title: Two Defendants Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Offenses

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Gerardo Soto-Sigala, 42, of Mexico and Daisy Franco, 35, of California were sentenced March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for their participation in drug trafficking offenses. Soto-Sigala possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced him to 75 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Soto-Sigala’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release. Daisy Franco distributed 500 grams or more of meth and Chief United States District Judge Rossiter, Jr. sentenced her to 68 months’ imprisonment. After Franco’s release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release. On May 9, 2023, Lincoln Police officers conducted a probable cause traffic stop for a vehicle infraction on a grey‐colored 2010 Honda Odyssey that was traveling eastbound, near the area of Mile Marker 396 on Interstate‐80 in Nebraska. During the course of the traffic stop, officers identified the driver as Gerardo Soto‐Sigala and the front passenger as the Daisy Franco. Soto-Sigala gave consent for law enforcement officials to search the vehicle. During the search, officers discovered a concealed compartment underneath the center console of the Odyssey that contained approximately 50 individual packages of suspected methamphetamine. A forensic laboratory analysis later confirmed it was 98% pure methamphetamine weighting 25.7 kilograms in total. This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration.


title: Romanian Woman Sentenced for Possession of Device Making Equipment and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Mona Maria Tataru, 32, a Romanian citizen whose most recent address was in Los Angeles, California, was sentenced on March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession of device making equipment with intent to defraud and aggravated identity theft. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Tataru to 10 months in prison for possession of device making equipment with intent to defraud and a consecutive 24 months in prison for aggravated identity theft, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In April 2023, surveillance video showed Tataru and a confederate placing a skimming device and pinhole camera on an ATM in Omaha. Omaha police officers located the vehicle shown in the video and contacted Tataru and the confederate at a local motel. In Tataru’s and the confederate’s possession, officers located more skimming devices and cameras, equipment to generate phony debit and ATM cards, and several cards that had been encoded with stolen bank account information that enabled them to be used as ATM cards. In total, officers located approximately 220 sets of bank account information corresponding to accounts at more than a dozen different banks. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Omaha Police Department.


title: Man Sentenced for Escaping from Custody

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Anthony Aranda, 32, was sentenced on March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for escape from custody. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Aranda to 8 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Aranda’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Aranda was convicted on February 12, 2015, in the United States Court for the District of Nebraska of carjacking and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 130-months imprisonment. After his custodial sentence, in September 2023 Aranda was designated by the Bureau of Prisons to serve the remainder of his sentence at DISMAS Charities in Omaha, Nebraska, through January 2024. On October 17, 2023, Aranda left DISMAS Charities and did not return. Aranda was eventually found and arrested on October 26, 2023, at a residence in Sioux City, Iowa. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.


title: Bronx, New York Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Gregory Lorenzo, 32, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced on March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Lorenzo to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lorenzo’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Additionally, Lorenzo is ordered to pay $528,002.33 in restitution. This case began in 2017 when Lorenzo, along with others, conspired and agreed together to enact a scheme to defraud Verizon Wireless. Members of the conspiracy did so by acquiring stolen identities of real United States citizens including at least three individuals from Nebraska. The conspiracy members would use the victims’ information to create Verizon accounts. Once accounts were created, they would purchase cellphones and accessories that would be billed to the accounts, causing financial loss to Verizon and potential credit damage to the individual whose identity was used. Once purchased, the phones would be shipped back to New York or New Jersey where they would be sold on the black market. Different members of the conspiracy played different roles. For his part, Lorenzo would go to FedEx and retrieve packages of fraudulently purchased cellphones and electronic devices. would additionally send money to the “authorized user” members of the conspiracy when they were travelling to make fraudulent purchases. In January of 2019, Lorenzo travelled to the state of Washington where he went to Verizon stores to assist in the purchase of devices on fraudulently created accounts. The conspiracy continued for years and Verizon Wireless suffered a loss of over $528,002.33. In February of 2019, two of the conspirators were arrested after attempting to purchase cellphones using the stolen identity of a Nebraska resident in Kearney, Nebraska thus beginning the investigation of this matter. Since the investigation began, Lorenzo and seven others have all been charged and convicted for their individual role within the conspiracy. Lorenzo is the last conspiracy member to be sentenced. This case was investigated by Kearney Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kashaun Lockett, 38, of Omaha, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for his involvement in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr. sentenced Lockett to 204 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Beginning in October 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating Lockett for distributing meth. Over the course of eight months, the FBI utilized a Confidential Source (CS) to make 13 controlled buys of meth from Lockett. In total, 419 grams of meth were purchased from Lockett. On one occasion, Lockett was unable to make the delivery, so he utilized his brother, Gary, to make the delivery. On June 14, 2021, a controlled buy was arranged with Lockett. Lockett’s residence was under surveillance at the time, and Lockett was followed when he left to meet with the CS. The Omaha Police Department attempted a traffic stop on Lockett, however, Lockett fled from the traffic stop. Lockett was observed throwing an item down a storm drain, which later turned out to be 319 grams of meth. During Lockett’s flight, surveillance officers still at Lockett’s residence saw Gary Lockett and Robert Culberson exit the residence and toss meth and a firearm into the tree line at the back of Lockett’s residence. Lockett’s sentence was enhanced due to possessing the firearm and for having a previous federal drug conviction. Culberson was sentenced on August 15, 2023, to 120 months for his involvement. Gary Lockett is set for sentencing on March 15, 2024. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Omaha Police Department


title: Texas Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Selling Fentanyl

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Quintel N. Owens, age 39, of Katy, Texas, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for selling fentanyl in the Eastern Panhandle. According to court documents, Owens sold more than 780 grams of fentanyl in Berkeley County over a period of several months. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided. ###


