title: Bakersfield Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Ramon Maldonado Jr., 33, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, psilocybin, and marijuana, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, on Aug. 10, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at a residence in Bakersfield that served as a stash house. The residence was set up as a shop for the sale of psychedelic drugs (psilocybin mushrooms) and marijuana. A stolen firearm was found in the sales area. Maldonado was found in bed in one of the bedrooms, where agents located a bag of psilocybin mushrooms, a plastic tote containing psilocybin and marijuana wax and edibles, another tote containing jars and bags of marijuana, a clear plastic bag of heroin, a clear plastic bag containing fentanyl, bindles of fentanyl and heroin, and a Ruger .22‑caliber rifle with an inserted magazine. In another bedroom, agents located fentanyl, including a kilogram “brick” of fentanyl with a Louis Vuitton imprint. In the kitchen, agents found a clear plastic bag containing methamphetamine near five semi-automatic pistol magazines. In total, agents seized 5.5 pounds of fentanyl, 25.9 pounds of psilocybin, 23.4 pounds of marijuana, 20 ounces of heroin, and 1.15 ounces of methamphetamine. This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Kern County Probation Office Gang Unit and Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case. Maldonado is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Aug. 4, 2025. Maldonado faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Charleston Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization and Violating Supervised Release

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Anthony Michael Mowery, 48, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and violating supervised release. According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about January 2024 to in or about May 2024, Mowery conspired with others in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine in the Charleston area. Mowery facilitated meetings during which his co-conspirators exchanged large quantities of methamphetamine for distribution. On May 5, 2024, Mowery arranged for co-conspirator Michael Dale Cain to travel to Charleston for the purpose of picking up approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine from another co-conspirator, Kirt Ray King, that Cain intended to transport to Parkersburg and distribute to others. After Cain acquired the methamphetamine, he was stopped by law enforcement officers who searched his vehicle, seized the methamphetamine, and arrested Cain. Mowery has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions for unlawful assault, assault, battery, child abuse, destruction of property, and fleeing from an officer. At the time of this offense, Mowery was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his July 5, 2018, conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Today’s sentence includes two years in prison, to run concurrently to the nine-year sentence imposed by the Court, for committing a crime while on supervised release. Mowery is among four individuals indicted by a federal grand jury in the DTO conspiracy. All four pleaded guilty. Cain, 49, of Parkersburg, was sentenced on January 29, 2025, to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. King, 48, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on January 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025. Co-defendant John Wayne Harkless, 46, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-95. ###


title: Somerset County Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking, Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, and Illegal Possession of Firearms

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man was convicted of drug trafficking, possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and illegal possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Malachi A. Muhammad, 50, of Somerset, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Muhammad was also convicted of one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of unlawful possession of firearms by a convicted felon. Muhammad was convicted following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court. The jury deliberated less than two hours before returning the guilty verdicts. “This verdict underscores our commitment to keeping guns out of the hands of drug traffickers and dangerous drugs like methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin and cocaine out of our communities. My message is clear: if you jeopardize the safety and security of New Jerseyans, we will hold you accountable. Our office and our law enforcement partners won’t rest until we do.” - U.S. Attorney Alina Habba “This conviction is an example of ATF’s dedication to working with our state and local partners in identifying, investigating, and apprehending criminals who prey upon innocent citizens and lessen the quality of life in our neighborhoods through the trafficking of narcotics and the illegal possession and use of firearms, said Newark ATF Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. “This is a reminder that there is no safe haven for those that wreak havoc or contribute to crime in our communities. ATF will never waver in our commitment to protecting the people we serve and public safety.” According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial: On August 19, 2021, officers from the Lawrence Township Police Department responded to the southbound lanes of Route 1 near the Quaker Bridge Mall in response to calls from concerned citizens about a car stopped in the middle of the highway. Officers found Muhammad, the only occupant and driver of the car, initially unresponsive and believed him to be asleep or experiencing a medical emergency. After officers were able to arouse Muhammad, they noticed the handle of a handgun in between his legs. Officers removed Muhammad from the vehicle, and he was placed under arrest. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed 91 pills of methamphetamine, 468 wax folds of fentanyl and heroin, 5 bags of cocaine, and five additional firearms, including two semi-automatic rifles, and over 150 rounds of ammunition. The drug trafficking charges each carry maximum penalties of up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $1,000,000. The firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to any other term of imprisonment, a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. The unlawful possession of a firearm charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr., the Lawrence Township Police Department, under the direction of Interim Chief Kevin Reading, the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey A. Agnew and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton. ###


title: Statement Of Acting United States Attorney Matthew Podolsky On The Conviction Of Nadine Menendez

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Moments ago, a unanimous jury convicted Nadine Menendez for her critical role in a corruption and foreign influence scheme involving her husband, convicted former Senator Robert Menendez. Nadine Menendez and Senator Menendez were partners in crime. Over the span of five years, Nadine Menendez agreed to accept and accepted all sorts of bribes – including gold bars, cash, a Mercedes-Benz convertible, and a no-show job – all in exchange for the Senator’s corrupt official acts. Together, Nadine Menendez and the Senator placed their own interests and greed ahead of the interests of the citizens the Senator was elected to serve. Today’s verdict sends the clear message that the power of government officials may not be put up for sale, and that all those who facilitate corruption will be held accountable for their actions. I thank the career prosecutors of this Office and the special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation for their unwavering commitment to this case, and for their extraordinary efforts in ensuring that justice was done.


title: Walgreens Agrees to Pay Up to $350 Million for Illegally Filling Unlawful Opioid Prescriptions and for Submitting False Claims to the Federal Government

