title: 14 members of Bandidos motorcycle gang indicted for offenses including racketeering, assault and murder

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A 22-count indictment has been unsealed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) following an operation targeting multiple members of an allegedly violent, transnational motorcycle gang in the Houston metropolitan area. Current and former members of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and Mascareros Motorcycle Club are charged for their alleged roles in a criminal enterprise engaged in violent criminal activity in and around Houston. The Mascareros is a support club of the Bandidos. Several of those are expected to make their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m. Feb. 20. A federal grand jury returned an indictment Feb. 11 against 14 members and associates of the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang accusing them of various crimes, to include engaging in a conspiracy to commit racketeering activity and committing violent crimes in furtherance of the gang such as murder, attempted murder and assault. The indictment alleges the Bandidos are a self-identified “outlaw” motorcycle organization with a membership of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 in the United States and an additional 1,000 to 1,500 members internationally, including in Mexico. “Ensuring the safety of the public is SDTX’s paramount concern,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “The indictment here not only alleges shocking crimes of violence, but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and wantonly, where any innocent member of the public could have been hurt or killed.” “Today’s indictment is an important step in eliminating the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Bandidos declare war on rivals—and they wage that war on our streets. Criminal behavior like this has no place in America, and the Department of Justice is fully committed to bringing peace back to our communities.” The indictment alleges that beginning in 2019, a violent turf war erupted between the Bandidos and B*EAST, a rival outlaw motorcycle gang in the Houston area. As part of this turf war, Bandidos national leadership allegedly put out a “smash on site” order to commit physical assaults, including murder, against B*EAST members. The turf war has resulted in gunfire exchanged on public roadways and in public establishments with innocent civilians present, according to the charges. John M. Pfeffer aka Big John, 32, Darvi Hinojosa aka 10 Round, 35, Bradley Rickenbacker aka Dolla Bill, 37, all of Katy; Michael H. Dunphy aka Money Mike, 57, Cleveland; Christopher Sanchez aka Monster, 40, Tomball; and Brandon K. Hantz aka Loco and Gun Drop, 33, Crosby; are charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Pfeffer, Dunphy, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez are further charged with multiple counts of assault in aid of racketeering. Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez are also charged with using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, while Sanchez faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hantz is also charged with arson. Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez each face up to life in prison if convicted, while Dunphy and Hantz each face up to 20 years on each of their counts upon conviction. The indictment also charges David Vargas aka Brake Check and First Time, 33, Houston, with murder in aid of racketeering; using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and using, carrying, brandishing, discharging and possessing a firearm during and in relation to the attempted murders. All those charges relate to the killing of a rival and the shooting of two others. Murder in aid of racketeering carries a mandatory life sentence or the death penalty, if convicted. Further, Pfeffer and Rickenbacker are also charged with assault in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence along with Marky Baker aka Pinche Guero and Guero, 40, Ronnie McCabe aka Meathead, 56, and Jeremy Cox aka JD, 37, all of Houston; Roy Gomez aka Repo, 50, Richmond; and Marcel Lett, 56, Pearland. These charges are in relation to an alleged assault and robbery that resulted in the death of a rival. If convicted, they face up to life in prison. Hinojosa is also charged along with John Sblendorio aka Tech9, 54, Houston, with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in connection with the shooting of a rival gang member. Hinojosa is also charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Sblendorio and Hinojosa each face up to life in prison, if convicted. In addition, Sean G. Christison, aka Skinman, 30, Katy, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The FBI, Texas Board of Criminal Justice - Office of Inspector General, Texas Department of Public Safety and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation with the assistance of Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Houston and Pasadena Police Departments; Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; LaMarque and Katy Police Departments; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Police Department. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage . This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods ( PSN ) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Kelly Zenón-Matos of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case in partnership with Trial Attorneys Grace H. Bowen and Christopher Taylor of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division - Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Ariton, Alabama Man Sentenced to Prison for Gun Crime Committed While on Federal Probation

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that 48-year-old Bobby Wayne Williams, from Ariton, Alabama, received a 51-month prison sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for violating the terms of his federal probation. During the sentencing hearing on February 18, 2025, the judge also ordered that Williams serve an additional three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. According to Williams’ plea agreement and other court records, during the summer of 2024, Williams was on federal supervised release and residing in Dale County after completing a 63-month prison sentence from a previous federal gun conviction. In June of 2024, law enforcement obtained an arrest warrant for Williams stemming from allegations that Williams pointed a firearm at his ex-girlfriend and her current boyfriend, then threatened to shoot them both. On August 14, 2024, a United States Probation Officer and deputies from the Dale County Sheriff’s Office conducted a home visit at Williams’ residence to execute the arrest warrant. Officers found Williams in possession of a handgun. Williams’ previous felony conviction prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Possessing the firearm and committing a new crime also violated the terms of his supervised release. The Dale County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Probation Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Russell T. Duraski prosecuted this case.


title: Detroit Man Sentenced To Over Four Years in Federal Prison For Participating In Multi-State Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - A man from Detroit, Michigan was sentenced today for his role in a multi-state, million-dollar unemployment insurance fraud scheme aimed at defrauding the U.S. government and the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, of funds earmarked for unemployment assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck. Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Tracey Dotson, 49, was sentenced to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $900,000 in restitution in the sentence handed down by United States District Judge Matthew F. Leitman. According to court records, Dotson and a co-defendant conspired to, and did, defraud the federal government and the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland of roughly $1 million in funds intended to support individuals who had lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair committed their crimes through the use of interstate wires and the unauthorized possession and use of social security numbers and other means of identification belonging to other individuals. Dotson pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in April 2024. Dotson and his co-defendant, using stolen personal identification, filed hundreds of false unemployment claims with state unemployment insurance agencies in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland in the names of other individuals without their knowledge or consent. The defendants then received hundreds of Bank of America prepaid debit cards in the names of those individuals loaded with roughly $1 million in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds at addresses in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Dotson, his co-defendant, and their accomplices then successfully unloaded more than $930,000 from the cards via cash withdrawals and purchases that included high-end jewelry, designer fashion accessories by Gucci and Louis Vuitton, drugs, at least one vehicle, and at least one firearm. “Taxpayer unemployment assistance funds diverted to the pockets of criminals during the pandemic resulted in fewer resources that were available for those genuinely in need at that challenging time,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck. “Our office is steadfast in its commitment to bringing those to justice who used a global health crisis as a means to illegally line their own pockets at the expense of taxpayers. “ "This sentence underscores the FBI's commitment to investigating complex financial crimes," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "We will not tolerate the greed and selfish conduct demonstrated by those who chose to defraud the unemployment insurance system, especially when we faced an unprecedented global pandemic. The FBI and our federal partners remain steadfast in holding criminals accountable and protecting government assistance programs. The pandemic may be in our rearview mirrors, but our investigations continue to move forward in the name of justice." “Individuals who commit such blatant unemployment insurance fraud and identity theft of this magnitude deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Tracey Dotson and his co-conspirator took advantage of a program intended to help those in need get through a devastating global pandemic, exposed personal identity information of many, and caused immeasurable hardship to innocent victims. IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to the pursuit of pandemic fraud and identity theft, together with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we will hold those who engage in similar conduct accountable.” "Tracey Dotson and his co-conspirator defrauded multiple state workforce agencies by using stolen identities to obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. As a result, he stole vital taxpayer resources intended for unemployed American workers in dire need of UI benefits. Today’s sentencing affirms the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice those who exploit this critical benefit program,” said Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carl D. Gilmer-Hill and Jessica A. Nathan. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.