title: Arrest In $700,000 Casino Heist

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Jesus Gaytan-Garcia has been charged in a criminal complaint with theft from the Hartford location of the Four Winds Casino, which is owned and operated by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. “The amount of money involved in this theft is extraordinary,” said U.S. Attorney Totten . “Unfortunately, instances of telephone scams at casinos are on the rise across the country, impacting both tribal and commercial gaming operations. Thanks to the dedicated, joint investigation of Pokagon Tribal police and the FBI, we were able to identify and arrest one of the perpetrators of this scheme that targeted the Hartford Four Winds Casino.” The complaint alleges that on July 30, 2023, a call came into the Hartford Four Winds Casino. The caller falsely claimed that he was the tribal chairperson and needed funds to make an urgent payment. A Casino supervisory employee, apparently duped by the caller’s fraudulent claims, gathered up $700,000 in cash and walked out of the Casino. At the direction of the caller, the employee transported the cash to a gas station in Gary, Indiana, where the employee then handed the cash over two unknown individuals. After a months-long investigation, the FBI and Pokagon Tribal Police were able to identify Jesus Gaytan-Garcia as one of the individuals the Casino employee met at the gas station and gave the $700,000. Investigators conducted a search of Mr. Gaytan-Garcia’s home, where they located a bundle of cash still wrapped in a paper band which was stamped with the word “Hartford,” the location of the victimized Four Winds Casino, and the exact date of the theft, July 30, 2023. Mr. Gaytan-Garcia was taken into custody four days later. “The arrest of Mr. Gaytan-Garcia demonstrates the effectiveness of collaboration between the Pokagon Tribal Police and the FBI,” said Pokagon Tribal Police Chief Mario RedLegs . “We greatly appreciate the support and assistance of U.S. Attorney Mark Totten and his staff to prosecute those that violate the law on Pokagon Band land.” “The FBI, along with the Pokagon Band Tribal Police, successfully tracked down and identified the culprits involved in the fraudulent scheme against the Hartford Four Winds Casino. We take these crimes very seriously as they significantly impact the community's sense of trust,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “The FBI is committed to investigating fraudulent activities and ensuring justice for all victims. We stand ready with our partners to take strong action against those who engage in such illegal activities and believe they can get away with it.” This case was investigated by the Pokagon Band Tribal Police and the FBI. The charge in a criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. ###


title: Mom Pleads Guilty to Providing Fentanyl That Killed Her Sons’ Father

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: An Albuquerque mother who concealed a deadly dose of fentanyl inside her children’s luggage pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal drug crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Magdalena Silva Banuelos, 47, was indicted in November 2022. She pleaded guilty Wednesday to distribution of fentanyl before U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn. In plea papers, she admitted she gave her sons’ father the fentanyl that killed him. On May 31, 2022, Ms. Silva Banuelos put her sons, ages 8 and 10, onto a flight from Albuquerque to Dallas to visit her ex-husband, their father. Surveillance video from Dallas / Love Field Airport shows that her ex-husband picked up the boys from the gate around 9:47 p.m., rifled through their luggage at around 10:17 p.m., and entered the airport restroom at around 10:26 p.m. A few minutes later, he overdosed and died in a restroom stall, just steps away from his sons. At 10:33 p.m., his sons exited the restroom, visibly distraught. From inside the stall, investigators recovered a Clinique brand makeup container containing more than a gram of fentanyl. In plea papers, Ms. Silva Banuelos admitted she packed the fentanyl for her ex-husband’s use. Text messages between him and Ms. Silva Banuelos confirmed that she knew he planned on ingesting the fentanyl and was aware of the risk it posed. “Hey you need to be careful,” she wrote a few hours before he died. “Yes ma’am. Very slow and easy,” he replied. “Just one and then wait you’ll see,” she said. “Just one.” “Ok cool. Thank you. Will do,” he said. “No passing out on the kitchen floor,” she responded. “Seriously you could od. No dying on the kitchen floor… It’s going to f**k you up!!! At her January 2023 detention hearing, the prosecutor said Ms. Silva Banuelos “used her minor children to mule drugs.” “This case is a double tragedy: A pair of young boys lost one parent to drugs, and the other to the criminal justice system,“ said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “This defendant allowed her two young sons to fly more than 500 miles cross-country with a highly lethal synthetic opioid stashed inside their suitcase, knowing full well how dangerous it was. These boys stood nearby as their father suffered a fatal overdose after ingesting it. The Justice Department will continue to fight until fentanyl is eradicated from our streets.” “Fentanyl not only destroys individuals, it also destroys families. This tragic reality could not be more evident than when looking at the destruction caused by the actions of Ms. Silva Banuelos that terrible day,” said Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “The DEA will never stop working to remove this terrible drug and its even more terrible effects from our communities so tragic events like this can never happen again.” Under the terms of her plea agreement, Ms. Silva Banuelos faces 12 years in prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Office of the Medical Examiner, Southwest Institute of Forensic Science at Dallas, and Dallas Fire & Rescue. Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Coker is prosecuting the case.


title: Former Alabama Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Offense for Excessive Force

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Alabama – Former Elmore County, Alabama Sheriff’s Deputy Blake Hicks, 33, pleaded guilty yesterday to depriving an arrestee of his civil rights under color of law. According to documents and statements made in court, Hicks willfully used unreasonable force against an arrestee. Specifically, without legal justification, Hicks punched and kicked an arrestee in or around the head while the arrestee was handcuffed and incapacitated on the ground. The arrestee suffered a broken cheekbone, concussion, and lacerations from Hicks’ assault. “Communities entrust law enforcement officers with upholding the rule of law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By physically assaulting a defenseless member of the community, Hicks violated both the victim’s fundamental constitutional rights and the community’s trust. The Justice Department will continue to ensure that law enforcement officials who abuse their powers are held accountable.” “Maintaining law and order in a civil society requires trust in law enforcement,” said Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross for the Middle District of Alabama. “Breaching that trust has consequences. Civil rights violations, such as this one, makes the job of every law enforcement officer in America more challenging, and more dangerous.” A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 24. Hicks faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Mobile Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Counts for the Middle District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.


title: Mark Deakins Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Sexual Abuse Of Children And Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Today, Mark Deakins, 64, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Honorable Charles E. Atchley, Jr., United States District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga, after many years of engaging in the sexual abuse of minors. On May 11, 2023, Deakins was found guilty of criminal offenses in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2421, 2251(a), 2252A(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2), and 2260A, following a trial in U.S. District Court. According to evidence presented at trial, Deakins repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted numerous pre-teen and teen boys over a period from 1995 to 2018 in his various residences and other locations in the Chattanooga area. He also transported a victim across state lines to engage in illegal sexual exploitation and abuse. Deakins committed these crimes while already on the Sex Offender Registry for past convictions. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated how egregious the defendant’s conduct was. He hunted for the most weak and vulnerable. He preyed on young boys desperate for male role models in a vacuum created by absentee fathers. He often lured the boys with promises that he would mentor them about construction and tools. For over 20 years, the defendant recorded himself grooming, sexually assaulting, and raping them. The videos and images he made himself numbered in the thousands, and the defendant also possessed thousands of images of other child sexual abuse material from across the world which law enforcement agents discovered when they executed search warrants on his home and computers. The trial featured testimony from victims spanning multiple generations of his crimes. “For nearly three decades, Deakins, a repeat sex offender, committed unspeakable crimes against pre-teen and teen boys,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “Thanks to the tireless work of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and our prosecutors, this defendant will spend the rest of his life in prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to protecting our children through the prosecution of recidivist child predators to the fullest extent of the law.” “Deakins’s offenses are heinous, leaving impacts on his victims that are immeasurable,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). “Unfortunately, exploitation of youth is a very real and growing issue in our country. The FBI will continue to do everything in its power to ensure children, who are the most vulnerable members of our community, are protected.” Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation which led to the conviction of Mark Deakins included the FBI, United States Marshals Service, Red Bank Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Chattanooga Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Brooks and Steven S. Neff represented the United States. This case was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, click on the link for “Publications & Resources.” ###


