title: Honduran National Sentenced to 24 Months Imprisonment for Re-Entry of a Removed Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – ALEX SALOMON REYES-CHAVEZ , age 45, was sentenced on March 12, 2025 for re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. He was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by United States District Court Judge Sarah D. Vance. According to court documents, ALEX SALOMON REYES-CHAVEZ , (“ REYES-CHAVEZ ”) reentered the United States after being previously deported on March 5, 2012. On June 30, 2023, REYES-CHAVEZ was arrested by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana on two counts of theft and illegal possession of stolen things. On October 24, 2023, federal authorities arrested REYES-CHAVEZ in Gretna, Louisiana as he was leaving the courthouse. REYES-CHAVEZ has been previously removed two or more times for illegal reentry. On July 14, 2010, REYES-CHAVEZ was sentenced to four years in the 190th District Court, in Bexar County, Texas, for Possession of Heroin, in violation of Texas State Law. Additionally, on April 27, 2007, REYES-CHAVEZ was convicted of grand third-degree grand theft and was sentenced to nearly six months in jail in Miami, Florida. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Dominican National Arrested for Role in Money Laundering Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Boston has been arrested for his involvement in a money laundering conspiracy. Jose Miguel Pena de la Cruz, 32, was charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy. He appeared in federal court on March 18, 2025. According to the charging documents, between April 17, 2020, and May 14, 2020, Pena de la Cruz delivered $340,080 on behalf of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) based in Massachusetts so that the money could be laundered on behalf of a DTO based in Mexico. During the course of the conspiracy it is alleged that Pena de la Cruz laundered $340,080 by delivering bulk cash drug proceeds packaged in bundles to undercover law enforcement after DTO members communicated with the undercover officers to set up the transaction. Throughout the investigation more than 14 kilograms of fentanyl from the DTO for which Pena de la Cruz delivered the drug proceeds were seized. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting this case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Department of Defense Civilian Employee Pleads Guilty to Taking Classified Documents

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: A civilian electrical engineer for the Department of Defense pleaded guilty in federal court today to unauthorized removal and retention of classified material. According to court documents, Gokhan Gun, 51, of Falls Church, Virginia, was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and is a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States. Through his employment, Gun possessed a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and received training on the proper handling and storage of classified information. Beginning in May 2024, Gun, without permission, removed at least five classified documents from his Department of Defense workspace with the intent to retain them at his primary residence, which was not an approved facility for the storage of classified information. On Aug. 9, 2024, Gun was scheduled to depart the United States on a morning flight to Mexico. However, FBI agents observed a ride share service arrive at the defendant’s residence and approached Gun. Agents observed inside Gun’s residence a backpack inside which they located a Top Secret document and a notebook with handwritten notes that mirrored a Top Secret report. In the dining room, agents located additional classified documents, one of which Gun printed on Aug. 7, 2024, just two days before his scheduled departure. Gun is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 and faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Director in Charge Phillip E. Bates of the FBI Washington Field Office and Executive Director Lee M. Russ of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Office of Special Projects (AFOSI) made the announcement. The FBI and AFOSI Office of Special Projects are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Gibbs for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Adam L. Small and Chantelle Dial of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Utah Man Sentenced to 12 Years’ Imprisonment for Attempting to Receive Images of Child Sexual Abuse

body_text: ST. GEORGE, Utah –Todd Robert Michels, 54, of Washington City, Utah, was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment, and a lifetime of supervised release after he admitted that he attempted to receive images of child sexual abuse. According to court documents and statements made at Michel’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on November 3, 2023, Michels communicated via the internet with an individual he thought was the father of a seven-year-old boy. Michels was actually communicating with an undercover officer. During these communications, Michels said he wanted to sexually abuse the undercover officer’s seven-year-old son and that he had fantasized about such behavior for a long time. Michels also requested sexually explicit photographs of the child. The undercover officer and Michels ultimately agreed to meet for the purpose of Michels sexually assaulting the seven-year-old boy. Upon Michels’ arrival at the meeting location, he was taken into custody. Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case was investigated jointly by The FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Four Individuals Sentenced in Sophisticated, Wide-Spread Fraud Schemes