title: Financial TV News Analyst-Turned-Fugitive Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Charge for Conning Investors Out of Millions of Dollars

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A former San Gabriel Valley resident – who was a frequent guest on financial television news programs then became a fugitive from justice after being accused of scamming investors – has agreed to plead guilty to defrauding his victims out of at least $2.7 million, the Justice Department announced today. James Arthur McDonald Jr., 53, formerly of Arcadia, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of securities fraud, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. McDonald has been in federal custody since June 2024, when he was arrested in a residence in Port Orchard, Washington, after being a fugitive since November 2021, when he failed to appear before the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to testify after allegations arose that he had defrauded investors. According to his plea agreement, at McDonald’s Washington state hideout, law enforcement found, among other things, a fake Washington, D.C., driver’s license bearing McDonald’s photograph and the name “Brian Thomas.” “This defendant was entrusted by his clients to care for their money and he violated that trust by using it to enrich himself,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “Because of the work of the prosecutors in our office, the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation, he will be held accountable for stealing from others. We hope it will bring some solace to his victims.” McDonald was the CEO and chief investment officer of two companies headquartered in Los Angeles: Hercules Investments LLC and Index Strategy Advisors Inc. (ISA). He frequently appeared as an analyst on the CNBC financial television news network. In late 2020, McDonald lost tens of millions of dollars of Hercules client money after adopting a risky short position that effectively bet against the health of the United States economy in the aftermath of the U.S. presidential election. McDonald projected that the COVID-19 pandemic and the election would result in major selloffs that would cause the stock market to drop. When the market decline didn’t occur, Hercules clients lost between $30 million and $40 million. By December 2020, Hercules clients were complaining to company employees about the losses in their accounts, according to court documents. In early 2021, McDonald solicited millions of dollars' worth of funds from investors in the form of a purported capital raise for Hercules but misrepresented how the funds would be used and failed to disclose the massive losses Hercules previously sustained. As part of the capital raise, McDonald obtained $675,000 in investment funds from one victim group on March 9, 2021. He misappropriated most of those funds in various ways, including spending $174,610 at a Porsche dealership and transferring $109,512 to the landlord of a home McDonald was renting in Arcadia. McDonald also defrauded clients of ISA, his other firm, using less than half of the approximately $3.6 million he raised for trading purposes. Instead, McDonald frequently commingled ISA client funds with funds from his personal bank account, which he used to purchase luxury cars and to pay rent on his home, personal credit card charges, and Hercules operating expenses and to make Ponzi-like payments to ISA clients -- that is, paying some ISA clients using funds from other clients. In total, McDonald caused losses of between approximately $2,745,892 and approximately $3,025,892, according to his plea agreement. The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. In September 2022, the SEC filed a civil complaint charging McDonald and Hercules with violations of federal securities law. In April 2024, United States District Judge Percy Anderson found McDonald and Hercules liable and ordered that they pay several million dollars in disgorgement and civil penalties. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander B. Schwab and Nisha Chandran of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force are prosecuting this case.


title: New Orleans Woman Guilty Of Violating Federal Controlled Substances Act

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Today , Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KIANNA SCOTT (“SCOTT”) , age 24, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on February 18, 2025, before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion to use of a communication facility in causing and facilitating the commission of the distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine , in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 843(b). According to court documents, SCOTT used a telephone to assist another known individual in the distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, narcotics within the Eastern District of Louisiana. SCOTT faces a maximum term of imprisonment of (4) four years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Saint Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Saint John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Harahan Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Federal Grand Jury in Louisville Indicts 3 Illegal Aliens

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned indictments on February 19, 2025, charging 3 illegal aliens with federal criminal offenses. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, Police Chief Mike Canon of the Calvert City Police Department, and Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement made the announcement. According to the indictments: Juan Baltazar Felipe-Pedro , age 26, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about January 23, 2025, Felipe-Pedro was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about April 25, 2019. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE/ERO. Jhoandiris Jimenez-Barrio , age 26, and Yirvel Yonaker Rios-Castro , age 20, citizens of Venezuela, were indicted for conspiracy to commit bank larceny and attempted bank larceny. On or about January 31, 2025, they conspired with each other and others to break into and steal money from an automated teller machine (ATM). They traveled to a bank in Calvert City, Kentucky and attempted to open an ATM to steal money. Homeland Security Investigations verified that Jimenez-Barrio and Rios-Castro are Venezuelan and entered the United States illegally. If convicted, the men face a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison. The case is being investigated by the FBI, Calvert City Police Department, and HSI. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. Assistant U.S. Attorneys A. Spencer McKiness, Seth Hancock, and Raymond McGee are prosecuting the cases. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Jamaican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the United States After His 2016 Deportation

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Marlon Hodges, aka “Michael Stewart,” 50, a citizen of Jamaica, entered a plea of guilty yesterday before United States District Court Judge Anita B. Brody to one count of illegal reentry after deportation. In February of last year, federal authorities became aware that Hodges was present in the United States after having been deported in 2016. On March 6, 2024, the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Border Enforcement Security Task Force conducted an enforcement operation to locate the defendant. At approximately 10:30 a.m., Hodges was seen leaving a residence on the 5500 block of Walton Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and walking to a corner store on South 56 th Street. When investigators entered the store and approached the defendant, he stated that his name was Marlon Hodges and that he did not have identification. Hodges was immediately arrested and searched, and found in possession of a fraudulent Pennsylvania driver’s license bearing his photograph and the name Michael Stewart. A fingerprint check subsequently confirmed Hodges’ identity. Investigators checked the defendant’s criminal and immigration histories and determined that, in February 2005, Hodges was convicted of first-degree assault in Orange County, New York, and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment. That March, U.S. immigration officers issued Hodges a Notice to Appear in Immigration Court for being an alien convicted of an aggravated felony, that is, a conviction for a crime of violence for which the sentence imposed was one year or longer. In January 2006, an immigration judge in Fishkill, New York, ordered Hodges removed from the United States to Jamaica. Upon his release from prison, Hodges was removed from the United States to Jamaica via ICE Air Operations on April 28, 2016. He illegally reentered the United States at an unknown place on an unknown date. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27. The case was investigated by the HSI Border Enforcement Security Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney S. Chandler Harris.


