title: Mexican National Involved in Smuggling and Labor Trafficking Scheme Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PORFIRIA MARIBEL RAMOS SANCHEZ, 47, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Vernon, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment for her involvement in a scheme to smuggle aliens into the U.S., harbor them at Hartford area residences, force them to work, and threaten to harm them in various ways if they failed to pay exorbitant fees, interest, and other living expenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in September 2022, the FBI and Hartford Police interviewed several Mexican nationals who disclosed that they were smuggled from Mexico into the U.S. and transported to Hartford. The investigation revealed that victims typically arranged with Ramos’s mother, Maria Del Carmen Sanchez Potrero, and others in Connecticut and Mexico, to cross the border into the U.S. in exchange for a fee of between $15,000 and $20,000 that each would need to pay once they were in the U.S. In most cases, the victims were required to turn over a property deed as collateral before leaving Mexico. They were then smuggled across the border and transported to Hartford area residences, often at a substantial risk of bodily injury or death. After the victims arrived in Connecticut, they were told that they would have to pay approximately $30,000, with interest, and that they would have to pay Sanchez, Ramos, and their co-coconspirators for rent, food, gas, and utilities. The co-conspirators created false documents for the victims, including Permanent Residence cards and Social Security cards, and helped the victims find employment in the Hartford area. In addition to their own jobs, some victims were required to perform housework and yardwork without compensation and without having their debt reduced. Victims were rarely provided with an accounting of their debt. If victims failed to make regular payments, or in amounts that the co-conspirators expected, they were sometimes threatened, including with threats to harm family members in Mexico, to take property in Mexico that had been secured as collateral, to reveal victims’ immigration status to U.S. authorities, and to raise their interest payments. To date, investigators have identified 19 victims of this scheme. Multiple victims were minors, and at least two were smuggled into the U.S. unaccompanied by a relative or legal guardian. Ramos has been detained since her arrest on October 5, 2023. On October 4, 2024, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to encourage and induce, bring in, transport, and harbor aliens. Judge Dooley ordered Ramos to pay restitution of $574,608. As a condition of her plea agreement, in partial satisfaction or her restitution obligation, Ramos and her husband agreed to sell a house they owned at 74 Burnside Avenue in East Hartford, which was used to facilitate this criminal offense. However, in violation of her plea agreement, Ramos did not inform the government of the pending sale and sold the house in November 2024 to a relative of her husband for $75,000 less than its appraised value. Ramos faces immigration proceedings when she completes her prison term. Sanchez pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hartford Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel Krull and Shan Patel.


title: New Jersey Man Sentenced To 40 Months In Prison For Stealing COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits; Others Previously Sentenced

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A New Jersey man was sentenced to 40 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to illegally obtain over $570,000 in COVID-19 unemployment benefits, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced. Jose Tavares, 37, of Englewood, New Jersey, was convicted on Oct. 28, 2024, on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud after a five-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch. Judge Kirsch imposed the sentence in Trenton federal court. Tavares’ conspirators, Yanira Abreu, 43, of Keasbey, New Jersey, and Christopher Valerio, 34, of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, were each sentenced previously by Judge Kirsch in the same scheme. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From July 2020 through February 2021, Tavares, Valerio, Abreu and others submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) through fictitious online profiles that they created using personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers of other individuals without their consent. Once the NYDOL processed and approved the fraudulent applications, Tavares and his conspirators obtained debit cards with the illegally obtained funds totaling over $570,000, which they used for personal gain, including vacations, luxury retail purchases, and cosmetic surgery. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Tavares to 3 years of supervised release and ordered Tavares to pay in $570,077 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark; Special Agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Postal Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation that led to the sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Stark and Benjamin D. Bleiberg of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . ### Defense Counsel for Tavares: Jeffrey Simms, Esq. and Roberto Espinosa, Esq., of New Jersey. Defense counsel for Valerio: Kevin Roe, Esq., of New Jersey. Defense counsel for Abreu: John Russo, Esq., of New York. tavares.indictment.pdf


title: Nigerian citizen, extradited from the U.K., arraigned on indictment for wire fraud involving stolen tax information

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – A Nigerian citizen who was arrested and extradited from the U.K. on an indictment in the Western District of Washington was arraigned today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Onomen Uduebor, 38, is charged in a three-count indictment related to a scheme to steal and use income tax data for fraud. The 2019 indictment was unsealed today for Uduebor’s first appearance. Uduebor entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ and trial is scheduled before U.S. District Judge James L. Robart on May 12, 2025. “This defendant allegedly participated in a conspiracy that involved tricking companies around the United States, including a Tukwila-based company, into providing W-2 information on their employees. Then the conspirators filed fake tax returns in the employees’ names, claiming large refunds and causing chaos for those whose Social Security numbers had been stolen,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. According to the indictment, between February 2016 and April 2017, the conspirators created false emails that appeared to come from a company executive asking the Human Resources Department for the W-2 data. The conspirators manipulated the email so that any reply would go to an email address that they controlled. The conspirators then used the information from the W-2s to file more than 300 bogus tax returns claiming more than $1 million in tax refunds. The conspirators targeted companies across the U.S. in this scheme. Uduebor is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The wire fraud charges are punishable by up to twenty years in prison. Aggravated Identity Theft is punishable by a mandatory minimum two years in prison to run consecutive to any sentence imposed on the wire fraud counts. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Miriam Hinman. Uduebor was arrested in the United Kingdom in September 2023. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance with the extradition process.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Over 225 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona This Week

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from March 1, 2025, through March 7, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has brought immigration-related criminal charges against 227 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 92 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 120 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 12 cases against 15 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one defendant for assaulting a Border Patrol agent. 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. Gerardo Tejada-Calleja: On March 3, 2025, the United States charged by criminal complaint Edwin Santiago Marquez Flores with Assault on a Federal Officer in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a), and Improper Entry by an Alien in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(1). On March 2, 2025, a United States Border Patrol agent responded to a report of suspected illegal aliens in the area of Vamori, Arizona. When an agent approached the area, Tejada-Calleja was found hiding under a tree, attempting to evade apprehension. Tejada-Calleja ran down a wash upon seeing the agent. After a brief pursuit, Tejada-Calleja and another individual were found hiding under a tree and some brush. During attempts to apprehend the two individuals, the agent reached for his radio to let other agents know he needed assistance. Tejada-Calleja grabbed the agent’s gun belt area and his radio in an attempt to rip it out of the agent’s hands. During the assault, Tejada-Calleja wrapped his arms around the agent, taking him down to the ground backwards and onto his back. Tejada-Calleja and the other individual were able to evade apprehension again until they were subsequently captured and taken into custody. Case No. 25-4720 MJ. United States v. Jimenez-Aguilar: Edgar Guadalupe Jimenez-Aguilar, an illegal alien living in Phoenix, was indicted last week for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens in violation of 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324(a)(1)(A)(v)(I), (a)(1)(A)(ii), (a)(1(B)(i), and Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 8411(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B)(i). Jimenez-Aguilar was identified by Border Patrol as an operator of a stash house and alien transporting coordinator. On October 3, 2024, officers with the Tohono O’odham Police Department stopped a vehicle and determined four passengers, including two in the trunk of the vehicle, were aliens unlawfully present in the United States. Officers learned that the driver had been recruited on social media, had participated in multiple prior smuggling ventures, and had been to Jimenez-Aguilar’s stash house to unload the aliens. On January 28, 2025, agents stopped a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Mesa and identified the driver as Jimenez-Aguilar via his Sonoran driver’s license. Inside the vehicle, agents located approximately 297 grams of black tar heroin. CR-25-00284-PHX-DJH. A criminal complaint 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. CASE NUMBER: 25-4720 MJ CR-25-00284-PHX-DJH RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-031_March 7 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: New Jersey Man Admits To Concealing Material Support And Resources To ISIS