body_text: PROVIDENCE – Four Florida residents convicted in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island for executing one of the largest schemes in the country to defraud Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act programs, including in Rhode Island, have been sentenced to federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Court documents illustrate that the defendants defrauded various federally funded programs of more than $4.8 million. Each of the defendants pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The schemes involved obtaining and using stolen personal identifying information to submit fraudulent applications to multiple state unemployment agencies, including the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, and to submit fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications, for pandemic-related benefits made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Additionally, the defendants submitted fraudulent applications in the names of other persons to federal and state agencies to obtain tax refunds, stimulus payments, and disaster relief funds and loans. The scheme also involved using the stolen personal identifying information to open bank accounts that were used to receive, deposit, and transfer fraudulently obtained government benefits and payments and to obtain debit cards for the fraudulently opened bank that were used to withdraw the fraudulently obtained funds. U.S. District Court Judge Mellisa R. DuBose sentenced Tony Mertile 33, of Miramar, FL, identified in court documents as the leader of the conspiracy, to a term of 72 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release; Junior Mertile, 35,of Pembroke Pines, FL, to a term of 54 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. Allen Bien-Aime, 33, of Lehigh Acres, FL, to a term of imprisonment of 48 months to be followed by three years of supervised release; James Legerme, 33, of Sunrise, FL, to a term of imprisonment of 48 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release; and In accordance with signed plea agreements filed with the court, the government moved to forfeit a total of $4,857,191 in funds, or $1,214,294.75 from each defendant, that constitutes proceeds of the conspiracy. The defendants have also forfeited hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of Rolex watches and assorted jewelry, and over $1.1 million dollar in cash seized from the residences of Tony Mertile, Junior Mertile, and James Legerme at the time of their arrests. Each defendant is also jointly and several liable for $4,456,927.36 in restitution to be paid to agencies and financial intuitions that were defrauded. The case was jointly prosecuted in U.S. District Court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton and Stacey A. Erickson and Special Assistant United States Attorney and Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General John M. Moreira, Chief of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit. The investigation was conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office, Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Rhode Island State Police, and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations, with substantial assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, and United States Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General/Office of Investigations. Acting United States Attorney Bloom, FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen, and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General thank the Miami Division of the FBI, the Fort Myers Resident Agency of the FBI Tampa Division, the FBI’s Complex Financial Crimes Unit, and the U.S. Marshal Service in Florida for their assistance at the time the defendants were arrested and detained in Florida. Acting United States Attorney Bloom also extends her gratitude to prosecutors in the Middle District of Florida and the Southern District of Florida for their assistance. Rhode Islanders who believe their personal identification has been stolen and used to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits from the RIDLT are urged to contact the Rhode Island State Police at financialcrimes@risp.gov or the FBI Providence office at (401) 272-8310. ### government_sentencing_memos.pdf


title: Felon extradited from Mexico pleads guilty to illegally acquiring multiple firearms