title: Thibodaux Man Sentenced for Social Security Theft

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that NATHANIEL HOPKINS, JR. (“ HOPKINS ”), age 48, of Thibodaux, Louisiana, was sentenced on February 18, 2025 to 3 years of probation by United States District Judge Jay Zainey after previously pleading guilty to Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. According to court documents, HOPKINS’s wife, was authorized to receive Social Security Administration (“SSA”) Title II – Retirement Survivor Insurance Benefits from 2003 until her death in April, 2014. From April, 2014 to January, 2024, HOPKINS illegally received benefits designated for his wife totaling approximately $144,176.43, after failing to notify SSA of his wife’s death. He also accessed $3,200.00 in COVID-19/CARES Act stimulus funds from his deceased wife’s bank account. In addition to probation, HOPKINS was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $144,176.43 to the U.S. Social Security Administration and $3,200.00 to the U.S. Treasury along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Commodity Exchange Act Violation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that MICHAEL BRIAN DEPETRILLO, (“DEPETRILLO”) , age 43, from New Orleans, pled guilty on February 18, 2025 to violating the Commodity Exchange Act, in violation of Title 7, United States Code, Section 13(a). DEPETRILLO faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, plus the amount of any proceeds, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. According to court documents, DEPETRILLO was not properly registered as a Commodity Pool Operator (“CPO”) or an Associated Person (“AP”) of a CPO with the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). DEPETRILLO , through various companies including, Meteor, LLC; NOLA FX Capital Management, LLC; ELC Enterprise Solutions, LLC; and Argosapolis, LLC, acted as a CPO and AP of a CPO and embezzled client funds in violation of federal law. DEPETRILLO , while acting as an AP of unregistered CPOs, represented to victim investors that their funds would be pooled and invested in the NOLA FX FUND, that, in turn, would be used to trade foreign currency pairs on a leveraged, margined, or financed basis (“retail forex”). DEPETRILLO told investors that pooling their funds would be beneficial to them. DEPETRILLO further represented, to certain investors, that either METEOR or NOLA FX CAPITAL managed the NOLA FX FUND. In at least one representation, however, DEPETRILLO identified “NOLA FX Capital,” not the NOLA FX FUND, as the pooled investment vehicle. DEPETRILLO lured investors by claiming he was investing their funds by trading in the foreign currency exchange, gold futures options, stocks, and cryptocurrency. Instead of trading as promised, DEPETRILLO misappropriated pool funds. DEPETRILLO then used these misappropriated pool funds to pay approximately $3,700,000 in “returns” to prior investors; approximately $575,000 on his own personal investments; approximately $425,000 on rent; approximately $200,000 on private air travel; and approximately $300,000 on online gambling, among other personal expenses. To conceal DEPETRILLO’s misappropriation, he created and issued fictitious account statements in the names NOLA FX FUND and NOLA FX CAPITAL. The fictitious account statements purported to show that: (1) DEPETRILLO had traded forex using pool participant funds, and (2) the NOLA FX FUND and NOLA FX CAPITAL had achieved significant trading returns for pool participants because of his profitable forex trading. In fact, DEPETRILLO never deposited pool participant funds into trading accounts belonging to NOLA FX FUND or NOLA FX CAPITAL, and he never achieved the trading returns represented on the false account statements. DEPETRILLO also did not set up the forex pool in the manner required by the regulations, did not receive pool participant funds in the name of the forex pool, and commingled pool participant funds with his own funds. DEPETRILLO took in approximately $9.2 million in investor funds from approximately 55 victim investors during a seven-year period. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for May 25, 2025, before United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”). The FBI is seeking information that may help identify potential victims of DEPETRILLO’s fraudulent scheme. FBI encourages the public to report any information to http://fbi.gov/depetrillovictims . The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit and Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.


title: Lake Station Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: HAMMOND – Matthew A. Bugielski, 26 years old, of Lake Station, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Children, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Bugielski was sentenced to 360 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution to the victim of the offense. According to documents in the case, on or about June 19, 2023, Bugielski produced a sexually explicit image of a minor by employing, using, and inducing the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. Further, Bugielski distributed that sexually explicit image to others over the internet. On occasions separate from June 19, 2023, Bugielski distributed other images and videos of child sexual abuse materials over the internet to others. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Indiana State Police, the Indiana State Police Digital Forensics Unit, the Roanoke Police Department, the Huntington County Sheriff’s Office, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the Lake Station Police Department, and the New Chicago Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Morgan. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Ohio Woman Sentenced to Prison for Insurance Claim Fraud

body_text: CLEVELAND – Angela Frase, 60, of Sterling, Ohio, has been sentenced to 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster after pleading guilty to four counts of mail fraud for accepting insurance checks after she knowingly submitted false claims. Frase was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $327,072. Frase pleaded guilty to devising a scheme that took place from July 2 to Aug. 23, 2019, to defraud a homeowner’s insurance company. According to court documents, the scheme began when Frase called fire emergency services on July 2, 2019, and again on July 3, 2019, to report a fire in her home. Fire marshals were unable to determine the cause of the fire at the time. The insurance company then housed Frase and her husband at an extended stay hotel. An investigation later conducted by insurance company experts determined no evidence of electrical failure as the cause of the fire. On the morning of Aug. 6, 2019, the fire department responded to a natural gas leak at the Frase residence. Home remodeling employees entered the home to work on the damage caused by the fire but were forced to evacuate due to the strong smell of natural gas. The fire marshal later determined that the stove was turned on, filling the residence with explosive-causing levels of natural gas. Frase and her husband were the last people in the home prior to the discovery of gas and claimed to have locked the doors. There was no sign of forced entry. On Aug. 6, 2019, at approximately 10:43 p.m., Frase left her extended stay hotel room, drove to her home on Spruce Street in Seville, Ohio, and started a fire. Investigators later learned through her cellphone location data that she remained in the area of her home from 10:54 p.m. until 11:39 p.m. and then returned to her hotel room. On Aug. 7, 2019, at approximately 12:36 a.m., the Sterling Fire Department and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office responded to the home in reference to a fire and explosion. The Ohio State Fire Marshal later determined the cause of the fire was incendiary in nature. In addition to starting the fire, Frase spray-painted what appeared to be racial disparities on her own garage and vandalized her neighbor’s vehicle. On Aug. 11, 2019, between 9:30 and 10 p.m., Frase returned to her home and again spray-painted hate speech on her own garage. When a sheriff’s deputy responded and discovered the words, Frase told the deputy that she saw two suspicious individuals running through the field behind her property. Three days later, on Aug. 14, Frase called authorities again after she placed a stuffed doll painted black with a noose tied around its neck in her own mailbox. On Aug. 23, she once again contacted law enforcement to report that she found an envelope at her residence while walking around the property that had a racial slur written on it and inside was a plastic bag filled with an unknown white substance and the word “die.” From Nov. 1, 2019 to June 17, 2020, the insurance company mailed four checks to Frase for property losses and damages which she accepted. She was later charged with four counts of mail fraud for attempting to swindle money from the homeowner’s insurance company through intentionally deceptive actions. This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office , and Ohio’s Division of State Fire Marshal . Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.