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Morris County man today admitted to having concealed his efforts to provide material support and resources to ISIS, U.S. Attorney John Giordano, Sue Bai, Head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, and FBI-Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly announced. Kyse S. Abushanab, 27, of Budd Lake, New Jersey pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to a one-count information charging him with concealing material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. “The crime that Kyse Abushanab admitted to today threatened the safety of Americans both here and abroad,” said U.S. Attorney John Giordano. “Kyse Abushanab gathered and distributed training materials on the making and use of bombs and explosives to ISIS supporters. He concealed these activities through various means, including using encrypted messaging platforms. Abushanab’s activities are a stark reminder that terrorist organizations like ISIS are intent on compromising the safety of Americans around the world. We and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to disrupting these activities to restore safety and security.” “At a time when terrorist attacks are fresh in the minds of Americans everywhere, this thwarted effort should serve as a warning to all ISIS and violent extremist ideologists everywhere,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Reilly said. “The FBI Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force will work tirelessly to stop you and your misguided ideology before you harm innocent victims.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Between in or around March 2021 and in or around January 2022, Abushanab compiled resources, including information pertaining to the manufacture and use of weapons of mass destruction, with the aim of providing members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (“ISIS” or “the Islamic State”), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and its supporters with a repository of information and resources to help carry out ISIS’s mission. This material included, among other things, videos and documents showing step-by-step instructions on how to make suicide belts or vests, detonators and timers, improvised bombs, and other explosives and incendiary devices. In an effort to evade detection by law enforcement, Abushanab took steps to conceal his efforts to assist ISIS by, among other things, using encrypted applications, untraceable email accounts, and a secured cloud storage space to gather and store information on how to make a variety of weapons of mass destruction. The charge of concealment of provision of material support carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for September 24 2025. U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Reilly, and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James M. Gannon, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek of the National Security Unit in Newark, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division. ### Defense counsel: Robert C. Scrivo, Esq. and Andrew Gimigliano, Esq. abushanab.information.pdf


title: Two who Trespassed Historical Site at National Park Sentenced

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Roxanne McKnight, 39, and Dusty Spencer, 43, of Durango, Colorado, were sentenced today after they trespassed onto a fenced-off historical site at Canyonlands National Park and disturbed artifacts on display. McKnight was sentenced to a one-year ban from federal public lands in Utah and one year of probation. Spencer was sentenced a two-year ban from federal public lands in Utah and two years’ probation. In addition to their bans, a U.S. Magistrate Judge ordered McKnight and Spencer to pay fines and restitution totaling $1,500. The sentence comes after the defendants pleaded guilty to possessing or disturbing cultural or archaeological resources, and walking on or entering archeological or cultural resource, Class B misdemeanors. According to court documents and statements made at McKnight’s and Spencer’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on March 23, 2024, McKnight and Spencer, entered a fenced-off area of Canyonlands National Park where they then handled numerous historic artifacts preserved in the Cave Springs Cowboy Camp. The artifacts include an antique horse tack and cabinetry. This historic camp was protected by fencing and clear warnings prohibiting visitors from entering the area, which McKnight and Spencer disregarded. Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case was investigated by the National Park Service (NPS). Assistant United States Attorneys Luisa Gough and Tanner Zumwalt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


title: VA Firefighter Admits Scheme To Commit Workers’ Compensation Fraud

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Department of Veterans Affairs firefighter admitted to a scheme to commit workers’ compensation fraud, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced. Richard Hyland, 61, of Westbury, New York, pleaded guilty to an Information charging one count of workers’ compensation fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1920 before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Hyland was employed as a firefighter by the Department of Veterans Affairs and worked at the Lyons VA Medical Center in Lyons, New Jersey. In 2014, Hyland suffered a back injury and began receiving workers’ compensation benefits. To continue receiving benefits, Hyland certified annually to the U.S. Department of Labor that he was not working or volunteering anywhere else. These certifications were false. As early as March 2017, Hyland worked as a tow truck driver. He also worked as a long-haul truck driver and volunteered at his local fire department. From March 2017 through December 2024, Hyland fraudulently received $479,341.26 in workers’ compensation benefits. The count of workers’ compensation fraud carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,00 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2025. U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Jonathan Mellone, and of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Chris Algieri, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane of the Special Prosecutions Division in Camden. ### Defense counsel: Zach Intrater, Agnifilo Intrater LLP hyland.information.pdf


title: Three New Jersey Men Indicted For Their Roles In Drug Trafficking Organization

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey returned a 12-count indictment against three New Jersey men yesterday for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine in Newark, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced. George Lopez, 50, of Newark, New Jersey, Reinaldo Cruz, 45, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Joel Hernandez, 28, of Parlin, New Jersey, are each charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. In addition, George Lopez was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, two counts of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Reinaldo Cruz was charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and one count of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. Finally, Joel Hernandez was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to the indictment and other documents previously unsealed in the District of New Jersey, Reinaldo Cruz and Joel Hernandez distributed controlled substances on behalf of the drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) in and around Essex and Union Counties, New Jersey, specifically from several drug distribution locations. George Lopez, in turn, provided advice and connections regarding sources of supply of controlled substances from jail while he and his wife received cash from the DTO. Lopez and Cruz are associates of the Latin Kings street gang. During the investigation, law enforcement intercepted wire and electronic communications, used mobile and fixed surveillance, conducted controlled purchases and seizures of narcotics, and analyzed telephone records. The investigation has revealed that the DTO distributed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, 5 kilograms of cocaine, and 40 grams of fentanyl. The methamphetamine and cocaine conspiracy count carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The fentanyl conspiracy count and methamphetamine and cocaine possession count against George Lopez each carries a mandatory minimum penalty 5 years in prison, maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. The remaining drug possession counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The illegal possession of firearms and ammunition counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime counts each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Chief Harvey A. Barnwell, and the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Giacomo Sacca, with the investigation leading to the charges. U.S. Attorney Giordano thanked the Union County Police Department, under the direction of Officer in Charge, Captain John DaSilva, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Amir D. Jones, Hudson County Department of Corrections, under the direction of Director Becky Scott, the Cranford Police Department, under the direction of Chief Matthew R. Nazzaro, the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Chief George Ricci, the New Jersey State Police SWAT Team, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, the Hudson County Regional SWAT Team, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, and the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Juan Mattos Jr., for their assistance. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli Jacobs of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit and John Mezzanotte of the Economic Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### lopez_cruz_hernandez.indictment.pdf


title: Justice Department Dismisses Suit Against Denka, Delivering on President Trump’s Mandate to End Radical DEI Programs

