title: Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United States

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National illegally residing in Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for Illegal Re-entry by an Alien Previously Convicted of a Felony. He was also sentenced for violating the terms of his supervised release related to an earlier conviction for the same crime. Omar Zamora-Guerra, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to six years and two months in federal prison without parole. On September 11, 2024, Zamora-Guerra pleaded guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after committed a felony. Zamora-Guerra admitted he knew he did not have permission to enter or remain in the United States lawfully. Under federal law it is illegal for an alien to knowingly re-enter the United States without permission after being convicted of a felony. Zamora-Guerra was previously convicted in the Western District of Missouri of illegal re-entry after a felony in October of 2020 and served 37 months in federal prison. After his release, he was removed from the country to his native Mexico, but returned sometime prior to his arrest on this charge in May of 2024. This is Zamora-Guerra’s third conviction for illegally re-entering the country. He also has a past conviction for assault for which he spent time in state prison. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Hanson. It was investigated by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations.


title: Statement Of Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky On The Convictions Of Charlie Javice And Olivier Amar

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: “Today, a unanimous jury found Charlie Javice and Olivier Amar guilty of orchestrating a brazen fraud. Javice, the founder and CEO of Frank, falsely claimed that her company had millions of customers when, in reality, it had just a fraction of that number. She and Amar, the Chief Growth Officer, fabricated data, lied to major financial institutions, and sold their business for $175 million. And while Javice and Amar may have thought that they could lie and cheat their way to a huge payday, their lies caught up with them, and they now stand convicted by a jury of their peers in federal court. This Office will continue to pursue financial fraud aggressively and hold accountable those who put greed above honesty. I commend the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to bring this case to trial and secure today’s verdict. Thanks to their efforts, Javice and Amar will now pay a steep price for their lies. ”


title: Texas Insurance Broker Sentenced in Scheme to Defraud Paycheck Protection Program

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NASHVILLE – Shelby Lynn Hill, 54, of Crystal Beach, Texas, was sentenced earlier this week to one year and a day in prison for fraudulently obtaining and misusing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Hill also was ordered to repay $264,645 in restitution and a forfeiture money judgment, and she will be on supervised release for one year after she serves her sentence. Hill pled guilty in June 2024 to one count of wire fraud. Hill obtained several fraudulent PPP loans while living in Crossville, Tennessee. According to court documents and evidence presented to the court, Hill fraudulently obtained a $220,645 PPP loan for a fictitious business, Plateau Angus Farms, in 2020. She claimed to be the owner and operator of a cattle farm in Crossville. Hill told the PPP lender that Plateau Angus Farms employed 14 people and that its monthly payroll expenses exceeded $88,000. Hill submitted fake documents, including Forms W-2, and Tennessee Secretary of State records, as proof of her business. Hill received a $42,700 PPP loan for a second fictitious company, Premium Persians of the Plateau. She also misused the PPP loan proceeds awarded to a third company, Shelby Lynn Hill, MD PLLC, using a portion of the PPP loan to begin installation of a personal swimming pool. Hill was employed as a health insurance broker at the time she applied for the PPP loans. Some of the individuals she listed as employees on the Plateau Angus Farms PPP loan application were potential health insurance customers. Hill admitted that she was not authorized to use their names or personal identifiers to obtain PPP loans. The Paycheck Protection Program was created under the CARES Act and was intended to incentivize small businesses to keep their employees on payroll during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The PPP program was administered and guaranteed by the Small Business Association, a federal government entity. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cookeville Resident Agency, Nashville Field Office, investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Toussaint prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: Connecticut Woman Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Two Victims

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A New Haven, Conn. woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for sex trafficking and the interstate transportation of two separate victims for the purposes of prostitution. Jennifer Fortier, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 58 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of eight years in prison. In November 2024, Fortier pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and one count of knowingly transporting any individual in interstate or foreign commerce, with intent that such individual engage in prostitution. Fortier was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023 , along with her co-defendants Jermall Anderson and Latasha Anderson. “Jennifer Fortier inflicted violence against these women, who were vulnerable, homeless, unemployed, and suffering from drug addiction, all to feed the profits of this criminal sex-trafficking organization.” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Prosecuting those who exploit others for their own personal gain is something that my office will continue to put our resources into. Everybody deserves to be treated with dignity, not exploited for their addictions and life circumstances.” “Fortier worked alongside the now-convicted human trafficker Jermall Anderson, using violence and drugs to enforce his reign of terror over the women he trafficked. The harm she and her co-conspirators did to the women they victimized cannot be undone, but as another member of the conspiracy is sentenced, we hope this step offers some resolution for all they have been through,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations New England. From 2012 through 2016, Fortier, along with her co-conspirators and at the direction of Jermall Anderson, used physical violence, threats and the giving and withholding of heroin and cocaine to force two different victims to prostitute on their behalf. Fortier and her co-conspirators targeted vulnerable victims, specifically those struggling from drug addiction, homelessness and lack of economic resources and coerced them into providing commercial sex for the defendants’ benefit. The defendant trafficked these victims throughout New England, New York and New Jersey. In March 2025 , Jermall Anderson was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Latasha Anderson pleaded guilty in March 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2025. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov . U.S. Foley and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the HSI Office in New Haven, Conn., the Lynn and Tewksbury Police Departments (Mass.) and the Hampden (Conn.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Mexican National Charged with Drug Trafficking

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was charged in federal court today following his arrest during the execution of a federal search warrant yesterday. Jose Valencia-Soriano, 23, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, March 28. As set forth in the attached complaint, Valencia-Soriano is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm Valencia-Soriano was arrested yesterday and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing. According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, on Thursday, March 27, agents with the Kansas City Field Division of the FBI, assisted by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, were executing a federal search warrant at a home in the Kansas City area. According to the affidavit, during the execution of this warrant, Valencia-Soriano was discovered at the location, in addition to approximately 102 lbs. of finished crystal methamphetamine, over 406 lbs. of liquids containing methamphetamine in various states, three firearms in the main bedroom, and $48,634 in cash. Two of the firearms recovered had been listed as stolen. The underlying investigation is out of the St. Louis area and is primarily being handled by the St. Louis Field Division of the FBI. "FBI St. Louis prioritized this drug trafficking investigation after we confirmed this defendant entered the U.S. illegally," said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. "With the help of our law enforcement partners, we seized a large quantity of illicit drugs to include 100 pounds of finished crystal meth and 406 pounds of liquid that contained meth." “This case serves as an important reminder that, in addition to fentanyl, large quantities of other dangerous drugs, in this case methamphetamine, are still a significant problem in our community. This office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute every one of these cases with the goal of making our communities a safer place to live,” said Acting United States Attorney Jeffrey P. Ray for the Western District of Missouri. A courtesy copy of the complaint is attached to this release. The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City and St. Louis Field Divisions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Rolla Area Drug Enforcement. HSI and KCMOPD also assisted with the execution of the warrant yesterday. 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). Attachments 25-mj-00040-wbglmc_complaint_redacted.pdf