title: Dominican National Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking Offense

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OVIDALIS JIMINEZ PUJOLS, 39, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment for a fentanyl trafficking offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration arranged the controlled purchase of two kilograms of fentanyl from a wholesale supplier of narcotics with multiple distribution points in the northeastern U.S. Jiminez Pujols and his co-defendant, Winifer Acosta Jiminez, were arrested on February 22, 2023, after they transported the two kilograms of fentanyl from New York to a meeting location in Milford, Connecticut. Jiminez Pujols has been detained since his arrest on February 22, 2023. On November 26, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Jiminez Pujols faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term. Acosta Jiminez, who was released on $100,000 bond after federal arrest on January 31, 2024, removed her GPS monitoring equipment on July 31, 2024, and absconded. She is currently being sought by law enforcement. As to Acosta Jiminez, Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the West Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Nathan J. Guevremont 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: Palmdale Man Indicted for Allegedly Producing Sexually Explicit Material Featuring Teenage Girls

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A Palmdale man is scheduled to be arraigned today on a 12-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he coerced two minors into producing and sharing with him sexually explicit content of themselves and enticed one minor to have sex with him. Darius Desean Edwards, 21, of Palmdale, is charged with five counts of production of child pornography, five counts of receipt of child pornography, and two counts of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. Edwards, who was employed by Palmdale’s Department of Parks and Recreation until his recent termination, was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. According to the indictment, from October 2023 until December 2023, Edwards engaged in sexual conversations with a then 16-year-old girl and requested her to produce and share with him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of herself. Edwards received at least one video from this victim depicting CSAM. In March 2024, Edwards communicated with a then 15-year-old girl and requested that she produce and share with him CSAM of herself. Edwards received at least one photo and three videos from this victim depicting CSAM. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court. If convicted, Edwards would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count of receipt of child pornography, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for each count of production of child pornography, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum of life in prison for each count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. The FBI is investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Lyndsi Allsop with the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.


title: Ecuadorian Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Introduce Misbranded Prescription Drugs in the United States

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Daniel Pinos, 30, of Ecuador, was sentenced today to one year of non-reporting probation and a $100 special assessment by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher for conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. Pinos pleaded guilty last week to a one-count information charging him with that offense. Since in or about 2022, Pinos, an Ecuadorian dentist, made regular trips to the United States to provide dental care and prescription drugs in return for payment. Pinos did so even though he was not licensed to practice dentistry or prescribe drugs in the United States. Some of the drugs he dispensed while in the United States were shipped from Ecuador. On September 10, 2024, law enforcement encountered Pinos and seized misbranded drugs and medical and dental equipment. “In the U.S., we regulate health care and medications, to keep people safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer. “Pinos understood that he wasn’t licensed to practice dentistry or provide prescription drugs here, but did so, nonetheless. This office and the FBI will continue to investigate such medical malfeasance and hold those who commit it accountable.” “The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to protect our citizens and safeguard the integrity of our healthcare systems,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “We applaud the hard work of the Allentown Resident Agency and our partners in this case and in their efforts to keep our communities safe.” The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Boscia.


title: Hartford Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking, Gun Possession Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS DeJESUS, 30, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 132 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, DeJesus’s criminal history includes felony convictions in state court for criminal possession of a firearm and burglary in the third degree. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, members of the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force – North Central Office conducted a series of controlled purchases of narcotics from DeJesus. DeJesus was arrested on state charges on December 16, 2022, and, on that date, a court-authorized search of his Hartford residence revealed approximately 460 grams of fentanyl, approximately 90 grams of crack cocaine, nearly a kilogram of marijuana, drug processing and packaging materials, a loaded Glock 45 9mm handgun, a loaded 9mm magazine, and $52,579 in cash. The case was adopted for federal prosecution and, on March 7, 2023, a grand jury returned an indictment charging DeJesus with one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. After his federal arrest, DeJesus was released on a $100,000 bond and into home confinement at residence of a family member on Warren Street in Hartford. On November 20, 2023, DeJesus was again arrested after law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence. As investigators entered the residence, DeJesus threw fentanyl out of a window. A search of the residence revealed an additional quantity of fentanyl, a small quantity of cocaine, and drug processing and packaging materials. In total, DeJesus possessed more than 490 grams of fentanyl on that date. On February 20, 2024, the grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging DeJesus with an additional count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. DeJesus has been detained since November 20, 2023. On October 17, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Resident Office and the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force – North Central Office, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.


title: Pittsburgh Resident Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Philip Walker, 39, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around November 2019 through in and around April 2022, in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Florida, and Texas, Walker conspired to recruit and entice persons—namely adult females—knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that means of force, threats of force, fraud, coercion, or any combination of such means would be used to cause those persons to engage in commercial sex acts. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, 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 DeMarr W. Moulton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Narcotics Division, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Walker. This prosecution is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community, and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania. This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education and improved cooperation across agencies and service providers, thereby enhancing the office’s ability to empower victims of human trafficking to become thriving survivors.


title: United States Attorney's Office Files Civil Forfeiture Action to Recover Proceeds of Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover 7.23918814 BTC (bitcoin), 14,120 USDT (Tether), 105.75351403 ETH (Ethereum) and several other cryptocurrencies, alleged to be proceeds of an online investment fraud scheme. The cryptocurrency currently has an estimated value of more than $1 million. In March 2024, an investigation began into a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme that targeted a Massachusetts resident. In such fraud schemes, often called “pig-butchering” schemes, scammers obtain funds from victims using manipulative tactics. The scammer establishes a level of trust with a victim in online communications and then entices the victim into investing in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. Often the victim is enticed to make additional payments before realizing they are a victim of fraud. The victim’s funds are stolen by the criminal, or criminals, ultimately causing the victim financial and emotional harm. Perpetrators behind these cryptocurrency investment schemes are often located overseas. As alleged in court documents, a Massachusetts resident joined a Facebook Group called “Financial Independence Forum” that purported to be a “community dedicated to assist individuals achieve financial independence and early retirement through reliable investment.” After being shown screenshots showing “profit gains” and receiving message claiming expertise in investments and effective trading strategies, the victim followed instructions to create an account and transfer funds to a new trading platform that law enforcement believes was fraudulent. During the investigation, three additional victims were identified from across the United States who sent funds to the same allegedly fraudulent trading platform. Some victim funds were traced to a cryptocurrency account, which was seized in October 2024. It is a violation of federal law to use wire communications as part of a scheme to defraud or to obtain money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses. It is also a violation of federal law to conduct a financial transaction knowing that the transaction is designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of criminal proceeds. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims. This is one of several civil forfeiture actions the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed seeking to forfeit cryptocurrency traced to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims. Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams and business email compromise fraud scams – should contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture action. The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint are allegations. The United States Attorney’s Office has not filed a corresponding criminal action in the matter. binance_-_civil_forfeiture_complaint.pdf