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Today, the Justice Department, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), dismissed a lawsuit against Denka Performance Elastomer LLC (Denka) concerning its neoprene manufacturing facility in LaPlace, Louisiana. The dismissal fulfills President Trump’s day one executive order, “ Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing ,” signed to eliminate ideological overreach and restore impartial enforcement of federal laws. Concurrently, EPA withdrew its referral of the case to the Justice Department to align with Administrator Lee Zeldin’s pledge to end the use of “environmental justice” as a tool for advancing ideological priorities. The lawsuit, originally filed by the Biden Administration on Feb. 28, 2023, relied on the Clean Air Act’s rarely invoked “Emergency Powers” provision (42 U.S.C. § 7603). That statute authorizes EPA to seek immediate restraints on pollution sources presenting “an imminent and substantial endangerment” to public health or the environment. In an effort to satisfy this standard, the Biden-era complaint alleged a marginally increased risk of harm after prolonged exposure. The complaint did not allege that emissions from Denka’s LaPlace plant violated any regulatory air quality standard. The prior administration framed the case as part of its “ongoing effort to advance environmental justice in overburdened communities.” The Biden Administration EPA used its EJScreen tool to define such areas partly by the percentage of “people of color” present — a clear example of the racial preferencing now prohibited by President Trump’s executive order. “Today’s dismissal reflects ENRD’s renewed commitment to enforce environmental laws as Congress intended — consistently, fairly and without regard to race,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We do not regulate through litigation, nor do we stretch statutes beyond their plain meaning to advance political agendas.” “The dismissal of this case is a step toward ensuring that environmental enforcement is consistent with the law,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “While EPA’s core mission includes securing clean air for all Americans, we can fulfill that mission within well-established legal frameworks, without stretching the bounds of the law or improperly implementing so-called ‘environmental justice’.” Denka’s LaPlace facility produces neoprene, a synthetic rubber essential for products like orthopedic braces, wetsuits and automotive components. Following a 2017 settlement with the State of Louisiana, Denka invested over $35 million to cut chloroprene emissions by 85 percent. Despite this progress, the Biden Administration sought a preliminary injunction to halt operations, a request effectively denied when the court deferred a hearing on the preliminary injunction to the bench trial. On Feb. 21, ENRD reinstated enforcement principles which require that complaints be “well founded in existing law,” avoid “regulation by litigation,” and “seek relief authorized by . . . law.” By ending United States v. Denka, the Justice Department and EPA are delivering on President Trump’s promise to dismantle radical DEI programs and restore integrity to federal enforcement efforts.


title: Vallejo Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Ammunition

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO , Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Jeffrey Caldwell, 36, of Vallejo, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, Caldwell was arrested after a standoff with the Vallejo Police Department SWAT Team. The arresting officers found that Caldwell was in possession of a privately manufactured firearm and accompanying ammunition. Caldwell is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to more than ten prior felony convictions in California and Arizona, including for assault, burglary, and stalking. This case was the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Caldwell faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Bakersfield Man Charged with Laser Strikes of Police Helicopter

body_text: FRESNO , Calif. — Brett Curtis Hair, 22, of Bakersfield, was arrested today for aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to the indictment, on Sept. 11, 2024, Hair aimed the beam of a laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter (Air One). According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), laser exposure can result in visual impairment and therefore poses a serious hazard to the safe operation of an aircraft. In 2024, the FAA received 12,840 reports of laser strikes from pilots. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Hair faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Foreign Nationals With Prior Convictions Charged For Illegally Reentering The United States

component: Tax Division

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Mexican and El Salvadorian nationals residing in Las Vegas made their initial court appearances today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country. Edwin Geovany Salazar-Giron, 40, and Javier Anaya-Acosta, 43, are both charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings for both defendants are scheduled for March 20, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe. According to allegations contained in the criminal complaints and statements made during court proceedings, Salazar-Giron, a citizen and national of El Salvador, and Anaya-Acosta, a citizen and national of Mexico, were both previously deported and removed from the United States and re-entered the United States illegally. On February 25, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Salazar-Giron at the Henderson Police Department in Henderson, Nevada. Salazar-Giron had previously been deported on or about July 17, 2015. Salazar-Giron has prior felony convictions for Trafficking Cocaine and Possession of Firearm or Knife During Commission of or Attempt to Commit Certain Crimes. Both convictions were prior to his removal in 2015. On February 27, 2025, ICE arrested Anaya-Acosta who had previously been deported on both March 5, 2010, and again on May 18, 2015. Prior to his first removal from the United States, Anaya-Acosta was convicted of Illegal Alien in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, a felony violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5)(A). If convicted, Salazar-Giron and Anaya-Acosta both face the maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement. The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case. Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form. A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes Report

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending March 7, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 52 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326) 8 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324) 23 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) In one significant case, Isaias David Jose and Tomas Mateo Gaspar were charged with hostage taking and harboring illegal aliens after the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office executed a search warrant at a residence in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Agents found 10 illegal aliens in the residence, including the victim, who told agents he had been held in a locked room and told that if his family did not pay an $18,000 ransom he would be turned over to the “Mexican mafia.” The victim’s family reported the threat to the FBI, resulting in the search warrant and rescue of the victim. Additional illegal aliens found in the residence confirmed that they too had been threatened and locked in the residence. In another significant investigation, criminal complaints were filed charging Jose Ruiz-Gamez, Uzziel Carmona-Lopez and Donaciano Carmona-Lopez, with being an alien in possession of a firearm following a traffic stop by an officer from the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo Police Department. During the traffic stop, the officer located two firearms. All three men are Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States. In a third case, Roberto Rodrigo Velazquez-Lopez was charged by criminal complaint after he fled from a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint with four illegal aliens in the vehicle, including two individuals concealed in the trunk. These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process. Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. 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 District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.


title: Colombian National Charged with Narco-Terrorism in Superseding Indictment

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Geovany Andres Rojas, a suspected cocaine trafficker also known as Araña, was indicted by a federal grand jury today in a superseding Indictment with a new count of Narco-Terrorism. Rojas was previously charged with one count of International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine. In that charge, Rojas is alleged to have agreed, in Colombia, Ecuador, and elsewhere, to distribute cocaine knowing that it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Today, the United States added a second charge of Narco-Terrorism that alleges that Rojas knowingly and intentionally provided anything of pecuniary value to persons and organizations he knew were engaged in terrorist activity and terrorism. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle B. Martin and Ashley E. Goff. The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr0442-H Giovany Andres Rojas, aka Araña Age: 43 Colombia SUMMARY OF CHARGES International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960, and 963 Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison Narco-Terrorism – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 960a and 841 Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 20 years and up to life in prison INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Drug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of Investigation