title: Oklahoma Man Sentenced to Serve 45 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – An Oklahoma man was sentenced in a federal court in Midland, Texas, on March 27, 2025, to 540 months in prison for charges related to sexual exploitation of children. According to court documents, on Jan. 30, 2024, JONATHON CHASE RUSSELL , 36, of Elk City, posted in a messaging app 15 images that depicted two minor females engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The next day, Russell sent three of the images to an undercover federal investigator, stating that the two minors were three and 11 years old. Further investigation led FBI agents to identify Russell’s IP addresses and locate him at a hotel in Midland. On Feb. 8, 2024, agents executed a warrant on his hotel room, where they discovered pairs of children’s underwear and a green tactical backpack that contained sexual devices. Agents also discovered a smartphone, which had been hidden underneath a refrigerator and which forensic examination revealed contained a substantial collection of images depicting sexual abuse of minor children. The Western District of Texas filed a three-count indictment on Feb. 28, 2024, charging Russell with possession of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Russell was also indicted in the Western District of Oklahoma on April 3, 2024, for one count of production of visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. His Oklahoma case was transferred to Midland, and on Aug. 19, 2024, Russell pleaded guilty to the count charged in the Western District of Oklahoma indictment and to all three counts charged in the Western District of Texas via a superseding indictment. “This defendant’s abhorrent behavior has been put to an end thanks to cooperation between federal prosecutors and law enforcement across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “The lengthy sentence imposed is yet another example of the Department’s focus on protecting children and serving justice to those who seek to target the most vulnerable in our communities.” “The lengthy sentence imposed in this case reflects the immense damage this individual inflicted on multiple children, who will be plagued by these experiences for the rest of their lives,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Along with our law enforcement partners and, when necessary, across districts, we will continue to hold accountable the predators who harm the lives of children through illicit sexual crimes.” “The significant sentence imposed on Jonathan Chase Russell sends a clear message that there are serious consequences for those individuals who exploit children. Russell will serve the next 45 years in federal prison for his incomprehensible acts,” said John Morales, FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge. “We remain committed in working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who victimize the most vulnerable members of our society, our children, from infants to toddlers to young children to teenagers, we will hunt you down and serve justice for these horrendous crimes.” The FBI El Paso and Oklahoma City field offices investigated the case with assistance from the Elk City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ganz prosecuted the case for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Haywood prosecuted the case for the Western District of Texas. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office

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

body_text: Firearm Offenses Joshua Roye Dunn , 36, of Sheridan, Wyoming, was sentenced to 36 months of supervised probation for being in possession of an unregistered firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sheridan Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Dunn was indicted on July 18, 2024, pleaded guilty on Dec. 13, 2024, and Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on March 26 in Cheyenne. Drug Trafficking and Illegal Reentry of a Previously Deported Alien Cesar Antancio Torres-Cazares , 36, of La Piedad, Michoacan, Mexico, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and time served for illegal reentry into the United States. He will be deported following his imprisonment. According to court documents, in November 2023, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) began investigating a cocaine drug trafficking organization in the Jackson, Wyoming, area. Agents conducted a controlled buy from Torres-Cazares, which led agents to his residence, where they found large quantities of cocaine and proof of distribution. After he was arrested, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted because Torres-Cazares is not a U.S. citizen, had previously been removed from the U.S., and had not applied for permission to reenter. DCI and ICE investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Griswold and Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the cases. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 26 in Cheyenne. Case Nos. 25-CR-00055 and 25-CR-00056. About the United States Attorney’s Office The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious. Operation Take Back America Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Victim Witness Program The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect. To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime


title: Hobbs Man Who Sold Illegal Firearm Devices to Undercover Agents Pleads Guilty

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Hobbs man admitted to selling illegal devices that convert semi-automatic pistols into machine guns to undercover agents investigating a series of shootings in Carlsbad. According to court records, the investigation began after several shootings involving juvenile suspects took place in Carlsbad, New Mexico, in 2024. During a review of a phone belonging to one of the juvenile shooting suspects, officers from the Carlsbad Police Department discovered conversations indicating the sale of machine gun conversion devices. These devices convert semi-automatic pistols into machine guns capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute with a single trigger pull. The investigation led to Tevon Wayne Davis Cobbs , 24, who used the online aliases "Tee Swoo" and "TMURDA." Subsequently, undercover agents with the Lea County Drug Task Force (LCDTF) contacted Cobbs through Facebook, posing as potential buyers, and arranged to purchase machine gun conversion devices. Over the course of two controlled buys, Cobbs sold the undercover agents multiple machine gun conversion devices and a silencer. He admitted to dealing in illegal firearm modifications for three to four years and showed the undercover agents videos of himself firing weapons converted to fully automatic capability. During these deals, Cobbs not only offered to sell the agents more machine gun conversion devices but also boasted that he had a machine gun on his person at that moment and offered to retrieve it from his car to show them. Cobbs pled guilty to four charges, including possession and transfer of a machinegun, possession of an unregistered NFA firearm, possession of NFA firearm without serial number and illegal transfer of NFA firearm. At sentencing, Cobbs faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Cobbs faces up to $280,000 in fines. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating this case with assistance from the Lea County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.


