title: Fourteen Defendants Indicted For Drug Conspiracy And Related Charges

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that the following individuals were each indicted for Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine: JERRY LEE GRIST, age 66, of Atoka, Oklahoma; TOMMY BLAKE McCARY, age 74, of Wright City, Oklahoma; MEAGON RASHEL BOX, age 39, of Atoka, Oklahoma; LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI, age 67, of Coalgate, Oklahoma; SHAWNDA LA DAWN RUSSELL, age 55, of Ada, Oklahoma; GLENN ROGER HYDE, age 65, of Ada, Oklahoma; JEFFERY LANCE DEAVER, age 56, of Tishomingo, Oklahoma; JESUS MARTIN OLIVARES VASQUEZ, SR., age 58, of Mexico; DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE, age 52, of Idabel, Oklahoma; ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ a/k/a Angie Farrell, age 51, of Durant, Oklahoma; DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ, age 56, of Durant, Oklahoma; RAYMOND ERWIN WELCH, age 57, of Dallas, Texas; WILLA MARGARETTE WEAR, age 47, of Atoka, Oklahoma; and CLIFFORD EUGENE BERRY, age 61, of Atoka, Oklahoma. In addition to federal Drug Conspiracy charges, JERRY LEE GRIST and DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE each face additional charges for Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine; LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI faces additional charges for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by not less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $10,000,000 fine, and for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine; and ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ and DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ each face an additional charge for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $1,000,000 fine. The Indictment alleges that beginning in or about June 2024 and continuing until on or about the date of the indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, namely the possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine. The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Quapaw Nation Marshals, the Miami, Oklahoma Police Department, the Wyandotte Nation Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department, the Atoka County Sheriff’s Department, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma District 16 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 18 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 22 Drug Task Force, the Durant Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. These charges are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Oklahoma City comprises agents and officers from the DEA and FBI, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.


title: Austin Man Sentenced to 29 Years in Federal Prison for Third Federal Drug Offense

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man previously convicted of two federal drug offenses was sentenced Wednesday to 324 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, plus 24 months in prison for violating the requirements of a previously imposed term of supervised release by U.S. District Judge David Ezra. According to court documents, Trinity Duke Smith, 50, was released from prison in December 2020. He was still on supervised release on March 26, 2024, when the FBI and Austin Police Department executed a search warrant on his residence. The search revealed a plastic grocery bag in a kitchen cabinet that contained approximately 197 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a digital scale, sandwich bags, latex gloves, and pieces of white insulation. Two large garbage bags containing 9.2 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine were also found underneath insulation in Smith’s attic. A Drug Enforcement Administration lab test in May 2024 determined the substance found in the kitchen to be 188.3 grams of 91% pure methamphetamine and determined the substance found in the attic to be 8.899 kilograms of 100% pure methamphetamine. Smith was indicted June 18, 2024, for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty in August 2025. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI, Austin Police Department, and Texas Rangers investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Castillo prosecuted the case. ###


title: Texas Man Arrested for Allegedly Trafficking More than 20 Pounds of Fentanyl-Cocaine Mixture

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: WACO, Texas – A Brownsville man was arrested in Waco on criminal charges related to his alleged possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing fentanyl. According to court documents, Jaime Vanegas, 28, was the driver and sole occupant of a vehicle that was pulled over in a traffic stop by a Texas Department of Public Safety (TX DPS) trooper on Nov. 11. After a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics and during a probable cause search of the vehicle, the TX DPS trooper allegedly located a trap door under the center console of the vehicle and recovered 10 plastic wrapped brick-shaped packages containing a white powdery substance. A criminal complaint alleges that the total weight of the substance and packaging was approximately 24 pounds, and that the substance tested positive for a mixture for fentanyl and cocaine. An additional search of Vanegas’s electronic devices allegedly revealed images of bundled bulk cash, the interior and exterior of the hidden trap door discovered by the DPS trooper, narcotics, and packages consistent with the plastic wrapped packages the trooper found inside the compartment. Vanegas made his initial appearance in federal court on Nov. 19 and is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing fentanyl. If convicted, he faces 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas the announcement. TX DPS is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Blanton is prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Federal jury convicts Gloucester man of sexually abusing a foreign exchange student and receiving child pornography

body_text: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Gloucester man yesterday on charges of coercion and enticement of a child and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Anthony George Ruggiero, 42, and his family hosted a foreign exchange student who arrived at their home in Gloucester in 2021. After returning to her home country in 2022, the student disclosed to medical professionals that she had been sexually abused and exploited by Ruggiero in 2021 through 2022. Ruggiero also engaged in sexually explicit messages with the student through social media accounts that indicated that Ruggiero was sexually abusing the student while she was 15 and 16 years old. The sexually graphic conversations continued after she returned to her home country. Ruggiero asked her for sexually explicit photos, offered her sexually explicit photos, and engaged in sexually explicit conversations both reminiscent of past sexual encounters and fantasies of future encounters. Ruggiero was also found guilty of receiving five videos of CSAM of an identified victim in Texas. Ruggiero faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on March 18, 2026. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the verdict. The Family and Women Assistance Unit of the Spanish National Police, Spanish Embassy, and Grand Prairie (Texas) Police Department provided substantial assistance in the investigation of this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon E.A. Heath and Peter G. Osyf are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-29.


title: Woodbury Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for  “Deliberate, Persistent Sextortion Scheme"