title: Former Vice President of Pharmaceutical Company Admits to Insider Trading

body_text: SAN DIEGO – George Demos, then-vice president at San Diego-based Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc., pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally selling 60,000 company shares, thus avoiding a $1.3 million loss by acting on insider knowledge about the labeling process for a prescription drug with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Demos, a medical doctor who was the Vice President of Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance and member of the drug label team at publicly-traded Acadia, admitted that he was able to avoid the loss by dumping his shares just two hours before negative news about the labeling process became public. Through his positions, Demos had access to material information belonging to Acadia, including the drug approval and labeling process with the FDA, before the information was released to the investing public. As an employee of Acadia, Demos was subject to an insider trading policy that prohibited trading in company stock on the basis of material nonpublic information. As of 2021, Acadia’s only fully FDA-approved pharmaceutical product was Pimavanserin, sold under the brand name Nuplazid, for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease psychosis. Demos admitted that in 2020, he learned inside information that Acadia had applied for FDA approval for the expansion of the label for Nuplazid to treat dementia-related psychosis. Expanding the label was expected to generate significant revenue for Acadia because it would allow the drug to treat a larger patient population. Demos also admitted, however, that in March 2021, he learned additional inside information that discussions with the FDA had stalled, indicating a problem with the label. Acting on that inside information, Demos sold more than 60,000 shares of Acadia for $2,833,856.15 - less than two hours before Acadia issued a press release announcing deficiencies in its drug application with the FDA, preventing labeling discussions. Demos admitted that based on the inside information, he sold his Acadia stock for $46.61 per share, avoiding the 45 percent drop in stock price, to $25.02, that occurred the next day after the press release was issued to the public. Through this illegal trading, Demos avoided a loss of $1,313,263. As part of his plea, Demos agreed to forfeit $1,313,263 – the loss he avoided through his insider trading. Demos is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2025, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Robert Huie. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janaki G. Chopra. DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr00682 George Demos Age: 64 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Securities Fraud – 15 U.S.C. § 78j(b), 78ff; 17 CFR § 240.10b-5 Maximum penalty – Twenty years in prison and fine of $5 million or twice the gross gain or loss INVESTIGATING AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation


title: Four Men Indicted On Kidnapping Charge

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Darwin Veliz-Gonzalez, Jose Daniel Pineda-Moreno, Jeffrerson Balza-Delfin, and Yender Enrique Campos-Malave were each indicted by a federal grand jury on one count for unlawfully seizing, confining, kidnapping, abducting and holding for ransom an unidentified victim. Balza-Delfin and Campos-Malave made their initial appearance in front of Magistrate Judge Cyrus Y. Chung today. Veliz-Gonzalez and Pineda-Moreno are scheduled to appear at a later date. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Denver Field Office and the Denver Police Department are handling the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crimes and Immigration Enforcement section of the United States Attorney’s Office. Case Number: 25-cr-00077-JLK


title: Federal Jury Convicts Joshua Aaron Holmes For Conspiracy To Commit Mail And Wire Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— On March 7, 2025, following a three-day trial in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Knoxville, a jury convicted Joshua Aaron Holmes, age 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1349, mail fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1341, and wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Holmes faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. He will be sentenced by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge in the United States District Court at Knoxville on a date to be determined. The evidence presented at trial showed that Holmes participated in a scheme to defraud elderly victims. Evidence presented showed that Holmes and others worked to steal money from individuals intending to invest their money. The evidence further showed that Holmes and others then posed as federal agents who promised to help the victims recover money lost through investments; victims were induced to pay fake fees, taxes, and court costs, yet did not receive the return of any lost money—the victims only lost more. United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Nashville Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael S. Deel, David P. Lewen, Jr., and William A. Roach, Jr. represented the United States in this case. ###


title: California Man Charged with Cyberstalking, Making Harassing and Threatening Calls to Women in RI, MA, and Other States

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A federal criminal complaint has been unsealed in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island that charges a California man in an ongoing investigation into hundreds of obscene and threatening telephone calls made to women in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and elsewhere, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Arrested at his home in Anaheim on Wednesday, Justin Glauthier, 30, is charged with cyberstalking, interstate threats to injure, and making interstate obscene or harassing calls. It is alleged that Glauthier repeatedly called and harassed women whose name, photograph, and other personal information, including information associated with their employment, he often gleaned from the Internet. To date, at least nine women have been identified as receiving harassing and, in some instances, threatening calls that an FBI investigation attributes to Glauthier. It is alleged that in dozens of calls Glauthier made sexually explicit comments and, at times, threatened his victims if they did not stay on the phone with him and/or cooperate with him during the calls. In some instances, he claimed to know where his victims lived and/or worked and threatened to visit them unannounced at their homes or place of employment. Glauthier was arrested by agents from the FBI’s Providence and Orange County, CA, Resident Agencies. He is expected to make an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Santa Ana, CA, on Thursday. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted in the District of Rhode Island by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Restrepo in the District of Central California. The matter was investigated by the FBI Rhode Island resident agency, with significant assistance from the FBI Orange County, CA, resident agency, Lincoln, RI Police Department, and the Anaheim, CA, Police Department. ### criminal_complaint_and_affidavit.pdf


title: Healthcare Providers and Laboratory Marketers Agree to Pay Over $1.9M to Settle Kickback Allegations

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Gerald Congdon, M.D., of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, Gbenga Aluko, M.D., of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Anup Banerjee, M.D., of Gastonia, North Carolina, and their medical practices, as well as Curis Healthcare Inc., of Chicago, Illinois, Omar Hussain, of South Miami, Florida, and Saeed Medical Group Ltd. d/b/a Alliance Immediate and Primary Care, of Chicago, Illinois, agreed to pay a total of $ 1,913,808 to resolve alleged False Claims Act violations arising from their involvement in laboratory kickback schemes. The parties have agreed to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s investigations of other participants in the alleged schemes. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, TRICARE, and other federally funded healthcare programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients. The settlements announced today resolve allegations that healthcare providers received kickbacks in return for their referrals to a laboratory in Anderson, South Carolina, and that a marketer and his marketing company received kickbacks from that South Carolina laboratory to arrange for laboratory testing referrals, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The kickbacks allegedly resulted in the submission of false or fraudulent laboratory testing claims to Medicare and TRICARE in violation of the False Claims Act. Dr. Gerald Congdon, Coastal Urgent Care, LLC, and Coastal Wellness Center, LLC. Dr. Congdon and his medical practices in Pawleys Island and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina agreed to pay $400,000 to resolve allegations that from May 2016 to November 2021, they received thousands of dollars in remuneration disguised as purported office space rental and phlebotomy payments from the South Carolina laboratory in return for ordering testing. Dr. Gbenga Aluko and Eagle Medical Center, PC. Dr. Aluko and his medical practice in Charlotte, North Carolina agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations that from May 2016 to November 2021, they received thousands of dollars in remuneration disguised as purported office space rental, phlebotomy, and toxicology payments from the South Carolina laboratory in return for ordering testing. Dr. Anup Banerjee and Gastonia Medical Specialty Clinic P.A. Dr. Banerjee and his medical practice in Gastonia, North Carolina agreed to pay $206,000 to resolve allegations that from April 2017 to November 2021, they received thousands of dollars in remuneration disguised as purported office space rental and phlebotomy payments from the South Carolina laboratory in return for ordering testing. Omar Hussain and Curis Healthcare Inc. Hussain and his marketing company agreed to pay $817,808 to resolve allegations that from April 2020 to August 2021, Hussain and his company received commissions from the South Carolina laboratory as independent contractors based on the volume and/or value of the Medicare and TRICARE referrals for laboratory testing that they arranged for and/or recommended. Saeed Medical Group Ltd., Omar Hussain, and Curis Healthcare Inc. Saeed Medical Group and Hussain and his marketing company agreed to pay $240,000 to resolve allegations that from April 2020 to August 2021, Saeed Medical Group received thousands of dollars in remuneration in the form of cash payments from Hussain and his company in return for ordering testing from the South Carolina laboratory. “Integrity must be the standard in our health care system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “Kickback schemes divert funds and focus away from patients and their medical needs.” “The public puts immense trust in medical professionals, and disdain for the rule of law damages that trust and erodes their credibility,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia field office. “These settlements should serve as a reminder that the FBI and its partners are committed to holding medical practitioners accountable for kickbacks.” “Kickback schemes undermine medical decision-making and jeopardize the integrity of federally funded health care programs,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our commitment is to safeguard taxpayer-funded health care and the patients who rely on it, and we will rigorously pursue any allegations of False Claims Act violations.” “The trust of the American taxpayer and the wellbeing of our Service members are undermined when laboratories and physicians engage in collusive financial relationships,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice medical providers who illegally enrich themselves by prioritizing kickbacks over patient care.” The settlements were the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina, with assistance from HHS-OIG, DCIS, and the FBI. The settlements announced today were handled by Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth C. Warren in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. The United States previously resolved allegations that physicians in South Carolina , North Carolina , and Texas received kickbacks from the same South Carolina laboratory. The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: El Salvadorian National Charged With Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jorge A. Guzman-Montano, age 52, of El Salvador, was indicted on March 5, 2025, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Guzman-Montano was previously removed from the United States on April 21, 2017, through Lorado, Texas, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. The indictment also alleges that on February 12, 2025, Guzman-Montano was encountered in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Dukes is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Rhode Island Businesswoman Sentenced for Failing to Pay Over Employee Payroll Taxes to the IRS