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old resident of Laredo has entered a guilty plea for his role in a scheme to straw purchase multiple firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Between the February 2021 and July 2021, Jesus Guadalupe Covarrubias aided and abetted the straw purchasing of multiple rifles. In July 2021, authorities discovered the theft of approximately 10 AK-style and 20 AR-style rifles at a ranch Covarrubias owned. As a convicted felon, Covarrubias is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law. Further investigation led law enforcement to his residence in Laredo where they observed Covarrubias and others placing items into nearby vehicles. Covarrubias left the house with two others and went to a second home. At that location, authorities observed the movement of three rifles from a truck into the house and took Covarrubias and others into custody. Covarrubias admitted to knowing he was a convicted felon and unable to possess firearms and ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, he acknowledged sending others to stores to purchase firearms on his behalf. After his arrest in August 2021, Covarrubias was permitted release upon posting bond but fled to Mexico. Law enforcement eventually took him into custody. He was returned to U.S. authorities Feb. 21. “This case is an important reminder to criminals that they may run from justice, but they can’t hide,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas is appreciative of the efforts of all those, both in the United States and in Mexico, that made Mr. Corvarrubias’ extradition happen, so he could face justice.” “Straw purchasing is not only a direct violation of the law, but it also endangers our communities by enabling prohibited incidentals to gain access to firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “These dangerous actions jeopardize public safety and undermine the trust that we place in our justice system. It is imperative that we hold accountable those who engage in straw purchasing, ensuring that our laws are enforced, and that justice is served to prevent the illegal flow of firearms into the wrong hands.” U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Covarrubias faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum find. Covarrubias will remain in custody pending that hearing. ATF conducted the investigation with assistance from the Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Laredo Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Covarrubias. U.S. Marshals Service completed the removal of Covarrubias from Mexico to the Southern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day prosecuted the case.


title: Violent Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Third Illegal Reentry into United States from Mexico

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— Pedro Zuniga-Lopez, 35, of Mexico, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of an alien after deportation. According to court documents, on September 19, 2024, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officers were notified by the Indiana Department of Corrections that Pedro Zuniga-Lopez, an illegal alien, was in custody following a conviction for domestic battery with bodily injury to a pregnant woman and scheduled to be released on October 22, 2024. Zuniga-Lopez had previously been deported to Mexico several times, including once in 2018 and twice in 2020. He was prohibited from entering the United States at any time because he had been convicted of at least one aggravated felony. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, aliens found guilty of certain crimes may be excluded from legal reentry to the country. Zuniga-Lopez has a lengthy criminal history, including two previous federal convictions for illegal reentry, as well as two convictions for breaking and entering, and domestic battery with bodily injury to a pregnant woman. Most recently, in 2024, while in the United States unlawfully, Zuniga-Lopez viciously assaulted his own girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, after she stated she did not want his drugs in her home. He swung at her face with closed fists and continued to punch her after she fell to the ground. The victim’s three young children witnessed the attack and screamed “hey mommy, stop!” The day after the victim made this report to police, Zuniga-Lopez broke a window to her home and forced himself inside. He then fled from police before he was arrested. Zuniga-Lopez was convicted and sentenced in Marion County for this offense. “While in the United States unlawfully, this defendant has repeatedly broken the law, demonstrating time and time again a fundamental lack of respect for this country” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Additionally, this defendant is a proven menace to society, including toward some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community—women and children. Our office is committed to working with our ICE partners to charge and convict aliens that illegally re-enter the country, especially if they are a risk to public safety.” “Our ICE Officers work tirelessly to protect the homeland through our efforts with border security, national security and our drive to keep the public safe,” said ERO Chicago’s Assistant Field Office Director Douglas Thompson. “Criminal aliens that continue to cross into our country need to face consequences to discourage them committing crimes that endanger our communities. We will continue to work with our federal partners at the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute violent felons like Zuniga-Lopez, who has multiple convictions and removals from the U.S.” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Former Office Manager Of Senior Assisted Living Facility Sentenced To More Than Five Years In Prison For $1.5 Million Embezzlement Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that Amy Elizabeth Curry, 48, Waynesville, N.C., was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for embezzling at least $1.5 million from a senior assisted living facility. In addition to the prison term imposed, Curry was ordered to pay the facility $1,469,407.24 in restitution. Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, and Sheriff William Wilke of the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to court records and proceedings, Curry worked as an office manager and bookkeeper at Silver Bluff, LLC (Silver Bluff), a senior living and care facility in Canton, N.C. As part of her duties, Curry had access to and control over Silver Bluff’s bank accounts and accounting records. From December 2022 to April 2023, Curry made at least 154 unauthorized bank transfers totaling over $1.5 million from the facility’s bank accounts to bank accounts controlled by Curry and her then-boyfriend, J.C. To avoid detection, Curry deleted the wire transfer history from Senior Bluff’s bank accounts and altered the notification settings to prevent Silver Bluff employees and management from receiving alerts. Curry also made handwritten notes on Senior Bluff’s bank statements, falsely noting that the fraudulent transfers were for payroll. Court records show that Curry used the embezzled funds to pay for personal expenses, including to purchase a pick-up truck. Curry and J.C. also spent over $700,000 of the embezzled funds gambling at casinos. On December 11, 2023, Curry pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Curry will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving her sentence upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI and the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.