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, MINN. – Timothy Lennard Gebhart, age 38, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 360 months imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release for production and attempted production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and interstate communications with intent to extort, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. For more than two years, from July 2021 until September 2023, Gebhart executed a massive “sextortion” scheme designed to victimize minor children. Gebhart used online platforms including Instagram and Snapchat to target minor children as young as twelve years old. Gebhart used aliases—including 66 different Snapchat aliases—to pose as a teenager or someone much younger than his true age. Gebhart befriended his victims. Gebhart then convinced his victims to send him sexually explicit videos and photos. He also sought out sexual encounters with his victims. After Gebhart obtained the sexually explicit materials from the children, he would threaten to distribute those photos and videos to the classmates, friends, and family members of his victims unless his victims provided him with more sexually explicit materials. Gebhart would also send his child victims disturbing videos depicting gruesome and violent deaths to shock them into compliance. Gebhart’s threats to the children often included hateful language. In sentencing Gebhart to a term of 30 years in prison, U.S. District Judge Jerry W. Blackwell called this a “deliberate, persistent sextortion scheme.” The case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Woodbury Police Department, and the Indiana State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Classen prosecuted the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Highlights Immigration Sentencings During Lapse in Federal Appropriations

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LEXINGTON, Ky. – Throughout the 43-day lapse in government funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky continued to advance the Department of Justice’s mission in priority enforcement areas, including immigration enforcement. Below are highlights of sentencings that the U.S. Attorney’s Office secured in connection with several immigration-related cases prosecuted during the recent lapse in federal appropriations. Tuesday, October 7 A Mexican national, David Gomez-Rodriguez, 44, illegally residing in Pulaski County, was sentenced to 14 months for illegal reentry into the United States. According to his plea agreement, he was removed from the U.S. on August 19, 2022, and on December 6, 2024, he was encountered again in [location] without having sought or received permission to return to the United States. Prior to his first removal in August 2022, Gomez-Rodriguez had a felony conviction for rape in Nelson County, Kentucky. Thursday, October 9 A Guatemalan national, Juan Esteban Mejia-Ajpop, illegally residing in Newport, Ky., was sentenced to 26 months for aggravated identity theft and use of false identification documents to obtain employment. According to his plea agreement, on two occasions in October 2023 and April 2024, the defendant presented a fraudulent California identification card and a forged Social Security card to secure employment. The information on the forged cards corresponded to another person who is a United States citizen. A Guatemalan national, Bernabe Domingo-Aguilar, illegally residing in Newport, Ky., was sentenced to 60 months for illegal reentry into the United States after having been convicted of a felony. Domingo-Aguilar had been removed from the United States four prior times, most recently in 2019. Three of the previous removals followed criminal charges. In 2022, Domingo-Aguilar was unlawfully present in the U.S. when he committed rape on a minor in Kentucky. Tuesday, October 14 A Mexican national, Antonio Balderas-Arellano, 25,, was sentenced to 21 months for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, the defendant was found on February 21, 2025, in Scott County after previously being deported to Mexico in November 2023 from Atlanta. Monday, October 20 A Mexican national, Javier Perez-Ruiz, 37, illegally residing in Louisville, Ky., was sentenced to time served (approximately 124 days) for illegal reentry into the United States after being found in Scott County. According to his plea agreement, Perez-Ruiz was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in August 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, was sentenced to 13 months, and was deported on March 5, 2013. Tuesday, October 28 A Honduran national, Jose Hernandez Garcia, 25, illegally residing in Corbin, Ky., was sentenced for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. According to his plea agreement, the defendant was traffic-stopped for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. A search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded firearm in the backseat next to an open beer bottle. Garcia did not have legal status to be in the United States. Thursday, October 30 A Mexican national, Miguel Ruiz Sanchez, illegally residing in Shelby County, Ky., was sentenced to 12 months for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, Sanchez had previously been deported from the U.S. on four different occasions - March 2011, April 2012, April 2014, and February 2017 – and had a felony conviction prior to those removals. Tuesday, November 4 A Mexican national, Esain Benitez Alcantara, 36, was sentenced to 30 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. According to his plea agreement, on June 14, 2024, Lexington Police Department officers responded to a shots fired call and found Benitez Alcantara in possession of a loaded firearm, 13 live rounds of ammunition, and a quantity of cash indicative of drug trafficking. A search of the vehicle found 32 grams of methamphetamine. Benitez Alcantara admitted that he was an undocumented alien, prohibited from possessing a firearm and that he possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute. – END –


title: Sarasota Man Indicted For Perpetrating An Investment Fraud Scheme In Southwest Florida

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Brent Adam Seaman (51, Sarasota) with five counts of wire fraud, four counts of money laundering, and two counts of making a false tax return. If convicted, Seaman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each money laundering count, and a maximum penalty of 3 years for each count of making a false tax return. According to the indictment, from approximately June 2019 to November 2022, Seaman was a resident of Naples, Florida and operated multiple Florida LLCs collectively referred to as “Accanito.” Seaman falsely perpetrated an investment fraud scheme representing himself as a successful investor, currency trader, and entrepreneur. As a part of the scheme, the indictment alleges that he falsely promised guaranteed rates of return on investments to investors, caused investors to lose substantial portions of their investments, and used investor funds to repay other investors. The indictment further alleges that Seaman used investor funds for luxury and personal items. He is charged with laundering money to pay personal rent, purchase a Ferrari, buy jewelry, and charter a private jet. Seaman is also charged with underreporting his income on his 2019 and 2020 federal tax returns. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan and Trial Attorney Timothy J. Coley of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Indictment


title: Eleven Charged In Dauphin County Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nymele John Morgan, age 49, Anthony Reyes-Pabon, age 26, Laura Diane Snyder, age 42, Trumaine Assad Weaver, age 26, Tyshawn Lorne Jones, age 28, Moises Arroyo-Guerra, age 35, Justice Tireese Andrews, age 31, Robert Oren Bates, age 38, Jockzan Rodriguez, age 40, Alexia Ricohla Lambert, age 27, and Margarita Pabon-Torres, age 51, all residing in or around Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, were charged in a superseding indictment as part of a drug-trafficking conspiracy in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the superseding indictment alleges that from on or about September 1, 2023, and continuing until on or about May 30, 2025, the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. The superseding indictment further charges Weaver, Bates, and Morgan with having possessed a firearm as a prohibited person and in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. The superseding indictment also charges Reyes-Pabon and Pabon-Torres with using and maintaining a premises to further the drug trafficking activities. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Dauphin County Violent Crimes Unit, and East Pennsboro Township Police. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) 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). The maximum penalties for each defendant upon conviction is life imprisonment, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Superseding Indictments only contain allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Portsmouth men sentenced to prison for federal firearms charges