title: New Orleans Postal Worker Indicted for Accepting Bribes

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – KEITH TONEY (“TONEY ”) , age 43, of New Orleans, was indicted on March 7, 2025, for accepting a bribe as a public official, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Specifically, TONEY , a mail carrier employed by the United States Postal Service, was indicted for being a public official who directly, and indirectly, accepted to receive a thing of value in return for being influenced in the performance of an official act in violation of his official duties, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201(b)(2). TONEY faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to the indictment, beginning at a time unknown but prior to November 21, 2022, and continuing to on or about June 22, 2023, TONEY received monetary payments to facilitate the shipment of drug-filled parcels by coordinating with a drug-distributor to arrange for the delivery of drug-filled parcels, and personally delivering and turning over the drug-filled parcels to a drug-distributor. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti Convicted of Visa Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – The former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston of illegally obtaining a Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) by means of a false statement, specifically, that he ordered and carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings, and other acts of violence, against the Haitian people. Jean Morose Viliena, 52, was convicted of three counts of visa fraud. Chief U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 20, 2025. Viliena was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023. “The political corruption and violence that the people of Haiti endured at the direction of Jean Morose Viliena, is appalling,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The United States is not where you come to hide from your crimes. Today’s conviction is proof that running away from your crimes and lying to federal officials will catch up to you. I applaud the courage of the witnesses who spoke up about the abuse they suffered as a result of Viliena.” “Today a jury found that Jean Morose Viliena lied his way into gaining entrance into the United States after committing unspeakable acts of violence in Haiti,” said Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti. “The Justice Department will not stand for human rights violators illegally entering and roaming the streets of our communities. Thank you to the brave victims and witnesses who helped our law enforcement partners and prosecutors begin to hold Viliena accountable for his crimes.” “Viliena knowingly lied to conceal his violent past, deceiving immigration authorities to come to the United States. The brave witnesses who came forward to testify in this case relayed their experiences of extreme violence and oppression committed by Viliena and his associates. Thanks to their testimony, his fraud has been uncovered and he will now face consequences for his violence and deception,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations New England. “The men and women of CBP work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of the people in our communities. Emigrating to the United States is a privilege and if you conceal your criminal conduct to deceive your way into this country, you will ultimately be detected, held accountable and brought to justice,” said Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office. According to court documents, Viliena was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerts power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and security detail and led an armed group in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, the Korega militia enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting political opponents in Les Irois through armed violence. According to the indictment, as Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. The first occurred in or around July 27, 2007 when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal for that testimony, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’ home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’ younger brother, and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders. The second incident occurred in or around April 2008, when a group of local journalists and activists founded a community radio station. According to court documents, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized members of his staff and the Korega militia to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to the Korega militia members, some of whom also carried machetes and picks. On the day of the attack on the radio station, Viliena pistol-whipped an individual with his gun and struck him with his fists. When the individual tried to flee, Viliena ordered one of his associates to shoot and kill him. Shots were fired which hit the individual in the leg. The individual spent several months in various hospitals and his leg was later amputated above his knee. Another individual, also a citizen of Haiti, became a target of Viliena because of his association with the radio station. On the day of the attack of the radio station, that individual was present and when he tried to flee, he was hit by a bullet in the face. He required months of intensive medical treatment, including two surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his face, which left him permanently blind in one eye. According to court documents, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s scalp and arms. On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the United States Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti where he submitted an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part II in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires that each applicant state whether or not they are a member of any class of individuals that are excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded that he was not. Viliena thereafter swore to, or affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. According to court documents, thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008 and based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application. On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent residence status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card. Viliena has continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and has used such card on numerous occasions to enter the United States. The charge of visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. U.S. Attorney Foley; Acting DOJ Head Galeotti; HSI SAC Krol; CBP’s Director of Field Operations De La O; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center and the United States Citizen and Immigration Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Malden Police Department and HRSP historian Christopher Hayden. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the National Security Unit and Alexandra Skinnion of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Unit Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case.


title: Southern District charges 265 individuals in border security-related cases this week

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 257 cases have been filed in relation to immigration and border security from March 21-27, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Of those, 98 face allegations of illegally re-entering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, violent and/or sexual crimes and prior immigration offenses, among others. A total of 132 face charges of illegally entering the country, 23 cases involve various instances of human smuggling, and the remainder relate to firearms and other immigration matters. Among those charged as part of these new cases include two illegal alien human smugglers who engaged in a dangerous pursuit and crash (pictures attached). Jose Manuel Zamarripa-Torres picked up brush guide Daniel Flores-Hernandez and four illegal aliens who had crossed the Rio Grande in a raft, according to the allegations. Authorities attempted to stop the SUV he was driving, but the charges allege he fled which resulted in a 6.1-mile pursuit with Zamarripa-Torres ultimately crashing into an occupied civilian vehicle, a power pole and fence. If convicted, they both face up to 10 years in federal prison. Other relevant cases announced this week include a 20-year-old Mexican national affiliated with Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) was sentenced in Laredo for illegally possessing thousands of rounds of ammunition. Charbel Garza Macias admitted it was to be smuggled into Mexico and that it was for the CDN. In handing down the 63-month sentence, the court noted Macias was providing tools of war to a brutal criminal organization. In Corpus Christi, a jury convicted Cuban citizen Jorge Grimon Maturell for transporting seven illegal aliens in a tractor-trailer. They had been hiding in the corner of the sleeper area and underneath a mattress. Maturell had directed the illegal aliens where to hide when entering his vehicle and to not make any noise when they arrived at the checkpoint. As a result of the verdict, he is now in custody. The last of five members of an alien smuggling group also learned his fate for leading the conspiracy. Jaquon Davis was a long-time alien smuggler who recruited several people. On March 19, 2024, Davis and four others travelled in three cars using an access road in an attempt to avoid law enforcement. Authorities ultimately pulled them over and discovered a total of 12 illegal aliens in the vehicles. One was concealed in a box located in a truck bed. Davis will now serve 44 months for leading and coordinating the event. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Jamaican national sentenced to 14 years in prison for meth trafficking

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Jamaican national was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for attempt to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Kirkville Virgo, aka Mark Thomas, 47, and another person shipped meth from California to a hotel in Richmond, purportedly for "Christoper Jackson." On March 23, 2024, law enforcement interdicted a package that contained 10 heat-sealed bundles of meth weighing approximately 9,080 grams. Agents replaced approximately 18 pounds of meth with "sham" rock salt, leaving approximately two pounds of meth in the parcel, and performed a controlled delivery to the hotel. Virgo later entered the hotel, using the name Delbert Dujon, and took custody of the package from the front desk. Law enforcement then took custody of Virgo. Virgo was previously permanently removed from the United States on Feb. 5, 2013, and was in the United States illegally at the time of the offense. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Col. Matt Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-127.


title: 9-time illegal alien offender admits to unlawfully returning to U.S. again

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 33-year-old Mexican national has pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Francisco Raymundo Dominguez-Sanchez was previously convicted twice of the same crime. He was first removed in 2013 with eight subsequent removals between then and 2023. On Jan. 28, Dominguez-Sanchez was driving northbound and approached the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Falfurrias. During a routine immigration inspection, authorities discovered Dominguez-Sanchez to be an illegal alien who had been previously ordered removed from the country. U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing June 25. At that time, Dominguez-Sanchez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin is prosecuting the case.


