title: Orlando Man Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Possession Of Machinegun

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Timothy Aden-Alan Calhoun (27, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to possession of unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons, specifically, a machinegun. Calhoun faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 12, 2025. Calhoun has also agreed to forfeit the firearm containing the machinegun conversion device. According to the plea agreement, officers from the Maitland Police Department pulled over Calhoun for a traffic violation. During a search incident to his arrest, the officer located a Glock 19 with a machinegun conversion device installed. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was contacted and confirmed that the firearm had a machinegun conversion device installed, converting the semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic weapon. Under the NFA, a machinegun conversion device is classified as a machinegun. The machinegun was not registered to Calhoun in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Maitland Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing Destructive Devices

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Matthew Reid Davisson (35, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to possessing destructive devices which were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Davisson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, Davisson was arrested on unrelated state charges on October 26, 2023. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives subsequently received information that Davisson had large amounts of chemicals and possible grenades at his residence in Jacksonville. After obtaining a search warrant, law enforcement recovered two improvised explosive bombs, one improvised explosive grenade, items constituting combinations of parts from which three improvised explosive grenades could be readily assembled, quantities of homemade high explosives and detonators, large volumes of explosive precursor chemicals, and homemade explosive manufacturing equipment. None of the destructive devices were registered to Davisson in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law. One of Davisson’s family members also surrendered one of Davisson’s firearms to law enforcement which was later determined to be an unregistered machinegun with an unregistered homemade silencer attached to the barrel. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Rachel Lasry. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Honduran National Charged with Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Honduran national has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Manuel A. Padilla, 36, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. According to the indictment, Padilla was previously deported on June 28, 2013. It is alleged that, sometime after this removal, Padilla unlawfully reentered the United States. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez and David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Bronx Man Sentenced To 160 Months In Prison For Robberies And Firearms Offense

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JAMES KELLY was sentenced today to 160 months in prison for robbing two delis in the Bronx, New York, and pointing a gun at deli workers during one of the robberies. KELLY’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods, who also presided over a four-day trial after which KELLY was convicted of two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in connection with one of the robberies. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “James Kelly terrorized workers at local delis in the Bronx by threatening to shoot them, pointing a gun at them, and robbing them at their workplace. As today’s sentence shows, violent offenders who commit these heinous crimes will face harsh penalties. We thank our law enforcement partners for their determination in holding those who commit violent crimes, like Kelly, accountable and for their tireless pursuit of justice for victims.” According to the allegations in the Indictment, the evidence presented during the trial and court proceedings, court filings, and statements made in court proceedings: On October 10, 2021, KELLY entered a deli in the Bronx with his hands in his pocket, purporting to have a gun. KELLY approached a deli employee working alone in the store, threatened to shoot him, and demanded cash. After the deli employee gave KELLY cash, KELLY ordered the deli employee to get down on the ground and said that if the employee moved, he would “shoot the shit” out of the employee. 15 months later, on January 15, 2023, KELLY robbed another deli in the Bronx, pointed a gun at two deli employees, again demanded cash and threatened to shoot them, and again ordered them to get on the ground. * * * In addition to the prison term, KELLY, 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,900 and forfeit $1,900. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department Bronx Violent Crimes Squad and the investigators of the Office. This case is being supervised by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Connie L. Dang, Adam Z. Margulies, Georgia V. Kostopoulos, Katherine Cheng, and David R. Felton are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Olivia Sebade.


title: OPERATION ENFORCE AND REMOVE

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—The largest collaborative police effort to enforce federal immigration laws in Arkansas’s history resulted in the arrest of 219 illegal immigrants over the past three weeks. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Clay Fowlkes, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced the culmination of “Operation Enforce and Remove,” an arrest operation across the state that involved all federal law enforcement agencies operating in Arkansas, as well the Arkansas State Police and all 19 Arkansas Judicial Drug Task Forces, who coordinated and organized the overall operation. In addition to assisting with immigration enforcement, these task forces also arrested 253 individuals suspected of committing drug crimes and seized nearly 15,000 pounds of illegal drugs worth millions of dollars and 43 guns. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents collaborated with the Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Drug Task Forces and Arkansas State Police, to arrest 219 illegal immigrants during the three weeks of this enforcement operation, which began February 5. In total, since January 21, when President Donald Trump issued executive orders designed to prioritize the enforcement of immigration laws, 375 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Arkansas. “On January 21, the Department of Justice issued a memo to all Department components, to include all U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the DEA, FBI, ATF, and U.S. Marshals, instructing each agency to partner with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to focus our resources and attention to immigration-related investigations and prosecutions at the federal, state, and local level,” U.S. Attorney Ross said. “The memo outlined policy changes in response to the President’s day one Executive Orders and provided guidance critical to the Department’s mission to combat three of the most serious threats facing the American people: First, cartels and other transnational criminal organizations which have created unsafe borders and huge flows of illegal immigration in violation of U.S. law. Second, brutal and intolerable violent crime by members of these organizations and illegal aliens. Third, the fentanyl crisis and opioid epidemic that are poisoning our communities and have inflicted an unprecedented toll of addiction, suffering, and death. “Because the Justice Department must and will work to eradicate these threats, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Arkansas along with each of our federal law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize working with ICE to aggressively enforce the immigration and drug-and-violent crime laws enacted by Congress. When these efforts are combined with our partnerships with our outstanding state and local law enforcement officials, we are confident that this first operation will lead to additional successful operations in the days ahead.” “Our commitment to safeguarding communities in western Arkansas remains steadfast as we implement increased immigration enforcement efforts,” U.S. Attorney Fowlkes said. “We are dedicated to upholding the law and ensuring public safety while maintaining the highest standards of law enforcement and prosecution. Through collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners, we will address the challenges of illegal immigration and protect our communities from criminals who seek to illegally enter the United States and subject our communities to their criminal activities and associated violence.” In preparation for “Operation Enforce and Remove,” ICE, working with other federal and local partners, developed intelligence related to the locations of known illegal immigrants. The individuals these agents sought to arrest and remove had previous encounters with law enforcement, and therefore had known addresses in various databases. Some offenders were previously convicted of crimes, while others had some type of prior contact with law enforcement. All were in the country illegally and will be deported. Of the 219 arrests of illegal immigrants during the enforcement operation, 127 individuals were processed through the ICE Enforcement and Removal office in Little Rock, 57 were processed through the Fayetteville office, 23 through the Fort Smith office, and 17 individuals through the Texarkana office. The illegal immigrants located in Arkansas came from 23 different countries. The crimes some of these individuals were previously convicted of include: battery, aggravated assault, robbery, drug possession and distribution, domestic violence, sexual assault, illegal firearm possession, running an illegal casino, forgery, hit-and-run, indecent exposure, and sexual assault against a minor. “We will continue to use every tool and resource available to identify, locate and apprehend those criminal aliens that threaten public safety,” said Larry Adams, ICE Assistant Field Office Director. “Our enforcement efforts are unwavering and our dedication to protecting our communities remains stronger than ever.” At the same time that ICE was engaged in immigration operations, Drug Task Force officers were conducting numerous drug investigations that involved highway interdiction, controlled purchases of narcotics, the execution of search warrants, and other methods aimed at arresting individuals known to be involved in drug trafficking. In addition to the 253 drug-related arrests and 43 guns seized, officers across the state seized the following drugs: 225 pounds of methamphetamine, 65 pounds of cocaine, 14,542 pounds of marijuana, and 2,681 fentanyl pills and 90 grams of fentanyl powder. The street value of these drugs, broken down to a user level, is potentially hundreds of millions of dollars. These individuals will be prosecuted at either the state or federal level, depending on the particular case. The 472 arrests announced today are the culmination of the first, but not last, collaborative federal and state law enforcement effort designed to carry out the Department of Justice’s mission, and help keep all Arkansans safe. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Temple Terrace Man Indicted For Distribution Of Fentanyl Resulting In Death