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

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – Two Portsmouth men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in trafficking firearms. According to court documents, from June 2024 through September 2024, law enforcement conducted six controlled purchases of firearms and heroin from Rolondo Lavar Moody, 45. During the controlled buy of a rifle on Aug. 9, 2024, Kievon Anthony Whitehurst, 30, transferred the rifle to Moody, who then sold it. Whitehurst had been convicted previously of reckless handling of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and discharging a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. Moody had been convicted previously of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute heroin, assault, assault and battery, assault and battery of a family member, attempted malicious wounding, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As previously convicted felons, Whitehurst and Moody cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. On April 8, Moody pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and trafficking in firearms. On Sept. 4, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. On July 29, Whitehurst pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison. Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-50.


title: Danville Man Sentenced to 114 Months on Drug and Gun Charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: Editor's Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated but was not published at that time due to a lapse in federal appropriations. Press releases are posted and made available following the return to normal operations DANVILLE, Va. – A Danville, Virginia man, who made more than ten controlled sales of narcotics and a handgun to confidential informants working with federal law enforcement, was sentenced October 24 to 114 months in federal prison. Rashad Polk, 35, pled guilty in January 2025 to illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and distribution of methamphetamine. “This office will seek maximum accountability against those who violate federal law in Danville and throughout the Western District of Virginia,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. According to court documents, in May 2024, Polk agreed to sell a confidential informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF) a handgun and an ounce of fentanyl. Polk and the confidential informant agreed to meet at a commercial establishment in Danville. Polk met a different informant in the same parking lot and exchanged the suspected firearm and fentanyl for cash. In July 2024, a second confidential informant contacted Polk to arrange the purchase of fentanyl and methamphetamine. The two arranged a meeting at a shopping center in Danville. After arriving, Polk and the confidential informant exchanged narcotics for cash. Law enforcement made approximately ten additional controlled purchases from Polk, totaling at least 627 grams of methamphetamine, 310 grams of fentanyl, and 13 grams of cocaine. In return, Polk received approximately $18,250. Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Danville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keith Parrella and Matthew Miller prosecuted the case for the United States.


title: Ramah Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting into Vehicle Occupied by Three Victims

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Ramah man pleaded guilty to firing multiple rifle shots into a vehicle occupied by three people after a near-collision. According to court documents, on March 18, 2025, a vehicle driven by John Doe swerved to avoid a collision with a blue Jeep driven by Leon Garcia , 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. After the near-miss, John Doe followed Garcia to a residence on the Ramah Navajo Reservation in Cibola County. When the vehicles stopped, Garcia exited his Jeep armed with a rifle, brandished and pointed the firearm at John Doe, Jane Doe 1, and Jane Doe 2, and fired multiple shots into the vehicle with intent to do bodily harm. Garcia continued shooting as the victims attempted to turn around and again as they drove away. Garcia pleaded guilty to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. At sentencing, Garcia faces not less than seven years and up to life in prison. Upon his release from prison, Garcia will be subject to five years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.


title: Gallup Man Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Gallup man has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly killing another person while driving recklessly. According to court documents, on August 11, 2024, Justin Othermedicine , 22, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, killed John Doe while operating a motor vehicle with reckless disregard for life. Othermedicine is charged with involuntary manslaughter and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Othermedicine faces up to eight years in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today. The Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office and New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Pahl is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Danbury Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JAIRO ABREU, 33, of Danbury, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 30 months of imprisonment and one year of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and Hartford Police Department revealed that Abreu was trafficking fentanyl into Hartford. Abreu was arrested on state charges on October 17, 2023. Following his arrest, a search of his Danbury residence revealed approximately 2.8 kilograms of fentanyl and an additional approximately 2,000 wax sleeves containing fentanyl. Abreu was federally arrested on February 23, 2024. He pleaded guilty on April 25, 2024. Abreu, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 15. This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, including members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Manchester Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean P. Mahard and Reed Durham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.


title: Pinehill Man Charged with Sexually Abusing Minors

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinehill man has been indicted on federal charges for sexually abusing two minors over a seven-year period. According to court documents, between February 2017, and February 2023, TJ James , 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engaged in sexual acts with two minor victims. James is charged with four counts of sexual abuse, one count of abusive sexual contact and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, James faces no less than 30 years and up to life in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Man Admits Fatal Shooting During 2023 Marijuana Deal

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A St. Charles, Missouri man on Wednesday admitted fatally shooting someone during a marijuana deal in 2023. Trevon Carson, 31, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and one count of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death. Carson admitted accompanying another man who was planning to buy, and then re-sell, marijuana during a May 25, 2023, meeting. Carson drove to the meeting in an alley behind the 4800 block of Farlin Avenue in St. Louis. The victim, who accompanied the seller, had an AR-style firearm. Fearing that the victim would fire the gun, Carson exited his vehicle, fatally shot the victim and took his gun. Carson then drove the buyer away, his plea says. As part of the plea agreement, the government has agreed to request a sentence of 20 years in prison. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.


title: Pinedale Woman Charged with Murder in Fatal Shooting

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinedale woman has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly shooting and killing a man. According to court documents, on June 30, 2025, Mabelene Grey , 45, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, intentionally shot and killed John Doe. Grey is charged with second degree murder and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and will remain on conditions of release until trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Grey faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Inmate Sentenced To 97 Months In Prison For Slashing Federal Corrections Officer

