title: Kansas City Man Charged with Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Christopher L. Curtner, 41, was charged with bank robbery in a federal criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. The complaint affidavit alleges Curtner robbed a financial institution on the morning of May 27, 2025. After speaking briefly with the bank teller, Curtner wrote a note saying: “give me the money this is a robbery.” The teller activated the bank’s duress code and provided Curtner with approximately $1,400 in cash, after which he fled the scene. A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) task force positively identified Curtner as the bank robber. Kansas City, Missouri Police Department (KCPD) officers located Curtner, who was on foot in the Kansas City metro area. The KCPD fugitive unit began physical surveillance on Curtner and took him into custody as he entered a second financial institution. Under federal statutes, bank robbery carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Siegele. It was investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, Kansas City Division and the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.


title: Three Charged with Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Kansas City, Mo. individuals have been charged for their role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Kajuan M. Jackson, 40, Christopher D. Baird, 40, and Skyler B. Sledd, 26, were charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Wed., May 28. The complaint was unsealed and made public following their arrests and initial court appearance. The complaint alleges that Jackson, Baird, and Sledd sold tablets labeled “M30”, which contain fentanyl, to an undercover investigator between June 1, 2024, and May 22, 2025. Sledd is currently on state felony supervision through Missouri Probation and Parole for possession of a controlled substance. Jackson faces additional charges for possessing firearms and machineguns in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of firearms. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Jackson has prior felony convictions for identity theft; possession of an opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant; criminal possession of a weapon by a felon; two counts of possession of a controlled substance; and tampering with a motor vehicle. The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Under federal statutes, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years’ imprisonment in federal prison without parole. Possession of machineguns in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri Western Interdiction Drug Task Force, and the United States Postal Service. KC Metro Strike Force This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.


title: Florissant Man Charged with Felon in Possession of Firearms

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Florissant, Mo., man appeared in court today on an indictment alleging that he possessed firearms after a prior felony conviction. Jerald Cortez Harris, Jr., 27, was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms in an indictment returned on May 13, 2025, by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. The indictment, which was unsealed upon Harris’s arrest and appearance in court, alleges that between March 14, 2025, and March 27, 2025, Harris possessed two firearms: a Glock, model 30, .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, and a Beretta, model APX A1 Compact, 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. Harris has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo. Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Former Key West Firefighter Charged with Possession of a Destructive Device and a Short-Barreled Rifle

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A former Key West firefighter made his initial appearance in federal court today to face an indictment charging him with the possession of a destructive device and possession of a short-barreled rifle. According to the indictment, on March 14, Vincent Michael Vega, 38, was in possession of a combination of parts used in converting a device into a destructive device, i.e. an explosive bomb or similar device. Vega was also in possession of a modified semi-automatic rifle, which had a barrel of less than 16 inches. The firearms were not registered to Vega in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement. ATF Miami is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hannah is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-10023. ###


title: 413 New Immigration Cases This Week in the Western District of Texas

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 413 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 23 through May 29. Among the new cases, Salvadoran national Jaqueline Del Carmen Aleman-Aguilar was charged with one count of illegal re-entry in San Antonio. According to a criminal complaint, Aleman-Aguilar was convicted for transportation of aliens in June 2015 and sentenced to six months in federal prison. She was then removed from the United States to Mexico in July 2015. Christian Ruben Corea-Benavides , a Nicaraguan national, was charged in El Paso with attempting to transport illegal aliens. U.S. Border Patrol agents allegedly observed Corea-Benavides pick up five illegal aliens just over four miles west of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that during a traffic stop, the investigating USBP agent observed a female passenger in the front seat of the vehicle, and four additional passengers lying on top of one another in the backseat—all appearing to be wet and muddy. Mexican national Sabino Renteria-Alvarado was arrested May 28 at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry after he attempted to enter through the pedestrian entrance and allegedly presented the Customs and Border Protection officer (CBPO) with a false claim that he had been a Legal Permanent Resident, but that police in Nevada possessed his LPR card. The CBPO referred Renteria-Alvarado to Passport Control Secondary, where records revealed he had been previously removed in January 2024 through Nogales, Arizona. His criminal record includes a 15-year prison sentence for a sexual assault of a minor conviction in 2017. Renteria-Alvarado is currently charged with one count of illegal re-entry. Two U.S. citizens were arrested in the Del Rio area as the result of separate human smuggling attempts, as alleged in criminal complaints. Nancy Anna Gwyn , of Houston, was encountered during a May 22 traffic stop near Carrizo Springs. USBP agents allegedly uncovered three passengers in her vehicle who were identified to be citizens of foreign countries and illegally present in the U.S. On May 24, an immigration checkpoint inspection near Eagle Pass allegedly revealed that Anastasia Lee Daneill Godfrey , of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was attempting to transport two illegal aliens to San Antonio in the trunk of a sedan. Honduran national Walter Alonso Martinez-Chandias is charged with illegal re-entry. He has one prior removal—in June 2013 through Alexandria, Louisiana—and a lengthy criminal record that includes convictions in Birmingham, Alabama for drug trafficking and homicide, for which he was sentenced in 2018 to five years and 20 years in prison, respectively. In 2017, he was convicted in Birmingham for unlawful transport of firearms and sentenced to 81 months in prison. A criminal complaint alleges that when he was arrested on May 25, Martinez-Chandias refused to comply with Border Patrol agents’ commands and resisted attempts to be placed in custody and handcuffs by running and kicking. Luis Alberto Olivarez-Hernandez , of Mexico, was arrested May 27 near Eagle Pass for illegal re-entry. He has two prior removals, the last one being Feb. 25 through Laredo, five days after a felony conviction for unlawfully carrying a weapon in prohibited places. Additionally, Olivarez-Hernandez was convicted in 2010 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Armando Vazquez-Ruiz , also a Mexican national, is charged with illegal re-entry after being found near Eagle Pass less than two weeks after his most recent removal. Vazquez-Ruiz had been convicted in Georgetown May 7 for assault causing bodily injury and was deported May 8 through Laredo. In Austin, Mexican national Basilio Luna-Luna was encountered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Travis County Jail May 24, where he was detained for what would be his seventh DWI, if convicted. Luna-Luna was previously removed from the U.S. in November 2014 and voluntarily returned to Mexico twice—once in 1998 and once in 2009. Juan Alberto Zarate-Salgado , also of Mexico, was encountered at the Travis County Jail as well and is charged with illegal re-entry. Zarate-Salgado has two prior removals and multiple convictions for assault of a family/household member and assault causing bodily injury to a family member. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Lafayette Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Louisiana, Western