title: Former CEO Of Kubient, Inc. Sentenced To Prison In Connection With Accounting Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that PAUL ROBERTS, the founder, former Chief Executive Officer, and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kubient, Inc., a publicly traded digital advertising technology company, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison. ROBERTS previously pled guilty to securities fraud for his execution of a scheme to defraud investors and auditors of Kubient, during which he caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in financial statements at the time of Kubient’s initial public offering and made material misrepresentations about the efficacy of Kubient’s proprietary fraud detection tool, Kubient Artificial Intelligence (“KAI”). ROBERTS’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Paul Roberts cooked the books. He lied to investors and auditors about his company’s revenue and about his company’s premier product: an AI-powered tool that, ironically, was supposed to detect fraud in the digital advertising industry. This Office is committed to holding corporate executives who defraud the investing public accountable for their crimes.” According to information in court filings: From October 2019 through March 2021, ROBERTS knowingly caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements, which was over 94% of Kubient’s reported revenue for 2020 at the time of its initial public offering (“IPO”) in August 2020. With his scheme, ROBERTS misled Kubient’s auditors and deceived the investing public about Kubient’s financial condition. At the core of ROBERTS’s accounting fraud scheme was a fraudulent $1.3 million transaction that ROBERTS arranged between Kubient and another digital advertising technology company (“Company-1”). Kubient and Company-1 agreed to provide certain services to the other for nearly identical fees. For its part, Kubient agreed to use its proprietary fraud detection tool, KAI, to scan data provided by Company-1 and an affiliate for instances of digital ad fraud and then deliver the results of KAI’s findings to Company-1 and its affiliate. Neither Kubient nor Company-1, however, provided the agreed-upon services, yet they still paid each other $1.3 million, which Kubient improperly recognized as revenue. To conceal his fraudulent scheme, ROBERTS directed Kubient employees to generate fake KAI reports based on made-up metrics and no underlying data at all. ROBERTS used the fake reports to mislead Kubient’s independent certified public accountants (the “Audit Firm”) into believing that Kubient had performed its contractual obligations when, in fact, Kubient had not, so that Kubient could recognize the associated revenue in its financial statements. ROBERTS repeatedly made material misrepresentations in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings and in management representation letters submitted to the Audit Firm relating to Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition. ROBERTS also repeatedly made material misrepresentations in SEC filings about the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud, including in connection with Kubient’s initial and secondary public offerings when Kubient was touting KAI as one of the company’s premier products that would differentiate it from its competitors. Fueled by the misrepresentations about Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition and the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud that ROBERTS made in Kubient’s SEC filings and elsewhere, Kubient raised more than $12.5 million in its IPO in August 2020, resulting in its shares being publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange, and more than $20 million in its secondary public offering in December 2020. Now, Kubient is in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings. * * * In addition to the prison term, ROBERTS, 48, of Melville, New York, was sentenced to one year of supervised release. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the SEC, which filed a civil action against ROBERTS after he pled guilty, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin V. Rodriguez is in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Using Stash House to Violate Federal Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on March 12, 2025, TERENCE WILSON (“WILSON”) , age 43, was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment after previously being found guilty of conspiring to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and 100 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of heroin, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and 100 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of heroin, as well as for being a felon in possession of firearms. Following his imprisonment, WILSON will be placed in supervised release for 5 years. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, WILSON and his co-defendant, conspired together, and with others, to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl in New Orleans from August 2022 through October 12, 2022. During this time, WILSON and the co-defendant engaged, near daily, in multiple hand-to-hand transactions with drug customers in the Hollygrove area. In September 2022, law enforcement identified a residence in the 3500 block of Encampment Street as a stash house used by WILSON and the co-defendant. Both WILSON and the co-defendant regularly went to the stash house and had key access to enter. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the stash house and other addresses associated with WILSON and the co-defendant on October 12, 2022. During the search of the stash house, law enforcement seized over 534 grams of heroin and fentanyl, over 120 grams of fentanyl, and 363 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement also seized a Diamondback, Model DB9, multicaliber pistol, and a Palmetto State Armory, Model PA-X9, multicaliber pistol. The nearly empty stash house also contained drug paraphernalia, including digital scales with suspected drug residue, a large mechanical press used to compress drugs into kilogram shaped packages for later distribution, and several bags of brown sugar, that is used a cutting agent. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration - New Orleans Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration Special Response Team, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Response Team, New Orleans Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Slidell Police Department, St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, and the Thibodeaux Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and André Jones of the Narcotics Unit are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Former Columbus, Ohio, Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to FBI Regarding Disclosure of Information on Client in Drug and Sex Trafficking Investigation