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that MARIO POWELL was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan to 97 months in prison for assaulting a corrections officer with a contraband weapon on May 30, 2020, while incarcerated at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York (“MCC”). In September 2025, POWELL was convicted of assaulting a corrections officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon and possession of prison contraband following a five-day trial before Judge Cronan. “Mario Powell brazenly ambushed a corrections officer at the Metropolitan Correction Center in New York City, trying to slit his throat,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “This sentence shows that violence in our corrections facilities will trigger meaningful consequences.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and the evidence presented during the trial: On May 30, 2020, at the MCC, POWELL forcibly assaulted a corrections officer with a deadly and dangerous weapon and, in doing so, lacerated the officer’s neck. In order to commit the attack, POWELL obtained and possessed a weapon made of razor blades. * * * In addition to the prison term, POWELL, 34, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Mr. Clayton thanked former MCC staff for their assistance and praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas John Wright, Henry L. Ross, and Leslie B. Arffa are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Honduran Man Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry into The United States

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WILIAN SERRANO-MOREIRA (“ SERRANO ”), age 34, was sentenced on October 9, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to court records , SERRANO was found in the United States on April 15, 2023, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on July 17, 2019. SERRANO was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown after being sentenced to credit for time served (6 months), being ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00, as well as 1 year of supervised release. 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 Neighborhoods (PSN). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.


title: El Salvadoran Immigrant Sentenced to 12 months For Multiple Illegal Reentries into the United States

body_text: HARRISONBURG, Va. – A citizen of El Salvador, who was found guilty of carnal knowledge of a 14-year-old girl after illegally reentering the United States on multiple occasions, was sentenced yesterday to 12 months in federal prison. Leonel Hernandez-Zelaya, 39, previously pled guilty to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien. According to court documents, Hernandez-Zelaya has shown a disregard for the immigration laws of the United States by repeatedly reentering the country after being legally removed. In September 2007, Hernandez-Zelaya was removed to El Salvador following his arrested for illegally entering the United States without proper authorization. Hernandez-Zelaya was again removed from the United States in May 2008. At some point, Hernandez-Zelaya returned to the United States without authorization and has been living illegally in the Western District of Virginia, and elsewhere, ever since. In July 2025, Hernandez-Zelaya was convicted in state court of carnal knowledge of a 14-year-old without force out of Warren County, Virginia. The Warren County Circuit Court sentenced him to five years, with all but five months suspended, and three years’ probation. According to facts presented at the sentencing hearing, Hernandez-Zelaya victimized a 14-year-old by having sexual intercourse with her on at least three occasions, acts that would not have occurred had Hernandez-Zelaya followed the immigration order of removal and remained in El Salvador. Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, made the announcement. The case was investigated by The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlene R. Day prosecuted the case for the United States. 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.


title: Former Louisiana Woman Sentenced For Preparing More Than 110 Fraudulent PPP Loans Totaling Over $1.1 Million Dollars

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that SHARNAE EVERY (“ EVERY ”), age 30, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced on October 9, 2025, for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. The case against EVERY began as a referral from the COVID-19 Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (“PRAC”) regarding possible fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans. Investigators determined there were at least 110 PPP sole proprietor loan applications in and around the Thibodeaux, Louisiana area that all contained the same invoices and federal tax forms (“Schedule C”) with the same business name and amounts. According to court documents, EVERY created a fictitious business called “Natural Hair Afro, LLC, Houma, LA 70360” and used this fictitious business name on nearly all of the fraudulent PPP loan applications. EVERY advertised under various aliases on Facebook to recruit individuals to obtain money from the PPP program. EVERY prepared and submitted false and fraudulent PPP sole proprietor loan applications via various online portals including, but not limited, to Blueacorn. EVERY created all of the false and fraudulent invoices, bank statements, and Schedule Cs. EVERY falsely certified that the applications and the information provided in the supporting documents were true and accurate when she electronically submitted the fraudulent PPP loan applications. EVERY charged the individuals that she recruited to prepare and submit the fraudulent PPP application anywhere from $45.00 to $120.00. EVERY primarily used Cash App to receive the initial payments. EVERY then charged approximately $3,500.00 once the loans were funded. EVERY received these funds into her Current account, her Cash App account, or into her boyfriend’s Current account. United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced EVERY to 41 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years supervised release and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . The Veterans Administration, Office of the Inspector General, is an active member of the PRAC Fraud Task Force. For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . 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 (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . This case was investigated by an agent assigned to the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 21 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from 15 Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Veterans Administration, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General; United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the United States Secret Service’s Cyber Fraud Task Force, consisting of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Thibodeaux Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Edward Rivera, COVID-19 Fraud Coordinator. * * *


title: Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charge

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Michael Bailey, 37, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 22, 2024, Bailey sold approximately 57 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley. Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-66. ###


title: U.S. Attorney's Office Details Criminal Sentencings Amid Government Shutdown