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island businesswoman who collected but failed to pay over to the government eight years’ worth of employee federal withholding taxes and properly report her own personal income to the IRS has been sentenced to two years of probation, the first three months to be served in home detention, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Gail M. Hynson, 59, president of Hynson Electrical Services, Inc., pleaded guilty in October 2024 to ten counts of failure to account for and pay over payroll taxes and three counts of filing a false tax return. In addition to a term of probation and home detention, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., ordered Hynson to perform 100 hours of community service. Court documents detail that from 2016 through 2024, Hynson, who also acted as the company bookkeeper, withheld employment taxes from its employees’ paychecks, to include federal income taxes, Medicare, and Social Security taxes, but failed to provide the funds to the IRS. Much of the money deducted from her employees’ paychecks was transferred to her own personal bank accounts and used to pay for personal expenses, including her mortgage, car payments, and her daughter’s student loans. In addition, court records provide that Gail Hynson and her husband submitted false personal tax returns to the IRS, failing to reflect their actual income, which income included company tax withholdings earmarked for the IRS. Although those funds should have been paid to the IRS, Hynson transferred them to her personal bank account and used them for personal expenses. Between 2016 and 2024, Hyson failed to remit a total of approximately $1.22 million dollars to the IRS. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ly T. Chin and Milind M. Shah. The matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. ###


title: Fayette County meth dealer sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Vandalia woman to 10 years in federal prison after she admitted to possessing methamphetamine for distribution. Melissa P. Workman, 52, of Vandalia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance: meth. “This 10-year sentence sends a strong message that federal law enforcement is combating drug crimes all over the district,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Because meth is highly addictive and destructive for families, knowing this dealer is headed to federal prison is a win for Fayette County, and I applaud the FBI agents who worked the case to hold her accountable.” According to court documents, Workman sold 10 grams of meth to a confidential source working for the FBI on July 17, 2023. On July 18, 2023, agents executed a search warrant of her residence and recovered meth, a digital scale, packaging supplies and other drug paraphernalia. “Drugs have deadly consequences, and the FBI will aggressively investigate the sale and trafficking of illegal drugs to make our communities safer places to live,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “This sentence underscores the consequences of distributing illegal drugs and ensures the offender is unable to cause harm to others for years to come.” In additional investigations, agents again searched Workman’s residence on Jan. 8, 2024, and located more methamphetamine. Following her federal indictment on April 18, 2024, agents executed an arrest warrant for Workman. During her arrest, law enforcement uncovered additional amounts of methamphetamine in her home. The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Carraway prosecuted the case.


title: Second Defendant Admits to Role in Bank Fraud Conspiracy Targeting Banks in Ten States

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A second individual has admitted to a federal judge that he participated in a conspiracy to defraud banks in Rhode Island and at least nine other states of more than $140,000, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Jaymark Larios, 23, of Bronx, NY, pleaded guilty today to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to information presented to the court, Larios and other members of the conspiracy recruited and organized individuals and obtained their photographs and personal identifying information (PII). The information was used by conspirators to create fraudulent IDs that contained their own photographs and the PII of some of the recruits. As part of the scheme, Larios and others obtained the PII of at least 28 victim individuals, including their names, dates of birth, addresses, Social Security numbers, and bank account information. They also obtained information of at least 20 business entities, including business names and banking information. The information collected was used to create fraudulent IDs and checks. Members of the conspiracy then traveled with their recruits to banks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, and elsewhere to cash fraudulent checks created by members of the conspiracy. Through the scheme, conspirators attempted to defraud banks of a total of approximately $143,000, successfully defrauding twenty-two banks of a total of approximately $93,200. On February 27, 2025, Paul Keenan, 54, of Bronx, NY, admitted to his role in the conspiracy, pleading guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27, 2025. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christine Lowell. The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the East Providence Police Department, with the assistance of the Portsmouth Police Department. ###


title: Frankfort Attorney Sentenced for Wire Fraud, Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Frankfort attorney, Brian Logan, 51, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove to 36 months, for wire fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. According to court documents, Logan prepared a will for a client in August 2018. After the client passed away, Logan was appointed executor of the client’s estate, which included real property and cash. The will directed that the majority of the estate’s assets be distributed among certain charities. Instead, Logan transferred $239,600 from the estate bank account to his personal bank accounts in a series of transactions from October 10, 2018, to August 31, 2023. Logan then used these funds for personal expenses, including to make payments on his credit card. Logan also used fraudulent transactions to transfer the ownership of the estate’s real property to himself. Using his role as executor, he caused the estate to conduct a fictitious transaction selling the property to a friend, then effected a second fictitious transaction causing the friend to sell the property to an entity Logan owned. In each transaction, Logan forged the friend’s name and signature on the deeds. Logan then collected rent on the property for nearly six years, using the funds to make payments on personal credit cards. In addition, Logan submitted fraudulent documents to a bank in connection with a loan application for the property. He provided the bank with one of the forged deeds and a fraudulent lease that again used his friend’s name and forged signature. Logan used the loan proceeds, totaling $116,000, for his personal benefit. Under federal law, Logan must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Additionally, as part of his sentencing, Logan is required to pay $178,381 in restitution. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Robert Holman, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service; and Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Mattingly Williams is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. – END –


title: Indictment Charges Former Federal Correctional Officer in Chicago With Sexually Abusing Inmates

body_text: CHICAGO — A former correctional officer at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly sexually abusing four inmates while on duty. BRITTANY HALL, 31, of Chicago, sexually abused the inmates inside the MCC in December 2023, according to an indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. At the time, Hall was a correctional officer for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, responsible for supervising inmates in Unit 12 of the MCC. Hall resigned from the BOP in 2024. The indictment charges Hall with five counts of sexual abuse of a ward, each of which is punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison, and three counts of abusive sexual contact, each of which is punishable by up to two years in federal prison. Arraignment is scheduled for today at 1:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather K. McShain. The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and William J. Hannah, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Regional Office of the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Shih. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 0001_-_0000_-_indictment_as_to_brittany_hall_1_counts_1_2.pdf


title: Puerto Rico Man Pleads Guilty for His Role in a Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine to New Hampshire through the United States Postal Service