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former Columbus, Ohio, lawyer pleaded guilty in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to charges of making false statements to the FBI, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Dennis W. McNamara, 74, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2025, to two counts before Chief United States District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that McNamara—then a practicing lawyer in the Southern District of Ohio—represented a cooperating witness who provided information into a drug trafficking and sex trafficking organization operating in Columbus. At the time, McNamara was separately engaged in a sexual relationship with a female sex worker. McNamara informed the sex worker that he represented the cooperating witness and provided the woman with details of his client’s cooperation, placing his client at great risk of potential harm. When agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation questioned him regarding his disclosures, McNamara lied to agents about having revealed the information. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio was recused from the investigation and prosecution of this matter; the matter then was assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania. A date for sentencing will be determined by the Court. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to five years 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 offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes special agents and officers from the FBI, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and Columbus Division of Police. The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force also collaborated on this investigation.


title: Honduran National Sentenced to  46 Months Imprisonment  for Re-Entry of a Removed Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – ALVARO LUIS ALCERRO-BANEGAS (“ ALCERRO-BANEGAS ”), age 39, was sentenced on March 18, 2025 for reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a) and (b)(1), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. He was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by United States District Court Judge Brandon S. Long. According to court documents, ALCERRO-BANEGAS , reentered the United States after being previously deported on September 2, 2022. ALCERRO-BANEGAS , a Honduran national, came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement after his arrest by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office on March 2, 2024. Previously, on January 18, 2017, ALCERRO-BANEGAS had been found guilty of illegal re-entry after deportation by the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Birmingham Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for Carjacking

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

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has been sentenced for carjackings, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz. U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Christon John Wayman, 21, to 68 months in prison. In November 2024, Wayman pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking. According to the plea agreement, Wayman committed carjackings at two different locations in Birmingham. The carjackings occurred in September and October 2023. Wayman selected his victims from a dating application and used a firearm during at least one of the carjackings. The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler prosecuted the case.


title: Duncansville Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Duncansville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 33 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release, on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws related to a six-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around Blair, Cambria, Centre, and Clearfield counties of Pennsylvania, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Douglas Hillegass, 62, on March 12, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, Hillegass was a methamphetamine distributor who obtained approximately six ounces of methamphetamine from a large-scale narcotics distributor. Hillegass then redistributed the methamphetamine to other individuals. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hillegass. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Announces Severe Charges Against Violent Tesla Arsonists