title: Saint Martin Man Pleads Guilty to Narcotics and Firearms Charges

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A Saint Martin citizen residing in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Hector Concepcion, 35, pleaded guilty to Counts One and Eleven of the Superseding Indictment before United States Senior District Judge Kim R. Gibson on March 6, 2024. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around August 2019 to in and around April 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Concepcion conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, in the form commonly known as “crack”, and quantities of heroin and cocaine. Further, in and around July 2021, Concepcion, an illegal alien who is unlawfully in the United States, possessed a firearm and ammunition. Federal law prohibits anyone who is illegally or unlawfully in the United States, or who is an alien admitted to the United States under a non-immigrant visa, from possessing a firearm. Concepcion was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of crack-cocaine, heroin, and cocaine that he distributed to others. Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2024. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Concepcion. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Two Men Charged For Causing The Death Of A Seven-Year-Old Boy And A 48-Year-Old Woman In Hudson River Boat Capsizing

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Rear Admiral John Mauger, Commander of the First Coast Guard District, announced today the arrests of RICHARD CRUZ and JAIME PINILLA GOMEZ for causing the death of a seven-year-old boy and a 48-year-old woman after the vessel CRUZ and GOMEZ were operating in the Hudson River capsized. The two passengers drowned after being trapped underneath the vessel. CRUZ and GOMEZ were arrested today in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Federal regulations and safety protocols exist to ensure that captains and operators of commercial vessels keep passengers safe. The defendants allegedly flouted those regulations, recklessly disregarded safety protocols, operated the vessel at an unsafe speed in hazardous conditions, and overloaded the vessel with too many passengers onboard. And the result was tragic — a young boy and a woman were trapped under the vessel and drowned after the vessel capsized.” Rear Admiral John Mauger said: “This case demonstrates the deadly consequences of illegal passenger operations. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims today. Through this complaint, the Coast Guard and our partners from the U.S. Attorney’s Office affirm our steadfast commitment to preventing similar tragedies by investigating and holding violators accountable. We urge the public to assist in this detection and deterrence by notifying the Coast Guard of vessel owner and operators suspected of engaging in illegal passenger operations at the following email address: CGIS TIPS at https://www.p3tips.com/878 .” According to the allegations contained in the Complaint: [1] On or about July 12, 2022, at approximately 2:40 p.m., the motor vessel Stimulus Money capsized in the Hudson River resulting in the death of two passengers — a seven-year-old boy (“Victim-1”) and a 48-year-old woman (“Victim-2”). At the time of the capsizing, RICHARD CRUZ was the owner and captain of the vessel and JAIME PINILLA GOMEZ was the pilot of the vessel. CRUZ had purchased the vessel approximately three months before the capsizing. CRUZ and GOMEZ conducted boat “tours” for paying customers onboard the vessel on multiple occasions in the months leading up to the capsizing, although they did not have the required United States Coast Guard (“USCG”) credentials and certifications to do so. CRUZ’s and GOMEZ’s negligent actions and omissions caused the capsizing and the deaths of Victim-1 and Victim-2. At the time of the capsizing, among other things: (i) CRUZ and GOMEZ operated Stimulus Money with 13 people on board, exceeding the vessel’s maximum allowable capacity; (ii) CRUZ and GOMEZ operated Stimulus Money at a high rate of speed during a Small Craft Advisory in high winds and heavy seas; (iii) neither CRUZ nor GOMEZ had obtained a required USCG certification to operate the vessel with paying customers on board; (iv) CRUZ and GOMEZ operated Stimulus Money without a valid USCG Certificate of Inspection, which is required for a vessel to operate with paying customers on board; (v) GOMEZ, an insufficiently experienced mariner, piloted Stimulus Money in a dangerous manner, including by rapidly accelerating one engine of the vessel immediately before the capsizing, which contributed to the overturning of the vessel; and (vi) GOMEZ, at the time of the capsizing, failed to properly wear a safety device that should be worn around the pilot’s wrist or life vest, which contributed to the vessel’s engine continuing to operate even after GOMEZ shifted from the helm console (at which the vessel was operated). All 13 people on board Stimulus Money were thrown overboard during the capsizing. Shortly after the capsizing, boats from the New York City Police Department’s (“NYPD”) Harbor Unit and the New York City Fire Department’s (“FDNY”) Dive Rescue Team, and ferries operating nearby, arrived at the scene of the capsizing to render emergency assistance. 10 passengers and GOMEZ were recovered conscious and in varying medical conditions. They were subsequently transferred to hospitals in Manhattan and survived the capsizing. Approximately 25 minutes after the capsizing, members of the FDNY Dive Rescue Team recovered Victim-1 and Victim-2 from the Hudson River. They were trapped underneath the capsized vessel and found unconscious. Emergency medical personnel subsequently pronounced Victim-1 and Victim-2 deceased. The cause of death was drowning. Photos of the capsized boat are below: Please report any illegal passenger charters to the USCG at https://www.p3tips.com/878 . * * * CRUZ, 32, and GOMEZ, 25, both of Elizabeth, New Jersey, are each charged with one count of misconduct and neglect of a ship officer resulting in death, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the USCG Investigative Service and the Special Agents and NYPD Detectives assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Coyle is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Man Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Prison for Trafficking Cocaine and Obstructing Justice

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to more than ten years in federal prison for trafficking cocaine in the Chicago area and obstructing justice by perjuring himself at trial. JORGE DIAZ conspired in 2016 with two individuals in Mexico to traffic multiple kilograms of cocaine. Diaz gave money to couriers to purchase the drugs in California and deliver them to Diaz. In a Dec. 15, 2016, transaction arranged by the Mexican traffickers, Diaz received from a courier what he thought was 15 kilograms of cocaine. Unbeknownst to Diaz and the Mexican traffickers, the courier was cooperating with law enforcement agents, who had replaced the cocaine with sham narcotics. Law enforcement arrested Diaz following the courier’s delivery to him of the sham narcotics. A subsequent law enforcement search of Diaz’s residence turned up nearly $23,000 in cash, a money counter, a bag full of cell phones, suspected drug ledgers, and other items. Diaz, 35, of Calumet City, Ill., was convicted last year of conspiracy and attempted possession of cocaine. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman imposed a 124-month prison sentence on Feb. 29, 2024. Judge Coleman found that Diaz obstructed justice at his trial last year by falsely testifying about the narcotics trafficking for which he was charged. During his testimony, Diaz denied knowing that the courier was delivering drugs and claimed he only received the package as a favor to his brother. The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the DEA. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance. The case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies. “The streets of Chicago are made immeasurably more dangerous because of the drug trade,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Misty N. Wright argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “In further aggravation, defendant perjured himself at trial, jeopardizing the integrity of the justice system and demonstrating a willingness to commit further crimes – lying under oath.”