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Charles Zumbahlen (31, Temple Terrace) with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. If convicted, Zumbahlen faces a minimum penalty of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Zumbahlen that the United States intends to forfeit all assets which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. According to the indictment, on November 24, 2024, Zumbahlen distributed a lethal amount of fentanyl that resulted in the death of Victim-1. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Garcia Rich.


title: Jewelry Store Robber Sentenced To 19 Years For East Coast Robbery Conspiracy

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Avery Fuller (30, Washington D.C.) to 19 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies in New Jersey and Florida and brandishing a firearm during the robberies. Fuller pleaded guilty on October 29, 2024. According to court documents, Fuller and his co-conspirators planned and executed a series of jewelry store robberies in New Jersey, Florida, and the District of Columbia. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, the group targeted predominantly South Asian jewelry stores along the east coast. Wearing disguises and armed with firearms, they used hammers to smash jewelry display cases and steal valuable items. These stores were specifically chosen because they sold high-purity gold, which yielded higher proceeds when sold for cash. On June 10, 2022, Fuller, along with Trevor Wright, William Hunter, Franklin Hunter, Davon Johnson, and at least four other co-conspirators, committed an armed robbery of Virani Jewelers, located at 1394 Oaktree Road in Iselin, New Jersey. The group left Washington, D.C., at approximately 12:09 p.m., and traveled together in three separate vehicles. At approximately 7:45 p.m., Fuller and his co-conspirators arrived at Virani, exited their vehicles, and ran into the store wearing masks. Once inside the store, Fuller and his co-conspirators pointed firearms at store employees. Two of the co-conspirators immediately forced at least two employees to the ground at gunpoint. Hunter and another co-conspirator used hammers to smash the display cases throughout the store and one of the store’s cameras. One co-conspirator pointed his firearm at the back of an employee’s head, pushed her to the back of the store, and commanded her to open the vault. Other co-conspirators shoveled gold jewelry into bags before exiting the store and entering the vehicles; all three vehicles fled from the scene together. After the robbery, Fuller and his-conspirators immediately traveled back to Washington, D.C. with approximately $1.2 million in gold jewelry, which they ultimately melted down into bars of gold and split among the group by grams of gold. Approximately six months later, in early December 2022, Fuller and his co-conspirators—Trevor Wright, Jameise Christian, Antonio Tate, Delontae Martin, and Jaylaun Brown—planned another robbery, this time at a jewelry store in Jacksonville. To prepare, Fuller and Wright coordinated everyone’s travel from Washington, D.C., to Miami, where they rented a black vehicle and a white vehicle. On December 6, 2022, the group drove these vehicles to Jacksonville. Upon arrival at the jewelry store, four co-conspirators exited the black vehicle, entered the store wearing disguises, and brandished firearms. One co-conspirator ordered store employees to kneel behind the counter with their heads down while the group used a hammer to smash glass display cases. Meanwhile, Wright and Fuller remained in the white vehicle to monitor the store’s entrance. After approximately three minutes, one of the conspirators exited the store and drove the black vehicle directly in front of the store, honking the horn to signal the others to exit. Before leaving, one co-conspirator approached the store employees kneeling in the corner, pointed his firearm, and stole the store owner’s wallet. The group then loaded the stolen jewelry into the trunk of the black vehicle and fled the scene, with the white vehicle traveling in the same direction. The group stole approximately $880,000 in jewelry from the jewelry store. Through the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia, this complex investigation resulted in the identification of six individuals, who were eventually traced back to Miami. The suspects were observed at a Miami condominium, where they were seen exiting their vehicles unmasked and carrying the stolen jewelry. To date, all individuals involved in the Jacksonville and New Jersey robberies have been arrested with pending federal cases in Jacksonville and Washington, D.C. In Jacksonville, Delontae Martin, Antonio Tate, and Jameise Christian pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of the Jacksonville robbery. Martin was sentenced to 9 years’ imprisonment, Tate was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, and Christian was sentenced to 12 years and 10 months in federal prison. Trevor Wright and Jaylaun Brown are in custody and awaiting trial in Washington, D.C. for robbery and firearm offenses. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Miami Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kirwinn Mike. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Bank Employee Pleads Guilty to Role in International Money Laundering Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Brooklyn, N.Y. man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with his role in a sophisticated international money laundering and drug trafficking organization. Rongjian Li, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2025. In May 2023, Li was among 12 individuals from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and California charged in a superseding indictment for their alleged involvement in a sophisticated international money laundering and drug trafficking organization led by Jin Hua Zhang. The investigation revealed that, for a fee, Zhang laundered bulk cash for drug dealers and laundered profits from other illegal businesses. In less than a year, Zhang and his organization laundered at least $25 million worth of drug proceeds and funds from other illegal businesses through undercover agents. Funds were eventually traced to, and seized from, accounts in Hong Kong and elsewhere in China, India, Cambodia and Brazil, among other locations. The investigation identified Li as a member of the money laundering conspiracy who, from 2021 through 2022, used his position as a Bank of America employee to knowingly open several accounts through which the organization laundered illicit funds. Li was also aware that some of the accounts were opened using fraudulent passports. As part of his involvement, when the bank's financial auditing systems flagged or froze accounts, Li misused the branch customer information system to help Zhang move illicit funds elsewhere. In addition, Li was observed sitting next to Zhang at a dinner in New York, where Zhang discussed the different fee percentages he charged various criminal groups for drug trafficking and scams. Zhang pleaded guilty in September 2023 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2025. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount involved, whichever is greater. 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. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty and Meghan C. Cleary of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former employee sentenced to federal prison for embezzling more than $135,000 from Dupo School District

