title: All Extradited Distributors of ANOM Hardened Encrypted Devices Plead Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Alexander Dmitrienko of Finland became the last of eight defendants extradited so far to admit participating in the worldwide conspiracy to distribute ANOM hardened encrypted communication devices to criminal syndicates. The ANOM enterprise facilitated drug trafficking, money laundering, and obstruction of justice crimes. The eight defendants were among 17 indicted in San Diego in 2021 in connection with Operation Trojan Shield, a first-of-its-kind, international law enforcement effort in which the FBI secretly operated an encrypted messaging network. The ANOM criminal enterprise was responsible for the distribution of more than 12,000 devices in 100 countries. While ANOM’s criminal users unknowingly communicated on the system operated by law enforcement, agents catalogued more than 27 million messages between users around the world whose criminal discussions were covertly obtained and reviewed by the FBI. ANOM devices were sold to and used by over 300 criminal syndicates, including outlaw motorcycle gangs, Italian and Balkan organized crime groups, and international drug trafficking organizations. The investigation culminated in a worldwide takedown on June 7, 2021. During the takedown, more than 10,000 law enforcement officers made over 500 arrests and searched over 700 locations around the world. Of the 17 indicted in San Diego, eight have been extradited to date. Dmitrienko pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday; defendants Seyyed Hossein Hosseini and Aurangzeb Ayub of the Netherlands and Shane Ngakuru of New Zealand entered their guilty pleas on January 23, 2025; Dragan Nikitovic, Edwin Harmendra Kumar, Miwand Zakhimi, and Osemah Elhassen pleaded guilty between May and September 2024. All pleaded guilty to Count 1 of a superseding indictment charging them with a racketeering conspiracy in connection with the ANOM enterprise. Prior to their guilty pleas, the defendants filed motions to dismiss the indictment and a motion to suppress the ANOM evidence. The District Court denied those motions, concluding the Fourth Amendment did not apply to the defendants and the ANOM data collection did not violate the U.S. Constitution. In total, the investigation resulted in approximately 1,200 arrests; the seizure of more than 12 tons of cocaine, three tons of methamphetamine or amphetamines; 17 tons of precursor chemicals, 300 firearms, and $58 million in various currencies. Dozens of public corruption investigations, too, have been pursued, and more than 50 drug labs have been dismantled. Further, over 150 threats to life were prevented. According to their plea agreements, the defendants promoted the ANOM platform as “Built by criminals for criminals,” and touted security features such as the ability to wipe devices remotely when seized by law enforcement. The defendants admitted that the conspiracy’s purposes included money laundering and laundering with cryptocurrency. As to drugs, specifically, the four defendants who pleaded guilty in January and February 2025—Hosseini, Dmitrienko, Ayub, and Ngakuru—all admitted that they sold ANOM devices knowing that they would be used to traffic at last 50 kilograms of cocaine; Ngakuru also admitted the importation, exportation, and distribution of at least five kilograms of methamphetamine. Based on their plea agreements and other court filings, what these defendants also did as part of the conspiracy included: Hosseini was a part of a team of ANOM distributors, “Team Wijzijn,” based in the Netherlands. He and Dmitrienko discussed the distribution of “90% pure, Peruvian” cocaine, for example, and he and Kumar messaged each other about bringing “kilos” from Belgium and getting drugs to Australia by “Fisher boats.” Hosseini promoted ANOM’s security features and told other distributors about vulnerabilities of competitors SkyECC and No. 1 BC. Hosseini also admitted to obstructing justice through wiping ANOM devices when they were seized by law enforcement. Dmitrienko distributed ANOM devices from Spain. He frequently used ANOM for cocaine and other drug distribution: “5 blocks of colombian coke” and “32 blocks,” he offered in two instances, in addition to conversations about “cook[ing] cocaine.” Dmitrienko wrote about “gateways” and “interesting opportunities” for the enterprise in Russia and Ukraine, including through Latvia and Lithuania. He also promoted money laundering through a company he had in Delaware, telling Hosseini that it involved “0% tax and no book[k]eeping…Yes this is pure moneylaund[e]ring ?.” Ayub was an ANOM distributor in Europe, who also sold encrypted communications devices in the U.A.E.—and he had been imprisoned in Dubai for distributing these types of platforms. Ayub was involved in cocaine distribution as he talked about “top” (cocaine) from Colombia, and delivery to London, and sending “100k at a time” to pay for the drugs. He promoted ANOM through his own experience and contrasts with Encrochat and SkyECC, both of which were taken down by law enforcement in 2020 and 2021. Ayub, too, admitted to the obstruction of justice through wiping ANOM devices. Ngakuru was based in Thailand, distributing ANOM devices there and in New Zealand and Australia. He used the platform for extensive cocaine and methamphetamine distribution and money laundering. He was tied to two seizures of methamphetamine; discussed quality, repressing, and prices for “rack” and “bird” (cocaine); and detailed in messages how seven kilograms of methamphetamine was concealed in boxes of “full scan proof” “commercial lights.” Among other times he laundered proceeds, Ngakuru coordinated cash pickup in Sydney, Australia and directed deposits into “Thai accounts.” “The statistics of this case are staggering,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “The FBI led this unprecedented collaboration for years, harnessing the evidence to bring down cocaine, meth, and cash traffickers across the globe. These guilty pleas underscore the impact of international partnerships in dismantling organized crime.” “Operation Trojan Shield was a massive, innovative, and unprecedented case having immeasurable implications to criminal organizations across the globe,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “This extraordinary impact came from an investigative strategy that relied on ingenuity, partnerships, and perseverance, designing a blueprint for disrupting organized crime within the United States and abroad. The guilty pleas of all extradited defendants highlight the effectiveness of this strategy and reinforces the FBI’s collaborative approach aimed at dismantling Transnational Criminal Organizations worldwide.” Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division, said, “The triumph of this vast-scale operation demonstrates the immense value of partnerships, both domestic and international. Expert investigators in the DEA Los Angeles Division, working alongside innovative and exceptionally experienced federal and foreign-based partners, took an intricate investigation to the next level. Our multi-agency alliance managed to infiltrate these transnational criminal organizations, ultimately exposing and pummeling their schemes. DEA will continue to foster this type of unprecedented collaboration and offer a core presence.” Elhassen and Zakhimi were previously sentenced to 63 and 60 months in prison, respectively. The other six defendants who have pleaded guilty are scheduled to be sentenced in February, April, and May, 2025. They were extradited to the Southern District of California from Australia (Kumar), Colombia (Elhassen), The Netherlands (Hosseini, Ayub, and Zakhimi), Spain (Dmitrienko and Nikitovic), and Thailand (Ngakuru). Eight other defendants in the case have been arrested in locations outside the United States and are yet to be extradited, and one remains a fugitive. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua C. Mellor, Mikaela L. Weber, and Peter S. Horn. For further information on investigations and prosecutions of encrypted communication providers, see https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/fbi-s-encrypted-phone-platform-infiltrated-hundreds-criminal-syndicates-result-massive (ANOM), https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/sky-global-executive-and-associate-indicted-providing-encrypted-communication-devices (Sky Global), and https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/chief-executive-communications-company-sentenced-prison-providing-encryption-services (Phantom Secure). Operation Trojan Shield is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of the defendants to the United States. DEFENDANTS Case Number 21cr1623-JLS Seyyed Hossein Hosseini Age: 41 The Netherlands Alexander Dmitrienko Age: 49 Finland Aurangzeb Ayub Age: 48 The Netherlands Dragan Nikitovic Age: 50 Croatia and Switzerland aka Dr. Djek Shane Ngakuru Age: 45 New Zealand Edwin Harmendra Kumar, Age: 37 Australia aka Edwin Harmendra Valentine Miwand Zakhimi, Age: 30 The Netherlands aka Maiwand Zakhimi Osemah Elhassen Age: 52 Australia SUMMARY OF CHARGES Count 1: Racketeering Conspiracy – Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962(d) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison, and fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Federal Bureau of Investigation Drug Enforcement Administration United States Marshals Service Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs Australian Federal Police Australian Attorney-General’s Department Swedish Police Authority Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau National Police of the Netherlands New Zealand Police New Zealand Crown Law Office Office of the Attorney General of Thailand Royal Thai Police EUROPOL