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced charges against three individuals responsible for the violent destruction of Tesla properties. All three defendants will face the full force of the law for using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars and charging stations. “The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.” One defendant, also armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle, was arrested after throwing approximately eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership located in Salem, Oregon. Another was arrested in Loveland, Colorado after attempting to light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails. The defendant was later found in possession of materials used to produce additional incendiary weapons. In Charleston, South Carolina, a third defendant wrote profane messages against President Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting the charging stations on fire with Molotov cocktails. Each defendant faces serious charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The Department of Justice is committed to ending all acts of violence and arson directed at Tesla properties and otherwise.


title: Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Five Defendants Charged in Connection With Alien in Possession Offenses

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictments of five individuals on charges related to illegal aliens in possession of firearms and ammunition and firearms trafficking. Vielman Cabrera Arevalo, 20, of Guatemala; Erick Lozano Colindrez, 23, of Honduras; and Ludwin Fuentes Lopez, 22, of El Salvador, were indicted on Alien in Possession of a Firearm and/or Ammunition charges. Lester Araely Ramos Perez, 28, and Milton Leon-Morales, 27 — both from Guatemala — are charged with Firearms Trafficking and Aliens in Possession of a Firearm offenses. The indictments announced today are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. U.S. Attorney Hayes made the announcement with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Baltimore Field Division (ATF); Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCoPD); and Chief Jason Lando, Frederick Police Department (FPD). According to the indictments, Ramos Perez, Leon-Morales, Arevalo, Lopez, and Colindrez are all illegal aliens unlawfully in the United States. Ramos Perez and Leon-Morales are charged with conspiring with others to ship, transport, cause to be transported, and otherwise dispose of more than 35 firearms on January 22, 2025. They are also charged with dealing firearms without a license, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and possessing firearms as illegal aliens unlawfully in the United States. Law enforcement found Arevalo in possession of two rounds of CBC 9mm Luger ammunition on December 14, 2023. Similarly, authorities found Lopez in possession of a black Polymer 80 firearm and ammunition on July 20, 2024. On November 15, 2024, authorities found Colindrez in possession of a Johnson Arms & Cycle Works .32 caliber revolver and one black 9mm polymer pistol along with approximately 23 rounds of ammunition. As a result, each of these defendants is charged in separate indictments for Alien in Possession of a Firearm and/or Ammunition. Upon a conviction, Ramos Perez and Leon-Morales face up to 15 years in prison on firearms trafficking charges, five years on dealing firearms without a license, 15 years in prison on the alien in possession charges, and 20 years on drug conspiracy charges. If Arevalo, Colindrez, and/or Lopez are convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI Baltimore; the FBI; ATF; DPSCS; BCoPD; and FPD for their work in connection with these investigations. Ms. Hayes also thanked Kenneth Clark, Chief, Violent and Organized Crime, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Beim, Kim Hagan, and Jamie O’Donohue, who are prosecuting the federal cases. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Violating Federal Gun Control Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANARD WALTON (“WALTON”) , age 41, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to violating the Federal Gun Control Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court records, on March 19, 2024, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at WALTON’s residence. During the search, agents found a Springfield, nine-millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, in a kitchen cabinet wrapped in a towel. In the kitchen, they also found approximately one and a half pounds of marijuana. The agents located a hidden compartment under a set of stairs leading to the second story. In this hidden compartment, they found a Smith and Wesson, .40 caliber pistol, and approximately $37,941.00 of U.S. currency. The Smith & Wesson firearm was confirmed to have been stolen. A records check showed that WALTON was a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms. Court records confirmed that WALTON had at least five felony convictions, including a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On March 12, 2025, WALTON pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of the two firearms found during the March 19, 2024 search. Judge Milazzo set sentencing for June 18, 2025. WALTON faces up to fifteen years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory special assessment of $100. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Slidell Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.