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A judge sentenced a Waterloo woman to 15 months’ incarceration, requiring three months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons and 12 additional months in community confinement, for embezzling more than $135,000 from Dupo Community Unit School District #196 while employed by the district. Linda J. Johnson, 58, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of theft from a federally funded program. In addition to imprisonment, Johnson was ordered to pay $135,566.80 in restitution to Dupo Community Unit School District #196 and the Ohio Casualty Insurance Company. According to court documents, Johnson committed the embezzlement while employed in an administrative support role in the superintendent’s office between 2016 and 2022. In this position, Johnson was responsible for depositing cash and checks into the district’s activities account intended to support student athletics, clubs and extracurriculars. She stole donations and funds raised to support yearbook, cheer, dance, vending machines, trivia nights, science clubs, ROTC and more. To conceal her crime, Johnson drafted bank deposit slips reflecting the correct amount of cash and checks received, but later she prepared a second set of fraudulent deposit slips that only accounted for the checks, while she kept the cash. Johnson committed 165 fraudulent transactions, and the loss to the school district was $135,566.80. OCIC incurred a portion of the loss after issuing a Public Official Bond insuring Johnson’s duties as the bookkeeper. District officials said the sentencing holds Linda Johnson responsible for severely violating public trust, for the crime directly harmed students, staff and the Dupo School District. The district is resolute in its commitment to safeguarding district resources and ensuring accountability. The district extends sincere gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI and Dupo Police Department for their work on this case. The district believes the court's decision sends a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated in schools. The Dupo Police Department and the FBI Springfield Field Office contributed to the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Weinhoeft prosecuted the case.


title: Final “BTE” Member Sentenced To More Than 25 Years In Prison For Drug Trafficking

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Cortez Haugabook (34, St. Petersburg), aka “Traffic,” to 25 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. Haugabook pleaded guilty on March 6, 2024. According to court documents, Haugabook, Torri McLaurin, Kristian Brown, and Javontah Harris were members of Bag Tawk Entertainment (“BTE”), an organization distributing controlled substances, which primarily operated in St. Petersburg. Haugabook and his co-defendants, as well as other members of BTE, used residences in Pinellas County to manufacture and sell narcotics. In videos posted online, BTE members featured images of drug manufacturing and lyrics about making and selling narcotics in their videos. On January 23, 2022, Javontah Harris, a/k/a “Gut,” possessed 224.1 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, approximately $1,843 cash, and make-shift business cards containing a phone number traced to Haugabook. Law enforcement executed search warrants at residences used by BTE to distribute narcotics, which were also featured by the group online. In January 2022, agents located McLaurin, a/k/a “T-Dub,” at the residence and recovered over 100 grams of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, as well as firearms. In April 2022, agents located 62.7 grams of methamphetamine, 51 grams of fentanyl, 5 grams of cocaine, and two firearms at another location used by BTE to traffic narcotics. That same location was searched again in October 2022 and agents found Brown, a/k/a “Skeet,” and Haugabook as well as 70.9 grams of pure methamphetamine, over 90 grams of cocaine, and 33 grams of fentanyl analogue. On April 18, 2023, agents executed a search warrant at another stash location used by Haugabook and located 428.9 grams of methamphetamine and 18.9 grams of cocaine. Haugabook rushed to flush narcotics down the toilet during the execution of the warrant. McLaurin, Harris, and Brown were previously sentenced for their roles in this case. McLaurin was sentenced to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison. Harris and Brown were each sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman.


title: Two Dorchester Men Charged with Being Felons in Possession of Firearms

body_text: BOSTON – A federal grand jury returned indictments today against two Dorchester men for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. Rickey Simmons, 46 and Robert Campbell, 35, both of Dorchester were each indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to the charging document, on Jan. 28, 2025, Simmons allegedly possessed a Tisas, Model Zig M1911, .45 caliber firearm, eight rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and nine rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, after having been convicted of a felony. On Jan. 28, 2025, in Dorchester, Campbell allegedly possessed a Glock 32, .357 caliber handgun, 14 rounds of .357 caliber ammunition, 40 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and 75 rounds of 9mm ammunition, after having been convicted of a felony. The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Grady and Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Hartford Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Crystal Meth

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GODFREY SMITH, also known as “Mike” and “Mikey,” 41, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and Middletown Police Department made a controlled purchase of approximately 53 grams of crystal methamphetamine from an individual in Middletown. During the transaction, investigators identified Smith as the source of the drugs. On August 22, 2024, investigators made a controlled purchase of approximately 240 grams of crystal methamphetamine from Smith in Hartford. Smith was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on September 4, 2024. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement seized from Smith approximately 27 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 44 grams of cocaine, 32 grams of crack cocaine, $3,200 in cash, and a box of .45 caliber ammunition. On December 5, 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, five grams or more of methamphetamine. Smith, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on April 30. The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) assisted the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.


title: Orlando Man Sentenced To 26 Years For Enticement Of A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity And Production Of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza has sentenced Theron Charles Lord (37, Orlando) to 26 years in federal prison for enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and production of child sexual abuse materials. Lord pleaded guilty on September 19, 2024. According to the plea agreement, Lord and a 15-year-old child victim (CV) met online and began messaging on social media platforms. The messages quickly became sexual in nature and spanned from March until August 2022. In April 2022, Lord drove to meet the CV for the first time and engaged in sexual abuse of the CV. Between April and November 2022, Lord and the CV met in person at least six times. Lord sexually abused the CV at each meeting and recorded videos of the sexual abuse. Additionally, Lord caused the CV to record and send him specific videos of child sexual abuse material. “This predator repeatedly exploited the innocence of a child and demonstrated a complete disregard for the well-being of others,” said Homeland Security Investigations Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “HSI investigators, alongside our partners at the Rockledge Police Department, are combating the exploitation of minors every day and have successfully removed another predator from the streets.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rockledge Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Mexican National Charged With Illegal Reentry

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Isodoro Morales-Pajarito (36, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Morales-Pajarito faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. According to the complaint, Morales-Pajarito was previously deported from the United States on April 11, 2010, and May 27, 2016. Following his previous removals, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On February 22, 2025, Morales-Pajarito was found to be voluntarily in the United States. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.


title: Orlando Middle School Employee Pleads Guilty To Distribution And Possession Of Child Sex Abuse Material