title: Jury convicts 2 defendants who were charged with 23 other Ohioans in narcotics distribution ring

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted two local men for their roles in a narcotics distribution ring involving bulk amounts of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine & other narcotics. As part of this case, the government has seized more than $1.7 million, 50 firearms, and nine vehicles, including a motorcycle. One of the defendants convicted at trial also sex-trafficked at least three adult victims. The jury found David Price, 56, of Columbus, guilty on all counts, and Tavaryyuan Johnson, 25, of Columbus, guilty on drug trafficking counts. The verdict was announced on Feb. 5 following a trial that began on January 13, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury initially indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in central Ohio within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school. A superseding indictment returned in October 2022 charged additional co-conspirators with distributing those same drugs in addition to methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, Xanax and Oxycodone. Price, who is also known as “DP,” was charged in a third superseding indictment in December 2024 with 11 drug, firearm and sex trafficking crimes. He faces a minimum of 25 years and up to life in prison. Johnson is also known as “Gucci” and “TJ,” and was also charged in a third superseding indictment in December 2024. He was convicted of four drug offenses, including using a family residence in Columbus as his stash house for bulk amounts of narcotics. Johnson faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. According to court documents and trial testimony, the two men were part of a conspiracy to distribute and possess to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of “crack” cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin, as well as marijuana, oxycodone and alprazolam. The drug trafficking organization operated from January 2008 until it was dismantled by law enforcement in 2022. Drug offenses took place at residences on Burgess and Harris avenues, which are within 1,000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School. In July 2021, Price distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine that resulted in the overdose death of an adult female. The testimony at trial indicated he purposefully killed her to get rid of her as she was talking to the police about his drug business. The government also proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that Price conspired to commit sex trafficking. From 2016 until 2022, Price and other members of the conspiracy would force and/or coerce adult female drug addicts into performing commercial sex acts by providing, withholding, or threatening to withhold controlled substances and lodging. Law enforcement’s investigation showed that various women engaged in a “rinse and repeat” cycle where they would be allowed to stay at a drug residence associated with Price, receive a front of drugs so they were not in active drug withdrawal, go to Sullivant Avenue, have sex for money, pay the debt from the front drugs, and then be allowed to remain at the house. Price was also found guilty of three counts of sex trafficking related to his violence and coercion towards three adult females. The testimony at trial indicated that he would lock the females inside his residence for days or weeks at a time and refuse to let them leave, forcing them to engage in sex acts. One victim was locked in a dog cage, shot and stabbed by Price. Another was restrained. A third was beaten and choked and left with a black eye. Price would refuse to provide them drugs unless or until they engaged in the sex acts, forcing them into withdrawal if they did not comply. U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission task force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . # # #


title: Cincinnati man sentenced to 27 years in prison for role in narcotics, firearms conspiracies

body_text: CINCINNATI – The leader of a drug trafficking organization was sentenced in federal court here to 324 months in prison. He is one of 16 individuals convicted in a narcotics and firearms conspiracies case. Ryan Haskamp, 36, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to conspiring to distribute controlled substances, conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. A federal grand jury indicted all 16 defendants in July 2021, charging the defendants in a firearms conspiracy and in a narcotics conspiracy involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and cocaine and 10 grams or more of LSD, as well as detectable amounts of MDMA, DMT, marijuana and ketamine. In total, as part of this case, law enforcement seized 11 firearms and more than one kilogram of methamphetamine, more than 200 pounds of DMT, more than five kilograms of marijuana, more than 15 kilograms of hashish and hashish oil, more than one kilogram of MDMA, more than 19,000 dose units of LSD, fentanyl, cocaine, and other synthetic and counterfeit drugs. The case originated with two individuals involved in an Aug. 7, 2020, police chase through Cincinnati that resulted in the deaths of two bystanders in Newport, Kentucky. Mason Meyer, 32, and Kirsten Johnson, 26, both of Cincinnati, were charged federally in August 2020. Ongoing investigation led to the additional 14 defendants and charges. According to court documents, officials with the ATF, Cincinnati Police and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force were surveilling Meyer in Cincinnati on Aug. 7, 2020, when Meyer drove away. Cincinnati Police officers attempted to stop Meyer when he fled, causing a police chase through Cincinnati and into Covington and Newport, Kentucky. Local court documents detail that Meyer’s vehicle struck and killed a couple dining on the patio of Press on Monmouth in Newport, Kentucky. Two other pedestrians were struck and suffered minor injuries. At the time of the chase, Meyer and Johnson possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, two loaded handguns and a loaded rifle. Additional investigation tied Meyer and Johnson to Haskamp’s drug trafficking organization. Haskamp was Meyer’s source of supply of methamphetamine. Haskamp used at least five Cincinnati residences as stash houses to store and sell drugs. He also had others rent Airbnb locations and hotel rooms to further his drug trafficking. Haskamp had packages of drugs delivered to the Airbnb rental properties. Haskamp supplied drugs for redistribution in Cincinnati and Dayton via numerous co-defendants. Others convicted in this case include: Name Age City of Residence William Keith Jenkins 37 Cincinnati Michael Alden Mobley 42 Ghent, Ky. Michael Tyler Boeh 35 Cincinnati Victoria Stauffer 30 Cincinnati Quincy Pemberton 33 Cincinnati Damon Gene Wade 31 California, Ky. Kelly Marie Smart 35 Cincinnati Kevin Patrick Thiery 44 Cincinnati Crystal Randall 37 Cincinnati Rory Hartmann 30 Cincinnati Julie Renae Wetzel 34 Cincinnati Ashley Long 30 Cincinnati Haley Pennington 26 Moraine, Ohio Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge and agencies with the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force and Drug Abuse Reduction Task Force (DART) announced the sentence imposed on Feb. 6 by U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Texas Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Wire Fraud Conspiracy

