang known as the Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies who helped to forge a gang alliance called Viv Ansanm that united Haiti’s many criminal gangs to oppose the legitimate government of Haiti. On Dec. 10, 2020, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Cherizier and designated him as a Specially Designated National (SDN) for his role in serious human rights abuses in Haiti. As a result of the SDN designation, U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with or for the benefit of Cherizier absent approval from OFAC in the form of a license. As alleged in the indictment, since Cherizier’s SDN designation in December 2020, Cherizier and Richardson have together led a wide-ranging conspiracy with individuals in the United States, Haiti, and elsewhere to raise funds for Cherizier’s gang activities in violation of the sanctions imposed on Cherizier. In particular, Cherizier and Richardson directly solicited money transfers from members of the Haitian diaspora located in the United States. After sending funds to intermediaries in Haiti for Cherizier’s benefit, the U.S. and Haitian co-conspirators would send Cherizier images of receipts from the money transfers. Cherizier used these funds principally to pay salaries to the members of his gang and to acquire firearms from illicit firearms dealers in Haiti. The FBI Miami Field Office and HSI Washington Field Office are investigating the case, with substantial assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Providing valuable support are the FBI Houston, Boston, and Charlotte Field Offices and the HSI Miami Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas N. Saunders for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall, Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Seifert, and former Trial Attorney Benjamin Koenigsfeld. Significant support was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and the Department of State and U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Tampa Businessman Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Fraudulent Tax Returns

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Brian Davison to three years in federal prison for making false and fraudulent statements on tax returns. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $6,293,592, the amount of tax loss to the United States. Davison pleaded guilty on March 24, 2025. According to court documents, Davison was the co-founder and former CEO of the Tampa-based real estate investment firm Equialt, LLC, which was placed into judicial receivership following a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission complaint in February 2020. Between October 2018 and December 2020, Davison caused multiple personal tax returns to be filed, which in total underreported his income from Equialt, LLC and other business entities by at least $29.7 million. This willful underreporting resulted in a tax loss to the United States of $6,293,592. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Tampa. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Duso.


title: Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jeremiah Clinton Gray, 43, of Blue Ridge, Georgia, was sentenced today to one year and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 22, 2024, law enforcement responded to reports of a man inside a Jackson County, Ohio, business with a firearm, body armor and a badge. The individual, later identified as Gray, left the business in a vehicle without a license plate and fled from an attempted traffic stop by law enforcement. The resulting pursuit led law enforcement into West Virginia, where the vehicle was stopped in Charleston with the assistance of spike strips. Gray was arrested and officers found a loaded Taurus model 1911 Officer 9mm pistol on his person and a loaded Mossberg model 590 Shockwave .410-gauge shotgun in the vehicle. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Gray knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of cocaine in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on October 20, 2023. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Virginia State Police and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-35. ###


title: Metro Nashville Public Schools Agrees to Settle Allegations It Violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by Discriminating Against Students with Type 1 Diabetes and to Modify Policies for Students with Type 1 Diabetes