body_text: LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Jaylen Mouton , 24, of Lafayette, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 240 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography. According to information presented in court, in the spring of 2024, Mouton met a minor female on Instagram and began having sexual encounters with her and recording those sexual encounters. At the time, the minor female was 14 years old. Mouton was indicted in October 2024 and pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography on February 21, 2025. The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Louisiana Bureau of Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678 . # # #


title: U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton Announces Selection Of White Plains Division Chiefs

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the selection of Jeff C. Coffman and Benjamin Klein as Chiefs of the Office’s White Plains Division, as well as the retirement of Perry Carbone, Chief of the Office’s Criminal Division, who previously served with distinction as Chief of the White Plains Division. Mr. Coffman joined the Office as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division in 2018, following five years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of New York and one year as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia. Prior to becoming a prosecutor, Mr. Coffman worked at the law firm of Trout Cacheris, PLLC and co-founded and managed a small law firm in Washington, D.C. Mr. Coffman received Bachelor of Science degrees from Virginia Tech and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. After graduating from law school, he clerked for the Hon. James C. Cacheris of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Mr. Klein joined the Office as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division in 2021. Before becoming a prosecutor, Mr. Klein worked at the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Mr. Klein received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University, and a J.D. from the Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of The Yale Law Journal . After graduating, Mr. Klein clerked for the Honorable Thomas M. Hardiman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. “I am pleased to announce the selection of Jeff Coffman and Ben Klein as co-chiefs of the Office’s White Plains division,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Jeff and Ben will bring a wealth of prosecutorial talent and experience to lead the critically impactful work of the division. Together with our agency partners, they will drive our commitment to safety and fairness for millions of New Yorkers. On behalf of the hundreds of women and men of the Southern District who have benefited from working with Perry Carbone, I say thank you, Perry, for your commitment to justice and your devotion to the Office and your colleagues. Perry has been a consummate prosecutor for decades and has admirably spent his career as a selfless advocate for public safety. We all thank Perry for doing so much good for so many. I am also especially grateful to Margery Feinzig, Deputy Chief of our Criminal Division, who stepped in as Acting Chief of the White Plains Division during this transition. Her steady leadership, professionalism, and tireless commitment ensured that the White Plains Division continued to function at the highest level. We are fortunate to have had her at the helm.”


title: Denver Man Sentenced to 110 Months in Federal Prison for Fentanyl, Gun Charges

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Derris Mayberry, 37, of Denver, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison after being convicted by federal juries in two trials of one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. According to the facts established at the trials, on the evening of March 22, 2024, a woman approached an officer conducting surveillance for an undercover operation and offered the officer “dope.” She then told the officer that she knew someone who could get “blues,” meaning fentanyl pills. The woman ultimately led undercover police officers to an alley near the Colorado State Capitol where Mayberry was waiting. An audio recording captured the undercover officer negotiating the price and amount of fentanyl pills. The officers then observed the woman make a hand-to-hand exchange with Mayberry, immediately after which the woman handed four fentanyl pills to the undercover officer in exchange for $20. Law enforcement contacted Mayberry shortly thereafter at a bus stop only feet away from where the deal had taken place. During a pat down, law enforcement found a loaded .22 caliber revolver in his shorts pocket. Mayberry had previously been convicted of multiple felonies and, therefore, was prohibited from possessing the loaded revolver. During a search incident to his arrest, law enforcement found additional fentanyl pills and the $20 used by the undercover officer to purchase the drugs. “Illicit fentanyl destroys lives,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “Our office will continue to prioritize putting fentanyl traffickers behind bars.” “Felons illegally possessing firearms and distributing deadly drugs like fentanyl pose a serious and immediate threat to public safety,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge. “We are grateful for our local and federal partners who are unified in our commitment to pursue these violent criminals and hold them accountable for their actions.” “What began as great, proactive police work ended with an armed dealer of dangerous narcotics being sentenced to prison to a lengthy term,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. “The Denver Police Department, in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and U.S. Attorney’s Office, remain committed to stopping the availability of dangerous drugs in Denver.” United States District Judge Daniel D. Domenico presided over the sentencing. The Denver Police Department VICE unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore O’Brien and Celeste Rangel handled the prosecution. Case Number: 24-cr-00110-DDD


title: Louisville Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraud Conspiracy and Ordered to Pay Restitution

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY - A Louisville couple was sentenced this week to federal prison for engaging in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and disaster fraud. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Licari of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Midwestern Region, Special Agent in Charge Kelly J. Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division made the announcement. According to court documents, Yeniseis Saavedra , 35, was sentenced on May 28, 2025, to 3 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of making a false statement, two counts of disaster fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Alien Saavedra , 36, was sentenced on May 20, 2025, to 1 day in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of disaster fraud. Between 2019 and 2020, Yeniseis Saavedra and Alien Saavedra engaged in a conspiracy to defraud factoring (trucking loan) companies by submitting false bills of lading. Yeniseis Saavedra and Alien Saavedra also aided and abetted each other in committing disaster fraud by filing for lost wage assistance payments authorized by a Presidential Memorandum resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic with the Kentucky Office of Unemployment. The filing for lost wage assistance payments was on behalf of Alien Saavedra and failed to report that Alien Saavedra was receiving wages from the motor carrier industry. In 2020, Yeniseis Saavedra made a false statement to the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration when she falsely filed an application on behalf of another, C.S., claiming that C.S. was going to operate a trucking company. However, C.S. was not aware of the application filing, and Yeniseis Saavedra was operating the company. Yeniseis Saavedra also filed for lost wage assistance payments authorized by a Presidential Memorandum resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic with the Kentucky Office of Unemployment on behalf of C.S. Again, C.S. was unaware of the filing, this time for lost wage assistance payments, and C.S. did not receive any of the lost wage payments. Instead, the lost wage payments were sent to a bank account controlled by Yeniseis Saavedra . Lastly, Yeniseis Saavedra was sentenced for aggravated identity theft for using the identity and Social Security number of C.S. without C.S.’s authorization to obtain the lost wage assistance payments. There is no parole in the federal system. Alien Saavedra was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $111,143.78. Yeniseis Saavedra was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $156,147.78 This case was investigated by the DOT-OIG, HHS-OIG, and USPIS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari prosecuted the case. ###