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: WASHINGTON – The Justice Department, together with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), today announced a $300 million settlement with Walgreens Boots Alliance, Walgreen Co. and various subsidiaries (collectively, Walgreens) to resolve allegations that the national chain pharmacy illegally filled millions of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and then sought payment for many of those invalid prescriptions by Medicare and other federal healthcare programs in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA). The settlement amount is based on Walgreens’s ability to pay. Walgreens will owe the United States an additional $50 million if the company is sold, merged, or transferred prior to fiscal year 2032. The government’s complaint, filed on Jan. 16 and amended April 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that from approximately August 2012 through March 1, 2023, Walgreens, one of the nation’s largest pharmacy chains, knowingly filled millions of unlawful controlled substance prescriptions. These unlawful prescriptions included prescriptions for excessive quantities of opioids, opioid prescriptions filled significantly early, and prescriptions for the especially dangerous and abused combination of three drugs known as a “trinity.” Walgreens pharmacists allegedly filled these prescriptions despite clear “red flags” indicating a high likelihood that the prescriptions were invalid because they lacked a legitimate medical purpose or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice. The complaint further alleges that Walgreens pressured its pharmacists to fill prescriptions quickly and without taking the time needed to confirm that each prescription was lawful. Walgreens’s compliance officials also allegedly ignored substantial evidence that its stores were dispensing unlawful prescriptions and even intentionally deprived its own pharmacists of crucial information, including by refusing to share internal data regarding prescribers with pharmacists and preventing pharmacists from warning one another about certain problematic prescribers. In light of Friday’s settlement, the United States has moved to dismiss its complaint. Walgreens will also move to dismiss a related declaratory judgment action filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. “Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction.” “This settlement holds Walgreens accountable for failing to comply with its critical responsibility to prevent the diversion of opioids and other controlled substances,” said John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “The settlement also underscores our Office’s continued commitment to ensure that all persons and businesses that fill controlled-substance prescriptions adhere to the requirements of the Controlled Substances Act that are designed to prevent highly addictive medications from being used for illegitimate purposes.” “This settlement resolves allegations that, for years, Walgreens failed to meet its obligations when dispensing dangerous opioids and other drugs,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Granston of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those entities and individuals whose actions contributed to the opioid crisis, whether through illegal prescribing, marketing, dispensing, or distributing activities.” In addition to the monetary payments announced today, Walgreens has entered into agreements with DEA and HHS-OIG to address its future obligations in dispensing controlled substances. Walgreens and DEA entered into a Memorandum of Agreement that requires the company to implement and maintain certain compliance measures for the next seven years. Walgreens must maintain policies and procedures requiring pharmacists to confirm the validity of controlled substance prescriptions prior to dispensing controlled substances, provide annual training to pharmacy employees regarding their legal obligations relating to controlled substances, verify that pharmacy staffing is sufficient to enable pharmacy employees to comply with those legal obligations, and maintain a system for blocking prescriptions from prescribers whom Walgreens becomes aware are writing illegitimate controlled substance prescriptions. Walgreens has also entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG, which further requires Walgreens to establish and maintain a compliance program that includes written policies and procedures, training, board oversight, and periodic reporting to HHS-OIG related to Walgreens’s dispensing of controlled substances. The civil settlement resolves four cases brought under the qui tam , or whistleblower, provisions of the FCA by former Walgreens employees. The FCA authorizes whistleblowers to sue on behalf of the United States and receive a share of any recovery. It also permits the United States to intervene and take over such lawsuits, as it did here. The relators will receive a 17.25% share of the government’s FCA recovery in this matter. The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. The United States’ pursuit of this matter underscores the government’s commitment to combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The United States is represented in this matter by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Division Consumer Protection Branch (Assistant Director Amy DeLine and Trial Attorney Nicole Frazer) and Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section (Assistant Director Natalie Waites and Trial Attorney Joshua Barron), as well as from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of Illinois (Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie R. Raedy), Middle District of Florida (Chief of the Civil Division Randy Harwell and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Tapie), District of Maryland (Chief of the Civil Division Thomas Corcoran), Eastern District of New York (Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot M. Schachner) and Eastern District of Virginia (Assistant U.S. Attorney John Beerbower). Fraud Section senior financial analyst Karen Sharp provided support for the matter. The DEA, HHS-OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Defense Health Agency (DHA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Inspector General, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Inspector General, FBI Chicago Field Office, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Colorado, Southern District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Eastern District of Washington, Southern District of Alabama, Southern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, District of Arizona, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, District of Puerto Rico, and Eastern District of Louisiana provided substantial assistance in the investigation.


title: Fresno Woman Tied to M30 King of Fresno Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking Offenses

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Alma Garza, 24, of Fresno, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to six years and eight months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine as well as possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. In September 2024, after a four-day trial, a federal jury found Garza guilty. According to the evidence presented at trial, Garza was a trusted assistant of the self-proclaimed M30 King of Fresno, Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr. Between Nov. 2, 2021, and March 31, 2022, Garza conspired with Torrecillas Urias and others to obtain, directly from sources in Mexico, tens of thousands of counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills and large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine. The conspiracy included the distribution of these illicit drugs to drug dealers inside and outside of California. On Jan. 27, 2022, Garza mailed a package containing cocaine and methamphetamine to a co-defendant in New Mexico. Law enforcement seized the package before it arrived at its destination. On Feb. 9, 2022, Garza traveled with Torrecillas Urias to Sanger to deliver thousands of pills laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine. Those pills were seized by law enforcement during the execution of a residential search warrant two days later. Evidence at trial also proved that Garza transferred thousands of dollars of cash to Mexican drug suppliers in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy. At the conclusion of the investigation, the United States charged Garza, Torrecillas Urias, and 17 others with drug trafficking offenses. With today’s sentencing, all defendants have now been sentenced. The case was the result of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Clovis Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: Rockford Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm

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

body_text: ROCKFORD — A federal judge has sentenced a Rockford man to eight years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm. CHARLES JACKSON, 26, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Rockford. Jackson admitted in a plea agreement that in May 2022, while fleeing from the Rockford Police Department, he possessed a modified handgun loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber. As a previously convicted felon, Jackson was prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson. Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.