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Mitchell Regan (36, Leesburg) has pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of child sex abuse material (CSAM) and one count of possession of CSAM. Regan faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count, including a 5-year minimum sentence on each of the distribution offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Regan is being detained pending the resolution of this case. According to court documents, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Regan’s home on October 17, 2024. During a search of Regan’s cellphone, an HSI computer forensic agent located an image of CSAM in his photo gallery. Regan advised law enforcement that he was employed at a middle school and the Boys and Girls Club and that that he teaches chess club and music lessons. A subsequent review of Regan’s social media applications by law enforcement revealed Regan had distributed two videos of CSAM on June 24, 2024. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced To 14 Months In Federal Prison For Illegal Reentry

body_text: Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Jose Adan Revolorio-De La Cruz (24, Guatemala) to 14 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after deportation. Revolorio-De La Cruz entered a guilty plea on October 23, 2024. According to court documents, Revolorio-De La Cruz was deported from the United States on August 25, 2022. After his deportation, Revolorio-De La Cruz illegally reentered the United States. He was arrested in Seminole County in November 2023 for unlawful travel to meet a minor and was subsequently convicted of that offense. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.


title: New Jersey Woman Pleads Guilty To Producing, Distributing, And Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Alexandria Stevens (20, New Jersey) has pleaded guilty to producing, distributing, and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Stevens faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for the production offense, and a minimum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, up to 20 years, for each of the distribution and receipt offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Stevens remains detained in federal custody pending the resolution of this case. According to the plea agreement, while visiting Florida in November 2023, Stevens and co-defendant Michael Taylor, Jr. produced CSAM with an 8-year-old child. They also received and distributed images of CSAM over the internet. Taylor was also charged for his alleged role in this case. His case is pending. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Guatemalan Man Sentenced To Prison For Illegally Re-Entering The United States

body_text: Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Manuel Suc-Chok (40) to one year and four months in federal prison for illegal re-entry after deportation. Suc-Chok pleaded guilty on November 25, 2024. According to court documents, Suc-Chok was convicted in 2020 and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for illegally re-entering the United States. Suc-Chok illegally re-entered the United States again and was found on April 23, 2024, after being arrested on state criminal charges. This is Suc-Chok’s third time illegally entering the United States. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Daniels.


title: Subcontractor Pleads Guilty To Bribing  General Services Administration Official

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – Today, a Washington, D.C., man pleaded guilty to bribing a United States General Services Administration (GSA) official. According to court documents, James Tillman, 57, bribed a public official (Public Official A), a former GSA contracting officer representative. GSA is a federal agency that manages federal property. Tillman was the sole owner of a general construction company that performed subcontracting work on GSA projects. Phil Selden, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon, Justice Department Criminal Division; GSA Deputy Inspector General Robert C. Erickson, GSA Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG); Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office; Deputy Inspector General Kelly P. Mayo, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DOD-OIG), Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) made the announcement. As outlined in court documents, in 2020 and 2021, Tillman provided approximately $59,800 worth of money and items of value to Public Official A in exchange for Public Official A’s role in directing GSA federal-project work to Tillman’s company. In 2020, Tillman paid Public Official A approximately $8,000 cash in a parking lot in Clinton, Maryland and in 2021, at Public Official A’s direction, Tillman purchased a sports car for Public Official A. Tillman and his company grossed more than $100,000 in profits from this scheme. Tillman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a federal public official and bribery of a federal public official. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman has scheduled sentencing for June 2, 2025 at 2 p.m. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Phil Selden commended GSA-OIG, FBI Baltimore Field Office, DOD-OIG, and DHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Selden also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo, and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson, who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Re-Entering the United States After Being Deported

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who illegally re-entered the United States after being deported was sentenced today to one year in federal prison. Adan Gomez-Juarez, age 25, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 24, 2024, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry. At the plea hearing, Gomez-Juarez admitted he had illegally re-entered the United States after he had been removed in 2020. On August 28, 2024, Gomez-Juarez, a citizen and national of Guatemala, was encountered by ICE officers in Sioux City after he was arrested for OWI by Sioux City police. Gomez-Juarez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Gomez-Juarez was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Fletcher and was investigated by the Enforcement and Removal Office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-04061. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Seven Defendants In Armed Transnational Cocaine And Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracies