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nnamdi Felix Udeagha, age 39, of Humble, Texas, entered a guilty plea to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. The Indictment alleged that between April and December of 2021, Udeagha knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to devise a scheme to obtain money and property from the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health through materially false and fraudulent pretenses by means of wire communications in interstate commerce. According to court records, the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health received emails purportedly from a legitimate vendor. The emails contained instructions to wire funds to certain bank accounts. It was later determined that the emails were created and sent by a member of the conspiracy, and that the bank accounts were opened by conspirators to receive and distribute the fraudulently obtained funds. As part of the plea hearing, Udeagha admitted that he facilitated the fraud by communicating the bank account information to the co-conspirator who sent the bogus emails, and that he acted together with the other conspirator for a mutual benefit. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Udeagha will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara Traster and Joshua Satter represented the United States.


title: Lincoln Woman Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Marijuana

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Merry Barbara Bills, age 42, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 6, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and an unspecified amount of marijuana. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Bills to 125 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Bills’s release from prison, she will being a five-year term of supervised release. Shortly before 1:00 am on November 26, 2023, Lincoln Police Department officers were dispatched to a convenience store in Lincoln after a clerk found a bag outside the entrance to the store which contained four breast milk bags, each containing approximately 33 grams of meth. The clerk provided the bag to LPD and described the couple believed to be associated with the bag, as well as a description of their car. LPD officers obtained security video from the store which showed Bills and a male companion arriving at the store shortly before midnight on November 25, 2023. Bills dropped the bag containing the meth when she got out of the car and put on her coat before going into the store. Bills and her companion left the store about 20 minutes later but failed to notice the bag on the ground outside. They returned about 10 minutes later and appeared to look around for something briefly before leaving again. Shortly before 2:00 am on the 26th of November, the clerk called LPD to tell them the couple had returned. Bills was found in the store restroom. She was holding a bag containing approximately one ounce of meth and a second bag was found on her person. She told LPD all the meth belonged to her, claiming it was for her personal use. The total meth found weighed approximately six ounces. This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.


title: Columbus Man Receives 78 Months After Selling Methamphetamine to Law Enforcement

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Brandon Salyers, age 31, of Columbus, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 6, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Chief United States District Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Salyers to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Salyers’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. On October 29, 2023, law enforcement conducted a controlled drug buy against Salyers whereby they purchased 3.5 grams of actual methamphetamine in Nebraska. The next day, law enforcement again purchased 12 grams of actual methamphetamine from Salyers during another controlled drug buy. One month later, on November 30, 2023, law enforcement purchased less than 1 gram of methamphetamine from Salyers. On December 28, 2023, law enforcement arrested Salyers and located 12 grams of actual methamphetamine on his person along with glass pipes and 39 grams of marijuana. This case was investigated by the Columbus Police Department.


title: New York Man Sentenced for Possession of Stolen Mail and Postal Keys

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that William Stewart, age 29, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced on February 6, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for possession of stolen mail and possession of Post Office master keys. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Stewart to 40 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Stewart’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release. On April 13, 2024, around midnight, a York County Deputy Sheriff pulled over Stewart who was driving a rental car eastbound on Interstate 80. The deputy smelled marijuana and searched the car, locating some marijuana paraphernalia. In the trunk, deputies found a suitcase containing a United States Postal Service envelope containing personal checks with different amounts issued by various persons and businesses. Stewart was not the payee on any of the checks. The suitcase also contained a laptop computer, a printer, and numerous blank checks. Deputies found a FedEx uniform and two United States Postal Service master or arrow keys, that are used to open Post Office collection and delivery mailboxes, in Stewart’s coat pocket. Stewart admitted the items in the car belonged to him. In total, deputies seized 392 personal checks, 1,310 blank checks, and 42 blank check backs. Of the 392 checks located in Stewart's vehicle, there were 294 different people or businesses who had written checks. The victims’ checks were dated between December 2023 and April 2024, ranged in value from $1 up to $31,000, and totaled $222,439.95. Of the 392 checks, there were victims located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, New York, and Florida. Several victims incurred loss from stop or late payment fees, replacing checks, reestablishing bank accounts, and from resending checks that never made it to their destination. Stewart was ordered to pay $325.40 in restitution to cover these losses. Deputies called two different victims from North Carolina whose checks were found. Both reported that they had issued the checks to pay bills and had placed them in mailboxes where they lived in North Carolina. Neither victim knew Stewart, nor had they given him permission to have the checks. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the York County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Omaha Woman Sentenced for Selling Firearm to Felon

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

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Denise Penke, 52, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 7, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for transfer or sale of a firearm to a prohibited person. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Penke to time served (five days). Penke will immediately begin a three-year term of supervised release. On January 4, 2023, an individual cooperating with law enforcement purchased a Glock 43 9mm pistol from Penke at a residence in Omaha. The transaction was audio and video recorded. As the cooperator entered the residence, the cooperator mentioned that the cooperator was a felon. This statement was captured by the recording, which also showed Penke holding the handgun wrapped in a yellow rag. During a plea hearing, Penke admitted that she knew the cooperator was a convicted felon. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.


title: Lehigh Acres Man Arrested For Passport Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Carlos Alberto Calderon Johnson (64, Lehigh Acres) in connection with an indictment charging him with making a false statement in connection with a passport application. If convicted, Calderon Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, in October 2019, Calderon Johnson submitted an application for a U.S. passport which, among other things, falsely identified himself as “ Francisco Javier Maldonado .” 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 U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.


title: Spokane Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – On February 5, 2025, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Zachary Peter Timm, age 32, of Spokane, Washington, to 15 years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material. Judge Rice also imposed 10 years of supervised release and $48,000 of restitution to Defendant’s victims. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on February 21, 2023, law enforcement acted on several tips that Timm had been uploading child exploitation material online. Agents executed a search warrant at Timm’s home in Spokane Valley and seized a computer and several smart phones. Investigators located more than 13,000 files of child sexual abuse material, including more than 1,000 videos on electronic devices. The images and videos included depictions of minors younger than the age of 12. Agents also found chats between Timm and others online where they discussed and exchanged child sexual abuse material. Timm told some of these individuals he had sexually abused children in the past and expressed his desire to abuse more children in the future. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who engage in the distribution of child sexual abuse material will be held fully accountable for their actions,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Protecting children is our top priority, and we are unwavering in our commitment to bringing those who exploit and harm them to justice. This case reinforces that there is no place in our society for those who contribute to the abuse and exploitation of children, and we will continue to pursue justice with relentless determination.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc. This case was investigated by Homeland Security, Washington State Patrol, and the Spokane Police Department, which make up the Eastern Washington Missing and Exploited Children Task Force (MECTF), a Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) affiliate. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick. 2:23-cr-00136-TOR