title: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Huntington Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Mark Lawrence Lowe, also known as “Cell,” 24, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Lowe admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area. According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least September 2023 through November 2023, Lowe participated in the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl at various locations in the Southern District of West Virginia and elsewhere as part of the DTO. On September 9, 2023, Lowe and co-conspirator Paul Anthony Rucker were transporting fentanyl and methamphetamine from Huntington to Nitro when law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of their vehicle on Interstate 64 in Cabell County. An officer seized approximately 149 grams of fentanyl and 222.62 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle during the traffic stop. As part of his guilty plea, Lowe admitted that he and Rucker intended to distribute the seized controlled substances. Lowe is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. Rucker, 47, of Nitro, was sentenced on July 15, 2024, to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Lowe and Rucker are among 27 individuals indicted on charges alleging the DTO distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia. Lowe, Rucker and 22 other defendants have pleaded guilty, including one who pleaded guilty to a separate charges in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment. Charges against the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting the case. The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180. ###


title: Pittsburgh Woman Pleads Guilty to Credit Card Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Charges in Car Rental Scam

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Tai Jauna Jones, 29, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Jones, through the dark web, obtained credit card numbers and other personal information of numerous individuals, and then was one of several co-defendants who provided the fraudulently obtained credit card numbers to a manager at a Monroeville car rental location. The manager rented the vehicles knowing that the true owners of the credit card numbers did not authorize the car rentals, renting a total of more than 140 vehicles in this manner to cause losses of more than $500,000. Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for August 14, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than two years and up to 12 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Jones.


title: Serial Armed Robber Who Targeted Delivery Workers in DC, MD, Is Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: WASHINGTON – Rubin Raphael Bordeaux, 36, of the District, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 192 months in prison for his role a string of armed carjackings that targeted delivery workers in November 2023. At the height of the criminal spree, Bordeaux’s escalating violence culminated in a shooting, an eight-mile chase in an Amazon van, a vehicle collision, and a foot chase. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. Bordeaux pleaded guilty on September 12, 2024, to carjacking and to possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. In addition to the 192-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Bordeaux to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, Bordeaux and his co-defendants specifically targeted delivery drivers in a spree of armed carjackings and robberies over four days across the District of Columbia and Maryland. On November 9, 2023, around 1:30 p.m., a UPS driver was in the back of her work truck in Upper Marlboro, Maryland sorting packages. As she was working, Bordeaux and a co-conspirator were lying in wait, planning to rob her at gunpoint. As the UPS driver continued her job, the co-conspirator saw his opportunity and, with a silver firearm in hand, jumped into the back of the UPS truck. The co-conspirator told the UPS driver to “calm down. I just need your wallet and keys.” He took the UPS driver’s keys and ordered her to show him how to operate the UPS truck. In fear for her life, the UPS driver complied. The co-conspirator then threw the UPS driver’s phone in her direction and took off driving the truck. Bordeaux was not far behind. He followed the UPS truck in a tan pickup truck. Eventually Bordeaux and his co-conspirator stopped to offload packages from the UPS truck and abandoned the vehicle in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Just one hour later, Bordeaux and a co-conspirator struck again in Oxon Hill, Maryland. This time, they targeted a FedEx driver who was finishing a break. Bordeaux and the co-conspirator used their pickup truck to box-in the FedEx driver. Bordeaux jumped out of the pickup, quickly approached the FedEx driver, displayed a revolver, and demanded the keys. The FedEx driver gave up the company truck, and Bordeaux, followed by his co-conspirator in the tan pickup truck, drove off. Law enforcement recovered the FedEx truck in Washington, D.C., after it had been stripped of multiple packages. Four days later, on November 13, 2023, Bordeaux and a co-conspirator targeted another work vehicle. On that day, around 5:24 a.m., an Amtrak driver was seated in the rear passenger seat of a conspicuously marked Amtrak truck. The Amtrak driver and his two coworkers, who were also in the vehicle, were planning to start their workday with breakfast from a restaurant. While waiting inside the running vehicle, the Amtrak driver noticed that a man with a mask had walked up to the truck. Believing this person was a coworker, the Amtrak driver got out of the truck. The masked individual was not his coworker. Bordeaux ordered the Amtrak driver to “give me the truck.” When the Amtrak driver was slow to react, Bordeaux brandished a black gun and demanded again, “give me the truck.” The Amtrak driver surrendered the vehicle. Bordeaux got into the driver seat and drove away. As he did so, he was followed by a gray sedan. Bordeaux later abandoned the truck in Washington, D.C. after causing $27,883 in damage to the vehicle during the short time he had it in his possession. The next day, on November 14, 2023, Bordeaux and his co-conspirators targeted a shopper and her young child in a department store parking lot in Forestville, Maryland. An individual approached the woman at her car, demanded the keys to her vehicle and then forcefully removed the keys from her hands. The individual fled with the car toward Washington, D.C. Later that day, Bordeaux and three other individuals left the shopper’s vehicle parked in an area of Southeast D.C. As the four walked away, they came upon an Amazon delivery driver, who became Bordeaux’s next target. The Amazon driver was walking to his work van when Bordeaux approached him in the road. A second person from Bordeaux’s group simultaneously walked towards the Amazon driver, who began to run. Bordeaux fired a shot in the Amazon driver’s direction while the other individual also fired at the Amazon driver. Bordeaux’s bullet barely missed the driver, who then stopped and surrendered. Bordeaux went through the Amazon driver’s pockets, demanded “give me them f---- keys” and threatened the driver with “do you want to die?” Bordeaux located the keys and fled in the van while his accomplice ran off in the opposite direction. Behind the wheel of the Amazon van, Bordeaux led the police on an eight-mile-long chase crossing from the District of Columbia into Maryland. While trying to make his getaway, Bordeaux struck numerous vehicles, among them a police car. Once he realized he could not shake the police, Bordeaux stopped the vehicle on a sidewalk in Capitol Heights, Maryland. He attempted to run from law enforcement on foot but was quickly stopped. The keys to the shopper’s carjacked Honda were recovered from Bordeaux’s pocket. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the MPD. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Omeed Ali Assefi and Jacqueline Yarbro. 24cr76 ##