body_text: SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA- During the lapse in appropriations between October 1 and November 12, 2025, the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office remained committed to ensuring that our fellow Hoosiers were safe, and our law enforcement capacity remained fully active. U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler is pleased to publicly acknowledge the efforts made and the outstanding work done notwithstanding the burdens of the longest government shutdown in history. U.S. Attorney Wheeler also wishes to specifically acknowledge the dedication of the Federal Judges of the Southern District of Indiana, their staff, the Clerk and her staff, as well as the Marshalls Service during this time as well. During this period, the U.S. Attorney’s Office continued essential public safety operations , resulting in charges against 41 defendants across multiple categories of criminal conduct. The criminal case summaries below highlight this commitment to justice and accountability, representing just a portion of the 30 total criminal sentencings secured during the 43‑day shutdown. Although these sentencings occurred during the lapse, they were not published at the time due to the government shutdown. They are now being released following the resumption of normal operations. For more information on individual cases, full press releases are available through the links below or on our website at Justice.gov/usao-sdin/news-and-press-releases . INDIANAPOLIS DIVISION: U.S. v. Kimberly Dumes . Dumes, 43, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to wire fraud for submitting three fraudulent CARES Act loan applications between 2020 and 2021, which netted her $51,664. She falsely claimed to own businesses to secure EIDL and PPP funds, despite having no employees or actual operations. During this time, Dumes was employed with the U.S. Postal Service. U.S. v. Mitchell Gibson. Gibson, 40, an inmate at the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex, was sentenced to an additional 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder for fatally torturing his cellmate in 2020. Already serving 45 years for brutally assaulting his pregnant wife, Gibson’s history of violent abuse extended to multiple victims, reflecting a long-standing pattern of cruelty. U.S. v. Desha Morris. Morris, 39, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to five years in federal prison and ordered to pay $335,589 in restitution after pleading guilty to mail and benefits fraud. Between 2020 and 2022, she used fake identities and forged documents to steal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, continuing a long history of forgery and identity theft. Morris carried out her scheme by creating fake identities with forged documents, impersonating applicants, and renting multiple addresses to receive EBT cards, which she then sold for cash or used herself. U.S. v. Michael Martinez. Martinez, 30, of Camby, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison and 20 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material. In May 2024, investigators linked him to the Kik account “the_goose_boi,” which had uploaded 28 illicit files and contained disturbing messages expressing sexual interest in minors. Martinez was already on probation for a 2020 conviction involving child sexual abuse material and exploitation when he committed the new offenses. EVANSVILLE DIVISION: U.S. v. Samuel Kirkwood. Kirkwood, 36, of Evansville, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release after pleading guilty to producing and possessing child sexual abuse material. Investigators found explicit images on his cell phones, including one he admitted to creating by photographing a 10‑year‑old girl in his care. U.S. v. Anita Perez . Perez, 51, of Sellersburg, Indiana, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $2 million in restitution after pleading guilty to preparing fraudulent tax returns. From 2021 to 2023, she operated her business, ChuliTodo, where she filed 463 false returns on behalf of clients. These returns included fabricated business losses and inflated deductions, leading taxpayers to receive refunds they weren’t entitled to. Her schemes caused a tax loss of more than $1.5 million to the IRS. U.S. v. Uchechukwu Gideon Eze. Eze, 46, of Nigeria, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $182,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to wire fraud. In 2023, Eze and overseas co-conspirators carried out a business email compromise scheme that tricked a Clark County, Indiana company into sending payments to a fraudulent account he controlled. He quickly drained the funds for personal purchases, fled the country, and was later arrested while attempting to re-enter the U.S. The fraud devastated the victim business, forcing its owners to refinance property, extend credit, and delay retirement plans. U.S. v. Dennis Carter and Kyle Wade Owens . Carter, 47, and Owens, 36, of Evansville, were sentenced to 20 months and 13 months in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to producing counterfeit U.S. currency. Between January and March 2025, the pair created at least 30 fake $100 bills by altering genuine $10 notes with printing equipment and chemicals. They used the counterfeit bills at numerous businesses in Indiana and Kentucky, receiving real currency as change.


title: Justice Department Secures Denaturalization of Health Care Fraudster

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: On Nov. 17, the Justice Department secured the denaturalization of Marieva Briceno, who defrauded more than $5.4 million from Medicare and then obtained U.S. citizenship by concealing her crimes from immigration officials. A native of Venezuela, Briceno owned three purported medical clinics in the Detroit, Michigan, area that paid individuals on Medicare to undergo unnecessary tests and procedures. From May 2007 to January 2010, Briceno and her co-conspirators submitted approximately $5,460,323 in fraudulent claims to Medicare for those medically unnecessary services. Ultimately, Medicare paid $2,998,321.94 on those fraudulent claims, with Briceno personally receiving approximately $513,200 in fraudulent payouts. “The denaturalization of Marieva Briceno shows that if you steal from the programs that serve our most vulnerable citizens, you will be found out, prosecuted, and suffer the consequences of your actions, up to and including the loss of your U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “American citizenship is a privilege built on honesty and respect for our laws. You cannot defraud Medicare, conceal your crimes, and expect to secure the benefits of citizenship,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Fraud against programs that serve our most vulnerable citizens and lies told to obtain naturalization undermine the integrity of both our healthcare system and our immigration process. Our Office will continue to protect taxpayer dollars, defend the rule of law, and ensure that U.S. citizenship is reserved for those who earn it lawfully.” On Dec. 21, 2009, Briceno applied for U.S. citizenship. On both her citizenship application and while under oath during an interview with immigration officials, Briceno concealed her health care fraud and denied ever committing a crime for which she had not been arrested. Briceno’s misrepresentations allowed her to illegally procure her U.S. citizenship on March 19, 2010. On Sept. 12, 2011, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida charged Briceno with health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347, and conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. On March 14, 2012, Briceno pleaded guilty to the latter count, and was sentenced to 60 months in prison. On Aug. 12, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida seeking Briceno’s denaturalization based on her criminal conspiracy and her failure to disclose it during her naturalization process. On Nov. 17, the Honorable Darrin Gayles, U.S. District Judge, entered an order revoking Briceno’s U.S. citizenship. This case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Hans H. Chen of the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from HSI, ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Feeley for the Southern District of Florida.


title: East Tennessee Couple Indicted on Federal Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury in Jackson, Tennessee recently returned an indictment charging an East Tennessee couple with multiple federal child sexual exploitation offenses. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the return of the indictment today. According to the indictment, Randall Scott Sharpe, 56 , and Tina Angelique Sharpe, 61 , of Granville, Tennessee, while being in custody and control of a minor, used and employed the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in Bolivar, Tennessee, during two separate time-periods in May and September 2024. The defendants are also charged with possessing visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including visual depictions involving a prepubescent minor who had not attained 12 years of age engaging in such conduct, during the same time-periods. Randall Sharpe is charged with additional child exploitation offenses, including two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a crime, arising from his alleged electronic communications with the same minor in November 2024. This case is pending before United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson in Jackson. The defendants are facing a mandatory-minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment on each of the production counts and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on the possession counts. Randall Sharpe is also facing a mandatory-minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on each of the enticement counts. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by agents with the FBI Nashville Division, Jackson and Memphis Resident Agencies, and officers with the Bolivar Police Department. If anyone has any additional information regarding this case or any matter involving the abuse of minor children, please contact the FBI Nashville Division (615-232-7500) or the Bolivar Police Department (731-658-4284). Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Morrow and Christie Hopper are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Annadale man sentenced to 15 years in prison for federal drug and firearms charges