component: USAO - Tennessee, Middle

body_text: NASHVILLE – The United States has reached an agreement with Metro Nashville Public Schools (“MNPS” or the “District”) and Ross Early Learning Center (“Ross ELC”) to resolve allegations that they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. MNPS and Ross ELC are alleged to have refused to allow certain communications related to continuous glucose monitoring on behalf of a three-year-old student with Type 1 Diabetes (“T1D”). “Enforcing federal law on behalf of vulnerable children makes our community stronger,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “This agreement is a win for MNPS students and parents.” According to the complaint allegations, the complainant parents’ child, who attended Ross ELC at the time of the complaint for much of the 2023-2024 school year and remained an MNPS student through the 2024-25 school year, has T1D and was prescribed a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) by their treating physician to monitor the child’s blood glucose levels. CGMs are approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration to be used without follow-up “finger stick” blood testing. When the child’s blood glucose level is too high or too low, the monitor transmits an alarm from the device to a wireless receiver, such as a smartphone or tablet. The complainants alleged that they requested the school and school nurse to monitor the CGM while their child is in school or at school-sponsored activities, but Ross ELC refused the request in part, thereby requiring the parents and/or child to be responsible for monitoring the child’s CGM in the afternoons after the school nurse had left the school. Ross ELC also initially told the student’s mother that the parents could provide a device for the school to monitor the child’s CGM, which the parents provided. But Ross ELC later told her that they could no longer use the device provided by the parents and could not communicate with a child’s parents during school about the CGM other than by phone calls or password-protected emails. Following this development, the parents removed the child from Ross ELC for approximately one month due to the school and MNPS communication policy. Afterwards, the parents allowed their child to return to Ross ELC, but only for a half-day in the morning – rather than the full school day – due to Ross ELC’s nurse departing the school after lunch. At different times, the child had experienced dangerously low or high blood glucose levels, resulting in adverse physical effects and requiring the parents’ prompt response by either visiting or calling the school to ensure their child received the requisite care. As part of the settlement, Ross ELC and MNPS have agreed, consistent with the requirements of the ADA, to ensure that no qualified individual with a disability will, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the District or be subjected to discrimination by the District. Specifically, Ross ELC and MNPS have agreed to modify the District’s policies, practices and/or procedures to permit the use of CGMs by children diagnosed with T1D who are prescribed such devices by a physician (or an advanced practice provider), to purchase or use existing equipment owned by the District to monitor blood glucose alerts transmitted from CGMs of children with T1D, to provide appropriately trained staff in the MNPS school attended by the complainants’ child with a cellphone or other appropriate device, so that the complainant family may more efficiently communicate with MNPS during school about the child’s CGM, and to modify the District’s policies, practices and/or procedures to ensure that school nurses and other appropriate trained staff members monitor blood glucose alerts transmitted by the CGM of a child with T1D to a dedicated receiver, tablet/smartphone application, or other appropriate technology during the school day and during school-sponsored activities. MNPS also agreed to make all policies and procedures about CGMs available on its website under the “Policies and Procedures” section of its webpage. MNPS also will pay the complainants $1,000 as part of the resolution. Assistant United States Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee investigated the complaint and negotiated the resolution. MNPS worked collaboratively with the United States Attorney’s Office to resolve this complaint. The civil claims settled by this resolution are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. The ADA was passed on July 26, 1990. The Act reaffirmed our nation’s commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities have the right to live, work, and full participate in the community alongside their fellow citizens. More information about the ADA is available at the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY) and via the ADA website at http://www.ada.gov or through contacting the U.S. Attorney’s civil rights hotline at 313-226-9151. ADA complaints may be filed by email to ada.complaint@usdoj.gov . # # # # #


title: Former children’s hospital doctor charged with federal child pornography crimes

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A former children’s hospital doctor is charged federally with transporting and possessing child pornography. Howard M. Saal, 73, of Cincinnati, appeared in federal court in Cincinnati this afternoon. Saal was previously employed as a geneticist and dysmorphologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. According to charging documents, a Hamilton County Sherriff’s Office detective working on the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force investigated a cyber tip regarding image searches for child pornography that originated from Saal’s IP address. The cyber tip image depicted two naked females, approximately 10 years old, engaged in sexual conduct. To date, as part of an ongoing review of Saal’s electronic devices, the FBI has thus far identified more than 153,000 images and 470 videos of child sexual abuse material. Some of the child pornography involves child victims as young as a newborn. At this time, investigators have not located any evidence of child pornography involving patients or children associated with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. “I am incredibly proud of the work of our Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations unit and their diligence in investigating this individual,” said Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey. “We encourage anyone who thinks they may be a victim of Dr. Saal to contact our detectives. We will continue to seek out dangerous individuals and bring justice to victims’ families.” “The FBI and our partners will continue to fiercely investigate those who attempt to sexually exploit children,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “I want to thank the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this investigation and for their strong partnership. Law enforcement is always more effective when we work together to address crime issues impacting our community.” Transporting child pornography is a federal crime punishable by at least five and up to 20 years in prison. Possessing child pornography carries a potential maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola. Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and Ohio ICAC announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle E. Margeaux is representing the United States in this case. A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Do Kwon Pleads Guilty To Fraud