title: Memphis Man Sentenced to 270 Months for Sex Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MACEO ROBERTS (“ROBERTS”), age 25, from Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced on February 12, 2025 before United States District Judge Susie Morgan for conspiring to commit sex trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1594(c). According to court documents, in about Summer 2020, ROBERTS told his co-conspirators, Dominique Peeples and Jeremy Talbert, that he was making a lot of money acting as a pimp, and offered to teach them how to be pimps, as well. After Peeples and Talbert agreed, ROBERTS “gave” Minor Victim 2, a minor female born in 2003 who had previously performed commercial sex acts under ROBERTS’s direction, to Peeples. Thereafter, Minor Victim 2 introduced Talbert to Minor Victim 3, a minor female born in 2003, who began performing commercial sex acts under Talbert’s direction. During Summer 2020, ROBERTS , Peeples, and Talbert travelled throughout the southern United States, including the New Orleans area, with multiple females, including Minor Victim 2, Minor Victim 3, and Adult Victim 1, for the purpose of having the females engage in commercial sex acts. ROBERTS taught Peeples and Talbert techniques to oversee and advertise a prostitution operation, including the amount to charge. ROBERTS also reminded them to keep all of the proceeds. During this time period, including while in New Orleans, Adult Victim 1 engaged in commercial sex acts at the direction and supervision of ROBERTS , while Minor Victim 2 worked for Peeples and Minor Victim 3 worked for Talbert. In about October 2020, ROBERTS assumed control over Minor Victim 3, and required her, not only, to work approximately fifteen hours per day performing commercial sex acts, but also to give him all the money she earned. ROBERTS beat Adult Victim 1 in front of Minor Victim 3 to show Minor Victim 3 the consequences for not following his instructions. ROBERTS also provided drugs and alcohol to the victims to control their behavior. In about October 2020, Talbert recruited Minor Victim 1, a fourteen-year-old female, to engage in commercial sex acts under his direction. In about late October 2020, ROBERTS , Peeples, Talbert, Adult Victim 1, Minor Victim 1, and Minor Victim 2 travelled to New Orleans, where they stayed for several months. During this time, ROBERTS , Peeples, and Talbert supervised the commercial sex work of Adult Victim 1, Minor Victim 2, and Minor Victim 1, respectively. ROBERTS imposed rules and quotas that Adult Victim 1 had to follow and, when she did not meet those quotas or expressed reluctance, ROBERTS threatened to beat and shoot her. In January 2021, ROBERTS beat Adult Victim 1 so badly that she required hospitalization in a New Orleans area facility. After Adult Victim 1’s hospital discharge, ROBERTS and Peeples told Adult Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 that they would bring them home to Memphis. Instead, ROBERTS and Peeples drove them to Houston and forced them to engage in commercial sex acts until they finally escaped. ROBERTS and Peeples then returned to Memphis to look for Adult Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 to punish them for escaping. ROBERTS located Adult Victim 1, hiding in a hotel bathtub, and choked her. He also threatened Minor Victim 2. Additionally, in about late January 2021, ROBERTS met and began recruiting Adult Victim 2 to perform commercial sex acts under his direction. Adult Victim 2 did so until about April 2022. During that time, ROBERTS repeatedly beat, threatened, and victimized Adult Victim 2, including in November 2021 at a New Orleans area hotel. In about April 2022, shortly before his arrest, ROBERTS punched Adult Victim 2 so hard that he shattered her front teeth. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced ROBERTS to 270 months’ imprisonment. Judge Morgan ordered that this sentence be run consecutively to any sentence imposed on a pending case for attempted murder and robbery in Marion County Superior Court in Indianapolis, Indiana. Judge Morgan imposed a fifteen year term of supervised release following imprisonment. ROBERTS was ordered to pay $666,000 in restitution to the victims. ROBERTS must also participate in the sex offender registration and notification program. In addition, Judge Morgan imposed a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Peeples and Talbert previously pleaded guilty to sex trafficking offenses. Peeples’s sentencing is set for April 9, 2025, before Judge Sarah S. Vance, and Talbert’s sentencing is set for March 12, 2025, before Judge Lance M. Africk. 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. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Memphis Police Department with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit and Jordan Ginsberg, Supervisor of the Public Integrity Unit.


title: Boston Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison for Bank Robbery

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for bank robbery and escape charges. Kim Daley, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 125 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Daley was also sentenced to a five year concurrent sentence on the escape conviction. In April 2024, Daley pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of escape from custody. Daley was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2022. In July 2017, Daley received a 100 month federal sentence followed by three years of supervised release for federal bank robbery convictions. On May 9, 2022, while serving the remainder of the custodial portion of that federal sentence at a Boston Residential Reentry Center (“RRC”), a facility in which he was lawfully confined at the direction of the Attorney General, Daley left the RRC with his belongings without permission and never returned. His whereabouts were unknown and he was classified as an escape on that date. On June 20, 2022, Daley walked into a TD Bank in Cambridge, passed a note to the teller demanding all the money and robbed the bank of $560 in US currency. Bank surveillance captured Daley entering the bank, passing the note to the teller and then leaving the bank a short time later with cash. Within approximately 40 minutes of the robbery, Daley was arrested in Cambridge and found to have $560 in US currency on his person. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Christine Elow Cambridge Chief of Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: California Man Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Troy Alexander Mendez, age 25, a resident of California, was sentenced today to 66 months in federal prison for distributing controlled substances. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Mendez admitted that, in August 2023, he sold and shipped over 300 grams of methamphetamine via the U.S. Postal Service to a customer in the Syracuse, New York area. Law enforcement intercepted the package and identified Mendez as the source of the shipment. At the sentencing hearing, the evidence established that Mendez also sold drugs on other occasions and possessed multiple firearms in connection with that drug activity. Senior United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release to begin after Mendez is released from prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case, with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case.