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and Francis J. Russo, the Director of Field Operations for the New York Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging seven defendants with narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos. Since at least in or about October 2023, SHEHNAZ SINGH, a/k/a “SHAWN,” along with his co-conspirators, AMRITPAL SINGH, a/k/a “AMRIT,” a/k/a “Bal,” AMRITPAL SINGH, a/k/a “CHEEMA,” TAKDIR SINGH, a/k/a “ROMY,” SARBSIT SINGH, a/k/a “SABI,” and GURLAL SINGH (“GURLAL”), operated a transnational conspiracy to import cocaine into the U.S. from Colombia and distribute the drug in cities across the U.S. and into Canada. Beginning in or about April 2024, a subset of these conspirators—led by ROMY and SABI, and joined by co-conspirators including FERNANDO VALLADARES, a/k/a “FRANCO”—stole a cache of cocaine from their original co-conspirators and agreed to distribute it out of, among other places, hotels in New York City. Members of the two armed drug trafficking conspiracies hunted each other down, brandished a firearm, and threatened the lives of each other and innocent family members. Four defendants are in custody after arrests made on the morning of February 26, 2025. Searches of various of the defendants’ residences and vehicles conducted at the time of arrest resulted in the seizure of four firearms, approximately 391 kilograms of methamphetamine, and approximately 109 kilograms of cocaine. CHEEMA was arrested in the Eastern District of California and was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher D. Baker and detained; ROMY and SABI were arrested in the Northern District of Ohio and were presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Grimes Jr. and detained; and FRANCO was arrested in the Eastern District of New York, presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo, and released on certain conditions. AMRIT and GURLAL are in custody in Pennsylvania after prior arrests. SHAWN remains at large. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “For more than a year, Shehnaz Singh and his associates not only imported dangerous drugs to sell across the United States but also armed themselves with deadly weapons and endangered communities here in New York City and around the country. This week, we and our law enforcement partners halted that dangerous activity and took drugs and guns off the street. I commend the career prosecutors of the Southern District of New York, and our partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, for their tireless efforts to disrupt this dangerous distribution network and to keep communities safe for our country and our neighbors, too. We hope that today’s charges bring accountability to those who push drugs and use violence to protect their criminal organizations.” FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: "These seven defendants allegedly established an international trade route to distribute hundreds of kilograms of lethal narcotics across the Western Hemisphere before it collapsed amidst threats of inter-retaliatory violence and death. This alleged conspiracy exposed our communities to significant quantities of highly dangerous drugs simply to bolster illicit profits. May today's arrests reaffirm the FBI's commitment to dismantling any criminal enterprise that exploits our country's transportation network and risks the wellbeing of our citizens." CBP Director of Field Operations Francis J. Russo said: “Every day our CBP officers and law enforcement partners relentlessly pursue the most vicious and brutal criminal drug organizations in the world who do business globally and right here in our local communities and neighborhoods. We will not stop until networks such as this one and their criminal facilitators are off the street and brought to justice. CBP will continue its unwavering commitment to keeping Americans safe from the dangers of drugs and the violence they often bring.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictments, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings: [1] Since at least in or about October 2023, a group of conspirators led by SHAWN—a Canada-based drug trafficker who holds himself out as a corrupt police officer—operated a drug trafficking organization that imported cocaine into the U.S., transported it to stash houses and other distribution sites using networks of trucking companies and drivers, and sold it in communities across the U.S. and into Canada (the “Original Cocaine Conspiracy”). AMRIT and CHEEMA, served as, among other things, SHAWN’s enforcers, and helped operated the drug trafficking organization by safekeeping and distributing cocaine while armed with guns. Members of the Original Cocaine Conspiracy imported cocaine into the U.S. from Colombia and delivered the drug to coconspirators in the midwestern U.S., including a vacant home used by AMRIT and others in Indiana. From there, the cocaine was distributed across the U.S. and to Canada, including through and to California, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. This cross-border trade, from Colombia to the U.S. and Canada, was lucrative. As AMRIT described it: “It costs roughly about two, four, or five thousand dollars per [kilo in Colombia]. When it reaches America, it’s worth twelve to thirteen thousand. When it reaches Canada, it’s thirty thousand.” In total, this organization was moving more than 600 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine a week. Beginning in or about April 2024, a subset of the Original Cocaine Conspiracy’s members—ROMY and SABI—stole a large cache of cocaine from their co-conspirators in the Original Cocaine Conspiracy and worked with others, including FRANCO—to distribute the stolen cocaine from, among other places, two hotels in New York City (the “Stolen Cocaine Conspiracy”). After a co-conspirator (“CC-1”) crashed a truck carrying approximately 10 kilograms of the group’s cocaine and abandoned his cargo, members of the Original Cocaine Conspiracy announced plans to travel to New York with weapons to reclaim their stolen drugs and serve vengeance on members of the Stolen Cocaine Conspiracy and their families. As AMRIT put it: “We need our stuff. We aren’t letting anyone go. We are going to kill them all.” The day before arriving in New York City, AMRIT and CHEEMA, took photos of themselves displaying weapons over a large cache of stacked cocaine. Once in New York, AMRIT and CHEEMA threatened members of the Stolen Cocaine Conspiracy and their family members with violence. In just one such incident, at a meeting in front of a home on suburban Long Island, AMRIT thrust a handgun into CC-1’s teenage brother’s neck while demanding to know the location of the stolen cocaine. While executing arrests of certain of the defendants and searches of various residences and vehicles, law enforcement agents seized four firearms, approximately 391 kilograms of methamphetamine, and approximately 109 kilograms of cocaine. CHEEMA was stopped while fleeing a residence in Bakersfield, California, and arrested in possession of a loaded handgun. Three additional firearms were seized from residences or vehicles belonging to or controlled by ROMY and SABI in Cleveland, Ohio, where agents also seized approximately 391 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately 109 kilograms of cocaine. The seized firearms and narcotics are shown below. Cocaine intercepted en route to ROMY and SABI Methamphetamine seized from SABI’s residence * * * A chart containing the charges and minimum and maximum penalties each defendant faces is attached. The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by a judge. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and CBP. Mr. Podolsky further thanked the New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, the Cleveland Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) Strike Force, the Cleveland Division of Police, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office and Bakersfield Resident Agency, the FBI’s Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, & Laundering Task Force, the Cleveland Division of Police Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Bakersfield (Calif.) Police Department, for their assistance and cooperation in the investigation. This prosecution is part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Kinder and Justin Horton are in charge of the prosecution. The charges in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Defendant Age Charges Minimum and Maximum Sentences SHEHNAZ SINGH, a/k/a “Shawn” 34 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to, or in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of five consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense) AMRITPAL SINGH, a/k/a “Amrit,” a/k/a “Bal” 30 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of seven consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense) AMRITPAL SINGH, a/k/a “Cheema” 26 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to, or in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of five consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense) TAKDIR SINGH, a/k/a “Romy” 33 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to, or in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of five consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense) SARBSIT SINGH, a/k/a “Sabi” 32 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to, or in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of five consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense) GURLAL SINGH 29 Cocaine distribution conspiracy; using, carrying, and possessing firearms during and in relation to, or in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison (cocaine distribution conspiracy); minimum of five consecutive years in prison and a maximum of life (firearms offense) FERNANDO VALLADARES, a/k/a “Franco” 36 Cocaine distribution conspiracy Minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison u.s._v._singh_et_al_indictment.pdf [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictments and the description of the Indictments set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Philadelphia Resident Sentenced To 60 Months In Prison For Role In Operating Fentanyl Drug Mill

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Philadelphia resident was sentenced to 60 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and transport bulk quantities of fentanyl into northern New Jersey communities from a drug mill located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Emmanuel F. Almonte Mejia, 40, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In February 2022, Mejia and his co-conspirators operated a private residence, commonly referred to as a drug mill, in which he and his co-conspirators produced large quantities of bulk fentanyl for redistribution. In total, law enforcement recovered nearly six kilograms of fentanyl which was produced in the mill. In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Mejia to three years of supervised release. Mejia’s co-conspirators, Hector Luiz De La Cruz Nunez, 32, and Loanny F. Duran Hiciano, 37, have both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Nunez was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and Hiciano awaits sentencing. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, HSI Philadelphia, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Edward Owens, and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation that led to the sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the Criminal Division in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Robert M. Gamburg


title: Meriden Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Trafficking Offenses

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MIGUEL ACEVEDO, 42, of Meriden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for cocaine trafficking offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 7, 2021, Meriden Police arrested Acevedo on state crack cocaine distribution and firearm possession charges. On that date investigators seized from Acevedo approximately 390 grams of cocaine and $281,000 in cash. In December 2022, while he was released on bond in his state case, investigators made two controlled purchases of cocaine from Acevedo. Acevedo was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on February 14, 2023. On that date, a search of his residence on South Avenue in Meriden and his business on West Main Street in Meriden revealed approximately 40 grams of cocaine and more than $3,000 in cash. At the time of his arrest, investigators also seized two vehicles owned by Acevedo, an SUV and a minivan. A search of the minivan revealed a hidden trap that contained six kilograms of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded firearm. After his arrest, Acevedo was released on a $60,000 appearance bond, cosigned by three sureties. Within 24 hours of his release, Acevedo was observed meeting with several visitors at his home and receiving a paper bag from one visitor who was a known drug associate. Acevedo has been detained since March 1, 2023, when his bond was revoked. On July 25, 2023, Judge Dooley granted the government’s motion to forfeit Acevedo’s appearance bond. On September 13, 2024, Acevedo pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The state charges against Acevedo stemming from his June 2021 arrest are pending. The cash that was seized in June 2021 was previously forfeited. Acevedo’s criminal history includes a 2008 federal narcotics trafficking conviction for which he was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment. This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Meriden Police Department. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark and David C. Nelson through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Fourteenth and Final Defendant Convicted in Federal Dog Fighting Case