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that DO HYEONG KWON, the co-founder and former chief executive officer of Terraform Labs PTE, Ltd. (“Terraform”), pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit commodities fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud; and one count of committing wire fraud in connection with fraudulent schemes at Terraform. KWON touted Terraform as a self-contained and decentralized financial world that leveraged proprietary blockchain technology to offer its own cryptocurrencies, payment system, stock market, and savings bank. In reality and unbeknownst to Terraform investors and users, the core suite of Terraform products did not work as advertised and had been manipulated to create the illusion of a functioning and decentralized financial system. KWON pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer. “Do Kwon used the technological promise and investment euphoria around cryptocurrency to commit one of the largest frauds in history,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Kwon attracted tens of billions in funds to Terraform’s ecosystem by promising a self-stabilizing stablecoin. By the time the markets discovered the ecosystem was unstable, it was too late: the system collapsed, and investors around the world suffered billions in losses. Kwon’s plea represents an important milestone in this Office’s continuing efforts to bring integrity and accountability to the digital asset markets. It would not have been possible without the dedicated work of our law enforcement partners at the FBI and the assistance of our allies abroad.” According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings: Terraform was a blockchain and cryptocurrency company co-founded by KWON in 2018. Terraform distinguished the Terra blockchain from other competing blockchains by issuing so-called algorithmic stablecoins pursuant to what it called the “Terra Protocol.” According to KWON and others, Terraform stablecoins maintained a steady value even under changing market conditions. In or around September 2020, Terraform publicly announced the launch of Terraform’s stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar, TerraUSD (“UST”). Terraform promotional materials claimed that, under the Terra Protocol, one UST could always be exchanged for $1 worth of LUNA, the Terra blockchain’s native token. Conversely, $1 worth of LUNA could always be exchanged for one UST. Over time, Terraform and its affiliated entities developed and launched various purportedly decentralized finance applications and entities designed to increase the number of users and transactions on the Terra blockchain, including: Chai, a Korean payment platform that purportedly began using the Terra blockchain to process financial transactions in or around June 2019; Mirror Protocol, a platform launched around December 2020 that allowed for the creation, buying, and selling of synthetic versions of financial assets, such as stocks listed on United States securities exchanges, using the Terra blockchain; Anchor Protocol, a platform launched in or around March 2021 that allowed for borrowing and lending UST, and that offered an approximately 20% annual return for UST deposited in Anchor; And the Luna Foundation Guard Ltd. (“LFG”), an entity incorporated publicly and launched in or around January 2022 that eventually maintained billions of dollars’ worth of financial reserves in the form of other cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin (the “LFG Reserve”) to purportedly support UST’s peg to the dollar. KWON solicited and obtained investments from several investment firms in the United States and other locations, with the investments primarily consisting of agreements for the purchase or loan of Terraform’s cryptocurrencies built on the Terra blockchain. Through his work at Terraform, KWON became one of the most prominent business leaders in the cryptocurrency industry. In truth, KWON’s constructed financial world was built on lies and manipulative and deceptive techniques used to mislead investors, users, business partners, and government regulators regarding Terraform’s business: The Stablecoin Misrepresentations : KWON made misrepresentations about the effectiveness of the Terra Protocol, which purportedly used a computer algorithm to maintain the value of one UST at $1. But as KWON knew, after the Terra Protocol failed to cause the restoration of UST’s $1 peg in May 2021, KWON reached an agreement with executives at a high-frequency trading firm (the Trading Firm) so that the Trading Firm would purchase large amounts of UST in order to artificially support UST’s $1 peg. The LFG Misrepresentations : KWON claimed LFG was managed by an independent governing body and was tasked with deploying billions of dollars’ worth of financial reserves to defend UST’s peg. But as KWON knew, he controlled both the LFG and Terraform. In addition, KWON misappropriated hundreds of millions of dollars in assets from the LFG. The Mirror Misrepresentations : KWON claimed that Mirror operated in a decentralized manner and that he and Terraform played no role in Mirror’s governance. But as KWON knew, he and Terraform secretly maintained control over Mirror, and used automated trading bots to manipulate the prices of synthetic assets that Mirror issued. KWON also caused Terraform to inflate key user metrics to deceive investors. The Chai Misrepresentations : KWON falsely claimed that the Terra blockchain was being used to process billions of dollars in financial transactions for Chai. In doing so, KWON claimed that the Terra blockchain had “real world” applications or uses, as distinct from competing cryptocurrency platforms. But as KWON knew, Chai processed transactions through traditional financial processing networks, not the Terra blockchain. The Genesis Coin Misrepresentations : KWON made misrepresentations about the use of a supply of one billion stablecoins programmed into the Terra blockchain at its creation (the Genesis Stablecoins), which were purportedly held in reserve for Terraform for certain specified uses. But KWON used at least $145 million worth of Genesis Stablecoins, among other things, to fund fake Chai blockchain transactions and trading bots to manipulate the prices of synthetic assets that Mirror issued. At its peak in the spring of 2022, the total apparent market value of all UST and LUNA exceeded $50 billion. Much of this growth followed KWON’s misrepresentations about Terraform and its technology, including efforts in May 2021 by KWON and his associates to secretly manipulate the market for UST. By May 2022, the UST market was approximately nine times larger in terms of market capitalization and more than eight times larger in terms of daily trading volume relative to May 2021. In May 2022, UST’s peg began to break down as it had a year prior. While KWON was able to cover up the weaknesses of the Terra Protocol in May 2021, he was not able to do so in May 2022. As a result, the value of UST and LUNA crashed, and investors suffered over $40 billion in losses. After the crash of UST and LUNA in May 2022, KWON caused the distribution of a misleading “third party audit” report to cover up his crimes. On or about March 23, 2023, KWON was arrested in Europe while traveling on a false passport. U.S. authorities submitted a formal request for the arrest and extradition of KWON on March 25, 2023. On December 31, 2024, KWON was extradited from Montenegro to the United States. * * * KWON, 33, of the Republic of Korea, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit commodities fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud; and one count of committing wire fraud, which combined carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. As part of his plea, KWON has agreed to forfeit over $19 million in proceeds from his illegal schemes, including his interest in Terraform and its cryptocurrencies. KWON is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Engelmayer on December 11, 2025. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit, FBI’s Economic Crimes Unit, FBI’s International Operations Division and Legal Attaché office covering Montenegro, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Montenegro, the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Montenegro, the Montenegro Supreme State Prosecutor's Office, and the Montenegro Special State Prosecutor's Office. Mr. Clayton also gave special thanks to the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for securing the extradition. The case is being overseen by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marguerite B. Colson, Sarah Mortazavi, Kimberly Ravener, and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Serbian Student Enrolled at Erie University Charged with Receipt and Possession of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Serbian national residing in Syracuse, New York, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of minors, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The two-count Indictment named Lav Adamov, 20, of Zrenjanin, Serbia—who is in the United States on a student visa to attend an Erie, Pennsylvania, university—as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment, from on or about January 13, 2025, to on or about May 15, 2025, Adamov received material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The Indictment further alleges that, in May of 2025, Adamov was found to be in possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. As to the receipt charge, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. As to the possession charge, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the City of Erie Police Department, and the university’s police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Hidalgo man receives 9 years for distributing child sexual abuse material to a minor