title: Lebanon County Man Charged With Child Pornography Offenses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Stephen Okamoto, age 35, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday on charges of distribution and possession of child pornography. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that on November 13, 2023, in Lebanon County, Okamoto distributed images and video of child pornography. The indictment further alleges that Okamoto possessed images of child pornography on February 8, 2024. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Derry Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood , a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is twenty years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Philadelphia Man Charged With Cocaine-Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Edgardo Pueyo-Malave, age 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for conspiring to distribute cocaine. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that between December 2020 and December 2021, Pueyo-Malave conspired to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case. The total maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is imprisonment for life, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. 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: Brevard County Man Indicted For Smuggling 25 Migrants From The Bahamas To Florida

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Michael Andrew Milano (42, Merritt Island) with 25 counts of human smuggling. If convicted, Milano faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each count. The indictment also notifies Milano that the United States intends to forfeit any property traceable to proceeds of the offense and any property or conveyances used to facilitate or commit the offenses. According to court documents, on February 29, 2024, Milano and a companion traveled from Brevard County to The Bahamas in a 42-foot fishing vessel. During a brief stop in The Bahamas, Milano loaded 25 non-U.S. citizen migrants onto the vessel, returning to Brevard County shortly thereafter. Milano allegedly forced all 25 migrants to lie flat on the deck of the vessel throughout the voyage back to the United States. That evening, as officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were conducting routine safety inspections in the Intracoastal Waterway/Indian River region, they encountered Milano and boarded his vessel. On board, they discovered the migrants, still lying flat on the deck. Federal and local law enforcement agencies responded, and the U.S. Coast Guard took custody of the migrants to process and repatriate them. 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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with valuable assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Border Patrol, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Coast Guard. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.


title: Maryland Woman Sentenced To 46 Months In Prison For Passing Fraudulent Checks

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lucy Annette Alexander, age 37, of Maryland and Washington, DC, was sentenced yesterday to 46 months in prison to be followed by 60 months of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for bank fraud. Judge Wilson also ordered Alexander to pay restitution in the amount of $305,219.28. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Alexander previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on May 2, 2023. Alexander admitted that between August 2012 and 2021, she wrote hundreds of checks at retail store locations, including PetSmart, Sears, Dollar Tree, Weis Markets (or Weis Pharmacy), Food Lion, MOM’s Organic Market, Giant Food, Harris Teeter, The Home Depot, Sally Beauty, Advance Auto Parts, Costco, Barnes & Noble, Hobby Lobby, BJ’s Wholesale Club, CVS Pharmacy, Party City, SHOE SHOW, Bed Bath & Beyond, Roses Discount Store, and others. The bank accounts from which Alexander wrote these checks were already closed and therefore did not have adequate funds to cover purchases at the above retail stores. In total, Alexander wrote over $300,000 in fraudulent checks during this time period. In May 2020, Alexander also wrote and used seven checks from a Chase Bank account for a total of over $17,000, knowing that her account had insufficient funds to cover these checks. These checks were used to purchase goods at Weis Markets, Giant Food, and Roses Discount Store locations in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Minnewaukan, ND, Man Convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Brandishing of a Firearm in a Crime of Violence

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider, District of North Dakota, announced that on March 6, 2024, Dantae Jerome Whitetail, age 21 of Minnewaukan, ND, appeared before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, U.S. District Court, Fargo, ND, and was sentenced to 12 months for assault with a dangerous weapon, and a consecutive 48 months for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, for a total sentence of 60 months of imprisonment. He will be on three years of supervised release following his term of federal imprisonment and must pay $200 in special assessments. Whitetail pleaded guilty for his role in the May 21, 2022, assault while brandishing a firearm in St. Michael, ND. For his part in the May 21, 2022, assault while brandishing a firearm, 21-year-old Nathaniel Azure was convicted in December 2023, after a 7-day jury trial of the same crimes, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Azure was also convicted at trial for his role in a non-fatal shooting in Fort Totten, ND, on January 6, 2021, and for his role in a second non-fatal shooting in St. Michael, ND, on May 22, 2022. Sentencing of Azure on the six counts of conviction is scheduled for June 17, 2024. Michael Al-Jerome Denne, the 25-year-old brother of Azure, previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the January 6, 2021, shooting and has been sentenced. Skyla Kay Cavanaugh, age 23 of St. Michael, ND, previously pleaded guilty to her role in the May 22, 2022, shooting for being an accessory after the fact, making false statements, and retaliating against a witness, and has been sentenced. “This sentence is a just result that will benefit public safety in Indian country,” Schneider said. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat violent crime in tribal communities.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Benson County Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Klemestrud Puhl, District of North Dakota. Previous press releases for this case: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nd/pr/st-michael-nd-woman-sentenced-three-years-federal-prison-accessory-after-fact-false https://www.justice.gov/usao-nd/pr/st-michael-nd-man-convicted-multiple-counts-assault-dangerous-weapon-discharge-firearm ######


title: Fort McCoy Man Indicted For Possession Of Unregistered Machinegun And Silencers

body_text: Ocala, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Robert Edward Smith (59, Fort McCoy) with possession of unregistered National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons—a machinegun and two silencers. If convicted, Smith faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. According to court documents, special agents searched Smith’s Marion County residence on February 15, 2024, pursuant to a federal search warrant. Inside Smith’s bedroom, agents located a Sten machinegun and two silencers. None of the items were registered to Smith 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 Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Belkis H. Crockett. 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: Jury Finds Gaffney Woman Guilty in Mail Theft Case

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. —Takera A. Degree, 37, of Gaffney, was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury of stealing mail. Evidence presented to the jury during trial showed that in the spring of 2023, the Inspector General’s Office of the U.S. Postal Service received information about the possible theft of mail from the Gaffney post office. Approximately 100 postal customers reported mailing out greeting cards and other items from the Gaffney post office that were never received at their destinations. The period of these customer complaints, according to postal employees, coincided with Degree’s short tenure with the post office (approximately October 2022 to March 2023). Multiple postal employees observed Degree engage in questionable behavior such as keeping her personal handbag on carts containing outgoing mail, taking lengthy periods of time to retrieve mail from the blue boxes in front of the post office, and becoming agitated if another employee entered Degree’s work area. On March 9, 2023, OIG special agents installed two covert cameras in the lookout gallery at the Gaffney post office. Agents reviewed video and saw that on March 11, 2023, Degree was taking greeting cards out of the mail stream and putting them inside a folded piece of white paper. About 10 minutes later, Degree was observed leaving Gaffney post office with a yellow plastic bag that appeared to have the envelopes inside. Agents again reviewed video from March 18, 2023, and observed Degree taking greeting cards out of the mail stream and putting them inside of a black backpack. About five minutes later, Degree was observed leaving Gaffney post office with the black backpack. Based on the video, agents interviewed Degree. Degree admitted to taking U.S. Mail out of the Gaffney post office, opening the mail, and then discarding the envelopes. Degree chose to resign from her position at this time. “Postal employees have a duty to safeguard mail that comes into their possession,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs. “My office is dedicated to prosecuting those who steal from the public, especially those in a position of public trust.” United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins presided over the trial and will sentence Degree after reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Degree faces a statutory maximum of five years. This case was investigated by the Inspector General’s Office of U.S. Postal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Marosek and Bill Watkins prosecuted the case. ###