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A man living in Puerto Rico pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord for his role in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine to New Hampshire through the United States Postal Service (USPS), Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Joshua Baez Core, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, namely, cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for June 9, 2025. The defendant was indicted on December 20, 2023, along with five other defendants. To date, two co-conspirators have been convicted. According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, the defendant was involved in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that shipped cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester, New Hampshire. The defendant, based in Puerto Rico, would use fictitious sender information to send packages of cocaine through the mail to Manchester at the direction of his father, the leader of the DTO. The cocaine was often packaged in 500-gram or 1,000-gram bundles and hidden inside children’s games. After the defendant shipped each package, he would relay tracking information to his father, who would employ co-conspirators to track and retrieve the packages of cocaine for him at various addresses in Manchester. His father also sent the defendant suspected drug proceeds, in one instance sending him a parcel containing $11,000. Between September 2020 and December 2021, the DTO shipped over 5.6 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester for redistribution. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Manchester Man Pleads Guilty for His Role in a Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine to New Hampshire through the United States Postal Service

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord for his role in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine to New Hampshire through the United States Postal Service (USPS), Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. David Orme, age 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, namely, cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2025. The defendant was indicted on December 20, 2023, along with five other defendants. To date, Orme is the fourth defendant convicted in the conspiracy. According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, the defendant was involved in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that shipped cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester, New Hampshire. A coconspirator in Puerto Rico sent a package that contained approximately 500 grams of cocaine to an address in Manchester and the defendant signed for it using a fictitious name in a controlled delivery. Ultimately, law enforcement seized the package. Between September 2020 and December 2021, the DTO shipped over 5.6 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester for redistribution. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Henderson Man Sentenced to Over Five and a Half Years  on Firearm Charge After Daytime Shootout at Gas Station

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Jaymon Gibson, of Henderson, was sentenced today to 71 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Gibson, 26, pled guilty to the charges on October 10, 2024. According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement investigated two gang-related shooting incidents where Gibson possessed or fired guns. On May 10, 2022, at around 11:15 pm, the Henderson Police Department (HPD) responded to reports of a gunshot wound at a house on Powell Street in Henderson. The 911 caller led officers to Gibson, who was sitting in a car with gunshot wounds to his left arm. The 911 caller reported that she had seen someone shooting at Gibson from a black sedan. Officers canvassed the area and found a Glock 19 9mm handgun with an American flag pattern on it lying in the yard. They also found a 50-round drum magazine. Doorbell camera footage from the home showed Gibson walking with the Glock 9mm. The next day, co-defendant Monica Ellis called HPD and reported that a Glock 19 and a drum magazine had been stolen from her car. Officers later confirmed with a firearms store that Ellis had purchased the firearm on March 8, 2022. Gibson was in prison in March 2022, following a state conviction for voluntary manslaughter, and officers were able to obtain jail calls between him and Ellis. These calls revealed that Gibson had directed Ellis to straw purchase the Glock 9mm for him, even placing a three-way phone call with Gibson and a gun store clerk. On May 28, 2022, eighteen days after the Powell Street shooting, the HPD responded to a shots-fired call at the Gate City Foods gas station. Surveillance video revealed that a little after 4 p.m., a car with Gibson driving and a juvenile male in the front passenger seat pulled into a gas pump away from the store. A few minutes later, a white car with four occupants arrived and pulled up to a gas pump closer to the store. The front passenger, later identified as Jordan Turnage, walked into the store. Then a rear passenger, a juvenile, stepped out of the white car holding a long gun with a drum magazine. Gibson, who had moved to the front passenger seat, then stepped out of the car also holding a firearm. Moments later, gunfire erupted. Turnage fired a handgun from inside Gates City Foods through the window towards Gibson. At the same time, from the middle of the parking lot, the juvenile with the long gun began firing toward Gibson. The white car’s driver also stepped out with a long gun and shot several rounds, striking himself in the foot in the process. Gibson returned fire, shooting several rounds while crouching behind his car. Both groups then fled from the scene. Later investigation found that gunshots had damaged multiple nearby cars and apartments, including one gunshot that had struck a bedroom window while a resident was sleeping. Miraculously, no one was hurt in the incident. Five days later, law enforcement located and arrested Gibson at an apartment in Durham. They found a 22-caliber rifle with a high-capacity magazine that matched shell casings from where he had been parked at Gates City Foods. “Keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals that endanger public safety remains a top priority for our office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those that are the most significant contributors to violence.” "Our partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina has been vital in our ongoing efforts to combat gun violence in our community,” said Henderson Police Chief Marcus W. Barrow. “Throughout my tenure as Chief of Police, the ATF has maintained a steadfast presence in Henderson, demonstrating unwavering support and commitment to our shared goals. Their consistent presence is having a profound and lasting impact on our region. This case serves as yet another testament to our collective dedication in the fight against gun violence, and we remain resolute in our commitment to securing a safer future for all." Co-defendant Monica Ellis pled guilty to a felony offense of lying to a federal agent for statements she made related to straw-purchasing the Glock firearm. On March 14, 2024, she was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release. Jordan Turnage, who was not a felon at the time of the shooting, was prosecuted in state court for related felony offenses and received an active sentence of 38 to 58 months. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Henderson Police Department, Durham Police Department, and N.C State Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-0043-D. ###


title: 25 Metropolitan Detention Center Inmates, Their Associates and a Former Correctional Officer — Charged in a Dozen Criminal Cases at the Federal Jail in Brooklyn