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old Rio Grande Valley resident has been sentenced for distributing videos of sexual activity to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Rogelio Pruneda III pleaded guilty June 2. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Pruneda to serve 108 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard testimony from the victim’s parent asking for Pruneda to be held accountable and receive the appropriate treatment. The court also heard about Pruneda engaging in similar conduct with a minor relative and that he used that relationship to locate and recruit the victim into exchanging goods for sex. In handing down the prison term, the court found Pruneda attempted to obstruct justice by attempting to contact witnesses in the investigation. The court noted the age gap between Pruneda and the victim. Pruneda was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim and will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Pruneda will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. The investigation revealed Pruneda used a minor relative to find the female victim. The family member told the victim he would treat her like a “sugar daddy.” From approximately July through October 2022, Pruneda utilized Facebook Messenger to contact the minor female victim. He offered her money and THC vape cartridges in exchange for sexual acts which he subsequently recorded. Pruneda later sent two of the videos to her. The victim’s parent discovered the relationship and reported it to authorities. The minor female confirmed the videos depicted sex acts between herself and Pruneda in his vehicle. “Here, Pruneda sought out a victim online and plied her with offers of money and other goods. This methodical plan demonstrates just how dangerous and calculating he is,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will do whatever it takes to protect the innocence of the children of our community and punish—to the maximum extent the law allows—those who take that innocence away.” Pruneda has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Hidalgo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Rio Grande Valley man sentenced to 108 months after downloading and uploading child sexual abuse material

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old Donna resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Miguel Angel Del Valle pleaded guilty Feb. 28. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 108-month term of imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that this type of offense is one of the most serious federal crimes that can be committed. Judge Crane told Del Valle that if people like him didn’t download child pornography, then there wouldn’t be production of it and the victimization of children. Del Valle was ordered to serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Del Valle will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. The investigation began in July 2022 when Del Valle uploaded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from his Google account. The images included minors between the ages of eight and 12 engaging in sexual activity with adults and/or other minors. He admitted to downloading and distributing hundreds of files of CSAM using his Google account as well as WhatsApp and Telegram over an 18-month period beginning during COVID. A forensic examination of Del Valle’s cellphone and laptop revealed 124 videos and 31 images of CSAM. One of the videos depicted an adult male sexually abusing a toddler. “There is no place in our community for people like Mr. Del Valle,” said Ganjei. “This conviction and sentence is the latest example of how the Southern District of Texas will do whatever it takes to protect children and hold offenders accountable.” Del Valle will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Marcas Cory Anglin, 30, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 2, 2020, Anglin was driving a vehicle on U.S. Route 19 in Fayette County, West Virginia, when law enforcement officers attempted a traffic stop in response to reports of a vehicle driving erratically. Anglin fled from officers in his vehicle, leading them on a chase through Fayette County and into Nicholas County where he wrecked the vehicle. Anglin then fled on foot and was apprehended in a barn in the Pool area. Officers seized a loaded Glock model 27 .40-caliber pistol, which they determined was reported stolen, when they arrested Anglin. Anglin fled from officers while being transported for processing following his arrest but was recaptured. Officers found Anglin was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant issued in Florida. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Anglin knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for armed burglary of a dwelling in Hillsborough County, Florida, Circuit Court on June 19, 2014. Anglin has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, burglary, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and grand theft of a firearm. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police. Senior United States District Judge David A Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-153. ###