title: Former US Forest Service law enforcement officer pleads guilty to fraud

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA - A Thompson Falls man accused of falsifying time and attendance records admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Nathan J. Snead, 47, pleaded guilty to theft of government money. Snead faces ten years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto presided. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for August 27, 2025. Snead was released with conditions pending further proceedings. The government alleged in court documents that the defendant was required to work 40 hours of regular time per week, and he was compensated for administratively uncontrollable overtime, which is premium pay designed to compensate law enforcement officers (LEOs) for irregular and unscheduled overtime duty. In 2023, the defendant’s overtime rate was 15%, meaning he was required to justify an additional 5-7 hours per week to maintain that percentage at his next overtime review. The defendant documented his regular and overtime hours on his Time and Attendance Record for each pay period and signed the following certification: “I certify that the above information on hours worked and leave used is true and accurate.” The defendant also completed a record of overtime for each pay period in which he provided a case number and justification for the overtime and signed the following certification: “I certify that the official duties were performed as described above and were administratively uncontrollable.” On May 2, 2023, based on information Snead was not working his claimed hours, agents installed a GPS tracker on his government-issued patrol vehicle to monitor his movements. The tracker data showed Snead’s patrol vehicle was stationary at his house during hours he claimed to be working. On several occasions, Snead certified on his Time and Attendance Record he worked an 8-hour regular shift. However, his patrol vehicle remained stationary at his house for the entire 8 hours. Additionally, Snead claimed overtime hours when his patrol vehicle was stationary at his house for much of his regular shift and for the entire time of claimed overtime. Agents also evaluated Snead’s law enforcement statistics from 2021 through 2023. His productivity levels, measured via incident reports and the issuance of violation notices, were much lower than other similarly situated LEOs. The United States estimates Snead’s false time claims resulted in him stealing approximately $18,645. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Forest Service conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Operators of New Jersey Company Sentenced to Prison and Enter into Related Civil Settlement Agreement for Roles in $127 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme

component: Civil Division

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – Two operators of a New Jersey marketing company were sentenced to prison for their roles in conspiracies to commit health care fraud and to pay and receive illegal kickbacks, United States Attorney Alina Habba announced. Eric Karlewicz a/k/a “Anthony Mazza,” 46, of Rockland County, New York, and Nicco Romanowski, 33, of Roswell, Georgia, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court following their guilty pleas to Informations charging conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Karlewicz was sentenced to 51 months in prison and Romanowski was sentenced to 80 months in prison. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From in or around June 2017 through in or around May 2019, Karlewicz and Romanowski participated in a scheme with durable medical equipment (“DME”) companies, telemedicine companies, and doctors to submit false claims to health care benefit programs, including Medicare and TRICARE, based on a circular scheme of kickbacks and bribes. Karlewicz and Romanowski controlled a New Jersey-based marketing company, Empire Pain Center Holdings LLC (“Empire”), though which they and their co-conspirators identified Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries to target. Employees of Empire called the beneficiaries to pressure them to agree to accept DME, frequently consisting of back, shoulder, and knee braces. Karlewicz and Romanowski paid Empire’s employees commissions, bonuses, and incentives to encourage them to convince as many beneficiaries as possible to accept DME, regardless of medical necessity. Karlewicz and Romanowski, through Empire, then paid kickbacks to telemedicine companies, which in turn paid kickbacks to doctors in exchange for prescriptions for the DME. As agreed upon, the doctors signed the prescription orders regardless of medical necessity, often without ever speaking to the patient. Karlewicz and Romanowski distributed the prescriptions to DME suppliers around the country, with which Empire had additional kickback arrangements. These DME suppliers submitted claims for reimbursement to health care benefit programs including Medicare and TRICARE, and thereafter sent a portion of the proceeds to Empire as payment for the doctor’s orders generated through the conspiracy. Empire received more than $63 million from DME suppliers in exchange for the referrals. In total, Karlewicz and Romanowski caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs totaling in excess of $127 million for DME. Using proceeds from the scheme, Karlewicz and Romanowski purchased luxury vehicles, including a Ferrari, and Lamborghini, a Bentley, and a BMW. In addition to the prison terms, Judge Salas sentenced each defendant to three years of supervised release and ordered them to pay $127,600,000 in restitution. Karlewicz was ordered to forfeit over $63 million, and Romanowski was ordered to forfeit over $5.5 million. United States Attorney Habba also announced that Karlewicz and Empire entered into a civil settlement agreement. As part of that civil settlement agreement, Karlewicz and Empire admitted to violating the False Claims Act and agreed to the entry of a consent judgment against them in the amount of $63.8 million. The civil settlement agreement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The relator, Robert Jackson Tyler, Jr., will receive a share of the funds recovered by the United States pursuant to the False Claims Act. United States Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, and U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Silvestro, with the investigation. The government is represented in the criminal case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Bank Integrity, Recovery, and Money Laundering Unit in Newark. The government is represented in the civil case by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Trial Attorney Martha Glover of U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Fraud Section. ### Defense counsel: Darren Gelber, Esq. (for Eric Karlewicz) Alyssa Cimino, Esq. (for Nicco Romanowski)


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Khali Marquise Barnes, 25, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a home compliance check at Barnes’ residence in Huntington and located a loaded Glock 19 9mm handgun in Barnes’ bed. Barnes admitted to possessing the firearm. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Barnes knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery in Cabell County Circuit Court on August 10, 2021. Barnes is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-61. ###


title: Former DOC Case Manager Pleads Guilty to Bribery in Smuggling Narcotics and Cigarettes for an Inmate