title: Illinois Man Admits Sexual Assault on Grounds of Gateway Arch National Park

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Fairview Heights, Illinois on Friday admitted sexually assaulting a woman in Gateway Arch National Park in 2023. Monte Derrell Boatman, 37, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of aggravated sexual abuse. He admitted assaulting the victim on Dec. 6, 2023, at about 5:30 p.m. Boatman took the Metro from Fairview Heights and exited at Laclede’s Landing at about 5:15 p.m. He was captured on video passing the victim near 4th Street and Washington Avenue at about 5:19 p.m. Roughly one minute later, Boatman turned and began following the victim. Boatman later grabbed the victim from behind, wrapped his arms around her and then, with a razor to her neck, forced her into the bushes, where he assaulted her while threatening her life multiple times. Boatman was arrested two days later by rangers with the National Park Service after a struggle that resulted in one ranger seeking medical treatment. At the time, Boatman had an active arrest warrant for violating his probation in a 2009 armed robbery case in the Southern District of Illinois. Boatman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12. The sexual abuse charge is punishable by up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. Both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Boatman’s lawyer have agreed to recommend a sentence of 28 years in prison to be followed by supervised release for life. The case was investigated by the National Park Service and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.


title: New Mexico Man Indicted in El Paso for Drug, Firearm and Murder Charges

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A New Mexico man is in federal custody after being indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso in 2021 and expelled to the U.S. by Mexican authorities earlier this week. Jaime Renteria-Fernandez, 31, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is charged in a superseding indictment with nine counts related to alleged offenses committed in support of the Barraza Drug Trafficking Organization. Co-conspirator Alex Barraza was the leader of the DTO and was sentenced to life in federal prison Oct. 24, 2024. Renteria-Fernandez made his initial appearance in federal court Thursday. The indictment includes multiple counts related to drug possession and trafficking, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, as well as discharging firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and murder resulting from the use and carrying of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, with a maximum of life in federal prison, and possibly the death penalty. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations El Paso is investigating the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Texas Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Johnston, Andres Ortega and Susanna Martinez are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Three Defendants Sentenced and Another Pleads Guilty for Roles in Transnational Drug Trafficking Operation

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Three individuals from Pennsylvania, Washington, and Arizona were sentenced, and another individual from Ohio pleaded guilty, in federal court on May 28, 2025, on charges of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws in relation to a transnational drug trafficking organization (DTO), Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendants were among 35 individuals charged through a Second Superseding Indictment unsealed in January 2024 for their participation in a domestic and international narcotics and money laundering conspiracy involving substantial quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. The sentences imposed by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan were: Defendant Age Residence Sentence James Pinkston 34 New Kensington, Pennsylvania 220 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release Alicia Parks 26 Kent, Washington 84 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release Marco Armenta 24 Phoenix, Arizona 12 months and one day in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release According to information presented to the Court, on various dates from in and around August 2021 to in and around June 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pinkston and Parks conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Similarly, from in and around August 2022 to January 2023, Armenta conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl. The defendants were intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that they distributed to others. Additionally, the Court was advised that, in and around March 2023, Pinkston possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine, and, from in and around April 2022 to March 2023, conspired to commit money laundering by using a payments app to receive and initiate payments for drug transactions. The Second Superseding Indictment alleges that the operation imported from Mexico millions of fentanyl pills, kilograms of fentanyl powder, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and dozens of kilograms of cocaine that then were distributed and sold throughout the United States. Pinkston served as the western Pennsylvania connection to the Phoenix DTO responsible for importing the drugs from Mexico. In addition to the sentencings, another defendant in the case—Diamond Williams-Dorsey, 32, of Cleveland, Ohio—pleaded guilty before Judge Ranjan to Count One of the Second Superseding Indictment. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around July 2022 to August 2022, Williams-Dorsey conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl. Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for November 4, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. With this week’s three sentencings and guilty plea, 20 of the 35 defendants charged in the Second Superseding Indictment have now pleaded guilty in the case, with nine having been sentenced thus far. Assistant United States Attorneys Arnold P. Bernard Jr. and Tonya S. Goodman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of the defendants. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Three Defendants Plead Guilty to Participating in Cross-State Drug Trafficking Ring

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Three individuals from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey pleaded guilty in federal court this week to charges of violating federal narcotics laws in connection with a cross-state drug trafficking ring, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendants were among 27 individuals charged through a Superseding Indictment unsealed in March 2023 for their participation in a cross-state narcotics conspiracy involving substantial quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, crack, and heroin. Pleading guilty this week before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan were: Plea Date Defendant Age Residence May 28 Robert Hurst 46 North Royalton, Ohio May 28 Melissa Frain 36 Indiana, Pennsylvania May 29 Kevin Thomas 48 Newark, New Jersey In connection with the guilty pleas, the Court was advised that, in and around October 2022 to March 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Hurst conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl, and a quantity of a mixture of crack. Similarly, from in and around September 2021 to January 2022, Frain conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute quantities of mixtures of cocaine, fentanyl, and crack. From in and around October 2022 to March 2023, Thomas conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine and a quantity of a mixture of crack. The defendants were intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that they distributed to others. Hurst was one of the managers of the New Kensington-based drug trafficking group. Hurst primarily resided in Cleveland, Ohio, but maintained a premises in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, which served as a distribution point for the organization. Hurst exercised decision-making authority on behalf of the organization and dictated who could be supplied with the group’s drugs. Judge Horan scheduled sentencings for September 17, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 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 offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of each defendant. With this week’s guilty pleas, 22 of the 27 defendants charged in the Superseding Indictment have now pleaded guilty in the case, with 14 defendants having been sentenced thus far. Included in those sentencings is Misti Durante, 40, of Indiana, Pennsylvania, who Judge Horan sentenced this week to time served for her role in the conspiracy. Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of the defendants. 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, 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: Jamaican National Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic “Party Drugs”