title: Jessamine County Man Sentenced for Armed Methamphetamine Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Nicholasville, Ky., man, Jacob Clem, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 228 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to his plea agreement, on September 11, 2024, law enforcement observed a vehicle with expired registration tags, driven by Clem, and conducted a traffic stop. Clem was placed under arrest due to an active arrest warrant. He admitted to having a firearm holster and knives on his person. Law enforcement found a fully loaded magazine and two small fentanyl pills on his person. A search of the vehicle located an additional loaded magazine and a pistol. Additionally, a backpack in the car contained two grocery bags of 953 grams of methamphetamine and two digital scales. Clem admitted to possessing the drugs and that he knowingly possessed the firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime. Under federal law, Clem must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the DEA, KSP, and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Guhaad Hashi Said Pleads Guilty to His Involvement in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Guhaad Hashi Said, age 49, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in the massive fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “The conviction of the 52nd defendant in the Feeding our Future case is yet another reminder of the vast reach of this fraud and the scale of the crisis we face in Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “These crimes are not isolated events. They are part of a web of schemes targeting programs that are intended to lift up Minnesotans and bleeding them dry. From where I sit, the scale of the fraud in Minnesota is staggering, and every rock we turn over reveals more. We must be honest and clear-eyed about the scope of this problem, because ending it will take an unyielding, all-hands-on-deck effort from all of us.” According to court documents, from December 2020 through January 2022, Said conspired with others to participate in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misappropriate millions of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to underprivileged children. Said purported to operate a Federal Child Nutrition Program site under the name Advance Youth Athletic Development. Said incorporated Advance Youth Athletic Development on February 26, 2021 and listed its registered office at a residential apartment unit in the Central Avenue Lofts, an apartment building in Northeast Minneapolis. Said purported to run a federal child nutrition program site from this apartment building. Beginning in March 2021, Said and the Advance Youth Athletic Development site submitted meal count sheets claiming to have served 5,000 meals a day to children, seven days a week. Between approximately March and December 2021, Said and the Advance Youth Athletic Development submitted claims for serving more than 1 million meals. In reality, Advance Youth Athletic Development and Said’s claims were grossly inflated and Said only served a fraction of those meals for which he claimed and received reimbursements. In support of their false claims, Said prepared and submitted fraudulent meal counts, attendance rosters, and invoices. From August 2020 through 2022, Said also participated in a money laundering conspiracy. The purpose of the conspiracy was to conceal, hide, and launder the proceeds of the fraudulent scheme to obtain Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Said and his conspirators created non-profits and limited liability companies for use in hiding the source and ownership of proceeds of the fraudulent scheme to obtain Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. After laundering the proceeds of their scheme, Said and his co-conspirators used their shell companies to purchase real estate, cars, and other personal items. For example, Said registered Advance Youth Athletic Development as a non-profit on or about February 26, 2021. On or about April 1, 2021, he opened a bank account for Advance Youth Athletic Development. Between August 2021 and December 2021, Said transferred more than $2.1 million from Advance Youth Athletic Development bank accounts to S & S Catering. These payments were purportedly for providing meals and food for Advance Youth Athletic Development to serve to children. In total, Said and his co-conspirators received approximately $2,906,740 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds based on their fraudulent scheme. Said will be sentenced at a later date and faces up to 25 years in prison. “Yesterday, Guhaad Said pleaded guilty to charges related to his role in a sprawling fraud scheme designed to financially enrich the defendants at the expense of hungry children,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. “Said stole money, falsified paperwork submitted to the government, and was reimbursed millions of dollars to which he was not entitled. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will ensure this fraud stops, and we will ensure that every defendant in this investigation is held fully accountable for their conduct.” This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets