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: All 14 defendants in a large-scale federal dog fighting case indicted last year in Albany, Georgia, have now been convicted. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia has accepted the guilty pleas of the following defendants: Tamichael Elijah, 48, of Donalsonville, Georgia; Marvin Pulley, III, 53, of Donalsonville and Jakin, Georgia; Brandon Baker, 42, of Panama City, Florida; Christopher Travis Beaumont, 38, of Panama City, Florida; Herman Buggs, Jr., 57, of Donalsonville, Georgia; Terrance Davis, 46, of Pansey, Alabama; Timothy Freeman, 27, of Bainbridge, Georgia; Terelle Ganzy, 35, of Panama City, Florida; Gary Hopkins, 67, of Donalsonville, Georgia; Cornelious Johnson, 40, of Panama City, Florida; Rodrecus Kimble, 44, of Donalsonville, Georgia; Donnametric Miller, 42, of Donalsonville, Georgia; Willie Russell, 43, of Blakely, Georgia; and Fredricus White, 36, of Panama City, Florida. According to court documents filed in this case, the defendants all converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, on April 24, 2022, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. The defendants and others brought a total of 24 pit bull-type dogs to be fought that weekend in a series of matches. Law enforcement personnel who disrupted the event found numerous dogs inside crates in cars on the property. The participants used their cars to store dogs who had already been fought, as well as those whose handlers were awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Some dogs were kept on chains on the property. Law enforcement rescued a total of 27 dogs, including one found in the pit with severe injuries and which died a shortly thereafter. Dogs in the cars also bore recent injuries and historical fighting scars. Under federal law, it is illegal not only to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce, but also to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes. All defendants but Freeman pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to violate the animal fighting prohibition of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Defendants Beaumont and Miller also pleaded guilty to sponsoring or exhibiting ( i.e. , handling) a dog in a dog fight. Defendants Baker, Davis, Ganzy, Johnson, Pulley, and White further pleaded guilty to possessing and transporting a dog for purposes of using the dog in an animal fighting venture. Freeman pleaded guilty to spectating at an animal fight. Defendants Miller and Pulley also pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a firearm by a person with a prior felony conviction. Russell is set to be sentenced on Feb. 28. The court has not yet set sentencing dates for the other defendants. Each defendant faces maximum penalties of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count of animal fighting charges. Miller also faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the firearm charge, and Pulley faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on his firearm charge. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker for the Middle District of Georgia made the announcement. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Inspector General and detectives with the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Detectives with the Bay County, Florda, Sheriff’s Office also provided invaluable assistance. Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy and Trial Attorney Leigh Rendé of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morrill and Paralegal Kristi Cote for the Middle District of Georgia handled a parallel civil forfeiture proceeding to ensure that the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendants. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Florida and Middle District of Alabama also assisted with the dog rescue operation.


title: Ansonia Man Arrested in Stamford Charged with Fentanyl Trafficking Offenses

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that DAQWON GRAHAM, also known as “Seagull” and “Energy,” 30, of Ansonia, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with fentanyl trafficking offenses. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Graham as a large-scale fentanyl distributor in and around Fairfield County. Investigators also connected Graham’s drug trafficking activities to an overdose death of a male victim in Branford in March 2023, and an overdose death of a female victim in Shelton in October 2024. In January and February 2025, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from Graham. On February 26, 2025, Graham was arrested on High Ridge Road in Stamford. It is alleged that Graham possessed approximately 400 grams of fentanyl at the time of his arrest. Following his arrest, Graham appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained. The complaint charges Graham with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and with use of a communications device to facilitate a drug trafficking felony, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of four years. Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford, and Stratford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.


title: Pineville Man Sentenced to More than 27 Years in Prison for His Role in the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Production of Child Pornography

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Daniel Perryman Collins , 34, of Pineville, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell to 325 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on child pornography charges. This case is the result of an investigation into individuals using the dark web to communicate with others regarding exploiting children on the internet and causing them to produce child pornography. From January to November 2023, Collins and his co-defendant, Michael Bo Peacock , both together and individually, for their sexual gratification, caused minor children to produce child pornographic and sexually explicit images and videos of themselves by the use of threats and blackmail. Collins conducted all of this illegal activity in Pineville, Louisiana, while Peacock was located in the Dallas, Texas area. According to information introduced in court, Collins and Peacock both participated in meeting children and coercing/blackmailing the children to engage in sexually explicit conduct and to produce videos of that conduct. Peacock would often contact a minor victim online and through various social media platforms, including SnapChat, and he and Collins would convince the minor victim to engage in sexually explicit activity and provide a video of that conduct. Collins and Peacock would then blackmail and threaten the victims to provide additional sexually explicit material. As part of the conspiracy, Collins utilized advanced security measures so that those images and materials could not be traced back to himself or Peacock. Collins and Peacock gave each other access to all of the child pornography they had caused minor victims to produce by obtaining an account with an overseas cloud-based file hosting service, so they could post and share the child pornography images and videos that they had produced or obtained. Both defendants had an encryption key to use to access the material they had posted to the site. Through their investigation, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Child Exploitation Operational Unit determined that Collins and Peacock exploited over 100 child victims and caused them to create child pornography. These images and videos were posted to their shared file hosting account. On November 16, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Collins’ residence in Pineville. During the search, law enforcement agents obtained access to the cloud-based file hosting account of Collins and Peacock and were able to download all of the child pornography images and videos which they had created and posted to the account. Collins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and one count of enticing a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity on November 21, 2024. Peacock pleaded guilty to the same charges on December 23, 2024, and will be sentenced at a later date. “The sexual exploitation of minor children and the activities that these men participated in is horrendous and sickening,” said Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. “These types of cases are becoming more prevalent in the United States and internationally and can happen in your own neighborhood. We encourage parents to be vigilant in keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity that your children could potentially be exposed to. We will continue to work to uncover this type of illegal activity and protect our minor children from offenders like this.” “Through relentless investigations and cutting-edge technology, the FBI works every day to uncover hidden networks, identify victims and bring perpetrators to justice,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough. “Today’s sentencing sends the message that the FBI is committed to protecting vulnerable lives and ensuring no predator can thrive at the expense of our children.” The case was investigated by the FBI’s Headquarter-based Child Exploitation Operation Unit, with assistance from the FBI’s New Orleans and Dallas Field Offices, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Danny Siefker. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678 . # # #