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Herbert Baylor, 68, of the District, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of bribery in connection with a cigarettes and narcotics smuggling scheme at a facility operated by the District of Columbia Department of Corrections (DOC). The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Investigator Kevin L. Hammond of the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services. The Honorable Tanya Chutkan scheduled sentencing for Aug. 11, 2025. A co-defendant, Pamela Porter, 56, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty on April 17, 2025, to bribery in connection to her participation in the smuggling scheme. According to court documents, Baylor was a case manager employed by DOC to assist and manage inmates housed at the Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), a specialized medium security facility that houses inmates receiving specialized medical treatment or monitoring related to substance dependencies. From December 19, 2022, through September 23, 2024, Baylor’s duties included helping with the administrative pre-trial and trial needs of inmates, including facilitating communication with their attorneys or social workers. Baylor worked as Inmate-1’s case worker at CTF. Beginning in October 2023, Baylor agreed with Inmate-1 and others to smuggle contraband into CTF in exchange for money. Specifically, Inmate-1 directed his non-incarcerated associates, including Pamela Porter, to send CashApp payments to Baylor. Baylor then hid on himself cigarettes he had purchased or controlled substances received from Inmate-1’s associates, in order to clear security at CTF. Once through security, Baylor brought Inmate-1 to his office and provided him with the contraband. Inmate-1 then distributed the contraband to other inmates at CTF in exchange for money. As part of this scheme, Porter sent Baylor $1,200. In total, Baylor received $6,245 between October 20, 2023, and June 21, 2024. On September 19, 2024, Inmate-1 asked Baylor if Inmate-1 could call his attorney to talk about an appeal. Baylor authorized the inmate’s request. But instead of calling an attorney, Inmate-1 called Individual-1 to set up the delivery of prohibited objects to be smuggled into CTF. Baylor agreed to smuggle Suboxone strips into the CTF facility for Inmate-1. Suboxone strips contain Buprenorphine—a Schedule III narcotic drug. On September 23, 2024, Baylor met Individual-1 in the parking lot of CTF. Baylor accepted $1,000 in cash from Individual-1 and received a cigarette carton Baylor believed to be filled with Suboxone strips. Following the meeting with Individual-1, Baylor placed the $1,000 in his personal vehicle. He put the cigarette carton inside his underwear. Baylor went through security at the entrance to CTF and entered the facility. At that time, he was arrested. As a DOC employee, Baylor’s conduct was governed by the DOC’s Contraband Control policy which states that trafficking contraband of any kind to inmates is strictly prohibited. The policy describes any illegal drug or controlled substance and any tobacco product as major contraband. Additionally, federal law makes it a crime to provide “prohibited objects” to an inmate. Prohibited objects include any controlled substance or any object that threatens “the order, discipline, or security of a prison, or the life, health, or safety of any individual.” This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold. 25cr87 ##


title: Two Guatemalan Nationals And One Brevard County Man Plead Guilty To Drug And Immigration Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Augusto Rene Reyes-Gonzalez (37, Guatemala), Carlos Grijalva-Garcia (38, Guatemala), and Brandon Charod Smith (39, Palm Bay) have pleaded guilty to their respective roles in conspiring to distribute and distributing cocaine and methamphetamine. Reyes-Gonzalez and Grijalva-Garcia also pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a deported alien. Reyes-Gonzalez and Smith each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Grijalva-Garcia faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. No sentencing dates have been set. According to court documents, in August and September 2023, Reyes-Gonzalez conspired with Grijalva-Garcia to distribute cocaine, which they distributed to a confidential source on August 25, 2023. Between September 2023 and January 2024, Reyes-Gonzalez conspired with Smith to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, which they distributed to the same confidential source on September 8, October 6, December 1, and December 22, 2023. In total, the conspiracies involved over 80 grams of cocaine and over 3 kilograms of pure methamphetamine. At the time of the drug conspiracies, Reyes-Gonzalez and Grijalva-Garcia were citizens of Guatemala and found to be unlawfully in the United States. Both individuals had previously been removed from the United States on multiple occasions. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Palm Bay Police Department, the Rockledge Police Department, the Melbourne Police Department, the Cocoa Police Department, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Cruz, Dana Hill, and Megan Testerman.


title: Miami Executive Pleads Guilty to Massive Fraud Scheme

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Pushpesh Kumar Baid, also known as “PK Jain,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud investors in Tradepay Capital LLC (Tradepay), a purported factoring company. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom. When sentenced, Baid faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, as well as restitution of over $35 million and forfeiture of over $2.6 million. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea. “Through a complex web of shell companies, straw bank accounts, fraudulent documents, and other lies, Baid and his co-conspirators deceived their victims into investing tens of millions of dollars into a business that did not exist,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Today’s plea demonstrates that my Office will hold accountable fraudsters like Baid who enrich themselves at their investors’ expense.” Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations for its work on the case. As set forth in court filings, Baid was the business head of Tradepay, which purported to be an international factoring business run by an executive team experienced in factoring invoices in particular industries and geographic regions. Factoring involves the sale of an invoice to a third party at a discount. In a factoring transaction, the seller of an invoice obtains immediate funding from the buyer of the invoice, and the buyer of the invoice makes a profit when the invoice is paid in full. Between April 2017 and October 2019, Baid and his co-conspirators implemented a scheme to defraud investors in Tradepay by making it appear that Tradepay was a legitimate and successful business when it was, in fact, an elaborate scam. For example, the hundreds of invoices from various businesses that Tradepay purported to be factoring were fraudulent and included fake signatures for both sides of the transactions. Baid and his co-conspirators also funneled millions of dollars of investors’ funds—which they represented would be sent to Tradepay’s business partners—into a sprawling network of bank accounts that Baid controlled through shell entities and straw signatories. From those accounts, Baid and his co-conspirators spent millions of dollars on personal expenses, including cash withdrawals and purchases of luxury cars and watches. Baid even lied about his identity, concealing his real name from investors in order to obscure the fact that he was wanted for criminal offenses abroad. Investors in Tradepay initially received payments on the invoices, which led them to contribute increasingly large sums of capital. By approximately July 2019, however, the payments on the invoices stopped, resulting in roughly $35 million in losses. As part of his plea, Baid also admitted to defrauding investors in Luxestreet Inc., formerly known as Asset Capital Partners LLC (Luxestreet), and agreed to pay restitution to Luxestreet’s investors. Baid claimed that Luxestreet operated like a pawn shop for high end goods, including luxury watches. In reality, Luxestreet contracts were forged and the physical watches held by the company were mere knockoffs. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Dylan A. Stern, Benjamin Weintraub, and Molly Delaney are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Sarah Burn. The Defendant : Pushpesh Kumar Baid (also known as “PK Jain”) Age: 44 Miami, Florida E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-367 (DC)


title: Owner of Pharmaceutical Company Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Distribution of $60 Million in Diverted HIV Drugs