title: Operators Of Jacksonville Roofing Business Sentenced To Federal Prison For Payroll Tax Fraud And Workers’ Compensation Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Jacksonville residents Travis Morgan Slaughter and Tripp Charles Slaughter to 41 months and 21 months in federal prison, respectively, for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud related to Jacksonville roofing businesses they operated. The Slaughters pled guilty on November 25, 2024. As part of their sentence, the court entered an order of forfeiture against Travis Slaughter in the amount of $2,780,947.56 and against Tripp Slaughter in the amount $416,799.66, which were proceeds traceable to the mail and wire fraud offenses. The court also ordered Travis Slaughter to pay restitution in the amount of $6,768,612.32 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for payroll tax losses, $2,780,947.56 to two insurance companies for unpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums, and $271,217.39 to the same two companies for two paid workers’ compensation claims. The court ordered Tripp Slaughter to pay restitution of $623,269.64 to the IRS for payroll tax losses, $416,799.66 to an insurance company for unpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums, and $137,778.39 to the same company for a paid workers’ compensation claim. According to court documents, beginning in 2007, Travis Slaughter operated a roofing business in Jacksonville, first under the name Great White Construction and then under the name Florida Roofing Experts. In January 2020, the business began operating under the name 5 Star Roofing Services, which Tripp Slaughter incorporated. Although the name changed, each business operated in the same manner, banked at the same financial institutions, and employed the same employees. The company contracted with professional employer organizations (PEOs) to prepare payroll checks for employees, after making deductions for payroll taxes, and to file payroll tax returns and forward tax payments to governmental authorities. However, the company did not provide the PEOs with information about all the hours worked by, or all the wages due to, its employees. Instead, the company also paid the employees directly, with separate checks drawn on company bank accounts, and did not deduct payroll taxes from these checks. By paying employees with “split checks”—one from the PEO and one from the company—the company avoided paying the full amount of payroll taxes due to the IRS. For the period of October 2015 through June 2020, the company paid a total of approximately $23,079,680 in wages that were not reported to the IRS. The payroll taxes due to the IRS on this amount total approximately $4,292,429. The PEOs also secured workers’ compensation insurance coverage for the company. The premiums charged by the workers’ compensation insurers were based on the total amount of payroll that the company reported to the PEOs. If the company had reported the actual amount of payroll, the insurers would have charged additional premiums totaling approximately $2,780,947. In addition to causing the company to underreport their payroll to the IRS, the Slaughters also underreported their personal income to the IRS. For the tax years 2014 through 2019, the unpaid taxes due on Travis Slaughter’s unreported income totaled approximately $2,467,183. For the tax years 2015 through 2019, the unpaid taxes due on Tripp Slaughter’s unreported income totaled approximately $263,614. “The actions of these two defendants represent a blatant disregard for U.S. law and our financial systems. Despite operating successful construction businesses that generated millions of dollars in wealth, their greed drove them to lie and cheat for years,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Tampa Field Office. “Their scheme to evade millions of dollars in taxes not only undermined the integrity of our tax system but also created an unfair advantage in which law-abiding competitors cannot compete for bids. Our job is to make sure dishonest offenders like these two face the consequences of their criminal activities.” “The Slaughters defrauded insurance companies of millions in workers’ compensation insurance premiums and will be responsible for financial restitution for the loss of insurance premiums and death and injury claims,” said ICE HSI Tampa, Jacksonville office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “As part of this criminal enterprise, they also exploited the labor of hundreds of illegal aliens.” This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.


title: Shelby County Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Prison for Multiple Robberies

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Shelby County man has been sentenced for multiple robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz. U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Dorian Blake Bivins, 20, of Alabaster, Alabama, to 180 months in prison. In September 2024, Bivins pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence. According to the plea agreement, Bivins attempted robberies of three businesses in Alabaster—Whataburger, Shell, and Chevron—over a span of 12 days in May and June 2023. Bivins committed two of the offenses while armed with a pistol and discharged the firearm during his final attempted robbery. The ATF investigated the case along with the Alabaster Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.