title: President of Insurance Brokerage Firm and CEO of Marketing Company Charged in $161M Affordable Care Act Enrollment Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today charging Cory Lloyd, 46, of Stuart, Florida, and Steven Strong, 42, of Mansfield, Texas, in connection with their alleged participation in a scheme to submit fraudulent enrollments to fully subsidized Affordable Care Act insurance plans (ACA plans) in order to obtain millions of dollars in commission payments from insurance companies. ACA plans offer tax credits to eligible enrollees. These tax credits, or “subsidies,” could be paid by the federal government directly to insurance plans in the form of a payment toward the applicable monthly premium. According to court documents, Lloyd and Strong conspired to enroll consumers in ACA plans that were fully subsidized by the federal government by submitting false and fraudulent applications for individuals whose income did not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for the subsidies. Lloyd allegedly received commission and other payments from an insurance company in exchange for enrolling consumers in the ACA plans. In turn, Lloyd allegedly paid commissions to Strong in exchange for consumer referrals. As alleged in the indictment, Lloyd and Strong targeted vulnerable, low-income individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health and substance abuse disorders, and, through “street marketers” working on their behalf, sometimes offered bribes to induce those individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans. Marketers working for Strong’s company allegedly coached consumers on how to respond to application questions to maximize the subsidy amount and provided addresses and social security numbers that did not match the consumers purportedly applying. As a result of being enrolled in subsidized ACA plans for which they did not qualify, some of these consumers experienced disruptions in their medical care. The indictment alleges that Lloyd and Strong used misleading sales scripts and other deceptive sales techniques to convince consumers to state that they would attempt to earn the minimum income necessary to qualify for a subsidized ACA plan, even when the consumer initially projected having no income. Lloyd and Strong also allegedly conspired to bypass the federal government’s attempts to verify income and other information. Lloyd and Strong allegedly engaged in the scheme to maximize the commission payments they received from insurers, resulting in their companies’ receiving millions of dollars in commissions. As alleged in the indictment, Lloyd and Strong’s scheme caused the federal government to pay at least $161,900,000 in subsidies. Cory Lloyd and Steven Strong are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, and 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering. Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Fleck of the FBI Miami Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Isaac Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office, and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement. The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the case. Assistant Chief Jamie de Boer and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting 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 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 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 . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Two Teens Indicted on Charges of Assault with Intent to Kill and Other Charges After Opening Fire Near High School

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Saki Frost, 18, and Azhari Graves, 18, both of Washington, D.C., were indicted today on charges of assault with intent to kill while armed and other charges stemming from a shooting that occurred on May 3, 2024, near Dunbar High School. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Both defendants are to be arraigned on February 20, 2025, before the Honorable J. Michael Ryan. Frost and Graves were indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and related firearms charges. Frost, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, was charged as an adult under Title 16, and was also indicted on charges of assault with intent to murder while armed. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 9:53 am, on May 3, 2024, Graves and Frost opened fire on a sedan that was driving down Kirby Street, NW, near Dunbar High School. A witness to the shooting reported hearing machine gun fire. Surveillance video captures Frost and Graves running down an alleyway holding firearms prior to the shooting. Surveillance video also captures the shooting, in which an individual appearing to be Frost fires a gun toward the sedan. Surveillance footage also captures Graves after the shooting holding a firearm with the slide locked to the rear of the weapon, indicating that the weapon had been fired and the magazine emptied. Graves and Frost then fled the area in a vehicle. Later that day, MPD officers located the defendants’ vehicle and arrested Graves and Frost. Investigators recovered a total of 29 shell casings from the scene of the shooting and numerous fragments from the exterior of Dunbar High School, as well as classrooms inside the school. Investigators also observed at least six bullet strikes to the N Street side of Dunbar. During the shooting, one Dunbar student suffered a graze wound to the head from the gunfire. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Christian Natiello of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 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: Capital Region Man Indicted on Drug and Gun Charges

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Devere Williams, age 36, of Troy, New York, was charged last week by indictment for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. The charges filed against Williams carry a prison term of at least 5 year and up to life in federal prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a supervised release term of up to 5 years. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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. Williams was arraigned today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista, and will continue to be detained pending a hearing on February 21. The FBI is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph S. Hartunian and Nicholas Walter are prosecuting this case.


title: U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Charge Woman with Involuntary Manslaughter

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Casamero Lake woman faces federal charges for involuntary manslaughter following a fatal car crash on tribal lands in New Mexico last summer. According to the indictment, on August 6, 2024, Debbie Rojack , 45, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, killed John Doe by operating a motor vehicle with disregard for human life when she knew and should have known that her conduct imperiled the lives of others. Rojack will remain in third party custody on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted, Rojack faces up to 8 years in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced to 14 Months Imprisonment for Illegally Reentering the United States a Year After Deportation

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Enrique Diaz-Perez, age 38, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced to serve 14 months federal prison yesterday for illegally reentering the United States after previously being convicted of illegal reentry in 2024. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Thomas P. Brophy, Field Office Director, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, (ICE-ERO) Buffalo, NY made the announcement. As a part of his earlier plea, Diaz-Perez admitted that he was removed from the United States in 2009 following his conviction in Massachusetts for assault with a dangerous weapon. Diaz-Perez was again removed from the United States in February 2024, following his conviction in federal court in Syracuse for illegal reentry. On August 27, 2024, Diaz-Perez was located in Syracuse and arrested. At the time, Diaz-Perez was working in Little Falls, New York. Diaz-Perez will be subject to deportation again at the conclusion of his prison sentence. In addition to the 14-month federal prison sentence, Diaz-Perez was also sentenced to a consecutive 4-month term of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release from his prior illegal reentry offense. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security-ICE-ERO investigated the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted the case.


title: Former Newport Beach Doctor Pleads Guilty to Possession of Hundreds of Images and Video of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: SANTA ANA, California – A former Newport Beach gynecologist pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) across multiple personally owned devices. Mark Albert Rettenmaier, 72, of Laguna Hills, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography. He is free on $600,000 bond. According to his plea agreement, on June 7, 2020, Rettenmaier uploaded 15 images of CSAM to an Adobe cloud-based storage system. At least four of the images Rettenmaier uploaded depicted two minors, one under the age of 12, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On July 22, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Rettenmaier’s residence and seized his cellphone and a laptop. Upon review of the cellphone, law enforcement identified at least two additional images of CSAM. Review of the laptop revealed at least one video and 209 images of minors engaged in sexual activity. Rettenmaier admitted that he knowingly downloaded the images and video of CSAM from the internet and stored them on his personal devices. United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett scheduled an August 6 sentencing hearing at which time Rettenmaier will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend that Rettenmaier be sentenced to no more than five years in federal prison. Rettenmaier will also be required to pay a mandatory minimum of $3,000 restitution to each of six victims named in this case, for a total of at least $18,000. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Rabbani of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.


title: Fredericksburg drug trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prison for distribution of fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fredericksburg man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to receive and distribute thousands of fentanyl pills. According to court documents, Khalil Elijah Williams, 25, obtained counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl from out-of-state suppliers and redistributed them in Virginia. The pills were imprinted “M30” to appear as legitimate oxycodone, but instead contained fentanyl. Williams then distributed those pills to his co-conspirators, including Alhagi Gassim Conteh , 30, of Alexandria, and others. Williams obtained the fentanyl from co-conspirators who shipped packages containing thousands of counterfeit pills from Arizona and other states. For example, in August 2024, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) in Phoenix seized a parcel destined to Williams at an apartment in Woodbridge. USPIS inspectors in Arizona obtained and executed a search warrant and seized approximately a kilogram of counterfeit pills from the parcel. USPIS seized another shipment of counterfeit pills shipped from Phoenix that month that contained approximately 1,077.28 grams (gross weight) of fentanyl, or approximately 10,000 counterfeit pills. This shipment was also destined for Williams. Between March and August 2024, Williams sold counterfeit pills totaling approximately 910.51 net grams to Conteh and others in transactions arranged by law enforcement. For example, on July 1, 2024, Williams sold 2,500 fentanyl pills at a location in Fredericksburg. Conteh was arrested On April 12, 2024, and pled guilty on July 16, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. On Oct. 22, 2024, Conteh was sentenced to 10 years in prison. On Aug. 14, 2024, law enforcement conducted enforcement operations that resulted in the arrest of Williams and the recovery of two handguns and miscellaneous ammunition from his residence. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin S. Starr and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case. Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-236.