body_text: WASHINGTON — An indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. charging Jimmy Cherizier, 48, of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and Bazile Richardson, 48, a naturalized U.S. citizen, with leading a conspiracy to transfer funds from the United States to Cherizier, aka “Barbecue,” to fund his gang activities in Haiti in violation of the U.S sanctions imposed on Cherizier, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Cherizier is a fugitive believed to be in Haiti. Richardson, aka “Fredo,” “Fred Lion,” “Leo Danger,” and “Lepe Blode,” was arrested on July 23 in Pasadena, Texas, and is expected to make his initial court appearance today in the District of Columbia. Concurrent with the indictment, the U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Cherizier. Anyone possessing such information should contact Rewards for Justice here . “There’s a good reason that there’s a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier’s arrest. He’s a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The U.S. government sanctioned Cherizier in 2020 because he was responsible for an ongoing campaign of violence, including the 2018 La Saline massacre, in which 71 people were killed, more than 400 houses were destroyed, and at least seven women raped by armed gangs. The U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to apprehending Cherizier and bringing him to justice, along with individuals like defendant Richardson, who has sent money and other support to Cherizier from the United States in violation of U.S. sanctions. Our office is committed to keeping Americans safe anywhere in the world, and the gang violence that has ravaged Haiti must end.” “Cherizier and a U.S. associate sought to raise funds in the United States to bankroll Cherizier’s violent criminal enterprise, which is driving a security crisis in Haiti,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division does not tolerate criminal gang fundraising in the United States, and will continue to pursue those who enable Haiti’s violence and instability.” "The FBI is committed to confronting foreign terrorist organizations wherever they operate, and Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier’s gang is no exception," said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Acting Assistant Director Darren Cox. "Through intelligence, partnerships and the full weight of federal law, we are dismantling FTO’s and rooting out those who threaten the safety of our communities.” “The unsealing of this indictment marks the results of a lengthy investigation into Jimmy Cherizier’s criminal activities,” said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “His actions to fund the oppression and slaughter of Haitians, including firearm procurement and trafficking networks, fundraising activities, movement and usage of U.S. dollars, and violations of sanctions, are unconscionable — but today marks a step towards accountability.” “The FBI is dedicated to disrupting and dismantling transnational gangs, such as Viv Ansanm, who spread violence and engage in illicit finance activities – whether here or overseas,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. “I commend the dedication and collaboration of our partners in this investigation to include HSI Washington Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. We especially thank the U.S. Embassy Port au Prince for their close cooperation and the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program for their robust $5 million reward for Cherizier.” According to court documents, Cherizier is a former officer in the Haitian National Police and the leader of a gang known as the Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies who helped to forge a gang alliance called Viv Ansanm that united Haiti’s many criminal gangs to oppose the legitimate government of Haiti. On Dec. 10, 2020, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Cherizier and designated him as a Specially Designated National (SDN) for his role in serious human rights abuses in Haiti. As a result of the SDN designation, U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with or for the benefit of Cherizier absent approval from OFAC in the form of a license. As alleged in the indictment, since Cherizier’s SDN designation in December 2020, Cherizier and Richardson together have led a wide-ranging conspiracy with individuals in the United States, Haiti, and elsewhere to raise funds for Cherizier’s gang activities in violation of the sanctions imposed on Cherizier. In particular, Cherizier and Richardson directly solicited money transfers from members of the Haitian diaspora located in the United States. After sending funds to intermediaries in Haiti for Cherizier’s benefit, the U.S. and Haitian co-conspirators would send Cherizier images of receipts from the money transfers. Cherizier used these funds principally to pay salaries to the members of his gang and to acquire firearms from illicit firearms dealers in Haiti. The FBI Miami Field Office and HSI Washington Field Office are investigating the case, with substantial assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Providing valuable support are the FBI Houston, Boston, and Charlotte Field Offices and the HSI Miami Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas N. Saunders for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall, Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Seifert, and former Trial Attorney Benjamin Koenigsfeld. Significant support was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and the Department of State and U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince. 25cr0202


title: Four St. Louis Area Residents Sentenced for Fraud Committed with Checks Stolen from the Mail