title: Five-Time Convicted Felon Indicted On Firearm And Drug Charges

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Reginald Dugger (42, Orlando) with attempted possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Dugger faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for the drug offense and up to 15 years in federal prison for the firearm offense. The indictment also notifies Dugger that the United States intends to forfeit the firearms and ammunition involved in the offenses. According to the indictment, on February 29, 2024, Dugger attempted to possess with intent to distribute N,N-Dimethylpentylone, a Schedule I controlled substance. The indictment further alleges that Dugger, knowing he had previously been convicted of a felony, possessed firearms, namely a Rock Island Armory revolver and a Palmetto State Armory rifle. As a convicted felon Dugger is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. 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 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with valuable assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman. 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: Possession of Machine Guns Results in Federal Prison Sentences for Shreveport Men

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – LaDarrell C. Washington, Jr. , 24, and Stacy Deshane Borner , 22, both of Shreveport, have been sentenced for illegally possessing machine guns, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Borner to 51 months in prison, and Washington to 55 months in prison. Each will serve an additional 3 years of supervised release following their release from prison. The charges in this case stem from an incident on March 28, 2022, when officers with the Shreveport Violent Crime Abatement Team (VCAT) received information of the whereabouts of Washington and Borner, who were fugitives out of Desoto Parish. Law enforcement officers with the VCAT arrived at the residence in Shreveport where Washington and Borner were suspected to be, and approached the front door. The door was open, but the burglar bar door was shut, and officers heard what sounded like several people running throughout the house. Officers gave commands for the occupants to come out of the house. Eventually several occupants exited the home, including two females who leased the residence. Borner eventually made his way out of the residence. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and officers made entry into the house. Inside the residence officers found Washington hiding in a bedroom closet. During the continued search of the house, officers found numerous firearms in the bedroom where Washington was hiding. The firearms seized were a Glock Model 17Gen4 9x19mm firearm equipped with a Glock switch (a conversion device attached to the firearm making it a machine gun), a Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 5.56 mm rifle with a drop-in auto sear (a conversion device attached to the firearm making it a machine gun), a SCCY CPX-2 9mm pistol, a Sig Sauer P320 9mm pistol, and a Century Arms AK47 rifle. Washington, Borner, and the other occupants were taken to the police station and interviewed. The two females advised officers that none of the firearms belonged to them and that the males inside the residence, including Washington and Borner, arrived that morning, each carrying at least one firearm. Through their further investigation, agents found videos from Borner’s social media of multiple individuals shooting machine guns out of car windows. Agents also obtained a rap video of Borner and a juvenile taking turns holding a Glock gun with a Glock switch, including one of the guns seized from the residence. The seized firearms with conversion devices installed were tested by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and confirmed to be machine guns. Washington was convicted in 2019 of illegal possession of a stolen firearm and knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. Borner pleaded guilty to illegal possession of machine guns and Washington pleaded guilty to possession of firearms by a convicted felon. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford. 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn . # # #


title: Foreign national sentenced for elaborate cocaine trafficking scheme

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Mexican national was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison for his role in an elaborate cocaine trafficking scheme. According to court documents, Gerardo Ignacio Castillo-Lopez, 32, was residing in Tucson, Arizona, in April 2022 when he coordinated the delivery of 22 kilograms of cocaine to his co-conspirator, Dwight Garvey, in Maryland. Castillo-Lopez picked up the cocaine from his sources, packed the drugs into hidden compartments within a 2018 Honda Pilot, and then delivered the Pilot to a vehicle transporter to take the car to Maryland. Once in route, New Mexico State Police stopped the transporter for a traffic infraction and noticed that the Pilot had no license plate. A narcotics canine alerted to the presence of drugs in the Pilot and an inspection revealed the cocaine. On April 25, 2022, the Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) group replaced the cocaine with “sham” packages and negotiated a delivery with Garvey. Garvey picked up the Pilot in Manassas, Virginia, and drove it to College Park, Maryland. Agents then watched as Garvey removed several packages of sham cocaine, and subsequently arrested him. Less than 24 hours after Garvey’s arrest, Castillo-Lopez fled to Mexico, where he remained as a fugitive for over a year until his arrest in August 2023 when he attempted to cross back into the United States. On June 2, 2022, Garvey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and on Sept. 22, 2022, Garvey was sentenced to five years in prison. On Nov. 30, 2023, Castillo-Lopez pleaded guilty to the same offense. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Call and Kristin Starr 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. 1:23-CR-187.


title: Texas Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Indiana Pharmaceutical Company Out of Over $640,000

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Courtney Anguiano, 37, of Texas, has been sentenced to 2 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. According to court documents, Business 1, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, developed prescription medicines and then created savings card programs for the medicines. The savings card programs were designed to lower the out-of-pocket costs incurred by patients purchasing the medicines. After obtaining a savings card, patients were able to use it at the time of purchase or after the fact, by seeking reimbursements. Between September 1, 2017, and July 26, 2020, Anguiano led seven other individuals in a conspiracy to defraud Business 1 by submitting fraudulent reimbursement requests under three savings card programs. The conspirators claimed that they had incurred significant costs when they purchased the drugs at issue, but none of them were actually prescribed the drugs during the relevant period. Members of the conspiracy submitted 189 false reimbursement requests. Anguiano herself personally submitted 65 false claims. Acting through a contractor, Business 1 approved the fraudulent requests and paid the members of the conspiracy $648,528.22. Anguiano and her co-conspirators stole over 90% of the savings card program funds for one of the medications. In an effort to avoid detection, Anguiano submitted some of her reimbursement requests under an alias or an altered version of her true name. “This heinous fraud scheme stole nearly $650,000 from savings programs were created to help patients struggling to afford specialty medications,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers. “For years, these scammers targeted the program intended for financially vulnerable patients with utter disregard for the harm they caused. The serious federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that our office will continue to work with closely with the FBI to investigate healthcare fraud schemes and hold the perpetrators accountable.” “Investigating fraud and identifying those who perpetrate is one of our top priorities and this sentence should put others on notice that this illegal activity will not be tolerated,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “We will continue to work with our partners to ensure those to who take advantage of the system for their own greed are held accountable.” The FBI investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon. Judge Hanlon also ordered that Anguiano be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 2 years following her release from federal prison and pay $648,528.22 in restitution. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew B. Miller, Meredith Wood, and Kyle Sawa, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Lancaster man pleads guilty to receipt of child pornography