title: Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Drug Robbery Attempt

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANDY MARTE, also known as “AD,” 31, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a drug robbery conspiracy. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 28, 2023, Marte, Kareem Porter, and Tyrone Allen drove to a Bridgeport apartment building where they intended to carry out a robbery at an apartment they believed contained a substantial quantity of drugs and drug proceeds. Marte separately contacted Jermaine Bethel, who arrived to participate in the robbery. Marte instructed Bethel, Porter, and Allen, who had a crowbar, to carry out the robbery, while Marte remained in the car, with two handguns, to serve as a getaway driver. After failing to enter the apartment, Bethel, Porter, and Allen returned to the vehicle where they were encountered by law enforcement. Investigators learned of the scheme by monitoring Marte’s phone, which was subject to a court-authorized wiretap related to alleged drug trafficking activity. Officers searched the vehicle and its occupants and seized the two handguns and the crowbar. Marte’s criminal history includes convictions for multiple firearms offenses and a violent robbery. Marte has been detained since his arrest on April 28, 2023. On March 28, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery. Porter, Allen, and Bethel pleaded guilty to the same charge. On October 28, 2024, Porter was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment. On December 2, 2024, Bethel was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment. Allen awaits sentencing. This investigation was conducted by FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen Peck.


title: Recidivist Drug Trafficker Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Causing Fatal Fentanyl Poisoning Of 66-Year-Old Victim

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that RAUL SILVA was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel to 12 years in prison for selling thousands of doses of deadly narcotics, including fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and heroin, the use of which resulted in the July 2019 death of a 66-year-old woman (the “Victim”), to whom SILVA had sold drugs for years. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Raul Silva made a career of endangering lives by distributing illegal narcotics, some of which were laced with deadly fentanyl and acetyl. Silva’s disregard for others eventually caused the tragic and untimely death of a 66-year-old woman, who overdosed on a laced dose supplied by Silva. I thank our career prosecutors and agency partners for their determination and vigilance in holding Silva, and dealers like him, accountable.” As reflected in the Indictment, court filings, the evidence presented in court, and the Court’s determinations at the sentencing hearing: Between February 2019 and July 2019, SILVA and his co-defendant conspired to sell to an undercover New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officer, on eight separate occasions, more than 4,000 glassines containing varying combinations of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, heroin, and other drugs. These repeated drug sales followed years of narcotics trafficking and other criminal activity by SILVA, which resulted in 14 prior criminal convictions, including 10 prior narcotics convictions dating back to 1987. In addition, SILVA was the longtime drug supplier of the Victim, a 66-year-old woman residing in the Chelsea area of Manhattan. On July 11, 2019, SILVA met the Victim near her residence to sell her several glassines containing fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and heroin. The Victim died in her apartment shortly thereafter, after consuming the narcotics sold to her by SILVA. The Victim’s body was discovered two days later by her daughter, who was completing her medical residency in Virginia at the time, and who traveled to the Victim’s apartment on the evening of July 13, 2019, after being repeatedly unable to reach her mother. * * * In addition to the prison term, SILVA, 55, of New York, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky and Matthew Weinberg are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Owen Foley.


title: Centerville woman pleads guilty embezzling over half a million dollars from farm cooperative

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Centerville woman pled guilty today to wire fraud relating to her embezzlement of $550,000 from her employer. According to court documents, Paula Sue Leventhal, 64, was the Chief Executive Secretary to the Chief Executive Officer for a farmer-owned cooperative headquartered in Herndon. Leventhal’s duties included arranging travel for cooperative executives. Leventhal used credit cards issued by the cooperative to make travel arrangements, often using travel websites. On Nov. 30, 2015, Leventhal created a merchant account on Square, a point-of-sale platform that small businesses and other merchants can use to accept credit and debit card payments. Square allows users to change the name of the merchant account that appears to the customer when making a payment. From December 2015 through July 2022, Leventhal used cooperative-issued credit cards to send money to herself via Square by charging fraudulent transactions. Leventhal disguised the transactions by changing the merchant name associated with her Square account so the charges would appear as cooperative-authorized business expenses in bank statements. Leventhal often changed the merchant name associated with her Square account to mimic travel providers and other seemingly authorized businesses. After the funds were available in the Square account, Leventhal would transfer the money to her personal bank accounts. From Dec. 14, 2015, until July 6, 2022, Leventhal used her Square account to fraudulently charge cooperative-issued credit cards 506 times for a total of $550,000 and transferred that amount from her Square account to her personal bank accounts in 373 increments. Leventhal is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul III and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Hood are prosecuting the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Finnegan provided substantial assistance to the investigation. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-26.


title: A Mexican National and a Utah Man are in Custody Facing Drug Crimes

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging two men, a Mexican National illegally in the United States and a Utah man, after they were accused of distributing methamphetamine in the District of Utah. Alphonzo Robert Bell, 42, of Midvale, Utah, and David Alejandro Jimenez-Angel, 24, of Jalisco, Mexico, were initially charged by complaint on February 2, 2025. According to court documents, on February 4, 2025, law enforcement from the Unified Police Department (UPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a buy operation using a confidential informant (CI). During the buy operation, the CI purchased eight ounces of methamphetamine from Bell using $2,800 in government funds. Bell provided a portion of the funds to Jimenez-Angel. The total weight of the methamphetamine was approximately 246 grams. Bell and Jimenez-Angel were detained immediately after the controlled buy. During the investigation, detectives seized a Taurus, model G3C handgun, 9mm caliber. Immigration authorities confirmed Jimenez-Angel is in the United States illegally. Bell and Jimenez-Angel are charged with distribution of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting. Bell is also charged with distribution of methamphetamine, and felon in possession of a firearm. Bell’s initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for February 20, 2025. Jimenez-Angel’s initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for February 27, 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 Unified Police Department’s (UPD) Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Williams of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/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: Wausau Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Bee Her, 45, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 8 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Her pleaded guilty to this charge on November 26, 2024. In 2023, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force identified Bee Her as a multi-pound methamphetamine dealer operating out of Wausau. On October 13, 2023, a confidential informant purchased one pound of methamphetamine from Her at Her’s residence. On October 23, 2023, a confidential informant received two ounces of methamphetamine from Her at Her’s residence. On February 8, 2024, Her was arrested on an active supervision warrant. Information obtained during the investigation suggests that Her was working for the cartels to traffic methamphetamine and that the cartels were trying to establish a line and system near Wausau. Her told investigators that he obtained 5 pounds of methamphetamine every two to three weeks to distribute. During this time, Her was on state supervision for two felony cases, one involving a conviction for Child Enticement-Sexual Contact and the other involving convictions for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her’s supervision on the child sex crime was not revoked. His supervision on the drug case was revoked and he was sentenced to one year in jail. At sentencing, Judge Conley said Her was identified as a large-scale trafficker of methamphetamine in Wausau with connections to Minnesota and Mexico and weighed the seriousness of Her’s conduct against his addiction to methamphetamine. The charge against Her was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.