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A Jamaican man residing in Cleveland has been sentenced to 100 months (8.3 years) in prison for his role in trafficking more than 150 pounds of a popular party drug. Tonie Neno Mitchell, 34, previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. U.S. District Court Judge Benita Y. Pearson imposed the sentence on May 29. According to court documents, in July 2024, investigators with the DEA executed a federal search warrant at Mitchell’s residence in Cleveland. The search warrant was based on a DEA money laundering investigation into Mitchell, and others, and had already resulted in the seizure of more than $350,000 in suspected drug cash. Mitchell attempted to flee when investigators made entry to his house, but he was apprehended. In Mitchell’s living room closet, investigators found approximately 70 vacuum-sealed bags containing colored rock crystal substances that were later determined to be 70 kilograms of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). According to DEA.gov, MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, is a “party drug” popular among adolescents and young adults because it is known to reduce inhibition. In Mitchell’s bedroom, investigators found a loaded 9mm handgun, ammunition, a ledger notebook listing drug prices and money owed for drugs, more than $50,000 in cash, and eight cellphones. Investigators determined that Mitchell was a Jamaican national present in the United States illegally, and that he had entered the country in approximately August 2023. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, visit Justice.gov/OCDETF. This case was investigated by the DEA Cleveland District Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James P. Lewis for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Investment Advisor Charged in Federal Court With Defrauding Client

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CHICAGO — An investment advisor has been charged in federal court with defrauding a suburban Chicago client out of approximately $500,000. JORDAN ROMAN, 47, of Rancho Park, Calif., is charged with wire fraud in a criminal information filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Arraignment in federal court has not yet been scheduled. According to the information, Roman operated Illinois-based Drumstick Timpani Fund L.P., through which he solicited and obtained funds from clients. Per the information, from 2012 to 2024, Roman fraudulently obtained funds from an investor in a Chicago suburb. He allegedly did so by misrepresenting the intended use of the investment and falsely boasting of the investment’s performance and value. In addition, Roman falsely told the victim that he would invest the money on the victim’s behalf, even though Roman knew some of the money would be used for Roman’s personal benefit, including paying utility and credit card bills, the information states. Roman concealed his misappropriation by creating bogus account statements and tax forms that falsely represented the victim’s investment was greater than its actual value, the information states. The information was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Hasten and Paige Nutini. The public is reminded that an information is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. roman_information.pdf


title: Three Admit to Roles in Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three people have admitted to working in a large-scale drug operation in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. Juan Carlos Suarez-Lugo, age 55, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Alexis Alvarado, age 38, of Ranson, West Virginia, each pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Mauricio Antonio Alvarado-Flores, age 38, a citizen of El Salvador, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and illegal reentry. According to court documents and statements made in court, Suarez-Lugo, Alvarado, and Alvarado-Flores were working together and with others to sell drugs for the drug trafficking organization. Suarez-Lugo, Alvarado, and Alvarado-Flores each face at least five years and up to 40 years in federal prison for the drug charge. Alvarado-Flores faces up to two years in prison for the illegal reentry charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force was the lead investigative unit. Other investigative agencies that assisted include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the Pittsburgh, San Francisco, San Juan, and Philadelphia Field Offices; United States Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisville and Chicago Divisions; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Martinsburg Police Department; Ranson Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; West Virginia Air National Guard; Mineral County Sheriff's Office; Grant County Sheriff's Office; Hampshire County Sheriff's Department; Keyser Police Department; Northwest Regional Drug Task Force, Virginia; Pennsylvania State Police; Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Pennsylvania; Winchester Police Department, Virginia; Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Virginia; Virginia State Police; Sunnyvale Police Department, California. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Final Two Men Sentenced for Conspiracy that Seized 29 Kilos of Fentanyl

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

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Javaris Latrey Johnson, 37, and Thomas Anthony Perry, 33, both of York County, were sentenced to more than 12 years and eight years in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Evidence presented to the court showed that in August 2022, a codefendant sold approximately 5,000 pills to a confidential informant. Following the purchase and further investigation, agents focused on a property in York County which they suspected was being used to manufacture illicit fentanyl pills. On Oct. 19, 2022, agents executed a search warrant at a trailer on the property and found Johnson and Perry and two codefendants inside the trailer. Law enforcement immediately determined the trailer was being used as a clandestine lab. After clearing the trailer and rendering it safe to search, agents found multiple bags of powder and multiple containers containing over 150,000 pills, totaling over 29 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 1,890 grams of cocaine, 690 grams of methamphetamine, and 1,500 grams of heroin. In addition to the drugs, agents found several pill press machines, a large amount of cash, and various drug paraphernalia. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Johnson to 151 months imprisonment and sentenced Perry to 97 months imprisonment both to be followed by a term of supervised release. The co-defendants were sentenced in April. There is no parole in the federal system. This investigation 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Spokane Dermatologist Agrees to Pay $1.4 Million to Resolve Claims of Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 Funds