title: South African Man Living in Jefferson County Charged with Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Marcell M. Meyer, age 43, and a citizen of South Africa residing in Sackets Harbor, New York was arraigned today in federal court on charges of distribution of child pornography announced United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). According to the criminal complaint, Meyer used an internet-based social networking application installed on his cellular telephone to distribute child pornography to other users of the platform, including some who identified as children. In one such instance, Meyer distributed child pornography to an undercover HSI agent who Meyer believed to be a 13-year-old female child. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charge in the complaint, Meyer faces a term of imprisonment of between 5 and 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release between 5 years and life. Meyer would also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and would likely face immigration consequences as a result of his conviction. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The case was investigated by HSI Syracuse and HSI Portland, Maine with the assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, New York State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as a part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: The Department of Justice Announces Affirmative Litigation Against the American Federation of Government Employees to Protect National Security

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Last night, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in the Western District of Texas on behalf of eight agencies against affiliates of the American Federation of Government Employees. Yesterday, the President issued an Executive Order entitled Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs . This order reflected the President’s determination that several federal agencies and subdivisions perform investigative and national security work and that those agencies may not be required to collectively bargain consistent with our national security. The plaintiff agencies have collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with the defendants, which are locals, councils, and Division 10 of the American Federation of Government Employees; those CBAs prevent the plaintiffs from implementing workforce policies that would help them further their national security missions. The plaintiff agencies therefore wish to terminate their CBAs. But to avoid unnecessary labor strife and to ensure legal certainty, they filed this declaratory judgment action to confirm that they are legally entitled to do so. “We are taking this fight directly to the public-sector unions,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “By affirmatively suing in Texas, we are aggressively protecting President Trump’s efforts to ensure unions no longer interfere in the national security functions of the government” Underscoring this threat to national security, this lawsuit argues that “the President and his senior Executive Branch officials cannot afford to be obstructed by CBAs that micromanage oversight of the federal workforce and impede performance accountability.” This lawsuit also argues that the President “cannot effectively execute the laws or promote national security if his supervision of agents engaged in national security, intelligence, counterintelligence, or investigative missions is stymied by intrusive bargaining agreements and continuous bargaining obligations.”


title: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree  Premeditated Murder for Revenge Killing

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Deonte Patterson, 29, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and other charges for the August 2021 shooting of 32-year-old Ali Jamil Al-Mahdi on 9th Street NW, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Patterson also was found guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and obstructing justice. The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2025. Patterson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the crimes. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 2:24 a.m., on August 23, 2021, members of the Third District Metropolitan Police Department were in the area of 9th and T Street, N.W., when they heard the sounds of multiple gunshots. Officers canvassed the area and located Mr. Ali Al-Mahdi in front of 1822 9th Street, N.W., unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene and transported Mr. Al-Mahdi to Howard University Hospital where all lifesaving efforts failed, and he was pronounced dead at 3:39 a.m. Surveillance video and witness testimony placed Patterson in the area of the shooting. Mr. Al-Mahdi was shot as he was trying to get to his car. Minutes after the shooting, there was a car crash at 9th Street and Massachusetts Ave N.W., where a car flipped over multiple times. Patterson and a gun flew out from the vehicle during the crash. DNA tied the gun that flew out of the car to the defendant. That gun was consistent with having fired the 40 caliber casings at the shooting crime scene. Other casings at the shooting scene came from an unknown firearm suspected to be return gunfire that hit the defendant’s fleeing vehicle. The defendant’s firearm was in a fanny pack in the backseat of his car. The decedent had previously shot the defendant in 2019, pled guilty, and served time. An arrest warrant for Patterson was issued in January 2022 and he was on the run for a year until he was arrested on January 5, 2023. Since being held, the defendant communicated with his girlfriend in several jail calls instructing her not to say anything. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Galloway and Tamara Rubb.


title: St. Augustine Doctor Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Drug Trafficking And Obstruction Of Justice

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan today sentenced Scott Andrew Hollington (59, St. Augustine) to 12 years in federal prison following his conviction of 14 counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances not for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice, and 5 counts of obstructing justice. Hollington was found guilty by a federal jury on July 25, 2023. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) first learned of Hollington after receiving a tip from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (SJCSO) that Hollington was exchanging narcotic prescriptions for sexual favors. Following additional evidence of Hollington’s illegal prescribing practices, the DEA deployed five undercover officers to Hollington’s addiction clinic. These undercover visits took place between February and July 2022, with the purpose of obtaining prescriptions without a legitimate medical need. The undercover officers secured a total of 17 prescriptions of schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances during the five visits, including amphetamines (Adderall), benzodiazepines (Valium and Xanax), and buprenorphine (Suboxone). During the visits, Hollington asked the officers about their drug preferences and offered prescriptions without proper medical justification. Hollington also admitted that he did not care about urine drug screening results. Physical examinations, vital checks, and proper documentation were omitted during most medical encounters with the undercover officers. The evidence further revealed that Hollington altered medical notes in each of the undercover officers’ medical files following his indictment, leading to the obstruction charges. Testimony during the trial included statements from three female victims who revealed that Hollington had exchanged, coerced, or solicited sexual favors for prescriptions. One victim described him as a “monster” who took advantage of her vulnerability while seeking help for addiction. A fourth victim recounted Hollington asking if she needed a “sugar daddy” and engaging in conversation of a sexual nature instead of discussing her medical history and need for medication. This case was jointly investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Ormond Beach Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and State Attorney’s Office – 7 th Judicial Circuit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kirwinn Mike and Ashley Washington.