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Adam Brosius, 60 of Delray Beach, pleaded guilty in connection with his role in a nationwide scheme to unlawfully distribute misbranded and adulterated HIV drugs to unsuspecting patients. According to court documents, Brosius was a part owner of Safe Chain Solutions LLC (“Safe Chain”), a wholesale distributor of pharmaceuticals based in Cambridge, Maryland, that purported to sell legitimate prescription drugs to pharmacies throughout the country, including expensive HIV medication. In connection with his guilty plea, Brosius admitted that he and his co-conspirators illegally acquired HIV drugs that had been diverted from the regulated pharmaceutical distribution chain by various means. One common method of prescription drug diversion involved buying bottles of supposed prescription HIV medication from individuals on the street, repackaging and relabeling the bottles, and then reselling the drugs to Safe Chain at steeply discounted prices with falsified documentation concealing the drugs’ true origin. Brosius and his co-conspirators were notified of the false documentation accompanying these drugs but continued purchasing the steeply discounted HIV drugs and reselling them to pharmacy customers, which dispensed the diverted drugs to unsuspecting patients. According to court documents, at times patients received bottles labeled as their prescription medication but which contained a different drug entirely, with one patient passing out and remaining unconscious for 24 hours after taking an anti-psychotic drug thinking it was his prescribed HIV medication. Sentencing is set for August 29, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale before United States District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas. Brosius pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Miami Regional Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian of the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-20255. ###


title: Armed Repeat Offender Sentenced to 97 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BOISE – Isaac Augustin Santoyo, 25, of Nampa, was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for seven counts of distributing cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. U.S. District Court Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Santoyo to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence, pay a $9000 fine and pay a $900 special assessment. According to court records, Santoyo had previously been convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver in Ada County in 2017. When he completed probation for that offense, he continued to distribute cocaine in Canyon County. From October 2023 through April 2024, Santoyo sold cocaine during controlled buys with law enforcement on seven different occasions, totaling 868 grams. A search warrant was served on his residence, where law enforcement seized (and ultimately forfeited) $25,291, a semi-automatic handgun, and 174 grams of cocaine. Santoyo pleaded guilty to all nine offenses on January 16, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nampa Police Department, the Meridian Police Department, Idaho State Police, and Idaho Probation and Parole. ###


title: Maryland Attorney Pleads Guilty to Not Paying Employment Taxes

component: Tax Division

body_text: A Maryland attorney pleaded guilty today for not paying employment taxes withheld from the employees of his law firm. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: James E. McCollum Jr. was an attorney licensed to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia. From 1998 to 2024, McCollum was the sole proprietor of a law firm based in College Park, Maryland, which he operated using a series of business names, including McCollum P.C.; McCollum & Associates LLC; and The McCollum Firm LLC. Nevertheless, McCollum was always the sole owner and operator of the business. As such, McCollum exercised financial control over the firm, including hiring and supervising employees, operating the payroll, and maintaining signature authority over the business bank accounts. From at least 2000 onward, McCollum was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from his employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the government each quarter. McCollum was also obligated to pay over the employer’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year. Over the last 24 years, McCollum, however, was frequently not compliant with his obligations to pay these taxes to the government or to file the necessary tax returns. Beginning in 2010, the IRS attempted to collect the unpaid employment taxes, issuing numerous notices and levies to the law firm. When the IRS was unable to collect the outstanding taxes from the firm, it assessed them against McCollum personally and tried to collect them from him as well. In 2020, instead of paying the taxes that were due, McCollum sought to thwart the IRS’s ongoing collection efforts by transferring his business and its employees to a new entity, The McCollum Firm. Yet, even after the transfer, McCollum continued to not file the requisite tax returns or pay the employment taxes over. McCollum acknowledged that from 2000 through 2024, he did not pay over at least approximately $2,174,992.83 in employment taxes. McCollum also acknowledged that he did not file his own individual income tax returns and did not pay $220,515 in individual income taxes due for the tax years 2020 through 2022. The court scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29. McCollum faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the failure to pay over employment taxes. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. McCollum also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant Chief Jorge Almonte and Trial Attorney Mark McDonald of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.


title: California State Prisoner Indicted for Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Nathaniel Ray Diaz, 21, of Greenfield, was arraigned today after a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment that charged him with sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and obstruction of justice, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, Diaz was serving a three-year sentence at Avenal State Prison in Kings County for committing lewd acts against a 12-year-old and making criminal threats with a gun. Between July 5, 2024, and Nov. 25, 2024, Diaz used prison phones, a CDCR-issued tablet, and prison-monitored ViaPath messaging equipment to communicate with the victim. Although Diaz had a 10-year no contact order for a minor, he placed thousands of calls to the minor. He instructed the minor to create and transmit to him images of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. When Diaz learned that someone had contacted law enforcement about the communications, he directed people to delete evidence. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Special Service Unit, and the Salinas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower from the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case. If convicted, Diaz faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 50 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the sexual exploitation of a child, a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for attempted receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If convicted of the obstruction of justice charge, Diaz faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Honduran Nationals Accused of Possessing and Distributing Fentanyl Face Federal Charges