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jacob V. Schmidbauer, 43, of Lancaster, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that on January 9, 2023, the Lancaster Police Department received a complaint that Schmidbauer had used a device to record a 13-year-old minor female (victim) while she was showering, and that the recordings were stored on an SD card possessed by Schmidbauer. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized a total of 22 electronic devices that belong to Schmidbauer as well as the SD card. A review of the SD card recovered 32 video clips, which included the sexually explicit video of the minor female victim. The criminal plea is the result of an investigation by the Lancaster Police Department, under the direction of William Karn, Jr., and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. # # # #


title: Postal Service Letter Carrier  Pleads Guilty to Stealing Mail

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TIMOTHY MCMILLAN, JR. , age 43, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 5, 2024 to Theft of Mail by a Postal Service employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709. According to court documents, the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”) received complaints regarding opened parcels that were delivered by the New Orleans Main Office Delivery Unit. On October 11, 2023, USPS-OIG Special Agents placed a greeting card containing $100 in mail to be processed and delivered by MCMILLAN while on his route. The card was addressed to a fictitious person and address from another fictitious person and address. While on his route, MCMILLAN opened the package. Shortly after, USPS-OIG Special Agents stopped his vehicle and observed the opened card in the rear of his vehicle. The marked bills were found on his person. MCMILLAN faces a maximum penalty of five (5) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. United States Chief District Judge Greg G. Guidry has set sentencing for June 11, 2024. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Previously convicted felon sentenced for possession of firearms

body_text: James Vickers, 45, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Mar. 5, in Casper, Wyoming. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge on Nov. 28, 2023. According to court documents, on Sep. 9, 2023, Rock Springs Police Department (RSPD) responded to Santa Fe Southwest Grill, to a report of shots being fired inside the restaurant. RSPD officers contacted Vickers in the parking lot and took him into custody. Officers searched Vickers and located a magazine loaded with ammunition as well as one loose round of ammunition in his pocket. Vickers admitted to tossing two guns when officer arrived. At the time of the gunshots, approximately 25-30 people were inside the restaurant, all of whom were evacuated. Vickers could not sit still during the interview and told officers he was coming down from methamphetamine. He also explained that he thought people were after him. Vickers, a previously convicted felon, possessed the firearms illegally. This case was investigated by the FBI and the RSPD. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne M. Martens. Case No. 23-CR-00142


title: Bogalusa Man Sentenced  for Transporting Heroin  From Texas to Louisiana

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that KILEY KILBOURNE , age 50, of Bogalusa, La. was sentenced on February 29, 2024 by U.S. Chief District Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown to 366 days incarceration, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). Judge Brown also imposed a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment as well as a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to the indictment, in January 2021, KILBOURNE was found to be transporting over a kilogram of heroin across state lines, from Houston, Texas into the Eastern District of Louisiana. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Louisiana State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Los Angeles Man Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Prison for Running Unlicensed Firearms Business and Possessing a Machine Gun

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A man from the Mid-City area of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison for illegally selling more than two dozen firearms, including machine gun conversion devices – sometimes known as “switches” – and “ghost guns,” or firearms that lack serial numbers. Ellourth Eladio Simon, 33, was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu. Simon pleaded guilty in May 2023 to one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and one count of possessing a machine gun. From no later than September 2021 to January 2023, Simon repeatedly arranged illegal and unlicensed firearms deals. He admitted in his plea agreement to engaging in eight illegal gun transactions, several of which involved multiple firearms, including a November 10, 2021, sale for $8,400 in which Simon sold an ATF undercover agent four handguns and a “ghost gun” AR-type rifle. Simon also admitted to unlawfully possessing a machine gun in October 2021. Simon’s primary firearms source, William Nirion Peña, 41, of the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, was convicted of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Peña is serving a 40-month prison sentence in this case. From at least September 2021 until late February 2022, Peña provided Simon with information about the prices and nature of numerous firearms – frequently sending photographs of firearms that Simon could sell to Simon’s gun customers. Peña provided approximately 16 firearms and a substantial amount of ammunition that were sold by Simon to an undercover agent. The firearms included two silencers without serial numbers and a Glock switch. The government asserted that Simon also had other sources of the firearms that he sold to the undercover federal agent in the eight purchases. “Peña and Simon frequently coordinated efforts to sell [guns to the undercover agent] by communication over the phone about the price and availability of firearms and firearms components, and arranging the logistics of specific sales to customers during evening transaction in supermarket parking lots and similar locations,” according to court documents. Evidence presented at trial indicated that Peña was obtaining firearms from sources in other states, primarily Arizona. “[Simon’s] criminal conduct was dangerous, long-standing and serious,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Simon] not only illegally sold large quantities of powerful handguns and rifles, and ammunition, but he also sold firearms silencers, items whose harmfulness and illegality were obvious on their face.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this matter. This case is the result of an investigation by the Los Angeles Firearms Trafficking Strike Force, which is spearheaded by the ATF and the United States Attorney’s Office. The Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.


title: Maryland Woman Indicted on Federal Charges of Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Child Sex Trafficking