title: Colorado man pleads guilty to child pornography offenses

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: BILLINGS — A Colorado man accused of producing and distributing child pornography and transferring obscene material to a minor admitted to charges on March 27, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said today. The defendant, Tyrell Forest Anderson, 35, pleaded guilty to three counts in an indictment charging him with production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and transfer of obscene material to a minor. Anderson faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years for the production charge, 5 to 20 years on the distribution charge, and up to 10 years for transferring obscene material. He also faces a total term of supervised release of 5 years to life, fines of $250,000 per charge, and several thousands of dollars of special assessments. Pursuant to terms of the plea agreement between the parties, Anderson cannot be sentenced to a total term greater than 27 years. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan presided and U.S. District Judge Susan Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set by the Court and Anderson was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that in October 2022, a Gallatin High School student, Jane Doe 8, reported she had inappropriate communications with Anderson over Snapchat approximately two years earlier, when she was in eighth grade. The Bozeman Police Department began investigating and identified numerous minors Anderson solicited for sex or for sexually explicit images via Snapchat in exchange for money, nicotine, or drugs between 2022 and 2024. In addition, two Bozeman-area juvenile females had a sexual encounter with a college-aged male and recorded the encounter. Anderson came into possession of the video and distributed the video and images from the video to local minors with whom he was communicating over Snapchat. In February 2024, Anderson communicated with Jane Doe 1 over Snapchat. Jane Doe 1 was, at that time, 13 years old and located in Yellowstone County. Anderson said he wanted to have sex with her and tried to convince her to meet up with him. Anderson asked her to send him specific images, including topless and nude images, which she sent. Anderson also asked Jane Doe 1 if she was going to “snitch” on him because the age scared him and if they got caught he would get in trouble. Data recovered from Anderson’s Snapchat account showed that Jane Doe 1 sent Anderson multiple images and videos of child pornography. Also in February 2024, Anderson added John Doe 1 on Snapchat. Anderson sent John Doe 1 the video of the two juvenile females having sexual contact with the college-aged male and claimed to be the male in the video. The video depicted the two females providing oral sex to the male. Anderson knew the video depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct because he communicated with at least one of the minors in the video and referenced her by name when transmitting the video to other local children. Also in February 2024, Anderson added Jane Doe 7 on Snapchat and requested sexually explicit images or sex from her. Anderson asked Jane Doe 7 how old she was, and she told him she was 14. Unsolicited, Anderson sent Jane Doe 7 approximately 20 images of nude females. Jane Doe 7 recognized one of the images as one of her classmates, also a minor. Anderson also sent her an unsolicited photograph of his penis. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bozeman Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . XXX


title: Federal Prison Nurse Indicted for Abusive Sexual Conduct with an Inmate

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – An Iowa woman has been indicted for abusive sexual contact with an inmate and making false statements to federal law enforcement about the interaction, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, Jessica Lynn Larson, 37, was employed as a nurse by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) assigned to the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Rochester, Minnesota. Larson entered into a romantic relationship with an incarcerated inmate, Victim A, at FMC Rochester. Over the course of their relationship, Larson exchanged sexually explicit letters with Victim A. On April 3, 2024, Larson and Victim A had a sexual encounter in a shower room. Shortly afterwards, other nursing staff reported Larson’s inappropriate relationship with Victim A, prompting a search Victim A’s cell, where they discovered hidden letters from Larson. Board of Prison (BOP) officials then found letters from Victim A inside Larson’s backpack. After being confronted about her relationship with Victim A, Larson submitted a BOP indicate report in which she falsely accused Victim A of sexual assault and claimed that he had threatened to hurt her children if she refused his sexual advances or reported his assault. Two months later, after being placed on administrative leave, Larson drove more than 600 miles from her home in Iowa to Cincinnati, Ohio, to mail a love letter to Victim A who had been transferred to another BOP facility. “In Minnesota, we take sexual abuse—particularly when committed by those in positions of authority—very seriously,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Likewise, lying to the United States is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute defendants who commit these crimes.” Larson will make her initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty on April 9, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. This case is the result of an investigation by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Tigard Man Found Guilty of Attempted Murder and Aggravated Assault for Shooting a U.S. Postal Service Employee

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal judge in Portland found a Tigard, Oregon man guilty Wednesday for shooting a United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier. Kevin Eugene Irvine, 34, was convicted of one count each of attempted murder of a federal employee, aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Irvine raised an insanity defense in the bench trial held before a U.S. District Judge. The District Judge found that Irvine had failed to establish legal insanity and was guilty of all three counts in the indictment. According to court documents, on December 24, 2022, while driving a white van through a Milwaukie, Oregon neighborhood, Irvine made eye contact with a letter carrier delivering mail on foot dressed in a USPS uniform. Irvine threw his arms in the air, which the letter carrier mistook as waving, and waved back. A short time later, on an adjacent street, the letter carrier noticed the same van and again made eye contact with driver, later identified as Irvine, as he drove past. Irvine stopped the van several houses away, got out of the van with a rifle, knelt on the street and fired three rounds, striking the letter carrier once as the letter carrier ran for cover. After the shooting, Irvine picked up his shell casings and drove off. On December 28, 2022, officers spotted the van in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where they stopped the vehicle and arrested Irvine. Later, investigators sought and obtained a search warrant for Irvine’s van and found three rifles, ammunition, spent shell casings, a knife, shooting targets and ballistic gear. On February 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Irvine with aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, attempted murder of a federal employee, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Irvine faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for each count of attempted murder of a federal employee and aggravated assault on a federal employee with a firearm, and a mandatory minimum of ten years of imprisonment with a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. He will be sentenced on July 17, 2025. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Milwaukie Police Department and the Lake Oswego Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman and Eliza Carmen Rodriguez, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.


title: Judge Gives Southeast D.C. Woman Prison Term for   Obstructing Justice in the Murder Investigation of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson

body_text: WASHINGTON – Quanisha Ramsuer, 31, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to three years in prison for obstruction of justice in connection with the investigation into the murder of Makiyah Wilson, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Robert Okun ordered three years of probation. Ramsuer was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on September 3, 2024, for her role in connection with the July 16, 2018 murder. The evidence at trial showed that on July 16, 2018, five members of the Wellington Park crew, Mark Price, Antonio Murchison, Isaiah Murchison, Gregory Taylor, and Qujuan Thomas, who have all been convicted, drove to the Clay Terrace neighborhood armed with guns. The driver of the vehicle, Mark Price, briefly stopped to allow the other defendants to exit the vehicle. They opened fire on the Clay Terrace courtyard, firing more than 50 shots, indiscriminately. Makiyah Wilson, who was sitting on the front stoop of her home, was killed. Two other members of the Wellington Park crew – Quentin Michals and Darrise Jeffers – were also convicted of their role in assisting in planning the shooting and securing the firearms that were used and crew member Marquell Cobbs was convicted of conspiracy in connection with the incident. Ramsuer, who witnessed the defendants preparing for the shooting, continuously refused to testify truthfully when asked the identity of the shooters. The evidence at trial showed that Ramseur lived in or hung out in the Wellington Park neighborhood most of her life and knew almost all of the defendants, one of whom she identified as her cousin. She was observed on video surveillance interacting with the defendants as they loaded into the vehicles to drive to Clay Terrace to commit the shooting. Ramsuer was also observed on video closely engaging with one of the defendants who orchestrated the attack, but who remained behind. Despite the obvious familiarity, Ramseur steadfastly refused to identify the individuals with whom she was interacting in the video, resulting in the charge of obstruction of justice. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Bach and Natalie Hynum. The trial team was assisted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chrisellen Kolb and Nicholas Coleman, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Supervisory Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Clark, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Allen, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Maenylie Watson, Information Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce, Supervisory Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Information Technology Specialist Sigourney Jackson, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, and Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman. Critical assistance also was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Merikas and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rich Barker, John Timmer, and Melissa Jackson who played key roles in the investigation.