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Four people, including a former U.S. Postal Service employee, have been sentenced for their role in a conspiracy that stole checks from the mail to commit bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus announced Tuesday. The four defendants received sentences of between 12 and 80 months in prison. All have been ordered to pay restitution of $44,135. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp sentenced former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier Wynter Hinton to 12 months in prison on August 5. On July 17, Ryan McKinney received a 28-month sentence. Jayden Burklow was sentenced in June to 57 months. Johnathan Barnett was sentenced in April to 80 months. During a conspiracy that lasted from January of 2022 to September of 2023, Barnett bought a key to U.S. Postal Service collection boxes from Hinton. Barnett and others, including McKinney and Burklow, used that key to steal mail from collections boxes in St. Louis County. Hinton also stole checks from the mail while on her postal route. Barnett, Burklow and McKinney then altered the stolen checks and recruited others to allow their bank accounts to be used to deposit the fraudulent checks. They withdrew the money before the banks realized the checks were fraudulent. Barnett, Burklow and McKinney tried to commit at least $800,000 worth of fraud this way. Barnett, who was already a convicted felon, was caught with an AR-15-style rifle with a high-capacity drum magazine, four other firearms and check-making equipment on Sept. 15, 2023, when investigators were conducting a court-approved search of his home. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims including those most vulnerable,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. “This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. The OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.” Barnett, 30, of University City, pleaded guilty in December to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of possession of stolen mail and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hinton, 29, of St. Ann, pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a mail key. McKinney, 25, of St. Louis, and Burklow, 21, of O’Fallon, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of possession of stolen mail. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Creve Coeur Police Department and the University City Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwen Carroll is prosecuting the case.


title: Natick Roofer Sentenced for Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The owner of a commercial and residential roofing business was sentenced today for concealing $1.6 million in income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Jake Miller, 42, of Natick, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $449,329. In February 2025, Miller pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. Miller owned and operated Kostas Roofing, a business that he conducted under the alias “Paul Kostas” rather than under his own name. Between 2013 and 2021, Miller cashed the checks that he received from roofing customers and deposited the proceeds into his personal bank accounts. Despite receiving at least $1.6 million from the roofing business during this period, Miller filed no income tax return for any of these years. As a result, Miller evaded income taxes of approximately $450,000. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Pennsylvania Man Admits to Firearms Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Tomez Faulkner, 38, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has admitted to unlawfully possessing a firearm. According to court documents and police records, Ohio County Sheriff’s deputies checked on a driver who stopped on the side of Interstate 70 with hazard lights flashing. Deputies encountered Faulkner in the vehicle with a 9mm pistol. Faulkner is prohibited from having firearms due to prior drug and assault convictions. Faulkner faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.


title: Superseding Indictment Against Pittsburgh Health Care Facility Owner Adds Charges of Social Security Fraud and Concealing Material Facts Related to Health Care Matters

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has returned a Superseding Indictment against a Pittsburgh resident on charges of health care fraud, making false statements relating to health care matters, concealment of material facts related to health care matters, money laundering, and misuse of Social Security benefits by a representative payee, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The 40-count Superseding Indictment named Kelley Oliver-Hollis, 61, of the East Hills as the sole defendant. According to the Superseding Indictment, from December 2016 to July 2023, Oliver-Hollis, as owner of SerenityCare LLC, located in Penn Hills, schemed to overbill Pennsylvania Medicaid in connection with services SerenityCare provided to residents with intellectual disabilities. Oliver-Hollis was initially indicted on 33 counts in April 2024 (read the Indictment news release here ). The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the health care fraud and money laundering charges, and up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the false statements relating to health care matters, concealment of material facts relating to health care matters, and Social Security fraud charges. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General conducted the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment. A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The United States Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat healthcare fraud are frequently made possible by tips from the community. To report suspected fraud, please contact the FBI’s healthcare fraud tipline at WDPAhealthcarefraud@fbi.gov or the Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-HHS-TIPS.


title: Harrison County Man Admits to Fentanyl Charge

body_text: CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William Joseph Russell, 51, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, has admitted to the distribution of fentanyl and p-Fluorofentanyl. According to court documents, Russell was selling fentanyl and p-Fluorofentanyl in Harrison County. Russell faces at least one year and up to 40 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rhee is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative investigated. U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.


title: Three Chinese-Owned Companies to Pay More Than $21.6M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program Loans