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – The United States Attorney’s Office announced William Philip Werschler, age 66, of Spokane, Washington, along with his businesses Spokane Dermatology Clinic, Premier Clinical Research L.L.C., and 3 rd and Sherman Plaza L.L.C., have agreed to pay $1,400,000 to resolve claims under the False Claims Act related to alleged mis-spending of funds intended to benefit struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. EIDL funds were to be used solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury to a business caused by the COVID-19 disaster, such as paying payroll, health insurance premiums, rent, utilities, and fixed debt payments. EIDL funds were not to be used for personal purposes or to obtain real property or to refinance indebtedness which was incurred prior to the disaster event is a prohibited use of EIDL funding. According to the settlement agreement, beginning no later than April 2020 and continuing until at least July 2022, Werschler applied for EIDL loans for his businesses: Spokane Dermatology Clinic, Premier Clinical Research, and 3 rd and Sherman Plaza L.L.C. Shortly after receiving EIDL funds, Werschler made personal purchases of a 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 and a 1997 Porsche Carrera for a total of $252,375.00. Werschler also used $553,143 to purchase two properties across from his Spokane Dermatology Clinic. The purchase of personal automobiles and real property are both contrary to the proper use of EIDL funds. The global resolution entered into by Werschler and his companies also resolved related criminal charges. This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigations, the FBI, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. The settlement agreement can be viewed at the link below. settlement_agreement.pdf


title: Two Foreign Nationals Indicted for Plot to Silence U.S. Dissident and Smuggle U.S. Military Technology to China

body_text: Federal grand juries in Milwaukee and Los Angeles each returned indictments charging two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom and a U.S. lawful permanent resident, with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking (Los Angeles) and conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act (Milwaukee). “As alleged, the defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems. We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge.” “The defendants allegedly plotted to harass and interfere with an individual who criticized the actions of the People’s Republic of China while exercising their constitutionally protected free speech rights within the United States of America,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “The same individuals also are charged with trying to obtain and export sensitive U.S. military technology to China. I want to commend the good work of the FBI and our partners in the U.S and overseas in putting a stop to these illegal activities.” Allegations in the Central District of California According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the Victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi. “The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticized the Chinese government and its president,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil.” Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI. In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim, to install a tracking device on the victim’s car, to slash the tires on the victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife. A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI. Allegations in the Eastern District of Wisconsin According to court documents, beginning in November 2023, Miller and Cui solicited the procurement of U.S. defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China from two individuals (Individual 5 and Individual 6). In connection with the scheme, Cui and Miller discussed with Individuals 5 and 6 ways to export a cryptographic device from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, including concealing the device in a blender, small electronics, or motor starter, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. Cui and Miller paid approximately $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the United States and a wire transfer to a U.S. bank account. *** If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy; five years in prison for interstate stalking; 20 years in prison for violation of the Arms Export Control Act; and 10 years in prison for smuggling. The FBI is investigating the case. The United States is coordinating with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller from Serbia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ryan and Amanda B. Elbogen for the Central District of California, Benjamin Taibleson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the cases, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Elizabeth Man Charged with Making Antisemitic Threat to Injure Local Public Official

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Edward Arthur Owens Jr., 29, a resident of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with making a threat to injure a local public official, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Owens was arrested on the criminal complaint this morning by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to the complaint, on May 20, 2025, Owens knowingly and willfully transmitted via a social media messaging app the following threat to injure a local public official: “We’re coming for you [emoji of person raising right hand] [German flag emoji] be afraid. Go back to Israel or better yet, exterminate yourself and save us the trouble. 109 countries for a reason. We will not stop until your kind is nonexistent.” The complaint explains that the reference to “109 countries,” according to the Anti-Defamation League, is an antisemitic assertion that Jews have been expelled from 109 different countries; it is used by antisemites to call for the expulsion of Jews from other countries and otherwise to promote hatred. The recipient of the message is a local official who regularly engages with the public. The United States has filed a request for detention of the defendant pending trial, asserting that he is a danger to the community and should be held without bail. A hearing on the government’s motion will be held June 5, 2025, at 10 a.m. Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the criminal complaint against Owens. A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: British and Chinese Nationals Indicted for Alleged Plot to Silence U.S. Dissident and Smuggle U.S. Military Technology to China

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Federal grand juries in Los Angeles and Milwaukee each have returned indictments charging two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom and a U.S. lawful permanent resident, with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit interstate stalking (Los Angeles) and conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act (Milwaukee), the Justice Department announced today. “As alleged, the defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on U.S. soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems. We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge.” “The defendants allegedly plotted to harass and interfere with an individual who criticized the actions of the People’s Republic of China while exercising their constitutionally protected free speech rights within the United States of America,” said FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. “The same individuals also are charged with trying to obtain and export sensitive U.S. military technology to China. I want to commend the good work of the FBI and our partners in the U.S and overseas in putting a stop to these illegal activities.” Central District of California (Los Angeles) According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the Victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi. “The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticized the Chinese government and its president,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil.” “The FBI will not tolerate transnational repression targeting those in the United States who express dissenting opinions about foreign leaders,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Both defendants face serious stalking charges in Los Angeles and my office intends to hold them accountable for bullying a victim, a critic of the PRC, and targeting him with violence.” Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI. In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim, to install a tracking device on the victim’s car, to slash the tires on the victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife. A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI. Eastern District of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) According to court documents, beginning in November 2023, Miller and Cui solicited the procurement of U.S. defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China from two individuals (Individual 5 and Individual 6). In connection with the scheme, Cui and Miller discussed with Individuals 5 and 6 ways to export a cryptographic device from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, including concealing the device in a blender, small electronics, or motor starter, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. Cui and Miller paid approximately $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the United States and a wire transfer to a U.S. bank account. *** Complaints and indictments contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years in prison for conspiracy; five years in prison for interstate stalking; 20 years in prison for violation of the Arms Export Control Act; and 10 years in prison for smuggling. The FBI is investigating the case. The United States is coordinating with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller from Serbia. Assistant United States Attorneys David Ryan, Chief of the National Security Division and Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, both of the Central District of California, Benjamin Taibleson of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the cases, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.


title: United States Secures the Extraditions of Individuals Accused of Violent and Other Serious Crimes from Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Georgia, Guatemala, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Israel, Kenya, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius,