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects More Than $17 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024

body_text: Spokane, Washington - U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref announced today the Eastern District of Washington collected $17,718,306.41 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $16,087,963.29 was collected in criminal actions and $1,630,343.12 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Washington worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $937,600 in civil cases pursued jointly by these offices. “Thanks to the excellent work by our office’s Financial Litigation Unit and Affirmative Civil Enforcement team more than $17 million was recovered in 2024,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “Recovering criminal restitution owed to crime victims and civil debts owed to the United States is a vital part of our mission. The $16 million in criminal restitution collections will assist victims in their recovery process and hold criminals accountable for their crimes.” The types of cases for which the United States often is able to collect include criminal and civil actions such as: More than $11.7 million in criminal restitution collected in United States v. Easterday , which is known as the “Ghost Cattle” case involving the fraudulent invoicing of non-existent cattle in the amount of $244 million ( https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/tri-cities-rancher-sentenced-eleven-years-federal-prison-and-ordered-pay-244-million ); More than $2.1 million in criminal restitution collected in United States v. Mize et al , which represents the proceeds from cash, real properties, cars, boats, and other assets seized from several defendants in a far-reaching insurance fraud scheme ( https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/fraud-ringleader-and-former-fugitive-william-mize-sentenced-12-years-federal-prison ); $478,935 in criminal restitution collected in United States v. Anwar , in which Sami Anwar received a 28 year prison sentence for falsifying human clinical research trials in connection with a fraud scheme ( https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/richland-business-owner-sentenced-more-28-years-federal-prison-falsifying-human ); $341,480 in criminal restitution collected in United States v. Jason Jordan, which involved the fraudulent sale of counterfeit airbags on eBay ( https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/moxee-man-sentenced-31-months-federal-prison-selling-counterfiet-airbags-e-bay ); $887,600 in civil collections in United States v. Multistar Inc. , which involved penalties for illegally storing hazardous chemicals and violating federal environmental laws ( https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/court-orders-washington-company-comply-regulations-pay-850k-illegally-storing ); $700,000 in civil collections from physician Edward William Salko, D.O., and Jackson & Coker LocumTenens, LLC, which involved allegations that they participated in a kick-back scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment and diagnostic laboratory testing ( https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/richland-physician-health-care-staffing-company-agree-pay-700000-resolve-false-claims ); $329,196 in civil collections in United States v. All Star Property Management LLC, which involved claims they falsely and fraudulently claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent assistance intended to benefit struggling renters during the COVID-19 pandemic ( https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/spokane-property-management-company-agrees-pay-more-300000-fraudulently-claiming ); $224,620 in civil collections from Justin Leland, which involved allegations he participated in a kick-back scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment ( https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/owner-spokane-valley-medical-supply-company-agrees-pay-224620-resolve-allegations ). The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.


title: Guam Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - Guam & Northern Mariana Islands

body_text: Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Ricky Junior O. Quichocho, age 37, from Dededo, Guam, was sentenced by the U.S. District Court of Guam on February 4, 2025 to 10 years imprisonment for Attempted Enticement of a Minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). The Court also ordered five years of supervised release following imprisonment and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee. Quichocho was ordered to register with the Sex Offender Registry anywhere he resides, is employed, or is in school. In May of 2024, Air Force Office of Special Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted a joint undercover operation to identify and target individuals who were seeking to contact and engage in sexual activity with minor children. Agents created multiple personas on several social networking applications and posted in online forums. On May 7, 2024, Ricky Junior O. Quichocho, a civilian employee of a military contractor, initiated contact with the undercover persona. Even though the undercover persona said she was 13 years old, Quichocho continued communication and stated he was interested in “sexual fun.” Throughout the month, Quichocho continued text messages of a sexual nature, indicating various sex acts he wanted to do with the undercover persona. On June 10, 2024, after an agreement to meet with the minor at the Anderson Air Force Base Visitor Control Center parking lot, Quichocho instead was met by Air Force Office of Special Investigations Special Agents. In a subsequent interview, Quichocho admitted to his conduct. A forensic analysis of Quichocho’s cellphone confirmed text messages and photographs sent to the undercover persona. “Interagency partnerships are the key to fighting child exploitation,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “This case is another reminder of the dangers faced by children during online activity. We will continue to target offenders who prey on this vulnerable segment of our communities. I applaud HSI and AFOSI in bringing Quichocho to justice.” “HSI utilizes partnerships with agencies including AFOSI to protect our communities from child predators. By working together, HSI ensures resources are utilized most effectively to seek out and apprehend those who intend to harm our most vulnerable community members,” said Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “AFOSI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to root out criminal behavior that threatens the mission, equipment and people of the Department of the Air Force,” said Special Agent Eric Beebe, Commander of AFOSI Detachment 602. “We are dedicated to protecting our Airmen, their families, and the broader Guam community, as Operation Island Fever showcased.” The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 602. Assistant United States Attorney Devarup Rastogi prosecuted the case in the District of Guam. This was a Project Safe Childhood (PSC) case, 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, PSC 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 PSC, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Caledonia Man Pleads Guilty To Three Counts Of Sexually Exploiting A Minor

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: GRAND RAPIDS – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that Scott Michael Elam, 41, of Caledonia, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Elam faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 90 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29. Elam was arrested and indicted in November 2024 on seven counts of sexually exploiting four different minors. According to court documents, Elam recorded himself having sex with one of the minors on two different occasions and directed the other victims to take explicit photos and videos of themselves and then send them to him. He supplied alcohol, marijuana, vapes, and other contraband to the minors. Elam charged money for each and offered to reduce the price for minors who created and provided sexually explicit videos of themselves or had sex with him. “Today’s plea by Scott Elam highlights the FBI’s unwavering commitment to holding sexual predators accountable and safeguarding our most vulnerable citizens,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan . “Mr. Elam's abhorrent criminal acts against minors are utterly indefensible, and such behavior is not acceptable. I am deeply grateful for the relentless dedication and tireless efforts of the men and women of the FBI in Michigan, including the West Michigan-based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX), our partners at the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the successful prosecution in the Western District of Michigan. The FBI in Michigan remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate, disrupt, and bring to justice any individuals who prey on our children.” “The Kent County Sheriff’s Office is committed to pursuing justice for victims of child exploitation and ensuring that offenders are held accountable. This case highlights the critical importance of parents and guardians having open conversations with their children about the dangers of social media. Our dedicated staff and partnerships with federal agencies allow us to continue protecting our community from those who seek to harm children,” the department said in a statement. The Kent County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are investigating this case, and Assistant United States Attorney Olivia Ghiselli is prosecuting it. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials. # # #