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 30 Years of Federal Imprisonment for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Andre Blue , 37 , of Memphis, to 30 years in federal prison for multiple gun and drug offenses. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. According to the information presented in court, on July 13, 2022, detectives with the Multi-Agency Gang Unit executed a search warrant on an apartment where Blue was living. There, they discovered a loaded Glock Inc. .45 caliber pistol, a Sig Sauer Inc. 9mm caliber pistol, and a loaded Smith and a Wesson .45 caliber pistol in the primary bedroom. Additionally, detectives found several bags of various narcotics in the primary bathroom toilet bowl, one of which contained 15 grams of pure methamphetamine. An American Tactical Imports Inc. multi-caliber pistol was found in the closet of a child’s bedroom on the top shelf next to a magazine loaded with at least 50 live rounds. Due to his prior felony convictions, Blue is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition. After a three-day trial, in November 2024, a jury found Blue guilty of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. On February 26, 2025, United States District Judge Jon P. McCalla sentenced Blue to 30 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the PSN Gun Task Force, the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Acting United States Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Eileen Kuo and Regina Brittenum, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Members of Newport News mail theft and bank fraud ring sentenced to prison

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Four people have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a conspiracy in the Newport News area to steal mail and deposit counterfeit checks. According to court documents, on July 6, 2023, Andre Ephraim Billups Jr., 22, of Gloucester, and Johnny Ray Riddick, aka Glo, 24, of Newport News, robbed a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier in the area of Jefferson Point in Newport News. Arrow keys are used by letter carriers to access various types of mailboxes in a specific area, including blue collection boxes and apartment panel mailboxes. Riddick served as the getaway driver while Billups served as the gunman. Billups approached the letter carrier and first attempted to grab the key from her, but she resisted. Billups indicated to the carrier that he was armed to coerce her into producing and turning over her arrow key. After Billups obtained the arrow key from the carrier, he fled on foot towards the location where Riddick was waiting for him. Because a maintenance worker was chasing him, Billups diverted into the apartment of his friend and Riddick’s girlfriend, Alexis Sierra West, 24, of Newport News. Billups entered the apartment and left the key and his backpack with West, who contacted Riddick and asked him what to do with the key. Riddick directed her to hide it, which she did within her bedroom closet. West later lied to law enforcement about her knowledge of the robber and robbery. After Billups fled the apartment, he ran to where Riddick was waiting in his car. When West met Billups later to turnover the backpack and key, Riddick wiped her cellphone because he was worried about a potential law enforcement investigation. Billups separately wiped his own cellphone. Riddick and Billups repeatedly used the arrow key to illegally access USPS collection boxes in the area and steal mail. Due to numerous customer complaints of mail theft, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) began surveilling blue collection boxes in the area. On Dec. 3, 2023, law enforcement officers with USPIS, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Newport News Police Department (NNPD) conducted surveillance of the Hidenwood Post Office in Newport News. Karon-Omar Gary, 21, of Gloucester, whom Billups had recruited to serve as getaway driver in connection with the collection box break-ins, drove Billups to the collection box outside the Post Office. Billups was armed with a handgun and a rifle loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition. Billups got out of the vehicle and used the arrow key to open a collection box and access the mail but was interrupted by a Postal Inspector and an NNPD officer. Billups quickly retreated to the vehicle, but when the Inspector approached and gave verbal commands to stop, Gary drove in the direction of the Inspector. The Inspector discharged her service weapon, striking Billups in the shoulder. Officers pursued the vehicle, which fled through Newport News into York County and then Gloucester County, at almost 100 miles per hour. Gloucester County law enforcement deployed “stop sticks” to disable the vehicle. Gary was taken into custody immediately. Billups fled on foot but eventually surrendered after disposing of his handgun. Investigators searched the vehicle and recovered the stolen arrow key, Billups’ rifle, ammunition, two magazines, and Gary’s and Billups’ cellphones. They also recovered a driver’s license, debit cards, and checks in the names of several different individuals. Riddick, Billups, and West engaged in a bank fraud scheme that involved “card cracking,” “check washing,” or “smacking the account.” They would deposit a counterfeit check that had been altered or fabricated into a third-party account, then withdraw or spend as much of that money as possible before the fraud was detected. Billups and Riddick would steal mail, then Riddick would send West pictures of checks from the mail, which she digitally “washed” and sent back to Riddick, who used them to produce counterfeit checks. Billups and Riddick maintained supplies, including stacks of blank checks and a printer, which they operated in West’s apartment. On Feb. 29, 2024, Gary pled guilty to attempted theft of U.S. Mail. On Nov. 12, 2024, he was sentenced to time served. On Sept. 25, 2024, Billups pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and using a firearm in a crime of violence. He was sentenced today to seven years and six months in prison. On Sept. 26, 2024, West pled guilty to unlawful possession of postal keys and accessory after the fact. On Feb. 6, she was sentenced to six months in prison. On Sept. 30, 2024, Riddick pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On Feb. 14, he was sentenced to six years and six months in prison. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; Ronald Montgomery, York County Sheriff; and Darrell W. Warren, Jr., Gloucester County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Podlesni prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-94.


title: Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for his role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, from April 2020 through January 2022, Abdikadir Ainashe Mohamud, a.k.a. “AK,” 33, claimed to be operating a child nutrition site in Willmar, Minnesota, a small town with a total population of approximately 21,000. Mohamud ran his food site, Stigma-Free Willmar, under the sponsorship of Feeding our Future. In October 2020, Mohamud approached the owner of FaaFan restaurant and offered to pay him monthly so that he could claim the small storefront restaurant as a Stigma-Free Willmar food site. By October 20, 2020, less than a month after registering the Stigma-Free Willmar site, Mohamud claimed to be serving meals to 3,000 children per day, seven days a week from FaaFan. Mohamud created a shell company, Tunyar Trading, and claimed it was a meal vendor for the Stigma-Free Willmar food site. Between November 2020 and December 2021, Mohamud and his co-conspirators claimed to have served approximately 1.6 million meals to children through Stigma-Free Willmar. To accomplish their scheme, Mohamud and his co-conspirators prepared and submitted fake meal counts, invoices, and attendance rosters. Mohamud ultimately transferred more than $2.5 million from Tunyar Trading to himself and other co-conspirators. He also created another shell company called Five A’s Projects LLC, where he transferred more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. These proceeds were used to purchase the former location of Kelly’s 19th Hole, a bar and restaurant in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. According to court documents, Mohamud paid more than $225,000 in bribes and kickbacks from Tunyar Trading LLC to Abdikerm Eidleh, a Feeding Our Future employee who served as the site support manager for the Stigma-Free Willmar site, in exchange for sponsoring and facilitating Stigma-Free Willmar’s fraudulent participation in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. In exchange, Feeding Our Future received nearly $500,000 in administrative fees for sponsoring the Stigma-Free Willmar site’s participation in the program. In December 2021, the defendant paid $5,750 to a GoFundMe account for Feeding Our Future created by Aimee Bock. In total, Stigma-Free Willmar received over $5.3 million in payments from Feeding Our Future based on fraudulent claims. As part of his sentence, Mohamud was ordered to forfeit the Kelly’s 19 th Hole property, and $378,207.20 in fraudulent funds seized from his Tunyar Trading LLC bank account. Mohamud pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.