component: Civil Division

body_text: BWI North America Inc., BWI Indiana Inc., and BWI Chassis Dynamics (NA) Inc. (together, the BWI Entities), have agreed to pay $21,660,983 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for which they were not eligible. Congress created the PPP in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Regulations provide various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the number of individuals the borrower and its affiliated entities employed and exclusions for certain types of businesses, like those that are owned by government entities. In their loan applications, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the PPP and that the information they provided was accurate. The BWI Entities are part of a large multinational corporation that supplies automotive brake and suspension systems worldwide. At the time they applied for and received their PPP loans, the BWI Entities were each majority-owned and controlled by government enterprises of the People’s Republic of China, including the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Beijing. In applying for their PPP loans, the BWI Entities certified that they were eligible for the PPP. The United States alleges that the BWI Entities were not eligible for their PPP loans because they were affiliated with other companies in China, Europe, and elsewhere, and together with their affiliates across the globe, the BWI Entities employed more individuals than permitted by SBA’s size standard for their industry. The United States also contends that the BWI Entities were not eligible because they were ultimately owned by a government entity. The BWI Entities cooperated with the United States’ investigation by identifying individuals involved in or responsible for the conduct and disclosing facts and documents gathered during their own investigation. As a result, the BWI Entities received credit under the Department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases. “The United States Attorney’s Office takes seriously its obligation to combat fraud and protect American taxpayers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard G. Frohling for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “This settlement demonstrates that businesses and individuals who abuse government programs like the Paycheck Protection Program will be held accountable.” “The SBA is committed to rooting out every dollar of PPP fraud,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis. “Alongside the Department of Justice Civil Fraud Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and our other law enforcement partners, the agency will aggressively pursue bad actors to hold them accountable and recover pandemic relief funds improperly obtained from the program.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The lawsuit was filed by GNGH2 Inc., which will receive $2,166,098.30 in connection with this settlement. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General. Trial Attorney Lindsey Roberts of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Carter for the Eastern District of Wisconsin handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.


title: D.C. Child Psychotherapist Charged with Distributing Child Pornography

body_text: WASHINGTON – Victor Renato Blythe, 60, of the District of Columbia, has been charged by federal complaint with allegedly distributing and possessing child pornography to another individual, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Blythe is employed as a psychotherapist and specializes in working with children and adolescents. Blythe previously was employed in the Psychiatry Department at Children’s National Medical Center. According to the complaint, Blythe is alleged to have communicated with another individual regarding his interest in the sexual abuse of children. During the course of those communications, Blythe is alleged to have distributed child pornography to that other individual. Blythe is also alleged to have possessed additional videos depicting child pornography on his electronic devices. The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department with the assistance of the Fairfax County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at tips@fbi.gov . This case is being 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 the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 25mj136


title: Armed Convicted Felon Is Sentenced To Prison For Gun Charges

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Michael Anthony Cornwell, 30, and a convicted felon, was sentenced today to 106 months in prison and two years of supervised release for firearms offenses, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and court proceedings, on September 13, 2022, Cornwell was arrested by CMPD officers on an outstanding warrant. Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at Cornwell’s residence, where they seized multiple rounds of various ammunition, a .40 caliber drum magazine, multiple rifle magazines, a gun sight, digital scales, and distribution quantity of marijuana. Law enforcement also seized a loaded 40 caliber Glock semi-automatic pistol from Cornwell’s vehicle. Cornwell has prior felony convictions, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On January 10, 2025, Cornwell pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Justice Department Finds Suffolk County Police Department in Substantial Compliance with 2014 Agreement

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today the successful completion of an agreement between Suffolk County, New York, Police Department (SCPD) and the Department of Justice. Entered into in 2014, the agreement called for SCPD to improve bias-free policing, increase community engagement, and develop additional policies and training, among other things. With support from the Justice Department, as set forth in a report issued today, SCPD has now achieved sustained substantial compliance with all of the agreement’s terms. “Suffolk County Police Department’s commitment to protecting the public in a constitutionally compliant way is commendable,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Department of Justice is committed to collaborating with law enforcement to make American communities safer.” “The Suffolk County Police Department is to be commended for taking the steps necessary to achieve the objectives of the 2014 agreement with the Department of Justice and our Office,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “Policing in Suffolk County has been enhanced and become more responsive to community needs. The partnership between our Office and the SCPD has strengthened the safety of all residents of the County.” SCPD implemented language assistance policies and deployed resources to ensure that people with Limited English Proficiency have meaningful access to police services. It improved reporting and supervision throughout the department. It also improved policies, training, and tracking to better handle hate crimes and misconduct complaints. Please click here to read the Cover Letter and Final Suffolk Report


title: Charlotte Man Sentenced For Stealing Firearms From A Licensed Dealer

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Reginald Maraeus Moses, 21, of Charlotte, was sentenced today for stealing multiple firearms from a licensed firearms dealer in Charlotte, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Moses was ordered to serve 27 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons followed by two years under court supervision. Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to court records, on February 20, 2024, Moses crashed a stolen a vehicle into Carolina Sporting Arms Company, Inc., located at 8055 South Boulevard, in Charlotte, with the intent to steal firearms. After breaking into the store, Moses and an accomplice stole 20 firearms, including 18 handguns and two long guns. Moses pleaded guilty to theft of a firearm from a licensed dealer and aiding and abetting the same. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).