title: Louisiana Doctor Sentenced for Illegally Distributing Over 1.8M Doses of Opioids in $5.4M Health Care Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Louisiana physician was sentenced yesterday to 87 months in prison for conspiring to illegally distribute over 1.8 million doses of Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine, and for defrauding health care benefit programs of more than $5.4 million. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Adrian Dexter Talbot M.D., 59, of Slidell, owned and operated Medex Clinical Consultants (Medex), located in Slidell. Medex was a medical clinic that accepted cash payments from individuals seeking prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances. Talbot routinely ignored signs that individuals frequenting Medex were drug-seeking or abusing the drugs prescribed. In 2015, Talbot took a full-time job in Pineville, Louisiana, and although he was no longer physically present at the Slidell clinic, he pre-signed prescriptions, including for opioids and other controlled substances, to be distributed to individuals there whom he did not see or examine. In 2016, Talbot hired another practitioner who, at Talbot’s direction, also pre-signed prescriptions to be distributed to individuals in exchange for cash deposited into a Medex bank account. The evidence also demonstrated that Talbot falsified patient records to cover up the scheme and to make it appear as though he was routinely examining the patients. With Talbot’s knowledge, these individuals filled their prescriptions using their insurance benefits, thereby causing health care benefit programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, to be fraudulently billed for controlled substances that were prescribed without an appropriate patient examination or determination of medical necessity. On July 22, 2024, Talbot was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Louisiana of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances, four counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG)’s South Central Field Office, Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI New Orleans Field Office, and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill made the announcement. HHS-OIG, VA-OIG, FBI, and the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Sara E. Porter and Gary A. Crosby II, Assistant Chief Justin Woodard, and Deputy Chief Kate Payerle of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Scranton Man Charged With Production Of And Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Clyde Hoffman, age 29, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 4, 2025, by a federal grand jury, for both production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, in November of 2024, Hoffman was in possession of over 800 unique images and videos of child exploitation material when agents executed a search warrant at his home. Additionally, a review of those images and videos revealed that in May of 2024, Hoffman had produced child exploitation images of a toddler using his cell phone. The investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Wyoming Valley Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force, which was formed in late 2023, and is comprised of federal, state and local investigators and District Attorney’s Offices from counties throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case. “This indictment underscores the dedication and cooperation between HSI and our federal, state, and local partners within the Wyoming Valley Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Edward V. Owens. “One of our primary missions is to protect the most vulnerable among us, and we will continue to leverage all available resources to combat child exploitation and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.” “Successful cooperation between the partners of the Wyoming Valley Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force allows for collaborative prosecutions such as this one and is why we formed this task force,” said Task Force Chair and Wyoming County District Attorney Joe Peters. “We thank the investigators and prosecutors involved and send the message that we will only increase our combined efforts to keep the children of Northeastern Pennsylvania safe.” “Children are our most precious resource in every community,” said District Attorney Raymond J. Tonkin. “The Pike County District Attorney’s Office joined the Wyoming Valley Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force to further the mission of law enforcement and prosecutors working together to protect children from predators.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 50 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Truck Driver Who Dumped 25-Year-Old’s Body Convicted Of Kidnapping Resulting in Death

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A truck driver who kidnapped a 25-year-old woman and dumped her dead body in the woods has been convicted at trial, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. Naasson Hazzard, 28, of Austin, was charged via criminal complaint in August and indicted in October. After nine days of trial and approximately an hour of deliberation, a jury on Tuesday convicted him of kidnapping resulting in death. “A young woman’s life was cut tragically short, her last moments likely spent in terror,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “But those final moments do not define her life. She mattered, her life had worth, and we are proud to put her kidnapper behind bars.” “Just a few months ago, this violent criminal not only kidnapped an unsuspecting victim, but also took her life. From that time, our commitment has been to seek justice,” said Travis Pickard, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Dallas. “With this guilty verdict, we are one step closer to achieving justice. HSI remains steadfast in using every method at our disposal to apprehend those who commit heinous acts in our communities.” According to evidence presented at trial, surveillance video caught Hazzard’s victim, a young sex worker, entering his semi-truck in Dallas at 9:27 p.m. on Aug. 15. Eight days later, her decomposing body was found in a wooded area off Texas Highway 11 in Pittsburg, Texas with a black plastic bag tied around her head. Cell phone records showed that on the evening of Aug. 15, Mr. Hazzard traveled from the pickup location to a nearby parking lot, where he remained for approximately 17 minutes. He then drove over three hours to a wooded area off Highway 11 in Pittsburg, Texas, where he texted his boss that he would be out sick the following day and remained for almost an hour before completing a load for work. The next day, he and his wife returned to the scene before going to dinner in Tyler, Texas. In the days that followed, Mr. Hazzard switched cell phones and deleted his Google and Life360 location sharing accounts. He also cleaned the truck with bleach and searched “how many years for first second and third degree murders.” Meanwhile, his wife searched for “Pittsburg Texas news.” On Aug. 23, the same day the victim’s body was recovered, agents found her cell phone shattered on the side of the road along Mr. Hazzard’s route the night she was killed. Mr. Hazzard now faces an automatic life sentence. The North Texas Trafficking Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of the following agencies: the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Dallas Police Department, the Midlothian Police Department, the Texas Rangers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the Titus County Sheriff’s Office, the Buda Police Department, the Austin Police Department, the Hayes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office leads the Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandie Wade and Renee Hunter prosecuted the case with the help of appellate liaison Jonathan Bradshaw.


title: Armed Leader of a Drug Trafficking Organization Shipping Kilogram Quantities of Cocaine from Puerto Rico Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – Cesar De Sena Arias, aka “Junior,” was sentenced to 120 months in prison and five years of supervised release for his role as an armed leader of a trafficking organization bringing kilogram quantities of cocaine into Raleigh from Puerto Rico. On March 4, 2024, Arias, age 32, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and aiding and abetting. According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Raleigh Police Department (RPD) conducted a federal wiretap investigation into the Arias drug trafficking organization in April 2022. The investigation revealed that Arias was utilizing the U.S. Postal Service to send shipments of kilogram-quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to various addresses in Raleigh. The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) was able to identify Internet Protocol (IP) addresses used to track multiple shipments, and at least one phone number associated with those IP addresses was traced to a known residence of Arias. Further surveillance of Arias confirmed that he travelled to the residences where packages were being shipped. Searches of multiple locations identified in the investigation resulted in the seizure of kilogram quantities of cocaine, a firearm, and more than $20,000 in cash. Two co-defendants in this investigation have also been convicted and sentenced. Luis Portes-Martes (5:23-CR-00119-FL-2): 48 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release. Robert Norris Mariscal (5:23-CR-00119-FL-3): 60 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release. This investigation was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The DEA, Raleigh Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Sandling prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00119-FL. ###


title: Dominican National Sentenced To 60 Months In Prison For Role In Operating Fentanyl Drug Mill

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Dominican national was sentenced to 60 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and transport bulk quantities of fentanyl into northern New Jersey communities from a drug mill located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Hector Luiz De La Cruz Nunez, 32, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to a two-count information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In February 2022, Nunez and his co-conspirators operated a private residence, commonly referred to as a drug mill, in which he and his co-conspirators produced large quantities of bulk fentanyl for redistribution. In early March 2022 following a car stop, law enforcement recovered nearly six kilograms of fentanyl packaged in approximately 400 individual bricks concealed within a hidden compartment inside of the vehicle that Nunez was driving. In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Nunez to three years of supervised release. Nunez’s co-conspirators, Emmanuel F. Almonte Mejia, 40, and Loanny F. Duran Hiciano, 37, have both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Mejia and Hiciano await sentencing. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, HSI Philadelphia, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Edward Owens, and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation that led to the sentencing. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the Criminal Division in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Justin Capek


title: Colombian Smuggler Extradited in Connection with Pregnant Woman’s Border-Crossing Death