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Extensive coordination between the Justice Department and law enforcement authorities in Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Georgia, Guatemala, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Israel, Kenya, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Panama, Peru, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Kingdom (UK) resulted in the extraditions in April and May of dozens of individuals. The defendants returned to the United States are alleged to have committed crimes — including child sexual abuse and rape, murder, hate crimes, assault, narcoterrorism, drug trafficking, alien smuggling, cybercrime, money laundering, fraud, aggravated robbery and extortion — in a number of U.S. states and federal districts, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia. The fugitives extradited to the United States include: Michail Chkhikvishvili , also known as Mishka, Michael, Commander Butcher, and Butcher, 21, a Georgian national and alleged leader of a white supremacist group, was extradited from Moldova to face charges in the Eastern District of New York for soliciting hate crimes and planning a mass casualty attack in New York City. As the alleged leader of the white supremacist group “Maniac Murder Cult,” an international, racially motivated violent extremist group that adheres to a neo-Nazi ideology and promotes violence against racial minorities, the Jewish community, and other groups that it deems “undesirables,” Chkhikvishvili allegedly traveled to Brooklyn in 2022 and actively solicited acts of mass violence with a person who was, unbeknownst to Chkhikvishvili, an undercover FBI employee. In November 2023, Chkhikvishvili allegedly began planning a mass casualty attack to take place on New Year’s Eve, which would involve an individual dressing up as Santa Claus and handing out candy laced with poison to racial minorities. In January 2024, as alleged, the scheme evolved and Chkhikvishvili specifically directed the undercover FBI employee to target the Jewish community, Jewish schools, and Jewish children in Brooklyn. Liridon Masurica , also known as @blackdb, 33, a national of Kosovo and alleged administrator of an online criminal marketplace, was extradited from Kosovo to face charges of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and fraudulent use of 15 or more unauthorized access devices in the Middle District of Florida. Adrian Alberto Cano Gomez , also known as Andrea, 45, a national of Colombia and an alleged member of the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), a designated foreign terrorist organization, was extradited from Colombia to face charges in the Southern District of Texas of narco-terrorism and distributing kilogram quantities of cocaine from Colombia. Aler Baldomero Samayoa-Recinos , also known as Chicharra, 58, a national of Guatemala and alleged leader of a prolific Guatemalan drug trafficking organization, was extradited from Guatemala to face charges in the District of Columbia of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms of cocaine for importation to the United States. Daniel Flores , 49, a national of Mexico, was extradited from Mexico to face charges of first-degree murder for the 1995 killing of two brothers, both U.S. Marines, ages 22 and 19, in Cook County, Illinois. Manuel Alejandro Vasquez , 47, a citizen of Mexico, was extradited from Mexico to face a charge of murder in Ventura County, California. Vasquez’s two co-defendants were convicted in 1999 and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the 1998 murder of a man in his home over an alleged unpaid debt. Vasquez fled to Mexico before charges could be filed against him. Tyler Buchanan, 23, a UK national, was extradited from Spain to face charges of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in the Central District of California. Among other crimes, Buchanan and his co-conspirators allegedly stole cryptocurrency worth millions of dollars following phishing attacks on over 45 companies based in the United States, Canada, and the UK. Felix Manuel Mejia-Gonzalez , 33, a Dominican citizen, was extradited from the Dominican Republic to face charges of fentanyl trafficking in the District of New Hampshire. Samuel Steven Huggler , 28, a U.S. citizen, was extradited from Spain, to face charges relating to the alleged murder and attempted murders of three of his siblings in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. Huggler is charged with aiding, inducing, or causing murder, three counts of conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of aiding, inducing, or causing attempted murder, and possession of an altered firearm. Michel Patrick Desalles , 54, a Mauritian national, was extradited from Mauritius to face a charge of murder in the second degree in the State of New York. Desalles allegedly choked his employer to death with zip ties and immediately fled the United States in 2017. Juan Miguel Roman-Balderas, 45, a citizen of Mexico, was extradited from Mexico to face two charges of murder in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Roman-Balderas is alleged to have stabbed to death his 28-year-old ex-girlfriend in April 2014 in Greenbelt, Maryland. Rody L. Wilcox , 50, a U.S. citizen, was extradited from Georgia to face charges of lewd conduct with a minor under 16 years of age filed in Latah County, Idaho. Wilcox allegedly sexually assaulted a six-year-old child on multiple occasions in 2023. In 2024, Wilcox fled Idaho while on bond. Through OIA’s cooperation with the FBI, U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and Georgian authorities, Wilcox was arrested in Georgia on Aug. 16, 2024, while en route to the Russian Federation. Miguel Angel Urbano-Vazquez , 48, a citizen of Mexico, was extradited from Mexico to face charges of aggravated first-degree murder and rape in Pierce County, Washington. Urbano-Vazquez is alleged to have raped four victims between March and October 2002, one of whom he is also alleged to have murdered in the course of rape. Gilberto Gutierrez, 46, a citizen of El Salvador, was extradited from El Salvador to face charges of rape, child abuse, and related sex offenses in Wicomico County, Maryland. Gutierrez allegedly repeatedly sexually abused two girls under the age of 10 years old between approximately 1999 and 2004. Ramon Manriquez Castillo , 68, a dual U.S. and Mexican citizen; Edgar Rodriguez Ruano , 29, a Mexican citizen; Fernando Javier Escobar Tito , 48, an Ecuadorian citizen; and Anderson Jair Gamboa Nieto , 30, a Colombian citizen, were surrendered by Guinea-Bissau to face drug trafficking charges in the Southern District of Florida. The co-defendants are alleged members of a transnational drug trafficking organization comprised of several cartels in Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela, and they allegedly conspired to distribute large quantities of cocaine through Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Guinea-Bissau using a U.S.-registered airplane, with a U.S. citizen onboard, from about November 2023 to September 2024. They are also charged with distributing cocaine in these countries using an airplane with a U.S. citizen onboard. Artem Aleksandrovych Stryzhak , 35, a Ukrainian national, was extradited from Spain to face charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, extortion, and related activity in connection with computers in the Eastern District of New York. According to the charges in the Eastern District of New York, Stryzhak is one of the administrators of the Nefilim ransomware gang. The fugitives extradited by the United States include: Tahawwur Hussain Rana , 64, a Canadian citizen, native of Pakistan, and convicted terrorist, was extradited to India to stand trial on 10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed 160 people, including six Americans, and wounded hundreds more. Aaron Seth Juarez , 26, a U.S. citizen, was extradited to Mexico to be prosecuted for femicide for the 2019 killing of his approximately 31-year-old stepmother, whose body he allegedly buried in the backyard of her Tijuana home. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), along with the U.S. Marshals Service, provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrests and extraditions. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California and the Eastern District of California litigated with OIA the successful outgoing extradition cases for Rana and Juarez, respectively. OIA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions from Colombia. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) also provided assistance with the extraditions from Guatemala and Kosovo. The Justice Department thanks and acknowledges the instrumental role of its law enforcement partners in Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Georgia, Guatemala, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Israel, Kenya, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Panama, Peru, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Kingdom for making these extraditions possible. An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former Member of Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Pleads Guilty for Involvement in Theft of Firearm from Rival Club Member