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging two Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally, with drug and immigration crimes. Jorge Luis Hernandez-Valle, 36, and Luis Alfredo Hernandez, 35, both Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally in Salt Lake County, Utah, were charged by complaint on April 10, 2025. According to court documents, since March 2025, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating an alleged drug trafficking organization. During the investigation, detectives purchased narcotics during a controlled buy. During this time, two alleged drug runners involved with the organization and two vehicles were identified. On April 8, 2025, one of the vehicles, a Toyota 4-Runner, was stopped in Kearns, Utah, and a search warrant was executed. From the vehicle, detectives seized approximately 4,500 individual field-tested positive fentanyl pills. Hernandez and Hernandez-Valle were subsequently taken into custody. According to court documents, Hernandez was previously removed from the United States in July 2009 and September 2018. Hernandez-Valle was previously removed from the United States on three occasions, December 2007, September 2010, and May 2019. Hernandez-Valle and Hernandez are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. Their initial appearance on the indictment was April 18, 2025 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Middlesex County Woman Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining Over $150,000 in Social Security Retirement Benefits

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey woman admitted she defrauded the Social Security Administration for over eight years by improperly claiming her deceased mother’s Social Security retirement benefits, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Deborah Bailey, 68, of Piscataway, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert A. Kirsch in Trenton federal court to an Information charging her with theft of public money. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: The Social Security Administration provided retirement benefits to Bailey’s mother. Those benefits were paid through electronic funds into Bailey’s mother’s bank account. After Bailey’s mother died in 2016, Bailey did not notify the Social Security Administration about her mother’s death, and she made withdrawals from that bank account between 2016 and 2024. Through an investigation by the Social Security Administration, it was determined that Bailey withdrew approximately $150,903.00 in retirement benefits. The charge of theft of public money carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for August 19, 2025. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Abrams of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark. 25-121 ### Defense counsel: David Holman, Esq. bailey.information.pdf


title: Leader of Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEXANDER KOLITSAS, 31, of Wolcott, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for operating a catalytic converter theft and trafficking ring. Judge Nagala also ordered Kolitsas to pay a $50,000 fine. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into the theft of catalytic converters from motor vehicles across Connecticut. A catalytic converter contains precious metals, can easily be removed from its vehicle, and is difficult to trace, making it a desirable target for thieves. The average scrap price for catalytic converters currently varies between $300 and $1,500, depending on the model and type of precious metal component. Kolitsas owned and operated Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC (“Downpipe Depot”), which had a warehouse on Park Avenue in East Hartford. From approximately January 2021 to June 2022, Kolitsas used Downpipe Depot to purchase stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves. Kolitsas instructed his suppliers on the types of converters that would obtain the most profit upon resale, and he would often meet with them and transact business at his home late at night or behind a family member’s restaurant in Middlebury after hours. Analysis of records seized from Downpipe Depot revealed that many of Kolitsas’s suppliers were selling thousands to tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen converters to Kolitsas each week. Starting in January 2022, Kolitsas maintained electronic invoices reflecting the purchase of stolen catalytic converters from his suppliers. In several of the invoices, Kolitsas permitted his suppliers to use fictitious names or business names in order to create the appearance of proper recordkeeping while obscuring from his records the true source of the stolen converters. The invoices show that between approximately January 26, 2022, and May 31, 2022, which was only a portion of the time period that Kolitsas operated Downpipe Depot and trafficked stolen catalytic converters, Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot paid more than $3.3 million to purchase converters from his suppliers. Kolitsas regularly transported and sold the catalytic converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey. Some of these trips yielded payments in excess of $200,000. In an interview with law enforcement, the owner of the New York recycling business estimated that he paid Kolitsas a total of approximately $10 million in cash for catalytic converters. The investigation also revealed that Kolitsas used proceeds from the theft and sale of catalytic converters to purchase a Ford Transit Van and other items. Kolitsas was arrested on August 24, 2022. On October 7, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and one count of promotional money laundering. Judge Nagala ordered Kolitsas to forfeit the Ford Transit Van, a 2016 Polaris Slingshot, $91,581 held in a Downpipe Depot bank account, and $75,127 in cash, all of which was seized by law enforcement during the investigation. Kolitsas, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 14. This investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and the East Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Manhattan Man Convicted Of Raping And Sexually Abusing Two Teenage Girls And Distributing Methamphetamine To Minors

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict against SHYMELL EPHRON, a/k/a “Shy,” on two counts of enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and two counts of distributing methamphetamine to a minor, in a trial before U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett. EPHRON is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As a unanimous jury found, Shymell Ephron lured two runaway teenagers back to his apartment in Harlem, where he repeatedly raped and sexually abused them for five days while plying them with methamphetamine and alcohol. Thanks to the FBI and the NYPD, the girls were eventually found and returned to their parents. I commend these young women for the bravery they showed by testifying at trial. This Office is committed to keeping the children of New York City safe from sexual predators, and thanks to the hard work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, the support of victim services specialists of this Office, and the willingness of the victims to speak up, Ephron has now been convicted for his egregious conduct and will face justice for the harm he caused.” As reflected in the evidence presented at trial: Between approximately May 2024 and July 2024, EPHRON worked with others to distribute narcotics, including methamphetamine and cocaine, in Times Square and other locations in New York City. On or about May 17, 2024, EPHRON approached two teenage girls in Times Square while he was selling drugs. The girls had run away from home. EPHRON convinced the two girls to follow him to his residence in Harlem, where they stayed with EPHRON for several days. EPHRON engaged in multiple acts of forcible rape, forcible touching, sexual abuse, and illegal sex with a minor while the girls were staying in EPHRON’s apartment. EPHRON repeatedly provided the girls with methamphetamine, marijuana, and alcohol. EPHRON also provided a cellphone to the girls to monitor their whereabouts, communicate with them about narcotics, and to persuade, induce, and entice them to return to his apartment each night so he could engage in unlawful sex with them. Law enforcement agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) eventually rescued the two girls and returned them to their parents. * * * EPHRON, 35, of New York, New York, was convicted of two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and two counts of distributing narcotics to a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum potential sentence of 40 years in prison. The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Podolsky praised the work of the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the New York State Police and the Yorktown Police Department for their assistance in the investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison, Lisa Daniels, Michael R. Herman, and Andrew W. Jones are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Albanian National Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Illegal Aliens into the United States