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 5, 2024, charging Verena May Mathis, age 24, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, for sexual exploitation of a child and for child sex trafficking. The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police (“MSP”); Chief Gregory Der of the Howard County Police Department; and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department. According to the two-count indictment, on approximately December 5, 2020, Mathis produced sexually explicit images of a minor victim and used the minor victim to engage in a commercial sex act, in reckless disregard of the fact that the victim was less than 14 years of age. As detailed in court documents, the case arose when a video depicting the minor victim and an adult woman, subsequently identified as Mathis, were found during a search of the online accounts of Edward Golden, a defendant in a separate child exploitation case. On February 13, 2024, MSP released redacted photographs to the public depicting the distinctive tattoos of the woman in the video with the minor victim, with an offer of up to $14,000 in reward money for information leading to her identification. A public tip led to the arrest of Mathis. If convicted, Mathis faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison for child sex trafficking. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The defendant is expected to have an initial appearance on this indictment in U.S. District Court in Baltimore at a later date. She was previously charged by criminal complaint and has been detained since her arrest on February 15, 2024. Eugene Edward Golden, age 38, of Baltimore, is charged in a 160-count second superseding indictment with conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child, sexual exploitation of children, child sex trafficking, and receipt and possession of child pornography. The superseding indictment alleges that Golden communicated with women to arrange for the creation of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If convicted, Golden faces up to life in federal prison. Golden is detained. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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 . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the MSP-led Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Howard County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn, who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Foley Methamphetamine Dealers Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Two Foley men were sentenced to 188 months and 121 months in prison for conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute more than six pounds of methamphetamine ice. According to court documents, Thomas Lynn Lambeth, 40, and Chad Vernon Wallace, 39, worked together to obtain a shipment of bulk methamphetamine through the U.S. mail. On July 6, 2023, a codefendant, Victor Mauricio Gonzalez-Leon, mailed two packages containing methamphetamine from a post office in Cashion, Arizona. The packages, which purported to be from a car dealership in Phoenix, Arizona, were addressed to Lambeth at an address in Foley. U.S. Postal Inspectors intercepted the packages in Mobile and found a total of 3.1 kilograms of 97% pure methamphetamine ice inside them. Forensic latent print examiners identified Gonzalez-Leon’s fingerprints on the outside and inside of the packages. Federal agents arranged a controlled delivery of the packages at the post office in Foley. On July 10, 2023, Lambeth visited the Foley post office to inquire about the status of the packages. Lambeth also called the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) to say he wanted the packages held for pickup at the Foley post office. On July 12, 2023, Lambeth directed Wallace to go to the post office to pick up the packages for him. Lambeth sent Wallace messages offering Wallace $2,000 and “a pound” to pick up the packages. Lambeth texted USPS tracking numbers and instructions to Wallace, writing, “Anything seem out of place just walk out.” When Wallace went to the Foley post office, he told USPS employees that Lambeth had asked him to pick up the packages for him. As Wallace walked out of the post office with the drug packages, federal agents arrested him. Agents searched Wallace’s cell phone, which contained dozens of messages that Lambeth, Wallace, and others exchanged regarding drug dealing. United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Lambeth, who has a prior felony conviction for drug distribution, to serve 188 months in federal prison. In addition to the 188-month prison term, Judge Moorer ordered Lambeth to serve a 10-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. Judge Moorer sentenced Wallace to serve 121 months in prison and a five-year supervised release term upon his release. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered Lambeth and Wallace each to pay $200 in special assessments. Gonzalez-Leon is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Moorer in June 2024. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The Avondale, Arizona Police Department provided substantial assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.


title: Diego Ibarra Ordered to Remain in Federal Custody at Detention Hearing

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A Venezuelan citizen charged by federal criminal complaint with possessing a fraudulent green card will remain in federal custody as requested by the Government at a detention hearing this morning. Diego Ibarra, 28, of Venezuela, is charged by criminal complaint with possession of a fraudulent document. If convicted, Ibarra faces a maximum of ten years in prison. U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Weigle ordered Ibarra to be detained pending trial based on evidence of the defendant being a flight risk. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with critical assistance from FBI, GBI, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, University of Georgia Police Department and Clarke County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case. A complaint is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Former Chief-Of-Staff to Senator Dean Tran Sentenced for Tax Fraud

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The former chief of staff to former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for filing false and fraudulent tax returns between 2016 and 2020. Christianne Mylott-Coleman, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 30 days in prison and one year of supervised release, with the first 90 days to be served in home detention. Mylott-Coleman was also ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $269,209. In November 2022, Mylott-Coleman pleaded guilty to five counts of filing a false and fraudulent tax return. Between 2016 and 2020, Mylott-Coleman earned income from a variety of employers, including companies involved in providing healthcare services, in addition to earning wages working for Senator Tran between 2018 and 2020. When filing her federal income tax returns for tax years 2016 through 2020, Mylott-Coleman failed to report approximately $740,000 in income generated from a home healthcare business she operated. The home health care business provided services like meal preparation and medication management for elderly people in their homes. Employees of the business were typically paid by Mylott-Coleman in cash. As a result of the tax fraud, Mylott-Coleman failed to report and pay to the IRS $269,209 in income taxes. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Chao and John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Mom, Dad, And Adult Son Of Drug Distribution Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Philip Beck, 47, Florence Beck, 46, and Joshua Martinez, 27, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, were found guilty by a federal jury for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The guilty verdict, returned after a four-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Trial testimony revealed on January 16, 2023, the DeFuniak Springs Police Department stopped a Ram truck operated by Philip Beck and discovered approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine. On March 10, 2023, the U.S. Postal Inspection service intercepted two packages mailed from California to addresses in Niceville and DeFuniak Springs, each containing approximately five pounds of methamphetamine. Subsequent investigation revealed that Philip Beck and Joshua Martinez were the intended recipients of the drug parcels and Florence Beck was assisting them. Sentencing is set for May 30, 2024, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. Philip Beck and Florence Beck face minimum mandatory sentences of 10 years in federal prison. Joshua Martinez, due to a prior conviction, faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years. The maximum sentence for each is life in prison. This case resulted from a joint investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the DeFuniak Springs Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore prosecuted the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Illinois Man Sentenced in $150,000 Bank Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A federal judge in Memphis sentenced Danville, Illinois native Joseph Willis, 44, to more than two years in prison for bank fraud. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the sentence today. According to information presented in court, Willis was living in Memphis when he and several co-conspirators executed a scheme to deposit and cash stolen United States Treasury checks. Between April and August 2018, Willis and others deposited or attempted to deposit no fewer than six stolen checks, totaling $150,657.26. The United States Postal Inspection Service began investigating Willis and found his fingerprints on multiple stolen U.S. Treasury checks. Investigators also obtained camera footage from several local banks that showed him depositing the stolen checks. Willis pled guilty to bank fraud on October 20, 2023. On March 1, Chief United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Willis to 25 months in federal prison for his role in the crime to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked Assistant United States Attorney William Bateman, who prosecuted this case, as well as law enforcement partners who investigated the case.


title: Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Counterfeit Airbags from China

body_text: Memphis, TN – A retired auto mechanic in Memphis pled guilty in federal court yesterday to trafficking counterfeit airbags and causing a dangerous good or forbidden explosive to be placed onto a commercial aircraft. United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced the guilty plea today. According to information presented in court, Mohammed Al-Abadi , 51, imported counterfeit motor vehicle airbag parts from China and assembled the parts to make counterfeit airbags. Al-Abadi then sold the fake airbags on eBay to unsuspecting automobile repair shops and individual customers for prices ranging from $100 to $725 each. On December 8, 2020, a shipment of counterfeit airbag parts ordered by Al-Abadi was intercepted by agents from the United States Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Further investigation determined that Al-Abadi sold approximately 533 counterfeit airbags. Additionally, Al-Abadi shipped at least one counterfeit airbag by airplane without proper hazardous material classifications, labeling, or packaging in violation of the Department of Transportation’s hazardous material regulations. China has been identified as one of the largest exporters of counterfeit commodities, including counterfeit airbags. In this case, federal agents recovered more than 2,000 counterfeit airbags and parts from Al-Abadi’s residence and place of business. Al-Abadi is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Mark S. Norris on June 11, 2024. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of $2,000,000, and three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Department of Transportation-Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.


title: Cleveland Drug Trafficker with Lengthy Criminal History Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Further Drug Crimes