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in the armed theft of a firearm from a member of a rival motorcycle club. Michael R. Browell, also known as “Dirtbag,” 35, of Savannah, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of aiding and abetting in the possession of a stolen firearm. On April 25, 2023, a member of the Border Saints Motorcycle Gang was chased down and confronted by Pagan’s Saint Joseph Chapter President Jeremiah Z. Hahn, a/k/a “Pass Out,” and former Pagan’s St. Joseph Chapter Sergeant at Arms Michael Browell, in Saint Joseph, Mo. The Border Saints member (“victim”) had previously been requested by Hahn and other Pagan’s members to set up a meeting with the Outlaws Motorcycle Gang over their possible presence in the Saint Joseph area. The Border Saints were a support club for the Outlaws and the victim was deemed responsible by the Pagan’s for arranging the meeting. After the victim said that he had failed to do so, Hahn and Browell told the victim to remove his Outlaws support shirt. The victim refused. Browell then got an axe handle from his motorcycle and threatened the victim with it. As the victim was giving up his support shirt, Hahn took the victim’s firearm from him. The firearm was a Smith & Wesson, model M&P Shield, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Thereafter, Hahn and Browell left with the firearm and support shirt. Hahn was later found in possession of the firearm when arrested by the Missouri State Highway Patrol on May 3, 2023. On May 20, 2025, Hahn pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of the firearm, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. Under federal statutes, Browell is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Four Defendants Plead Guilty to Two Murders and a Third Non-Fatal, Drive-By Shooting in Southeast, Washington D.C.

body_text: WASHINGTON – Derrico Johnson, 21, Ronald Henderson, 19, Daveon Robinson, 18, and Demarco Robinson, 22, each pleaded guilty today in connection with three different day-time shootings that occurred in Southeast Washington, D.C. between April 2022 and January 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for September 12, 2025. Each of the four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder or armed crime of violence, after admitting to their membership in a Henson Ridge based crew referred to by many names, including “Get Back Gang” and “the Z.” This crew is part of a broader group driving violence in Washington, D.C. over the past several years, known as “Fox 5 Gang.” Additionally, Derrico Johnson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for the killing of Clayton Marshal and assault with a dangerous weapon for the shooting of a second person, in connection with a drive-by shooting at Shipley Market at approximately 12:20 p.m. on April 12, 2022. Neither Clayton Marshall nor the second victim appear to have been the intended target. Derrico Johnson and Ronald Henderson also both pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed for the May 26, 2022, killing of 16-year-old Justin Johnson, also known as “23 Rackz.” This shooting occurred at approximately 11:20 a.m. on May 26, 2022, in the Savannah Circle located in the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace SE. Finally, Ronald Henderson and Daveon Robinson both pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with a third, non-fatal, drive-by shooting at Alabama Convenience Store, which injured two bystanders and occurred at approximately 4:48 p.m. on January 2, 2023. These pleas, which are contingent upon the Court’s approval at sentencing, call for an agreed-upon sentence between 19.5 and 23 years for Derrico Johnson; an agreed-upon sentence between 18 and 23 years for Ronald Henderson; and an agreed-upon sentence between six and 10 years for Daveon Robinson, while Demarco Robinson will be sentenced to a concurrent sentence in relation to a federal firearms case he was previously sentenced for in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Case Number 23-cr-250. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Sellinger.


title: Title Company Owner Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Jonathan Yasko (46, Winter Springs) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Yasko faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the court documents, Yasko owned or controlled various title companies that conducted real estate settlement services and issued title insurance policies on behalf of title insurance underwriters. Each of Yasko’s title companies was required to deposit the funds it received from the lenders, buyers, and homeowners into an escrow account to segregate these monies from its own funds. The title companies were also legally required to disburse the lender’s funds in the manner specified in the instructions sent by the financial institutions. Yasko’s title companies also had a fiduciary duty to the financial institutions and were required to act in the best interests of the party providing the funds, rather than using these funds for its own self-interest. From January 2021 through August 2023, Yasko engaged in a scheme to defraud financial institutions using interstate wires. As part of his scheme, Yasko promised to keep the financial institution’s funds segregated in escrow accounts prior to closing in according with Florida law. He also promised to disburse the financial institution’s funds that were sent via interstate wire transfers in accordance with the financial institution’s closing instructions. Yasko initiated fraudulent interstate wire transfers of the lender funds from the segregated escrow accounts to other escrow accounts that had insufficient funds to conduct separate closings and initiated fraudulent interstate wire transfers of lender funds from the segregated escrow accounts to Yasko’s title company operating accounts for illicit purposes such as paying off personal credit cards, home renovation expenses, and payments to personal credit cards. Yasko embezzled the mortgage lenders funds, which prevented the real estate settlement from taking place. As a result, the title insurance underwriter paid out settlements to the victim financial institutions. Several of the botched real estate closings involved mortgage loans purchased or owned by Freddie Mac. In exchange for his role in the scheme, Yasko also received ill-gotten title insurance premiums. Yasko has agreed to forfeit $201,004.57, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.