title: Rochester woman charged with defrauding Rochester area businesses and charities out of thousands of dollars

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jessica Stadt, 43, of Rochester, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud and access device fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that in March of 2023, law enforcement began investigating Stadt as a suspect in a gift card fraud scheme, which involved Stadt fraudulently acquiring physical and electronic gift cards from and on behalf of Rochester area companies under the guise that they would be used for disadvantaged children and communities. However, instead of using the gift cards for charity, Stadt sold the gift cards to several different individuals using Facebook Messenger. She sold the gift cards under their actual value and indicated to buyers that the money paid be used for charity. Buyers would send money to Stadt’s personal Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App accounts. In total, Stadt acquired and sold approximately 607 gift cards on Facebook Messenger, with a total combined loss of approximately $88,882.60 to Wegmans, Youth Advocate Programs, and other not for profit organizations. Stadt made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was released on conditions. The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and the Monroe County Sheriff’s office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to  Fentanyl Distribution Near School

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who distributed fentanyl near a school pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids. D’quon Morrow, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of distribution of at least 40 grams of fentanyl near a protected location. In a plea agreement, Morrow admitted that between February 2024 and July 2024, in Cedar Rapids, he agreed with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. In March 2024, he distributed 6.50 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl to another person. In April 2024, he sold a firearm to another person. At the time, Morrow had a felony conviction for eluding. In May 2024, he distributed 20.75 grams of fentanyl to another person. In June 2024, he distributed 48.60 grams of fentanyl to another person near Madison Elementary School in Cedar Rapids. In July 2024, law enforcement searched Morrow’s residence and recovered two firearms, ammunition, and over 1,000 fentanyl pills. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Morrow remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Morrow faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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). Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-4. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Former Forest City Man Sent to Federal Prison on Multiple Counts of Firearm Possession by a Drug User and Making False Statements to Purchase Firearms

body_text: A former Forest City man who possessed firearms as a drug user and made false statements during the purchase of firearms was sentenced to 45 months in Federal Prison. Brian Lee Byers, age 39, from Forest City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2024, guilty plea to 4 counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user and 4 counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Evidence showed Byers admitted that between July of 2019 and February of 2020, in Cero Gordo County, Iowa, Black Hawk County, Iowa, Winnebago County, Iowa, Grundy County, Iowa and Hancock County, Iowa he possessed multiple firearms while using marijuana and methamphetamine. He admitted that on July 25, 2019, November 9, 2019, February 22, 2020, and February 24, 2020, he stated on federal forms he was not a drug user while he purchased multiple firearms Byers was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Byers was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Byers is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Mason City Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Fletcher and Jack Lammers. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 23-CR-3018. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Spencer Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Possession

body_text: Dylan Halbur, 32, from Spencer, Iowa, pled guilty March 28, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. At the plea hearing, evidence showed that on August 26, 2024, law enforcement searched a camper in Spencer, Iowa, where Halbur was known to reside and store items. Inside, law enforcement located 45 grams of pure methamphetamine, $2,900 in cash, marijuana, a digital scale and other indicia of drug use and distribution. Halbur admitted the methamphetamine was his and that he intended to distribute some or all of the methamphetamine to another. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Halbur remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. The penalties for this offense are a sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Spencer Police Department, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4077. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: St. Joseph Man Charged with Aggravated Identity Theft of Minnesota Man

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., man was charged in a federal indictment this week with aggravated identity theft and misuse of a social security number. Romeo Perez-Bravo, 42, has been charged with using a stolen identity to obtain employment and state issued identification cards since 2009. The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General received a referral from the St. Joseph, Missouri Police Department that a man had been fraudulently living and working under a Minnesota man’s identity. SSA-OIG identified him as Perez-Bravo who had been living in St. Joseph and working for local area employers under that identity for several years. The victim reported the identity theft when he began to receive unpaid income tax bills from the IRS. If convicted, Perez-Bravo faces a mandatory two-year prison sentence for identity theft and up to five years for misusing the social security number. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case was investigated by Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), ICE Homeland Security Investigations, St. Joseph, Missouri Police Department, and the Olivia, Minnesota Police Department.


title: CEO of Company that Owned Rights to Notorious Drug Lord’s Name Extradited to United States to Face Fraud, Money Laundering Counts

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Swedish national was extradited from Spain and was arraigned today on a 115-count federal indictment alleging he licensed the rights of the late Colombian narcoterrorist Pablo Escobar and defrauded investors by marketing and selling products – including flamethrowers and cellphones – that he never delivered. Olaf Kyros Gustafsson, 31, a.k.a. “El Silencio,” arrived in Los Angeles this morning after Spanish authorities extradited him. Gustafsson is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, 41 counts of money laundering, 35 counts of international money laundering, and 25 counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. Gustafsson was arrested in Spain in December 2023 and was arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Gustafsson pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. A May 20 trial date was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge scheduled an April 3 detention hearing. Gustafsson remains in federal custody. According to the indictment, Gustafsson was the CEO of Escobar Inc., a corporation registered in Puerto Rico that held successor-in-interest rights to the persona and legacy of Pablo Escobar, the deceased Colombian narcoterrorist and head of the Medellín Cartel. Escobar Inc. used Pablo Escobar’s likeness and persona to market and sell purported consumer products to the public. From July 2019 to November 2023, Gustafsson identified existing products in the marketplace that were being manufactured and sold to the public. He then used the Escobar persona to market and advertise similar and competing products purportedly being sold by Escobar Inc., advertising them at a price substantially lower than existing counterparts being sold by other companies. Gustafsson then purportedly sold the products – including an Escobar Flamethrower, an Escobar Fold Phone, an Escobar Gold 11 Pro Phone, and Escobar Cash (marketed as a “physical cryptocurrency”) – to customers, receiving payments via PayPal, Stripe, Coinbase, among other payment processors. Despite receiving customer payments, Gustafsson did not deliver the Escobar Inc. products to paying customers because the products did not exist. In furtherance of the scheme, Gustafsson sent crudely made samples of the purported Escobar Inc. products to online technology reviewers and social media influencers to attempt to increase the public’s demand for them. For example, Gustafsson allegedly sent Samsung Galaxy Fold Phones wrapped in gold foil and disguised as Escobar Inc. phones to online technology reviewers to attempt to induce victims who watched the online reviews into buying the products that never would be delivered. Also, rather than sending paying customers the actual products, Gustafsson mailed them a “Certificate of Ownership,” a book or other Escobar Inc. promotional materials so there was a record of mailing from the company to the customer. When a paying customer attempted to obtain a refund when the product was never delivered, Gustafsson fraudulently referred the payment processor to the proof of mailing for the Certificate of Ownership or other material as proof that the product itself was shipped and that the customer had received it so the refund requests would be denied. Some of the victims include residents of Los Angeles, Gardena, and Commerce. Gustafsson allegedly also caused bank accounts to be opened under his name and entities he controlled to be used as funnel accounts – bank accounts into which he deposited and withdrew proceeds derived from his criminal activities. The purpose was to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds. The bank accounts were located in the United States, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General are investigating this matter, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Marshals Service, Eurojust, Spanish authorities, and French judicial authorities. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Fitchburg Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Junius, 47, of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 500 or more grams of cocaine intended for distribution. Junius pleaded guilty to this charge on December 19, 2024. In late 2022, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a large cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking organization operating in Portage, Madison, and La Crosse. Intercepted phone communications in April 2023 led to the surveillance of a delivery of 4 kilograms of cocaine from Junius to other individuals. Further investigation led agents to a storage unit in Madison rented and regularly accessed by Junius in which police found almost 1½ kilograms of cocaine and $20,000 in U.S. currency. In sentencing Junius, Judge Peterson expressed concern that despite Junius’s extensive criminal history, which included nine prior convictions for drug-related offenses, Junius again became involved in drug trafficking. Judge Peterson found that Junius played a significant role in the drug organization by storing drugs and cash, as well as by making deliveries. Judge Peterson further found that such large-scale trafficking encouraged criminal enterprises and violence in the community. Junius’s co-defendant, Angel Flores, also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2025. The charge against Junius was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Anderson and William M. Levins prosecuted this case. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.