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Today the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced criminal charges against 25 defendants in 12 separate cases relating to violence and contraband smuggling at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC-Brooklyn) in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. These include charges against 15 inmates for violent assaults against other inmates from May 2024 to the present; a former correctional officer for attempting to smuggle contraband into the facility on January 21, 2025; an inmate for orchestrating a contraband smuggling operation between April and June 2024; an inmate for smuggling ceramic scalpels into the facility on October 12, 2024; an inmate for possession of contraband and continuing to commit fraud while detained at MDC-Brooklyn; and an MS-13 gang associate for attempting to smuggle a large package of contraband, including 18 cellphones and marijuana, to other MS-13 gang members incarcerated at MDC-Brooklyn. Previously, nine inmates at MDC-Brooklyn were charged by the Office in September 2024 for violence and contraband smuggling . In addition, the Office, in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (USAO-SDNY) and more than a dozen law enforcement partners, assisted in October 2024 with a week-long multi-agency operation aimed at detecting and seizing contraband from MDC-Brooklyn. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Kathleen Toomey, Associate Deputy Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons, announced the charges. “The safety and security of our federal detention facilities is paramount,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “As alleged, in several separate charging instruments, inmates viciously attacked fellow detainees, a correctional officer betrayed his duty by attempting to smuggle drugs into the facility, several inmates orchestrated elaborate contraband smuggling operations and yet another inmate continued to engage in fraud schemes while detained. These actions undermine the order and security of MDC-Brooklyn and endanger everyone within its walls. My Office is working tirelessly to hold accountable those who commit violent acts or introduce contraband into the prison, whether they are inmates or staff. These charges serve as a warning to those who would engage in criminal conduct behind bars, and anyone else who facilitates those crimes: your conduct will be uncovered, and you will be held accountable.” Mr. Durham thanked the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and the FBI New York Field Office for their investigative work in these cases, as well as the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General for their assistance. “These 25 defendants, an array of inmates and a former correctional officer, allegedly committed numerous violent attacks against fellow inmates and orchestrated various schemes to smuggle contraband into the prison,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “These cases reflect the alleged extreme disregard for adhering to the rules designed to protect the other inmates and correctional staff within the institution. The FBI will never tolerate any individual, regardless of their incarceration status, who engages in deviant behavior that threatens the safety and stability of our federal facilities. “The Federal Bureau of Prisons would like to thank the FBI and the EDNY for their partnership and support to further prevent and prosecute violence and contraband in our facilities, through our unified efforts we are making our facilities safer for our employees and those in our custody,” stated Federal Bureau of Prisons Associate Deputy Director Toomey. A summary of the cases follows: U.S. v. Mike Josie Mike Josie has been charged by indictment with assault in a federal detention facility in connection with his participation in an assault of another inmate at MDC-Brooklyn on May 26, 2024. As alleged, Josie brutally attacked another inmate in his housing unit who was sitting at a table in a common area of the unit. Josie approached the victim from behind and made several slashing motions towards the victim’s face. After the assault, the victim was taken to a nearby hospital to treat lacerations to his neck and face. If convicted, Josie faces up to10 years in prison. Josie is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl. Assistant United States Attorney Sean Fern is in charge of the prosecution. U.S. v. Daryl Campbell, Ian Diez, Jonathan Guerrero, Abel Mora and Mayovanex Rodriguez Daryl Campbell, Ian Diez, Jonathan Guerrero, Abel Mora and Mayovanex Rodriguez are charged by complaint with conspiracy to smuggle contraband into MDC-Brooklyn. As alleged, between April and June 2024, Campbell used a contraband cell phone to conspire with others to smuggle contraband into MDC-Brooklyn. In several voice recordings found on the phone, Campbell explained his method of throwing a “line” out of a window of MDC-Brooklyn for a co-conspirator on the outside to “hook” or attach contraband, which could then be pulled back inside. On June 30, 2024, Diez, Guerrero, Mora, and Rodriguez attempted to execute Campbell’s scheme by pulling a rope through the window of the recreation room in their housing area. At the other end of that rope, correctional officers found what appeared to be suboxone, marijuana, a scalpel, a phone charger, lighters, and cigarettes. If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Noble and Elizabeth D’Antonio are in charge of the prosecution. U.S. v. Sean Smith, Rasheed Chapman and Antwan Mosley Sean Smith, Rasheed Chapman and Antwan Mosley have been indicted by a grand jury for the June 2, 2024 assault of another inmate at MDC-Brooklyn. The defendants violently assaulted the victim, slashing him across the face and neck and causing serious lacerations. The victim was then chased through the housing unit and struck repeatedly by his assailants. If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison. Assistant United States Attorney Kamil Ammari is in charge of the prosecution. U.S. v. Adil Duran Adil Duran has been charged in an indictment with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and possessing contraband in prison. As captured on video surveillance footage, on July 11, 2024, Duran slashed another inmate in the face and neck with a sharpened weapon, causing serious lacerations that required sutures. If convicted, Duran faces up to 20 years in prison. Assistant United States Attorney Kate Mathews is in charge of the prosecution. U.S. v. Erik Steadman and Javaughn Horton Erik Steadman and Javaughn Horton have been charged by complaint with assault in a federal detention facility for the September 5, 2024 assault of another inmate at MDC-Brooklyn. As alleged, Horton and Steadman approached another inmate in their unit and began punching him repeatedly in the face until he fell to the ground. The defendants continued punching and kicking the victim in the face, causing a significant laceration to his face. If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison. Assistant United States Attorney Molly Delaney is in charge of the prosecution. U.S. v. Angel Villafane Angel Villafane, a member of the gang Valentine Avenue Crew, has been indicted for possession of 21 ceramic scalpels smuggled into MDC-Brooklyn on October 12, 2024. As alleged, while sitting in the visiting room at MDC-Brooklyn, Villafane removed a ball full of ceramic scalpels from a bag of Doritos chips and placed them in his shirt. Correctional officers later discovered the scalpels during a search. If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years in prison. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Margaret P. Mortimer is in charge of the prosecution. U.S. v. Juan Lopez and Jose Rivera Juan Lopez and Jose Rivera have been indicted for assaulting another inmate and possessing contraband weapons. As alleged, on November 11, 2024, Lopez and Rivera slashed and stabbed another inmate in their housing unit. The victim was seated at a table when Rivera snuck up behind him and slashed him multiple times in the head and neck with a sharp object. As the victim ran to seek help, Lopez tried to prevent him from reaching the correctional officers’ station by swinging his own weapon, stabbing the victim in the arm. The victim suffered three lacerations to the back of his head, one laceration to his neck and a puncture wound to his forearm. If convicted, the defendants face up to 15 years in prison. Assistant United States Attorney Russell Noble is in charge of the prosecution. U.S. v. Tyquan Robinson Tyquan Robinson has been charged in a five-count superseding indictment with conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and possession of contraband in prison. Robinson was originally detained at MDC-Brooklyn for his alleged role in defrauding a court-appointed criminal defense attorney by obtaining a stolen $125,000 Treasury check issued to the attorney as payment for representing indigent defendants and stealing his identity. In October 2024, officers at the MDC performed a search of Robinson’s cell. Inside his locker, the officers discovered that Robinson had hidden a contraband cellphone inside of a box of Raisin Bran cereal. An examination of this contraband cellphone revealed that even while incarcerated at the MDC, Robinson was participating in a separate fraud scheme from his original charges by discussing stealing checks issued to others, opening multiple bank accounts, and exchanging third parties’ personally identifiable information. If convicted, Robinson faces up to 30 years in prison. Assistant United States Attorney James R. Simmons is in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Special Agent Anthony Cunder. U.S. v. Jairon Ortega-Corea Jairon Ortega-Corea, an MS-13 gang associate, was charged by indictment with attempting to provide contraband to inmates at MDC-Brooklyn. He was arrested on March 3, 2025 in Minnesota. The charges stem from the December 2, 2024 discovery, by MDC-Brooklyn employees, of a package on the fourth-floor roof of the jail containing 18 cellular telephones, approximately 345 grams of marijuana and one liter of drinking alcohol, among other items. The prior evening, a witness had observed the attempted smuggling of the package into MDC-Brooklyn, when it was pulled up by a rope dangled out of the window of an empty cell within the unit that houses MS-13 members. An investigation subsequently revealed that the defendant, who is related to a high-ranking MS-13 member housed at MDC-Brooklyn, purchased several of the contraband items at a local Walmart the day prior to the discovery. At the time of the purchase, Ortega-Corea was communicating with MS-13 inmates at MDC-Brooklyn who were using a different contraband phone. If convicted, Ortega-Corea faces up to 20 years in prison. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan E. Farrell, Paul G. Scotti and Justina L. Geraci are in charge of the prosecution. U.S. v. Najee Jackson Najee Jackson, a former correctional officer at MDC-Brooklyn, has been indicted by a grand jury for attempting to smuggle contraband into the facility. On January 21, 2025, Jackson, who was employed as a correctional officer, arrived at MDC-Brooklyn to begin working a night shift. After making several failed attempts to clear the metal detector in the staff screening area, Jackson removed his Bureau of Prisons-issued protective vest, which was found to contain vacuum‑sealed bags of marijuana and cigarettes. Jackson resigned from the Bureau of Prisons two days later. If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years in prison. Assistant United States Attorneys Turner Buford and Russell Noble are in charge of the prosecution. U.S. v. Devone Thomas Devone Thomas, who was previously charged with the June 7, 2024 killing of Uriel Whyte inside of the MDC Brooklyn, is now additionally charged by complaint with possession of a contraband weapon. On February 28, 2025, Thomas was transported to federal court in Brooklyn for a status conference in connection with his murder case. Upon his return to MDC-Brooklyn after the court appearance, a blade was found in Thomas’s groin area. If convicted, the defendant faces up to five years in prison. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth D’Antonio is in charge of the prosecution. U.S. v. Brian Castro, Franklin Gillespie, Juan Lopez, Jowenky Nunez Jr., Hugo Rodriguez and Elvis Trejo Brian Castro, Franklin Gillespie, Juan Lopez, Jowenky Nunez Jr., Hugo Rodriguez, and Elvis Trejo have been charged by complaint with assault in a federal detention facility for their roles in what became a unit-wide fight between inmates at MDC-Brooklyn. As alleged, on February 22, 2025, Castro, Lopez, Nunez, Rodriguez and Trejo, along with other as-yet uncharged individuals, approached another inmate in their unit, armed with weapons, and began chasing and stabbing him. The victim was stabbed 18 times and required hospitalization for his injuries. The brawl ultimately resulted in at least five inmates, including the victim, requiring transportation to a local hospital for further treatment. Gillespie, who was not a part of the initial group attacking the victim, joined the brawl after it began, and, also armed with a weapon, assaulted a fellow inmate in the course of the fight. The fight resulted in more than 20 inmates requiring medical assessments, and at least 10 inmates appeared to have wounds consistent with being stabbed or slashed. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 10 years in prison. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Petraeus is in charge of the prosecution. * * * The Office’s General Crimes Section is principally responsible for handling these cases, with substantial contributions from the Public Integrity Section, the Organized Crime and Gangs Section and the Office’s Long Island Criminal Section. In addition to the Assistant United States Attorneys and Special Agent listed above, Special Agent Danielle Williams, Law Enforcement Coordinator Specialist Herbert Martin and Paralegal Specialists Matias Burdman and Erin Payne have provided substantial support on these cases. The charges in the indictments and complaints described above are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Defendants: MIKE JOSIE Age: 25 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-76 (FB) -------------- DARYL CAMPBELL Age: 39 IAN DIEZ Age: 20 JONATHAN GUERRERO Age: 34 ABEL MORA Age: 23 MAYOVANEX RODRIGUEZ Age: 30 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-72 -------------- SEAN SMITH Age: 34 RASHEED CHAPMAN Age: 21 ANTWAN MOSLEY Age: 23 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-58 -------------- ADIL DURAN Age: 23 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-9 (ARR) -------------- ERIK STEADMAN Age: 24 JAVAUGHN HORTON Age: 30 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-70 -------------- ANGEL VILLAFANE Age: 40 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-71 (HG) -------------- JUAN LOPEZ Age: 26 JOSE RIVERA Age: 20 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-72 (CBA) -------------- TYQUAN ROBINSON Age: 30 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-51 (AMD) -------------- JAIRON ORTEGA-COREA Age: 23 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-83 -------------- NAJEE JACKSON Age: 32 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-67 (OEM) -------------- DEVONE THOMAS Age: 25 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-360 (EK) -------------- BRIAN CASTRO Age: 24 FRANKLIN GILLESPIE Age: 34 JUAN LOPEZ Age: 68 JOWENKY NUNEZ JR. Age: 22 HUGO RODRIGUEZ Age: 29 ELVIS TREJO Age: 24 E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-73