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – A Colombian man was extradited from Canada to the United States and arraigned today for charges arising from the drowning of a pregnant woman. The woman, a citizen of Mexico, died in December 2023 while trying to illegally enter the United States by wading across the Great Chazy River in Champlain, New York. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of Homeland Security Investigations, Buffalo, New York Field Office; and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement. Jhader Augusto Uribe-Tobar, age 36, is a citizen of Colombia who resides in Quebec, Canada. According to the indictment and an earlier-filed criminal complaint, Uribe-Tobar smuggled a pregnant woman, A.V.-F., from Canada into the Northern District of New York for $2,500, by instructing her to wade through the frigid Great Chazy River in darkness. The smuggling attempt ended in A.V-F.’s death. United States Attorney Carla Freedman stated: “This tragedy highlights the dangers of illegal migration and how, as alleged, smugglers deliberately put people in harm’s way for profit. By vigorously prosecuting human smuggling networks, we are deterring and reducing the number of dangerous crossings like the one that took the lives of this young woman and her unborn child.” HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan stated: “We will not stand by as lives are tragically lost by the deception of human smugglers profiting off the vulnerability of migrants. HSI Buffalo and our partners vigorously pursue justice for the victims who are exploited and endangered by the people whom they are trusting to move them across borders.” Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia stated: “Effective border security enforcement hinges on tangible penalties for criminal actions. The U.S. Border Patrol continues to enforce the laws of the United States, and this prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office demonstrates that those who violate the law will be held accountable.” The charges in the complaint and indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. On December 7, 2023, A.V-F.’s relative contacted Uribe-Tobar on TikTok where Uribe-Tobar advertised himself as a smuggler. Uribe-Tobar advised A.V-F.’s relative, “It costs $2500 American, it is worked through Montreal and they are left in the City of Plattsburgh, NY.” A few days later, on December 11, 2023, A.V-F.’s relative sent Uribe-Tobar proof that he had wired $2,500 to Uribe-Tobar. Shortly after receiving that message, Uribe-Tobar traveled with A.V-F. to the immediate area of the United States-Canada border. At approximately 6:21 that evening, Uribe-Tobar told A.V-F.’s relative, “Friend we are at the river crossing.” At 6:22 p.m., Uribe-Tobar told A.V-F.’s relative, “She is crossing friend” to which her relative replied, “I’m very nervous.” At 7:06 p.m., Uribe-Tobar messaged A.V-F’s relative, “Bro hello, I think she got wet or turned off her cell phone. Bro, I told her to hold it while she was crossing.” Uribe-Tobar followed that message with a screenshot of messages he exchanged with A.V-F., which showed that he had sent her three messages at 6:17 p.m. The screenshot indicates that the last message was never read. Uribe-Tobar and A.V-F’s relative continued to exchange messages throughout the night of December 11, 2023. Uribe-Tobar claimed that he had people searching for A.V-F. and that “I already sent them a pin to see if they see her, I told them what happened and that she is pregnant.” On December 12, 2023, A.V-F.’s relative told a Border Patrol Agent in Champlain that she was supposed to illegally enter the United States on December 11, but that he had not heard from her. He reported her last known location as the edge of the Great Chazy River in Champlain, and that the smuggler had told A.V-F. the river was wadable. Multiple law enforcement agencies immediately began to search for A.V-F. On December 14, 2023, they found A.V-F.’s body in the Great Chazy River. The charges against Uribe-Tobar carry a minimum term of 3 years and a maximum term of life in prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. At his initial appearance today in Plattsburgh, Uribe-Tobar was ordered detained pending a trial scheduled before Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd in Utica, New York. The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and United States Border Patrol are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Kopita and Carling Dunham are prosecuting the case. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs assisted in securing the arrest and extradition of Uribe-Tobar.


title: Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to  Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Michael Turner, 35, from Fort Dodge, Iowa pled guilty February 5, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to felony possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. At the plea hearing, Turner admitted that between March 1, 2024 and March 29, 2024, he possessed a Glock .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, knowing that he was then previously convicted of robbery/no firearm in Cook County, Illinois in March of 2011, and introduction of drugs into a detention facility in Webster County, Iowa, in 2017, each a felony crime punishable of a term of imprisonment for more than one year. On March 8, 2024, a shooting occurred in Fort Dodge, Iowa. On March 29, 2024, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in which Turner was a passenger and located a .45 caliber Glock pistol under Turner’s seat. Officers found that Turner was wearing a holster that fit the pistol, and upon inquiry admitted that he had possessed the firearm at various times in March 2024. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Turner remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Turner faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment. 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. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-3023. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Pair Sentenced for Roanoke Fentanyl Distribution

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A pair of Roanoke fentanyl traffickers were sentenced recently to substantial federal prison sentences. Dejuan Lemons, 35, pled guilty to possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced to 195 months. Kelvin Robertson, 47, pled guilty to distribution of fentanyl. He was sentenced to 60 months. According to court documents, between May and August of 2023, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), conducted multiple confidential purchases of fentanyl from Robertson. Before and after these sales, Robertson met with Lemons. Authorities ultimately executed a search warrant at a residence on Rorer Avenue in Roanoke, a single-family home occupied by Lemons and his grandfather. In the back room of the residence, authorities located more than 700 grams of powder fentanyl, a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, and a loaded .22 caliber pistol. Agents also located approximately $1,000 in cash that had been used to purchase drugs from Robertson. Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony 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 investigated the case. Valuable assistance to the investigation was provided by the Lynchburg Police Department, the City of Roanoke Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Roanoke County Police Department, the Virginia State Police, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Brett prosecuted the case.


title: Civil Forfeiture Action Filed In Federal Court Against Bronx Residence Used As Stash House For Firearms And Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Bryan Miller, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”); and Jessica S. Tisch, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the filing of a civil forfeiture Complaint against a Bronx residence located at 3267 Decatur Avenue in the Bronx, New York. The Complaint alleges that the residence was used by members of the “Drilly Gang” as a stash house for drug trafficking and firearms. U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “As alleged, 3267 Decatur Avenue—a Bronx residence located steps away from an elementary school—was used by members of a gang as a stash house for drugs and firearms. This civil forfeiture action seeking to seize the residence demonstrates that we will use all the tools available to protect the streets of this city. Together with our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to the fight against gun violence and drug trafficking in our community.” ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller said: “Illicit drug trafficking destroys lives and fuels violence. Taking over a home, for the purpose of selling illegal drugs next to a school, while boasting about it on social media, demonstrates a blatant disregard for the safety of our communities. The ATF / NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force remains committed to dismantling criminal networks and protecting innocent people from the tragic consequences of violent crime. No one should have to live or work next to an illegal narcotics operation run by armed criminals. We will remain relentless in our efforts to keep our streets safe. I commend the dedication and hard work of the men and women of the Joint Firearms Task Force, NYPD 52nd Precinct, and SDNY for their efforts in this case.” According to the allegations in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court today and other court filings: [1] Since in or about April 2024, law enforcement agents with the ATF and the NYPD have been conducting an investigation into 3267 Decatur Avenue in the Bronx, New York, including members of a group known as the “Drilly Gang” that used 3267 Decatur Avenue as a stash house for drug trafficking and firearms. The residence at 3267 Decatur Avenue is located steps away from an elementary school in the Norwood neighborhood of the Bronx. Members of the Drilly Gang were using 3267 Decatur Avenue as a headquarter of operations, including as a location to film rap videos in furtherance of the Drilly Gang, which included depictions of drugs and weapons. Members of the Drilly Gang also posted on social media photographs and videos depicting their involvement in the sale of drugs and possession of firearms, as depicted below: On or about November 4, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at 3267 Decatur Avenue and recovered, among other things: a pistol magazine; 177.73 grams of cocaine; 33 grams of methamphetamine; 38 grams of fentanyl; 65 grams of psilocybin mushrooms; and 240 grams of marijuana. Investigators also found drug packaging materials, which were designed to make the drugs look like candy (i.e., Welch's Fruit Snacks, Skittles, Peanut Buddy Bars, etc.) and approximately $1700 in U.S. currency. Depicted below are some of the items seized from 3267 Decatur Avenue: * * * Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and the NYPD. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit and Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew K. Chan and Frank J. Balsamello are in charge of the prosecution. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Acting United States Attorney Fondren Announces Federal Indictments for Firearm and Violent Crimes