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Fatjon Shytani, an Albanian national and resident of the Bronx, New York, with a scheme to smuggle illegal aliens from Canada into the United States for financial gain. Shytani was arrested yesterday morning and was arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and indictment. “As alleged, Shytani conspired to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States to benefit himself financially, but was thwarted by the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “These types of schemes represent a significant threat to our national security and will not be tolerated. This case demonstrates our Office’s continued dedication to protect our border security and the integrity of the immigration process.” Mr. Durham also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the New York City Police Department, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Albanian State Police for their valuable assistance during the investigation. "Fatjon Shytani, an Albanian national, allegedly facilitated the illegal entry of foreign nationals into the United States in exchange for cash payments. This alleged conspiracy established unauthorized border access designed to circumvent proper protocols and evade authorities. The FBI remains dedicated to apprehending any individual who profits from violating the borders and security of our nation," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. As alleged in court filings, Shytani and his co-defendants conspired to smuggle foreign nationals into the United States via illegal border crossing at the U.S. border with Canada. During the course of the investigation, Shytani accepted cash from an undercover agent (UC-1) in exchange for arranging to have the agent’s significant other, who purportedly was from the Republic of Kosovo, smuggled across the Canadian border into the United States. In reality, the agent’s significant other was another undercover law enforcement agent (UC-2). Between March 12, 2024 and March 13, 2024, Shytani and UC-1 exchanged phone calls and text messages during which they agreed to meet in person on March 14, 2024, at a coffee shop on Long Island, New York. On March 14, 2024, Shytani met UC-1 at the agreed-upon location where they discussed details regarding UC-2’s illegal crossing from Canada into the United States. At the conclusion of the meeting, UC-1 paid Shytani $14,000 in cash for the planned smuggling service. On March 16, 2024, Shytani’s co-conspirators then attempted to smuggle UC-2 and two other aliens from Canada into the United States before being apprehended and later released by Canadian law enforcement. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of alien smuggling and transportation conspiracy, Shytani faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew Roddin, Stephanie Pak, and Kate Mathews are in charge of the prosecution. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood. The Defendant : FATJON SHYTANI (also known as “Fati”) Age: 41 Bronx, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-133 (SJB) 25-cr-133_indictment_redacted.pdf


title: Lafayette Sentenced to 15 Years Imprisonment for Violating Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that TERRY REED (“REED”) , age 54, a resident of Lafayette Parish, was sentenced on April 15, 2025, by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, to serve 180 months (15 years) in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts. On October 29, 2024, REED pled guilty to possession, with intent to distribute, fifty (50) grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A) (Count 1); felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) (Count 2); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) (Count 3). According to court documents, on or about February 3, 2024, REED intentionally possessed, with the intent to distribute, (50) grams or more of methamphetamine. Additionally, he possessed a Ruger Model LC9, nine-millimeter pistol, despite being previously convicted of a felony, a fact that prohibits his possession of a firearm. REED used the illegally possessed firearm to further a drug trafficking crime. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Columbia Man Sentenced in $1.2 Million Insurance Fraud and $30,000.00 COVID-19 Relief Fraud Cases

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man who ran a scheme to defraud insurance companies through staged accidents and who fraudulently applied for COVID-19 relief funds was sentenced in federal court today for conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosanne Ketchmark to a total of 21 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Lawhorn to pay $187,109.75 in restitution to be divided among insurance companies, medical providers, and the Small Business Administration. Beginning in 2017, Lawhorn staged automobile accidents in the mid-Missouri area. Lawhorn participated in three staged accidents and recruited other people, including family members to participate in the staged accidents. Lawhorn and the participants would go to various hospitals complaining of fake injuries thereby increasing the medical billing. As a result, the cost of a potential settlement with the insurance companies would increase. During one staged accident, Lawhorn spoke to the insurance company while pretending to be a person with settlement authority. Lawhorn’s operation spread to the Kansas City, Missouri and St. Louis, Missouri areas. In total, Lawhorn either participated in or managed 10 total staged automobile accidents between 2017 until his arrest in 2020. The total loss for all staged accidents was approximately $1.2 million. In court, it was determined Lawhorn pocketed approximately $105,721.17 either through his direct participation or by requiring the other participants to pay him money. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lawhorn, along with another person, Tina Battie, submitted applications for Economic Disaster Relief Loans that were available to small businesses during the pandemic. Lawhorn and Battie submitted applications to the Small Business Administration for the loans using fake businesses. Lawhorn obtained $10,000.00 from his personal application and another $20,000.00 was obtained through two other fraudulent applications. The loans were later forgiven. Tina Battie was sentenced last year for her actions in the case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Columbia, Missouri Police Department, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Wisconsin Couple for Forced Labor

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today in Madison, Wisconsin charging a Wisconsin man with seven counts of forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, and seven counts of alien harboring for private financial gain; the indictment further charged the man’s wife with seven counts of forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor. According to the indictment, between September 2015 and March 2018, Luis Abreu, 50, and his wife, Cybell Abreu, 50, used threats of serious harm and abuse of the law and legal process to coerce seven minor males and young men to perform labor and services. The indictment further alleges that Luis Abreu harbored the seven boys and young men, who he knew or recklessly disregarded to be unlawfully present in the United States. The defendants made their initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Wisconsin on April 21. The charge of forced labor carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of alien harboring carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when done for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin, and Homeland Security Investigations Resident Agent in Charge Eric Rice of the HSI Milwaukee Office made the announcement. The HSI Milwaukee Office of the Resident Agent in Charge conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.