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Annandale man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, on June 20, 2024, law enforcement observed Marcantonio Juarez Velasquez, 20, conducting a hand-to-hand narcotics transaction in Fairfax County and subsequently obtained an arrest warrant. On Aug. 2, 2024, officers located and arrested Juarez Velasquez. At the time of his arrest, Juarez Velasquez was in possession of a handgun, an extended magazine containing 15 rounds of ammunition, $949.83, and 258 fentanyl pills. While Juarez Velasquez was detained pending trial, he directed a minor to conceal fentanyl pills, a firearm, and cash within the residence of Juarez Velasquez’s family. On Aug. 6, 2024, officers searched the residence and found 9,220 fentanyl pills, $2,344, a handgun, and two ammunition magazines, along with an identification card and debit card belonging to Juarez Velasquez. Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel K. Amzallag and Ronald L. Walutes Jr. prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-163.


title: CONVICTED FELON PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION OF FIREARMS

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jerney Jabara Purifoy, 33, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This is truly outstanding work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to remove this violent felon from our streets. My office will continue to aggressively pursue such criminals and secure successful prosecutions to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminals who have victimized our communities for far too long.” Court documents reflect that deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Pensacola, Florida. In the defendant’s bedroom, deputies located a loaded 9-millimeter handgun. In another room, deputies located a loaded .22 caliber AR15-style rifle. The defendant has prior felony convictions for aggravated battery and fleeing or eluding law enforcement. The defendant also has a pending case in Escambia County state court related to animal cruelty, animal fighting, and confinement of animals without sufficient food or water. Purifoy faces up to fifteen years imprisonment. The case involved a joint investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. Sentencing is scheduled for February 12, 2026, at 1:00pm at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. 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. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: McKees Rocks Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating a federal firearms law, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Robert Schatzman, 21, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand to a one-count Indictment charging Schatzman with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on April 29, 2025, law enforcement recovered a Glock 23 .40 caliber pistol and ammunition from a floor air vent in Schatzman’s bedroom during the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s home. Schatzman was previously convicted of robbery in the Court of Common Pleas of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Wiegand scheduled Schatzman’s sentencing for March 23, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, 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 of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Schatzman. 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: CALIFORNIA MAN SENTENCED FOR POSSESSION OF AMMUNITION BY A CONVICTED FELON

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Jesse Jay Perez, 28, of Morgan Hill, California, was sentenced to three years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping our community and streets safe requires pursuing criminals like this offender with the full force of the law. I appreciate the excellent work of our state and federal law enforcement partners to investigate this case, and my office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting these offenders.” According to court records, on January 1, 2025, Perez was riding a bike without a rear facing red light in violation of a Florida State Statute. During the traffic stop, law enforcement learned that Perez had an active felony arrest warrant out of the State of California. Perez was arrested and searched. Law enforcement recovered 13 magazines, 380 rounds of ammunition, and all the component parts necessary to build a “ghost gun” semi-automatic rifle from a backpack he was carrying. Perez was previously convicted in the State of California of a felony offense, specifically, manufacture, distribution, sale or transport of an assault weapon. The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner. 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. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Physician Convicted of Conspiracy to Defraud Medicare

component: Criminal Division

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DR. MARION LEE (“LEE”) , age 62, of Cordele, Georgia, pled guilty on October 8, 2025 to conspiracy to defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, in connection with a scheme to bill Medicare approximately $24 million for medically unnecessary genetic testing, and to pay and receive kickbacks. According to court documents, LEE , co-owner of and medical advisor to Luminus Diagnostics, a diagnostic laboratory located in Tifton, Georgia, conspired with others to procure orders for genetic testing in exchange for kickbacks, including orders acquired through purported telemedicine. To ensure the false and fraudulent claims would be paid, LEE and his co-conspirators designed the genetic testing order forms to be “dummy proof”—with prepopulated diagnosis codes and check-the-box panels—and frequently billed the tests through another laboratory in the Eastern District of Louisiana where co-conspirators thought the claims were more likely to be approved. The co-conspirators concealed these claims via a sham contract, among other deceptive means. LEE and his co-conspirators caused the submission of over $24 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for genetic testing, and Medicare paid approximately $4 million based on those claims. Under the terms of LEE ’s plea agreement, LEE agreed to over $4 million in restitution owed to Medicare. The Honorable Lance M. Africk set sentencing for March 18, 2026. At sentencing, the maximum penalty LEE may receive is five years of imprisonment, followed by up to three years of supervised release. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, of the Financial Crimes Unit and Health Care Fraud Coordinator, and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters, of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, are in charge of the prosecution. ***


title: PENSACOLA WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO PREPARING FALSE TAX RETURNS AND IDENTITY THEFT CHARGES

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Khristine N. Harper, 42, of Pensacola, pled guilty in federal court to twenty counts of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns and one count of identity theft. The guilty plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent investigative work by our federal law enforcement partners to identify and dismantle this offender’s sophisticated fraud scheme. Defrauding the federal government victimizes every taxpaying citizen, and my office will aggressively pursue criminal prosecutions of fraudsters to ensure they are held accountable to the full extent of the law for their crimes.” Court documents reflect that between 2018 and 2024, Harper routinely prepared and filed fraudulent income tax returns for her clients by listing false amounts for various deductions, credits, and other items that were never provided to her by those clients. After Harper became aware in July 2023 that the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation was investigating her, she changed the name of her tax preparation business from Kings Tax Service to Echelon Tax. She also obtained a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) in another person’s name without permission and filed her clients’ 2023 returns using that fraudulently obtained PTIN. For just the twenty specific returns listed in the indictment that were the basis of the counts to which Harper pled guilty, Harper caused over $103,000 in tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service. Sentencing is currently set for December 17, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. The conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Nigerian Citizen Sentenced for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Scam