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, has been sentenced to 108 months in federal prison on his conviction of conspiring to traffic fentanyl and heroin, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Albert Cummings, 44. Judge Bissoon also ordered Cummings to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term. According to information presented to the Court, in 2020 and 2021, Cummings engaged in interstate fentanyl and heroin trafficking from Ohio to Pennsylvania, despite over 25 prior convictions from separate Ohio prosecutions throughout the last 25 years, including several separate convictions for cocaine trafficking, domestic violence, and gun crimes. He was also on bond in 2020 and 2021 with pending Ohio charges for gun and fraud crimes. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin C. Dobkin and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pennsylvania State Police, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, Hermitage Police Department, and Farrell Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Cummings. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: U.S. Army Intelligence Analyst Arrested and Charged with Conspiracy to Obtain and Disclose National Defense Information, Export Control Violations and Bribery

body_text: NASHVILLE – Korbein Schultz, a U.S. Army soldier and intelligence analyst, was arrested today at Fort Campbell following an indictment by a federal grand jury charging him with conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information, exporting technical data related to defense articles without a license, conspiracy to export defense articles without a license, and bribery of a public official, announced Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. The indictment alleges that from June 2022 until the time of his arrest today, Schultz conspired with an individual, identified as Conspirator A, to disclose documents, writings, plans, maps, notes, and photographs relating to national defense as well as information relating to national defense which Schultz had reason to believe could be used to injure the United States or used to the advantage of a foreign nation. Conspirator A recruited Schultz, who possessed a Top Secret security clearance, and frequently tasked him to gather documents and sensitive U.S. military information. Specifically, Conspirator A tasked Schultz with gathering information related to a variety of U.S. military weapons systems, including classified information, and information related to the United States’ potential plans in the event that Taiwan came under military attack. Some of the information that Schultz provided to Conspirator A included documents related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), information on hypersonic equipment, studies on the future development of U.S. military forces, studies on major countries such as the People’s Republic of China, and summaries of military drills and operations. In exchange for the documents and information, Conspirator A made at least 14 payments to Schultz that totaled approximately $42,000. Throughout the entirety of the conspiracy, Conspirator A represented to Schultz that he lived in Hong Kong and worked for a geopolitical consulting firm based overseas. During the course of the conspiracy, Schultz also sent Conspirator A three documents that violated the Arms Export Control Act (AECA). The three documents included an Air Force Tactics Techniques and Procedures manual for the HH-60W helicopter, an Air Force Tactics Techniques and Procedures manual for the F22-A fighter aircraft, and an Air Force Tactics Techniques and Procedures manual for intercontinental ballistic missiles. “Protecting national defense information is absolutely critical to our country’s safety and security,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “The unauthorized sale of such information violates our national security laws, compromises our safety, and cannot be tolerated. Today’s indictment should serve as a reminder of the Justice Department’s vigilance in protecting the United States against any threat to national security, foreign or domestic.” “Mr. Schultz, a member of the U.S. Army, stands accused of conspiring to obtain and provide national defense information to an individual overseas. As part of the conspiracy, the defendant provided sensitive government information to his coconspirator in exchange for thousands of dollars, placing personal profit above the security of the American people,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s arrest shows that such a betrayal does not pay - - the Department of Justice is committed to identifying and holding accountable those who would break their oath to protect our nation’s secrets.” “As alleged, Korbein Schultz betrayed his oath to defend and protect U.S. national security for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “Today’s charges are the first step in holding him accountable for his alleged crimes. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the American people and U.S. national security." “Today’s arrest underscores the unwavering commitment of the Army Counterintelligence Command, our partners at the Department of Justice, and the broader intelligence community in safeguarding our Nation’s secrets,” said Brigadier General Rhett R. Cox, Commanding General, Army Counterintelligence Command. “We cannot tolerate any betrayal of trust, and we remain vigilant in our mission to protect national defense information crucial to our security. We encourage all members of the Army team, past or present, to remain vigilant and report any potential suspicious activity." The FBI and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Adam Barry and Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # # #


title: Federal Jury Convicts Lexington Man of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy, Money Laundering, and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington man, Rollie Deshawn Lamar, 30, has been convicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Frankfort, of one count of conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, money laundering, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and distribution of marijuana. According to evidence presented at trial, beginning in late 2021, law enforcement began an investigation of Lamar and others. The investigation revealed that an individual working for Lamar traveled to Detroit, once or twice a week, and brought back approximately 50 pounds of high-quality marijuana on each trip. Lamar sold this marijuana, by the pound, in the Lexington area. In March 2022, the Kentucky State Police joined the investigation and made at least one vehicle stop yielding a large quantity of high-quality marijuana. On April 6, 2022, a search warrant was executed at Lamar’s residence, where law enforcement seized over $1.86 million in drug proceeds, four expensive vehicles that were drug proceeds, several firearms, and approximately $220,00 in jewelry that was drug proceeds. That same day, law enforcement stopped another vehicle, which led to the seizure of approximately $27,000 in additional drug proceeds. Yet another vehicle stop occurred after Lamar had been indicted, which produced an additional seizure of approximately $11,000 in drug proceeds and $10,000 in jewelry purchased with drug proceeds. The total value of items seized by law enforcement is more than $2 million. Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Erek Davodowich, Acting Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Detroit Field Division; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; and Chief Dustin Bowman, Frankfort Police Department, jointly announced the verdict. The case was investigated by the DEA, ATF, KSP, Lexington Police Department, and Frankfort Police Department. Lamar is scheduled to appear for sentencing on June 24. He faces a minimum of 15 years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing its sentence. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger West. – END –


title: Bay St. Louis Man Pleads Guilty in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A Bay St. Louis man pled guilty for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Kolby Zu Sims, 20, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court documents, on August 29, 2023, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration followed up on a written complaint alleging drug trafficking at the Motel 6 in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Agents surveilled the motel and narrowed down the suspected parties and rooms. Agents observed a red Toyota Camry arrive at the hotel to pick up two of the individuals suspected of selling drugs. Agents followed the vehicle across state lines and observed the occupants of the vehicle participate in what appeared to be a drug transaction in Louisiana. After the transaction, agents followed the Camry back into Mississippi and conducted a traffic stop. Kolby Sims was identified as one of the occupants of the vehicle who had contributed funds to buy approximately 1000 fentanyl-laced pills to bring back from Louisiana for sale in Mississippi. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl Sims plead guilty to one count of interstate travel in aid of an unlawful activity. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose is prosecuting the case.


title: Jefferson County Woman Sentenced for Selling Fentanyl on College Campus

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Hannah Marie Behm, age 54, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for the distribution of fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a protected location. According to court documents and statements made in court, Behm was selling fentanyl pills on and around the campus of Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. During a traffic stop, officers found Behm with 133 capsules containing a mixture that included fentanyl. Behm will be required to report for supervised release for six years following her prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Salem prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided. ###