title: Three Individuals Charged with Illegal Re-Entry and Other Offenses

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases this week for illegally re-entering the United States after they were previously deported. Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Reentry According to an indictment returned this week, Jesus Enriquez-Vasquez, 32, who was previously removed from the United States on January 24, 2019, was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States. On March 3, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States. Guatemalan National Charged in Indictment In addition, Victor Hugo Vasquez Perez, 31, a citizen of Guatemala residing in Independence, Mo., was found illegally present in the United States and charged with possession of a fraudulent immigration document, possession of identification documents unlawfully produced, and improper entry. Honduran National Charged in Indictment In addition, Noe Alberto Hernandez-Perez, 31, a citizen of Honduras residing in Kansas City, Mo., was charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien and resisting and impeding an officer. According to the indictment, Hernandez-Perez was previously removed from the United States on June 12, 2015. He has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to reenter the United States. On March 16, 2025, he was found voluntarily back in the United States. The charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. These cases were investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations. Operation Take Back America These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Armed Serial Robber of Five Cash Stores Convicted at Trial

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: An armed serial robber and convicted felon was found guilty by a jury on March 26, 2025, of robbing five cash loan businesses across the Fort Worth metroplex in May 2024, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. Charles Lenard Brownlee, 37, was charged via criminal complaint in July 2024 and indicted in August 2024. After two-and-a-half days of trial, a jury convicted him of one count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Hobbs Act Interference with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm during a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to evidence presented at trial, between May 9 and May 21, 2024, Brownlee robbed at gunpoint five Cash Store businesses in Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine. Trying to conceal his identity, Brownlee covered his face with a medical mask and wore different baseball caps and outfits for the robberies. Reviewing hours of surveillance footage from nearby businesses and other camera systems, detectives from the Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine police departments ascertained that Brownlee used the same vehicle—a black Hyundai Santa Fe equipped with a blue fuzzy steering-wheel cover—to drive to and from each of the five robberies. At trial, the jury heard from an eyewitness who observed the robber drop a Black & Mild cigarillo as he was running from one of the robberies and thereafter enter the backseat of a black SUV that had a blue fuzzy covering on its steering wheel. Law enforcement collected that cigarillo for DNA testing, and the DNA test results were consistent with Brownlee being the robber from that incident. The jury also heard testimony from a member of the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team who testified that the cellular phones tied to Brownlee placed him at or near each Cash Store location when it was robbed. For two of the robberies, Brownlee enlisted the help of his girlfriend and co-conspirator, who testified that she and Brownlee conspired to rob the Fort Worth and Euless Cash Stores—driving there together in the black Hyundai SUV and with her serving as Brownlee’s getaway driver. She also testified that after committing these “licks” (robberies), Brownlee planned to target jewelry stores and ultimately obtained a Mini Draco-style firearm to do so, since that gun had more “muscle.” Shortly after committing the May 21 Grapevine robbery, Brownlee was arrested, and—upon searching the vehicle he was in—law enforcement found a black leather bag that Brownlee used in the Hurst and Grapevine robberies, a blue hat that Brownlee wore during the Euless robbery, a disposable medical mask matching what he wore for all of the robberies, and two loaded firearms—a black Smith & Wesson handgun matching the make and model of the gun identified by one of the victim-witnesses and a Century Arms Mini Draco AK-style pistol. Law enforcement also seized the black Hyundai Santa Fe with the blue fuzzy steering wheel cover, which at the time was being driven by Brownlee’s sister. Brownlee’s cell phone showed that he had conducted multiple online searches of and for Cash Stores during the time span of the robbery spree and that he ran searches for nearby jewelry stores and where to purchase a Mini Draco gun. The jury also saw videos and images from Brownlee’s and his co-conspirator’s phones showing them posing with piles of cash and Brownlee smoking a Black & Mild cigarillo like that observed to have been dropped by the perpetrator of the Euless robbery. Brownlee now faces a statutory minimum of 35 years and up to life in federal prison. His sentencing date is set for July 11, 2025, before the Honorable Reed O’Connor, who also presided over this trial. Brownlee’s co-conspirator pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery and faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison. She is set to be sentenced on April 8, 2025. "A strong relationship with our local law enforcement partners is crucial to tackling violent crime,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The collaboration with multiple agencies from Tarrant County resulted in a successful guilty verdict and sends a message that we will not tolerate acts of violent crime in our communities.” Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham praised the joint efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in the case, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, Fort Worth Resident Agency, Grand Prairie Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Euless Police Department, Hurst Police Department, and Grapevine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric B. Chen and Levi Thomas prosecuted and tried the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gordon for the Northern District of Texas provided appellate support.