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Temitope Bashua, 29, a citizen of Nigeria, to 30 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for his role in a conspiracy and scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore, and Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security (DHS-OIG). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Established by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program — administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA) — along with the EIDL, helped businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance does not have to be repaid, and small businesses can receive an advance, even if they are not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount is $10,000. According to his plea agreement, and other court documents, from May 2020 through September 2022, Bashua and others conspired to impersonate victims to obtain money by submitting fraudulent UI benefits claims. Bashua and his co-conspirators used the personally identifiable information (PII) without the victims’ knowledge or consent, to submit fraudulent applications for UI benefits in Maryland and California. Additionally, in October 2020, as a part of the conspiracy, co-conspirators submitted two fraudulent EIDL applications to the SBA for fictitious businesses using the PII of identity victims. As a result of the fraudulent EIDL applications, Bashua received more than $290,000 in U.S. Treasury funds from the SBA. Bashua also admitted his involvement in other schemes, including cyber intrusion, romance fraud, and business email compromise fraud schemes. The District of Maryland 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, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. 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. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus . 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 (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG, HSI Baltimore, and DHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Motsay and Bijon Mostoufi who prosecuted the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Three Accused of Armed Robbery of St. Louis Fast Food Restaurant

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Three men were indicted Wednesday and accused of participating in the armed robbery of a St. Louis fast food restaurant in September. Reuel Clower, 43, and Michael Upchurch, 41, both of St. Louis, and Carlos D. Nelson, 23, of Belleville, Ill., now face one count of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Clower and Upchurch were also indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that the men robbed a restaurant in the 600 block of North Kingshighway Boulevard on September 24. A motion seeking to have Nelson held in jail until trial says the robbers searched restaurant employees for items of value and then forced them to the ground before stealing cash from the register. All three have been in custody since November 5. Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Lake is prosecuting the case. 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.


title: 77th Defendant Charged in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Ousman Camara, age 45, was indicted today in a nine-count indictment with wire fraud, federal programs bribery, and money laundering for his participation in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Camara is the 77 th defendant indicted in what has been identified as the largest Covid-19 fraud scheme in the country. Defendant Camara was the owner of K’s Dollar Grocery and Deli, a small storefront grocery store in north Minneapolis. In August 2015, the USDA disqualified Camara and his store, K’s Grocery, from participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) due to suspected fraud. In September 2020, Camara enrolled K’s Grocery in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. In 2020 and 2021, Camara fraudulently claimed to be serving meals to 1,000 children a day, seven days a week, at his site. In reality, Camara did no such thing. Instead, he defrauded the program and stole money meant to feed hungry children. Camara claimed to have served more than 300,000 meals to children, for which he claimed to be entitled to more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program reminbursement funds. Camara did not use these funds to purchase food to feed children. Instead, he used the money to fund his lifestyle, pay his credit card bills, and buy a building in north Minneapolis. Camara wired more than $100,000 in fraud proceeds abroad. Camara also paid approximately $87,000 in kickbacks to a Feeding Our Future employee in exchange for his sponsorship and submission of Camara’s fraudulent claims. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: MEXICAN WOMAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR IMMIGRATION RELATED FRAUD

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Maria Victoria Borja-Avila, 47, of the country of Mexico, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for aggravated identify theft, falsely representing U.S. citizenship, and false statement in application for passport. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This illegal alien tried to lie, cheat, and steal her way into unlawfully remaining in the U.S., but thanks to the investigative work of our federal law enforcement partners she’ll now face the consequences of breaking our laws. This successful prosecution is yet another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by robustly enforcing our immigration laws.” Court documents reflect that in August of 2023, the defendant submitted a passport application in-person at the Santa Rosa County Clerk’s Office. Upon processing, the application was denied due to indicators of fraud. An investigation uncovered that the defendant submitted the passport application using someone else’s identity. The documents submitted during the application process were possessed unlawfully. The defendant was unlawfully present in the United States. “The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. passport and bringing to justice those who seek to exploit the U.S. travel system,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan McSeveney of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office. “Our special agents work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to detect and stop fraud when criminals attempt to unlawfully obtain and use passports. DSS continues to play a critical role in the United States’ efforts to protect the integrity of U.S. borders and prevent illegal immigration." The sentence was the result of an investigation by the Diplomatic Security Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson. 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. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: PERRY MAN RETURNED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR POSSESSION OF FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – David Alan Miles, 31, of Perry, Florida, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our brave state and federal law enforcement partners deserve recognition and gratitude for their tireless commitment to keeping serial offenders like this defendant off our streets. My office will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute these crimes in fulfillment of the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the violent criminals who have victimized our communities for far too long.” Court documents reflect that the defendant was arrested on February 7, 2025, after initially fleeing from law enforcement in a high-speed pursuit, eluding law enforcement on foot, and then pretending to have been the victim of a carjacking. A canine team from Taylor Correctional Institution responded to help track the “carjacker,” leading law enforcement to the defendant’s mothers’ house. The defendant eventually admitted to law enforcement that he had fled from the traffic stop because he had a rifle in the vehicle with him and knew he was not allowed to possess firearms. The defendant is a seven-time convicted felon, who had previously served federal prison time for possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun and sale of a firearm to a convicted felon. The defendant’s prison sentence will be followed by two years of supervised release. “This case is a perfect example of how reckless decisions and poor choices have real consequences,” said Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett. “If you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. Thanks to the quick action of our investigator and the teamwork between local and federal law enforcement, along with our DOC K-9 partners, a convicted felon with a firearm was safely apprehended and is now facing the consequences of his actions.” The case involved an investigation by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Perry Police Department and the Florida Department of Corrections. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain. 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. As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Delano, California Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl in the Sioux Falls Area