title: McAllen man sentenced to over 33 years for sexually abusing minors

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old local resident has been sentenced for enticement of a minor and production of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Christian Hanks pleaded guilty Oct. 15, 2024. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now sentenced Hanks to 400 and 360 months for enticement and production of child pornography convictions, respectively. The court ordered the sentences will run concurrently. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted the repeat nature of the offenses and the degree of manipulation involved in them. Judge Alvarez also indicated Hanks’ behavior was consistent with that of a sexual predator. He was further ordered to serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison terms. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Hanks will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. “As the court found, the defendant’s behavior in this case was particularly abhorrent, and deserving of a significant sentence” said Ganjei. “Children deserve to grow up in a safe community, free from the predations of individuals like Hanks. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that similar predators are uncovered and prosecuted.” “The conviction and sentencing of this individual today highlights our steadfast dedication to safeguarding our children,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mark Lippa. “With the sentence of production of child pornography, ICE-HSI sends a strong message that such reprehensible behavior will not be tolerated. We must remain united in our efforts to protect the safety and well-being of every child.” Hanks recorded himself sexually abusing a minor victim in December 2023. The investigation revealed years of communication between himself and the minor regarding further sexual abuse, and requests to abuse the minor and other minor children. The investigation also revealed Hanks had engaged in grooming behavior with another minor victim in the Western District of Louisiana to entice her to engage in sexual conduct with him. The investigation revealed he also engaged in sexual intercourse with the second minor victim. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations in Texas and Louisiana conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cahal P. McColgan and Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Making False Statements to  United States Small Business Administration

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RENIC PALMER, JR. (“PALMER”) , age 25, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on February 13, 2025, before United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier. PALMER previously pled guilty to making or using false writings or documents to the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(3), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court documents, PALMER submitted false writings and documents to the SBA, to obtain a Payroll Protection Program (“PPP”) Loan. In his application, among other things, PALMER falsely represented that he was the owner of a merchant wholesale hair supply company formed in 2017, and that he was eligible for PPP funds. As a result of these false representations, PALMER obtained $20,832.00 from the SBA. Judge Barbier sentenced PALMER to three years of probation, restitution of $20,832 to the SBA, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson commended the Special Agents of the Coast Guard Investigative Service for their work on this case. Assistant United States Attorney Andre J. Lagarde of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Houma, La Man Pleads Guilty to  Federal Drug Charge

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that CURTIS WILLIAMSON JR. (“WILLIAMSON JR.”) , age 41, of Houma, LA, pled guilty on February 13, 2025 before Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A). Judge Brown scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2025. According to the indictment, after receiving a complaint of WILLIAMSON JR. trafficking narcotics, a search warrant was executed on his residence where multiple kilograms of methamphetamine were discovered in large bags in his bedroom closet. Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Mexican Man Charged With Illegal Re-Entry of a Removed Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that CESAR RUIZ-AGUILAR (“RUIZ-AGUILAR”) , age 38, was charged on February 13, 2025 with illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to the charging document , RUIZ-AGUILAR was found in the United States on February 1, 2024, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on March 13, 2010 and May 17, 2017. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: St. Louis Area Doctor Sentenced for Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Wednesday sentenced a doctor who ran two urgent care centers in the St. Louis area to 35 months in prison for defrauding Medicare and Missouri Medicaid and ordered him to repay $742,528. Dr. Sonny Saggar, 57, will also be on supervised release for three years after he leaves prison. Saggar pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in August to one count of conspiracy. He admitted that while operating St. Louis General Hospital (SLGH) locations in downtown St. Louis and near Creve Coeur, he and his office manager hired assistant physicians (APs) to see patients but billed Medicare and Missouri Medicaid as if Dr. Saggar had seen them, even when he was out of town. APs are medical school graduates who have not completed a residency program. To legally practice medicine in Missouri, they are required to be closely supervised by a licensed physician under written collaborative practice arrangements (CPAs) that restrict the AP's ability to provide medical services and limit their practice areas to medically underserved rural or urban areas. Dr. Saggar admitted hiring “numerous” APs from July 2018 to July 2023 to work at the SLGH locations, which he and office manager Renita Barringer advertised as both urgent and primary care facilities and as a “residency prep” program and a “stepping stone” for the APs. Dr. Saggar admitted that APs were not properly trained or supervised and that he and Barringer advised them to consult each other on their medical questions. One physician can legally supervise no more than six APs, so Dr. Saggar offered stipends of up to $480 per month to various physicians to induce them to sign up to be collaborating physicians, and then submitted CPA forms to the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts to falsely make it appear as if the APs were being properly supervised. He admitted that the Creve Coeur location is not medical underserved and thus APs are not permitted to work there. Finally, Dr. Saggar admitted that in January of 2022, he hired a doctor who had been indicted in another case to be the sole collaborating physician at the Creve Coeur location but did not disclose to Medicaid that the co-conspirator was performing services there. That physician’s billing privileges with Medicaid had been suspended. The conduct of Dr. Saggar and Barringer caused a loss to Medicare and Missouri Medicaid of $742,528. "Today's sentencing underscores our commitment to ensuring that providers are held accountable for submitting fraudulent claims for financial gain and for deliberately concealing critical information about healthcare professionals,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies, will continue working together to safeguard the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs." “This crime went beyond bilking taxpayer funded healthcare programs. Dr. Sonny Saggar risked the well-being of patients with urgent medical needs. He knew his assistant physicians were not qualified to see patients without supervision,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “To add further insult to injury, Dr. Saggar falsely claimed he was the one who saw the patients so he could bill Medicare and Medicaid.” “Doctors are expected to follow a certain code of conduct and obey the laws and regulations put in place to protect their clients,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “Our investigation shows that Dr. Saggar broke with protocol and endangered lives with his negligence. As a result of his misconduct, he was arrested, surrendered his DEA Certificate of Registration, can no longer prescribe controlled substances and faces nearly three years in federal prison.” Barringer, 51, pleaded guilty in December to one count of conspiracy. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric is prosecuting the case.