title: Convicted Sex Offender Indicted for Naturalization Fraud

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Juan Antonio Ruiz, 47, a naturalized United States citizen, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Tucson on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, for Naturalization Fraud. According to the indictment, in June 2015 Ruiz became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In his application for citizenship, his interview with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and his naturalization oath ceremony, Ruiz answered “no” as to whether he had ever committed a crime for which he had not been arrested. Three years later, in May 2018, Ruiz was arrested for the crimes of Sexual Conduct with a Minor Under Fifteen, committed between January 17, 2004 and January 16, 2008 and Attempted Molestation of a Child, committed between September 9, 2003 and September 8, 2006. In 2021, Ruiz pleaded guilty to those charges in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County, Case Number 20182491-001. Naturalization Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 and loss of citizenship and cancelation of naturalization certificate. An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Sydney Yew, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01502-AMM-EJM RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-043_Ruiz


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Charges 260 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona This Week

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from March 22, 2025, through March 28, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 260 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 96 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 155 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 9 cases against 9 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Recent matters of interest include: United States v. Greiby Melissa Barcelo-Velasquez: On March 25, 2025, Greiby Melissa Barcelo-Velasquez, a Columbian national, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States. Since approximately June 2023, Barcelo-Velasquez coordinated the smuggling of over 100 illegal aliens from Columbia to the United States using her travel company, Baul Travel SAS. This case is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha. Case No. CR-24-00392-PHX-JJT. RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-044_March 28 Immigration Enforcement # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Four Defendants Charged After Warrant Served in El Cajon

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – John Washburn, general manager of San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings in El Cajon, and three employees, made their first appearances in federal court today to face immigration charges stemming from a search warrant that was served by federal agents at the property yesterday. Washburn, along with employees Gilver Martinez-Juanta, Miguel Angel Leal-Sanchez and Fernando Casas-Gamboa, were arrested yesterday. Washburn was charged with Conspiracy to Harbor Aliens; the employees were charged with using false documents to work in the United States. According to the complaint, Washburn employed undocumented workers and allowed them to live in the company’s warehouse. The three charged employees allegedly provided a false attestation regarding their immigration status to secure employment at the business. U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major set bond for Washburn at $5,000 and ordered him and the other defendants to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on April 8, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. The Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego Office is investigating these cases with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; United States Border Patrol; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General; Drug Enforcement Administration, San Diego Field Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry F.B. Beshar and Michael A. Deshong. DEFENDANTS Case Number 25mj1458-BLM John Washburn Age: 57 SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Harbor Aliens, in violation of Title 8, U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii) and (v)(I); Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison; $250,000 fine. Case Number 25mj1459-BLM Gilver Martinez-Juanta Age: 39 SUMMARY OF CHARGES False Attestation (Felony), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1546(b)(3); Maximum Penalty: 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine. Case Number 25mj1460-BLM Miguel Angel Leal-Sanchez Age:39 SUMMARY OF CHARGES False Attestation (Felony), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1546(b)(3); Maximum Penalty: 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine. Case Number 25mj1461-BLM Fernando Casas-Gamboa Age: 21 SUMMARY OF CHARGES False Attestation (Felony), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1546(b)(3); Maximum Penalty: 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine. INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations Naval Criminal Investigative Service U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations Drug Enforcement Administration Bureau Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm,s and Explosives U.S. Border Patrol U.S. Customs and Border Protection *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. This investigation 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: Four Pomona Gang Members and Mexican Mafia Associates Found Guilty of Racketeering, Murder, Drug Trafficking, and Firearms Crimes

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Four Pomona gang members and Mexican Mafia associates were found guilty by a jury today of a series of racketeering-related crimes, including the murder of a federal inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in downtown Los Angeles in June 2020. At the conclusion of a 20-day trial, the following defendants – all of Pomona – were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, one count of violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder, and one count of first-degree murder within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States: Michael Lerma, 68, a.k.a. “Pomona Mike” and “Big Mike;” Carlos Gonzalez, 41, a.k.a. “Popeye;” Juan Sanchez, 33, a.k.a. “Squeaks;” and Jose Valencia Gonzalez, 44, a.k.a. “Swifty.” The jury also found Lerma and Valencia Gonzalez guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (methamphetamine and heroin) at MDC and in the Pomona area. Finally, the jury found Gonzalez and Valencia Gonzalez guilty each of one count of being felons in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Sanchez was found not guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. All the defendants have been in federal custody since 2018. “These defendants were key players in a criminal enterprise that committed murder, assault, and drug trafficking,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “Today’s verdict will take these offenders off our streets and make our community safer.” "This case makes it clear that gang violence by Mexican Mafia members and associates has not only been directed from the streets, but also from prisons in California," said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “This lengthy investigation exemplifies the commitment by agencies at the federal, state and local level who've collaborated for several years on a task force to arrive at justice in this case.” According to evidence presented at trial, from February 2012 to June 2020, Lerma – a full member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang – controlled and extorted drug proceeds from Latino street gangs in and around Pomona, as well as from incarcerated Latinos in Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County. Members of Lerma’s criminal enterprise also engaged in robberies, identity theft and fraud, drug trafficking, and other acts of violence. In June 2020, Carlos Gonzalez, Valencia Gonzalez, and Sanchez – at Lerma’s direction – entered the cell at MDC Los Angeles and killed a victim – identified in court documents as “S.B.” The defendants murdered S.B. in retaliation for S.B. failing to pay drug debts deemed owed to Lerma’s cell of the Mexican Mafia prison gang. United States District Judge George H. Wu will schedule sentencing hearings in the coming months, at which time each defendant will face a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison. Federal prosecutors so far have secured 16 convictions in this case, including that of Cheryl Perez-Castaneda, 62, of Pomona, who is serving a 12-year prison sentence for using her power on the street as a “señora” – a high-level female associate of Lerma’s – to solicit a murder and for participating in a carjacking attempt that resulted in the July 2013 shooting of M.A. Kelly Deshannon, 43, of La Verne, is serving a prison sentence of more than seven years for serving as a “secretary” to Lerma and for facilitating the July 2013 armed robbery of M.A. and for extortion and distributing narcotics. The FBI’s San Gabriel Valley Safe Streets Task Force (SGVSSTF), which is comprised of agents and officers with the FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Pomona Police Department, the El Monte Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, investigated this matter in conjunction with the FBI’s Los Angeles Metropolitan Violent Crime Task Force. The Pomona Police Department is the sponsoring agency of the SGVSSTF and has been the headquarters for the task force since its inception in 2008. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle W. Kahan and Jason A. Gorn of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Kellye M. Ng of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.