title: Franklin County Couple Admit Recording Sexual Abuse of Toddler

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A couple from Franklin County, Missouri have admitted producing pictures and videos containing child sexual abuse material, including the sexual abuse of a one-year-old. William Burns, 41, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography, three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. His wife, 34-year-old Rachel Burns, pleaded guilty on May 22 to the conspiracy count and two counts of production of child pornography. On July 30, 2023, William and Rachel Burns were arrested by the University City Police Department with two small children in their car. They were charged in St. Louis County Circuit Court with attempted enticement of a child. Rachel Burns told investigators that her husband had child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices, leading to a court-approved search by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies found electronic devices, as well as whips, numerous sexual devices and a 3-foot-7-inch-tall silicone sex doll made to resemble a prepubescent female in their home, their plea agreements say. Investigators also found 13,954 image and video files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a computer and digital storage devices. William Burns used a WhatsApp social media account to exchange CSAM with other WhatsApp users. Investigators then found a 2022 video showing the couple sexually abusing a one-year-old. They also found other videos and images from 2022 and 2023 showing that victim, the couple admitted in their plea agreements. Rachel Burns is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend no more than 35 years in prison. William Burns is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend between 35 and 40 years for him. The University City Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Founder of Granite Recovery Centers Indicted for Scheme to Harass and Intimidate Journalists and Their Families

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The founder and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a for-profit drug and alcohol treatment company, Granite Recover Centers (GRC) in New Hampshire, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly orchestrating a conspiracy to stalk journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) in retaliation for unfavorable reporting. Eric Spofford, 40, of Salem, N.H. and Miami, Fla., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce; one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce; and two counts of stalking through interstate travel. Spofford was arrested this afternoon and will appear in federal court in Boston at 3:30 p.m. on June 2, 2025. Spofford was the founder and former CEO of GRC, a for-profit drug and alcohol treatment company founded in New Hampshire in 2008. According to court documents, in March 2022, NHPR published an article on its website that detailed multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, abusive leadership and retaliation by Spofford during his time as CEO of GRC. The article garnered significant local and national media attention. Spofford publicly denied the allegations and later sued NHP, claiming defamation. A New Hampshire judge dismissed Spofford’s lawsuit in 2023. Beginning in or about March 2022 and continuing through at least May 2022, Spofford allegedly devised a scheme to harass and terrorize the journalist who authored the article, the journalist’s immediate family members, as well as a senior editor at NHPR in response to, and in retaliation for, NHPR’s reporting. It is alleged that the scheme involved vandalizing the victims’ homes at night with large rocks and bricks, and by spray painting the homes with lewd and threatening language. Spofford allegedly hired his close friend, Eric Labarge, to carry out the scheme. Among other things, Spofford allegedly provided Labarge with the victims’ addresses, gave Labarge specific instructions on how to harass and stalk the victims and paid Labarge $20,000 in cash. Labarge, in turn, obtained assistance from Tucker Cockerline, Keenan Saniatan and Michael Waselchuck to carry out the stalking campaign. Labarge, Cockerline, Saniatan and Waselchuck were previously charged for their involvement in the harassment campaign and have since been convicted. In November 2024 , Labarge was sentenced to 46 months in prison; in August 2024 , Cockerline was sentenced to 27 months in prison; in December 2024 , Saniatan was sentenced to 30 months in prison and; in September 2024 , Waselchuck was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Each count of the Indictment provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, New Hampshire Police Departments; the Melrose, Massachusetts Police Department; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Bergen County Man Sentenced to Twenty Months in Prison for COVID-19 Fraud

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK N.J. – A New Jersey man was sentenced to 20 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining approximately $149,900 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) loans, U.S. Alina Habba announced. George Leguen, 51, of Paramus, New Jersey, previously plead guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to an information charging him with wire fraud and money laundering. Judge Arleo imposed the sentence in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From August 2020 through January 2021, Leguen participated in a scheme to defraud and receive COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL program. Leguen applied to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) on behalf of a business he owned and controlled. He falsified information that he submitted in support of that application, including the number of employees, annual gross revenue figures, and fraudulent federal tax returns. Based on this false information, Leguen was approved for and received an EIDL loan in the amount of $149,900. After receiving the EIDL funds, he diverted the proceeds for his personal gain. In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Leguen to 3 years of supervised release, forfeiture was ordered in the amount of $149,900, and restitution in the amount of $174,426.37. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz of the New Jersey Field Division; special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hatley, Newark Field Office; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, Northeast Region, with the investigation. The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . ### Defense counsel: Jeffrey Lichtman, Esq. and Matthew Cohan, Esq.


title: District Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm While on Court-Ordered Supervision

body_text: WASHINGTON – LaPrince Stephens, 46, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 months in federal prison for being in illegal possession of a firearm while on court-ordered supervision. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Stephens was found guilty by a federal jury on Jan. 29, 2025, of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss ordered Stephens to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on January 6, 2019, MPD officers responded to reports that two men were tampering with a dark BMW in front of an apartment complex on the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace SE. Officers arrived and encountered two men walking away from the vehicle. One of the windows of the BMW was smashed and the ignition had been punched. After conducting an initial investigation and releasing Stephens officers later found a loaded black Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol at the scene. DNA testing linked Stephens to the firearm. On August 24, 2023, officers apprehended Stephens on a valid arrest warrant outside of the same apartment complex where the prior offense took place. In Stephens’ waistband, police recovered a loaded Smith and Wesson SD40 VE handgun. Stephens has multiple prior convictions for drug offenses, robbery, threats, assaults, and firearms. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department with valuable assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Martin and Cameron Tepfer. 23cr265