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Delano, California man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on November 3, 2025. Michael Thomas, 51, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Thomas was indicted for of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 11. 2025. Investigators with the FBI and Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office uncovered a large group of people selling methamphetamine and fentanyl around Sioux Falls in 2021 and 2022. Investigators learned that Thomas, who was incarcerated in a prison in California at the time, worked with another inmate in the prison to coordinate large shipments of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills to Sioux Falls and other locations from California. Thomas coordinated shipments as large as 100 pounds of methamphetamine at a time to Sioux Falls using semi-trucks. Investigators also learned that the drug trafficking organization run by Thomas and his co-conspirator in prison was operating in California, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, and West Virgina. Investigators believe that in total Thomas was responsible for organizing the shipment of 300-400 pounds of methamphetamine and over 100,000 pills containing fentanyl during his involvement in the conspiracy. To date, 15 people have been convicted in South Dakota and sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in this scheme. This case was investigated by the FBI, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Thomas was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Logan County Brothers Each Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crimes

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – On November 6, 2025, Timothy Ray Gravley, 42, of Bruno, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and his brother Jessie Joe Gravley II, 43, of Bruno, was sentenced to 13 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and quantities of fentanyl and heroin. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 17, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residences of each brother. At Timothy Ray Gravley’s residence, officers seized a total of 559.69 grams of fentanyl found in multiple bags, a Ruger model LCP .380-caliber pistol, a Umarex/FN model 502 .22-caliber pistol, and $20,131. At Jessie Joe Gravley’s residence, officers seized 250.1 grams of methamphetamine “ice,” 40.18 grams of heroin, 53.7 grams of cocaine, and $19,243. As part of his guilty plea, Timothy Ray Gravley admitted that he possessed the fentanyl seized at his residence and that he intended to distribute it in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. He further admitted to selling a total of 6.64 grams of fentanyl for a total of $700 in two separate transactions, one on October 10, 2024, and the other on October 15, 2024, each time to a confidential informant in Bruno. As part of his guilty plea, Jessie Joe Gravley admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine seized at his residence and that he intended to distribute it in and around the Southern District of West Virginia. He further admitted to selling controlled substances to a confidential informant on two occasions in Bruno. On October 9, 2024, he sold 1.81 grams of fentanyl, 24.99 grams of methamphetamine “ice,” and 1.05 grams of cocaine for $680. On October 14, 2024, he sold 2 grams of fentanyl and 29.03 grams of methamphetamine “ice” for $620. Both Gravleys have criminal histories that include prior felony convictions for drug crimes. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff's Office, the Logan County Sheriff's Office, the Boone County Sheriff's Office, and the West Virginia State Police. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the cases. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:25-cr-37 (Jessie Joe Gravley II) and 2:25-cr-38 (Timothy Ray Gravley). ###


title: Watertown Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison  for Sexually Assaulting a Child

body_text: ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Watertown, South Dakota, man convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on November 3, 2025. Gokoh Frank Brown, age 29, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, 20 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Brown must register as a sex offender once released from federal prison. Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024. He was found guilty following a jury trial on May 21, 2025. From January to August 2023, Brown, 27 years old at the time, repeatedly sexually assaulted a 12-year-old household member while living on the Lake Traverse Reservation. This case was investigated by the FBI, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Law Enforcement, and the DCI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . Brown was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Former Boone County Schools Maintenance Supervisor Sentenced to Prison and Order to Pay $3.4 Million for Fraud Scheme

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael David Barker, 48, of Foster, was sentenced on November 10, 2025, to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,448,571.85 in restitution for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Barker admitted to a scheme to defraud the Boone County Schools system by more than $3.4 million while employed as the maintenance director. According to court documents and statements made in court, from about November 2019 through December 2023, Barker ordered custodial and janitorial supplies for Boone County Schools from Jesse Marks and his company, Rush Enterprises. These supplies included hand soap, trash can liners, face masks, face shields, and hand sanitizer. Barker admitted that he and Marks agreed that Rush Enterprises would overbill the Boone County Board of Education for these supplies. As part of this scheme, Barker approved invoices on behalf of Rush Enterprises that significantly inflated the number of products that were actually delivered to Boone County Schools. Barker submitted these fraudulent invoices to the Boone County Board of Education, which relied on them to mail checks to Rush Enterprises using the United States Mail. Marks deposited the checks from Boone County Schools into the business bank account for Rush Enterprises, wrote himself checks on that account that he cashed at various banks, and personally delivered some of that cash to Barker in manila envelopes. Barker admitted that he spent the cash delivered by Marks to buy vehicles and equipment and make substantial improvements to his residence in Foster. Marks deducted the cost of the products actually delivered to Boone County Schools from the proceeds of the overbilling scheme. Boone County Schools paid Rush Enterprises $4,310,714.82 from in or about November 2019 through in or about December 2023. Barker admitted that approximately 80 percent of the total payments received by Rush Enterprises, or $3,448,571.85, was based on fraudulent invoices. Marks, 65, of Rush, Kentucky, sentenced on November 13, 2025, to five years of federal probation, including one year and six months on home detention, and ordered to pay $3,448,571.85 in restitution, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. As a result of the investigation of Michael David Barker, his parents Michael P. Barker, 68, and Lana Barker, 66, both of Foster, pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025, to structuring transactions with one or more domestic financial institutions. Starting on or about November 7, 2023, through on or about November 28, 2023, the couple made or caused to be made 11 cash deposits to their bank accounts in amounts ranging from $8,000.00 to $9,500.00 and totaling $97,215.00. The couple admitted that these transactions were specifically designed to avoid currency reporting requirements. Financial institutions are required to report cash deposits of more than $10,000.00, and federal law prohibits structuring multiple cash deposits to avoid this reporting requirement. The Barkers furthered admitted that they used the $97,215.00, a $30,000.00 bank loan, and $50,000.00 provided by their son to purchase property in Foster. They were each sentenced to one year of federal probation. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Education-Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Department of Education. United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-194. ###