title: Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Scheme to Defraud Boone County Schools Out of $3.4 Million

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jesse Marks, 65, of Rush, Kentucky, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Marks admitted to conspiring with Michael David Barker to overbill the Boone County Schools system while Barker was its maintenance director. According to court documents and statements made in court, Marks was the sole owner and operator of Rush Enterprises when Barker contacted him in November 2019 about Rush Enterprises selling custodial and janitorial supplies to Boone County Schools. Marks agreed and began supplying Boone County Schools with supplies including hand soap, trash can liners, facemasks, face shields, and hand sanitizer. Marks admitted that he and Barker entered into the overbilling scheme in November 2019. Barker submitted invoices to Boone County Schools on behalf of Rush Enterprises that significantly inflated the number of products that it was delivering. Boone County Schools relied on the fraudulent invoices and mailed checks to Rush Enterprises using the United States Postal Service. As part of the agreement with Barker, Marks deposited the checks from Boone County Schools into the business bank account for Rush Enterprises, wrote himself checks on that account that he cashed at various banks, and personally delivered some of that cash to Barker in manila envelopes. Marks admitted that he and Barker initially agreed to evenly split the proceeds of the overbilling scheme after deducting the cost of the products actually delivered to Boone County Schools. Marks further admitted that their agreement changed in October 2020, when Barker began receiving 55 percent of the fraudulent profits. Marks estimated that approximately 80 percent of the total payments received by Rush enterprises from Boone County Schools, or $3,448,571.85 out of $4,310,714.82, was for products never delivered. Marks is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Marks also owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court. A federal grand jury returned an 18-count indictment on December 11, 2024, charging Barker, 47, of Foster, with mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and money laundering. Barker’s trial is scheduled for April 15, 2025. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Department of Education. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-6. ###


title: Dorchester Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography Charges

body_text: BOSTON – A Dorchester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) obtained via Zoom chat rooms. Beau Christopher Benson, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2024, Benson pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography. Benson was charged by criminal complaint in November 2023. In April 2023, law enforcement was notified that Benson participated in Zoom video chat rooms used to share and view CSAM. Benson recorded his participation in the chat rooms and saved the recordings – which featured videos of CSAM and conversations between Benson and others about the CSAM – to his social media account. Approximately 15 video files depicting CSAM were found saved in his Dropbox. In addition, Benson was identified as an online user who had uploaded two files containing CSAM to a Dropbox account. Specifically, the files depicted children who appear to be approximately two to four years old. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Chicago-Area Rap Artist and Celebrity Barber Sentenced for Role in Nationwide Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Chicago man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for his role in a nationwide wire fraud conspiracy that victimized businesses and individuals across the United States. Terrence Bender, a/k/a “Blends,” a/k/a “Dopeblends,” 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three years of probation. Bender was also ordered to pay $103,000 in both restitution and forfeiture. In November 2024 , Bender pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Bender was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2020 along with five co-defendants, including rap promoter Antonio Strong, rap artists Herbert Wright and Joseph Williams, their associate Demario Sorrells and one other co-defendant. According to court documents, beginning in at least March 2017 through November 2018, Bender, Strong, Williams, Sorrells, Wright and, allegedly, one other co-defendant conspired to defraud numerous businesses and individuals throughout the United States by using unauthorized and stolen payment card account information of real individuals – including the actual cardholders’ names, addresses, security codes and account expiration dates. Generally, because the payment card information was authentic, the defrauded businesses and individuals successfully processed the fraudulent transactions and provided the goods and services to Bender and his co-conspirators. The actual cardholders discovered these transactions on their accounts and disputed the charges with their card companies who then charged back the transactions to the businesses and individuals, who consequently suffered losses in the amounts of the unauthorized transactions. Strong was a music promoter and Bender was a rap artist and celebrity barber in the area around Chicago. Bender and his co-conspirators used illicit account information to obtain, among other things, a private jet chart flight, a New York City villa rental, designer puppies from a pet boutique and car insurance in Bender’s own name. In total, Bender was responsible for $103,000 in victim losses. On July 28, 2023 , Wright pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a federal official, and on Jan. 11, 2024 , was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $139,968 and a $5,500 fine. On Feb. 2, 2024, Sorrells pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and, on Aug. 29, 2024, was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $106,481. On March 8, 2024, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and, on Aug. 13, 2024, was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $155,392. On May 22, 2024, Strong pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud and, on Oct. 29, 2024, was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $2,159,874. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorneys Andrew Tyler and Kyle Crawford of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Dealing, Possession of a Machinegun and Cocaine Distribution

body_text: BOSTON – A former Worcester resident pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to firearms offenses and distributing cocaine. Juan Otero, 23, of Franklin, Mass. pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license; one count of receiving a firearm while under indictment; one count of possession of a machinegun; and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2025. In March 2024, Otero Was indicted by a federal grand jury. Between Nov. 27, 2023 and Jan. 23, 2024, Otero sold five firearms on four different occasions. One of the firearms was a Glock pistol with a machinegun conversion device, also known as a “Glock switch,” attached. Otero also sold large capacity magazines and multiple rounds of ammunition. In addition, Otero distributed or possessed with intent to distribute cocaine on or about Dec. 6, 2023. In 2022, Otero was indicted in Worcester Superior Court for multiple state crimes, including the unlawful possession of a large capacity weapon, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm, unlawful possession of a large capacity firearm and ammunition and attempted assault and battery. Otero was on release pending trial on the state court charges at the time of his firearm sales in this matter. The charges of dealing in firearms without a license and receipt of a firearm while under indictment both provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of unlawful possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distribution of cocaine carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Paul Saucier, Interim Police Chief of the Worcester Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Franklin, Mansfield and Auburn Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, 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 https://www.justice.gov/PSN .