title: Lake Charles Physician, Wife, and Clinic Agree to Pay Medicare for Improper Billing Related to Implanted Neurostimulators

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Dr. Henry Goolsby , his wife and co-founder Patricia Lenae Goolsby , both of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and their medical clinic, Infinite Health Integrative Medical Center (“Infinite Health”), have agreed to pay $450,000 to resolve liability under the False Claims Act for the alleged improper billing of “P-Stim” devices. From November of 2018 through April of 2020, Dr. Goolsby, Mrs. Goolsby, and Infinite Health billed Medicare for implanted neurostimulators, that required a surgical procedure in which the physician places wires that deliver stimulation to the epidural space on the spinal cord. This procedure must be performed in a surgery center, but Dr. Goolsby did not perform surgery. Instead, these “P-Stim” devices were applied in his office to his patients’ ears. P-Stim is an electric acupuncture device that is affixed behind a patient’s ear using an adhesive. Needles are inserted into the patient’s ear and affixed using another adhesive. Once activated, the device then provides intermittent stimulation by electrical pulses. It is a single-use, battery-powered device designed to be worn for approximately four days until its battery runs out, at which time the device is thrown away. Medicare does not reimburse for acupuncture or for devices such as P-Stim, nor does Medicare reimburse for P-Stim as a neurostimulator or as implantation of neurostimulator electrodes. “Falsely submitting claims for non-covered services and bilking Medicare out of needed funds is an abuse of our healthcare system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. “This type of fraud can be debilitating to the Medicare program, and we will continue to use all available tools to investigate and hold accountable anyone who defrauds federally funded healthcare programs.” “This settlement underscores our steadfast commitment to enforcing the False Claims Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We remain dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of federal health care programs and protecting the individuals who depend on them by investigating schemes that compromise the proper use of medical devices.” The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Theriot. # # #


title: Mexican National With Vehicular Manslaughter Conviction in Federal Custody for Illegal Re-Entry

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: WACO, Texas – A Mexican national was transferred into federal custody in Waco on criminal charges related to his alleged illegal re-entry. According to court documents, Jaime Aguilar-Guerrero was arrested on March 3 by local law enforcement in Belton for public intoxication. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement determined Aguilar-Guerrero was an illegal alien who had been previously removed from the United States in July 2016. Additionally, on April 11, 1996, Aguilar-Guerrero had been sentenced to seven years confinement for intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle. Aguilar-Guerrero is charged with one count of illegal re-entry. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. ICE is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gloff is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty, Faces 10 Years to Life in Federal Prison for Attempting to Smuggle Fentanyl and Cocaine into U.S.

body_text: DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in a federal court in Del Rio to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, Federico De Los Rios Rios, of Durango, Mexico, attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico through the Eagle Pass port of entry on Oct. 26, 2024. Accompanied by his wife and child, De Los Rios Rios presented a U.S. Visa to Customs and Border Protection officers and was referred to secondary inspection. A scan of the vehicle revealed anomalies, and a canine inspection resulted in a positive alert. CBP officers inspected the rear of the vehicle and located a trap door under a seat, which contained multiple bundles wrapped in electrical tape. One set of bundles weighed 2.14 kgs and was consistent with the properties of fentanyl. A second set of bundles weighed a total of 11.16 kgs and was consistent with the properties of cocaine. A Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory test confirmed the substances to be fentanyl and cocaine. De Los Rios Rios admitted that he had been instructed to drive the vehicle from his home in Durango to Orlando, Florida, had been given $700 up front, and anticipated he would be paid an additional $10,000 once he arrived at the destination. De Los Rios Rios pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. He faces 10 years to life in prison with a maximum $10 million fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Kass is prosecuting the case. ###