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced today the indictments of seven individuals who were charged with federal gun and violent crime offenses in West Tennessee. Acting United States Attorney Fondren emphasized that the United States’ commitment to prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms and commit violent offenses remains a top priority for her office. The following defendants were charged with firearm or violent crime offenses: Torrian Floyd, 35 . Floyd was indicted on January 30, 2025, on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Mohamadou Ba , 21 . Ba was indicted on January 30, 2025, on one count of robbery of a business affecting interstate commerce, one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robbery, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Maurice Harris , 31 . Harris was indicted on three counts robbery of a business affecting interstate commerce, three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robberies, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Marshun Lewis , 24 . Lewis was indicted on two counts robbery of a postal carrier and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robberies. Royce Newsome, 32, and Alvin Anthony, 30 . Newsome and Anthony were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to commit carjacking and carjacking. Additionally, Newsome was indicted on one count of aiding and abetting a robbery, and Anthony was indicted on one count of accessory after the fact to the carjacking. Christopher Busby, 53. Busby was indicted on two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. These cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force; the Project Safe Neighborhoods Gun Task Force; the Memphis Police Department; and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information about switches or other federal gun crimes can call 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867). The charges and allegations contained in the indictments 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. If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. These indictments are 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 of Justice 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, using data-driven methods to set focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Acting United States Attorney Fondren thanked the Assistant United States Attorneys prosecuting these cases, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the cases. ### 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: Trio Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Federal Prison for Mail Theft and Card Cracking Scheme

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— Three individuals have been sentenced to a combined 16 years in federal prison for their roles in a multi-year mail theft and bank fraud scheme. According to court documents, between October 2021 and April 2022, Cortez Venable, Ephraim Aung, and Brooke Bryan conspired together to commit bank fraud using financial documents such as checks and money orders, which were stolen from U.S. Postal Service (USPS) collection boxes. These collection boxes can only be opened by special “arrow keys” that belong to USPS letter carriers. In order to obtain the arrow keys, Venable and other unknown individuals robbed postal workers at gunpoint while they were on their daily routes delivering mail. Venable robbed a letter carrier on October 4, 2021. Prior to the robbery, Venable and Aung had been in contact via text message. Aung told Venable to take the letter carrier’s mail bag, in addition to their arrow keys, and to look for checks in the stolen mail. On December 6, 2021, Bryan and Aung served as lookouts while other unknown men attempted to rob a letter carrier of her arrow key in the parking lot of an apartment complex. The letter carrier ran to Bryan and Aung’s vehicle for help, unaware that they were involved in the scheme. Aung again served as a lookout during an armed robbery of a letter carrier that occurred on December 21, 2021. Using the arrow keys taken during the robberies, Venable and Aung stole mail, checks and money orders from USPS blue collection boxes in the Indianapolis area. Next, they used the stolen checks and money orders to obtain real cash by either (1) creating fraudulent checks and money orders using some or all of the information found on the stolen checks and money orders; or (2) altering the payee information on the stolen checks and money orders. Venable and Aung recruited others to deposit the fraudulent checks and money orders into their personal bank accounts, a scheme that has come to be known as “card cracking.” Bryan also deposited stolen financial instruments into her personal account. Card cracking is a form of fraud where bank account holders respond to an online solicitation for “easy money” and provide a debit card for withdrawal of fake check deposits. Criminals use social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, or Telegram to solicit account holders. Those who respond to these solicitations - now accomplices - provide their debit card, PIN, password, and other personal identifying information to give the criminal direct access to their account, as well as payment of sometimes $15,000 for the service. The fraudster deposits the worthless checks and either immediately withdraws the funds at an ATM or transfers it out of the account via money transfer applications like Zelle or CashApp. The criminal sometimes provides the customer with a cut of the money withdrawn using worthless checks – or, in other cases, takes all funds out of the customer’s account. During a search of Venable’s car and home, U.S. Postal Service Investigators recovered 247 pieces of stolen mail, three arrow keys, $70,121.44 in stolen checks and four firearms. As a convicted felon, Venable was prohibited from possessing firearms. Investigators also searched the apartment that Bryan and Aung shared and located several stolen checks, altered money orders, laptops, a printer, a scanner, and blank check stock, along with other items commonly used to alter checks, including razor blades and white out. Multiple firearms were also recovered in their residence. In total, more than 150 people were victimized by this scheme, losing a total of approximately $104,747.09. Aung, Bryan and Venable were convicted and sentenced as follows: Defendant Charges Sentence Ephraim Aung, 23, Indianapolis Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud Bank Fraud, 2 Counts Mail Theft 5 years imprisonment 3 years supervised release $807 in restitution $500 fine Brooke Bryan, 22, Indianapolis Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud Bank Fraud 18 months imprisonment 2 years supervised release $807 in restitution $500 fine Cortez Venable, 27, Lawrence Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud Bank Fraud Robbery or Mail Brandishing a Firearm In Furtherance of a Crime of Violence Mail Theft Keys or Locks Stolen 130 months imprisonment 3 years supervised release $807 in restitution $500 fine “Not only did this scheme victimize and traumatize letter carriers – it also victimized ordinary citizens who rely on the United States mail to send important correspondence or pay bills,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Letter carriers should not have to live in fear of gun violence simply for doing their jobs. Americans should not have to fear that their important financial documents will be stolen and exploited by fraudsters who wreak financial havoc. The serious federal prison sentences in this case demonstrates that the Department of Justice, working with our federal partners, will ensure there will be serious consequences for violence against public servants and fraud against the public.” “This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents, the U.S. Postal Inspectors and the Beech Grove and Lawrence Police Departments, working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation. Substantial sentences such as these are a staunch reminder of the severity of stealing from the U.S. Mail,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The majority of postal employees are hard-working public servants dedicated to moving mail to its proper destination. The USPS OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.” “The sentencing of these three individuals shows the utmost importance we place on the safety of U.S. Postal Service employees and the sanctity of the U.S. mail,” said Detroit Division Acting Inspector in Charge Felicia George. “We will not stop pursuing those who seek to harm our employees and victimize postal customers. We will bring them to justice to account for their violent and selfish crimes. The partnerships we’ve established with our USPS OIG counterparts, local police departments, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office allowed us to work jointly to pursue and hold these individuals accountable. Let this serve as reminder to those who want to make a quick dollar by traumatizing our letter carriers and financially preying on the American public: We will find you and bring you to justice.” The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Beech Grove Police Department, and the Lawrence Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Massa and Meredith Wood and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence Hilton, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Possessing Two Machineguns

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TIERON PRICE (“PRICE”) , age 22, pled guilty on February 4, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Darrel J. Papillion, to two counts of possessing a machinegun, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(o) and 924(a)(2); possession with intent to distribute tapentadol, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i). According to court documents, on May 22, 2023, PRICE was driving a stolen vehicle in New Orleans. When Louisiana State Police troopers attempted to pull him over, PRICE accelerated and led troopers on a dangerous, and potentially life threatening, car chase. The chase ended when PRICE struck a vehicle stopped at a red light. PRICE , and two other occupants, fled but were caught. Inside a backpack carried by one of the other occupants was a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter caliber pistol, equipped with a Glock auto-sear, making the firearm a fully-automatic machinegun. The machinegun had a bullet in the chamber and was loaded with an extended magazine containing 23 rounds of ammunition. PRICE was arrested after the car chase but subsequently released on bond. On January 19, 2024, New Orleans Police Department detectives executed a search warrant at PRICE ’s residence. During the search, officers found a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter caliber pistol, a black Glock auto-sear hidden in a baby bassinet, and a drum magazine loaded with 49 rounds. PRICE was seen the day before the search with the same gun equipped with the auto-sear and the drum magazine. During the search, officers also found over $6,000 in cash, and 95 tapentadol pills that PRICE intended to distribute. As to each of his convictions for possession of a machinegun, PRICE faces up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. As to his drug trafficking conviction, he faces up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and up to a $1,000,000 fine. As to his conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. 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. The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Three Metro East Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire Fraud in Gas Pump Scheme

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal judge in southern Illinois sentenced three men to prison for their involvement in a scheme to use counterfeit credit and debit cards to fill up tanks for gas station patrons in exchange for cash. Dee E. Day, 31, of Belleville, was sentenced Monday to 30 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $14,295 in restitution. Marquise Q. Golliday, 29, of Collinsville, and Montuelle F. Wright, 33, of East St. Louis, were each previously sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment. Day, Golliday and Wright each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. “Financial exploitation and identity theft crimes are serious offenses with lasting effects on victims, but thankfully, our law enforcement partners worked swiftly to disband this criminal ring,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. According to court documents, the conspirators had counterfeit credit and debit cards with one set of information on the front, but the routing information was electronically modified and reencoded on the cards’ magnetic strip. The encoded data included the victims’ names and card numbers. “Financial crimes perpetrated on law-abiding citizens often have lasting effects on unknowing victims. The U.S. Secret Service is dedicated to stopping and deterring such crimes to safeguard our nation’s financial security as well as innocent people,” Special Agent in Charge Dai Tran, of the Chicago Field Office, said. “I’m proud of our agency’s work on this case and I’m thankful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for pursuing it.” The trio used the modified cards to charge more than 130 fraudulent transactions on accounts belonging to 34 victims totaling more than $14,000. Most of the fraud was committed at a Sauget gas station from Nov. 1-5, 2019. Similar conduct was reported at gas stations in Columbia and Fairview Heights in Illinois and Valley Park, Missouri. The U.S. Secret Service led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Reed prosecuted the case.


title: Former Labor Union Financial Secretary Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Union Assets

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Freedom, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of embezzlement of labor union assets, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Vincent Wolf, 57, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from approximately April 2013 through April 2021, Wolf served as the financial secretary for the United Steelworkers Local Union 623 in Freedom. As financial secretary, Wolf was responsible for maintaining all financial records, preparing annual reports, and issuing payments on behalf of Local 623 related to union officers’ salaries and expenses. An audit of the union’s finances following Wolf’s re-election loss revealed that Wolf omitted from those records disbursements that he made to himself in the form of writing union checks to himself, ATM withdrawals, and using the union debit card to buy lunch and alcohol. The audit determined that Wolf embezzled a total of $14,695. Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for June 4, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain to Wolf, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Wolf.


title: Houston Man Indicted for Coercing, Enticing Minors and Sexually Exploiting a Minor to Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Dazhon Darien, 32, of Houston, Texas, with five counts of sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of coercion and enticement of a child, one count of receipt of child sexual abuse material, and four counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the charges with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department. According to the indictment, between July 2023 and July 2024, the defendant persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor male to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing and transmitting child sexual abuse material. Additionally, the indictment alleges that the defendant enticed two minor males to engage in prohibited sexual conduct and Darien possessed child sexual abuse material in internet-based accounts and on one digital device. If convicted, Darien faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor; a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for each of the two counts of coercion and enticement of a child; a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the single count of receipt of child sexual abuse material, and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each of the four counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Barron commended the Baltimore FBI Field Office and the Baltimore County Police Department, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine O. Goo and Paul E. Budlow who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Charlotte Man Is Sentenced To Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm And Transfer Of A Machinegun

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Shakor Daniels, 26, of Charlotte, to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and transfer of a machinegun, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to court documents and court proceedings, on June 13, 2023, law enforcement stopped Daniels’s vehicle for a traffic violation. Over the course of the traffic stop, officers found two firearms inside the vehicle. Daniels admitted to possessing a firearm for protection. Court documents show that, in the fall of 2023, law enforcement determined that Daniels was advertising Glock switches for sale on his social media account, which included the tag line “Go fed or go home.” A Glock switch is an illegal conversion device that enables a conventional semi-automatic pistol to function as a fully automatic firearm. According to court records, on several occasions, undercover ATF agents purchased multiple items from Daniels, including Glock switches for handguns and a rifle, and a 45-round drum magazine. On January 14, 2024, Daniels sent an image of a handgun to an undercover ATF agent that Daniels was selling. The undercover agent agreed to meet Daniels to purchase the firearm. On January 16, 2024, Daniels was arrested when he arrived to sell the firearm to the undercover agent. Daniels has prior criminal convictions, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms. Daniels is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. The ATF investigated the case with the assistance of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun and Drug Charges

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOHNNIE HAGANS (“HAGANS”) , age 32, was sentenced on January 30, 2025, by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier, after previously pleading guilty to a multi-count indictment. Count 1 charged him with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). Count 2 charged him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(1). Counts 3 and 4 charged him with being a felon in possession a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). HAGANS was sentenced to 157 months imprisonment as to all counts of the indictment, with Counts 1, 3, and 4 to run concurrently, and the sentence for Count 2 to run consecutively to those counts. Judge Barbier also placed HAGANS on supervised release for 3 years and ordered payment of a $400 mandatory special assessment fee. According to court documents, on January 23, 2024, a New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officer surveilling a Valero gas station in New Orleans saw HAGANS making multiple hand-to-hand drug sales. NOPD patrol officers detected an object in HAGANS’s waistband recognizable as a firearm. HAGANS fled from the officers and discarded a Ruger Model LCPII, .380 caliber pistol, that officers later recovered, in an open lot. Officers also obtained a search warrant for a Nissan Rogue SUV located in the Valero gas station parking lot that HAGANS had previously accessed. Inside the SUV, officers found a Kahr Arms Model CW40, .40 caliber pistol, and a plastic bag containing cocaine. Officers later obtained a search warrant for HAGANS’s residence and recovered a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco, 7.62-millimeter pistol and an Anderson Arms Model AM-15, .223 caliber /5.56-millimeter pistol. 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. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.