title: Madison County Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Cyberstalking, Extortion, and Production of Child Pornography

body_text: HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A New Hope man was sentenced today for stalking and extorting a woman and producing child pornography involving two minor victims, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Donald Wayne Carmody, 29, of New Hope, Alabama, to 480 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In December, Carmody pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, extortion, and production of child pornography. These convictions will require Carmody to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to the plea agreement, Carmody used anonymous text messages to threaten to release pictures of the victim on the internet if she did not send him intimate photographs. Carmody also obtained the victim’s login credentials for her social media accounts and accessed their contents. After Carmody was arrested on cyberstalking and extortion charges for this conduct, investigators discovered a USB thumb drive belonging to him that contained images of child pornography involving two victims under the age of twelve. The FBI’s Video Forensic Analysis Unit compared the images from the thumb drive, which showed a person’s hand, to pictures of Carmody’s hands taken during the investigation. The Unit identified similar class and distinguishing characteristics between the images, demonstrating that the hand in the images on the thumb drive belonged to Carmody. The FBI investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case. If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov .


title: Registered Sex Offender Admits to Enticing a Minor, Launching a Murder-for-Hire Plot to Silence the Victim

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A 30-year-old Rhode Island man who was previously convicted in RI state court for child molestation and required to register as a sex offender, admitted to a federal judge today that, in a separate matter, he enticed a 12-year-old girl to engage in multiple sexual encounters and later launched a murder-for-hire plot in a scheme to eliminate her as a witness, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Chandler J. Cardente pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to enticement of a minor, commission of a felony while being required to register as a sex offender, and interstate murder for hire. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Court documents reflect that in the summer of 2021, Cardente, while posing as a 17-year-old, began communicating with the minor victim via a messaging app, and told the victim that he was interested in having sexual contact with her. In December 2021, he met the girl a short distance from her middle school, drove her to various locations in Rhode Island, and engaged in sexual contact with her multiple times. Cardente was subsequently arrested and detained in state custody. While being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI), Cardente communicated by telephone with another person, expressing his intent that the victim be murdered. In a conversation with a law enforcement officer acting in an undercover capacity, Cardente told the officer that the victim needed “to end up dead” because she was “a witness.” He offered the undercover officer $200 in cash and equipment worth $1,500. The case in U.S. District Court is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Milind M. Shah. The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; the Warwick, Cranston, and Burrillville Police Departments; Rhode Island State Police; and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections Special Investigations Unit. Cardente, facing both federal and state prosecution in this matter, is currently being held without bail at the ACI. Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom acknowledges and thanks the Rhode Island Department of Attorney General for their assistance in advancing federal charges brought in this matter. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc ###


title: Former University of Michigan Football Quarterbacks Coach and Co-Offensive Coordinator Indicted on Charges of Unauthorized Access to Computers and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Former University of Michigan Co-Offensive Coordinator Matthew Weiss—age 42, of Ann Arbor—was charged today in a 24-count indictment alleging 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced. Beck was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Detroit Field Office (Michigan) According to the indictment, between approximately 2015 and January 2023, Weiss gained unauthorized access to student athlete databases of more than 100 colleges and universities that were maintained by a third-party vendor. After gaining access to these databases, Weiss downloaded the personally identifiable information and medical data of more than 150,000 athletes. Using the information that he obtained from the student athlete databases and his own internet research, Weiss was able to obtain access to the social media, email, and/or cloud storage accounts of more than 2,000 target athletes. Weiss also illegally obtained access to the social media, email, and/or cloud storage accounts of more than 1,300 additional students and/or alumni from universities across the country. Once Weiss obtained access to these accounts, he downloaded personal, intimate digital photographs and videos that were never intended to be shared beyond intimate partners. “Our office will move aggressively to prosecute computer hacking to protect the private accounts of our citizens,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck. “We stand ready with our law enforcement partners to bring those who illegally invade the privacy of others to justice.” “Today’s indictment of Matthew Weiss underscores the commitment and meticulous investigative efforts of our law enforcement professionals,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force, in close collaboration with the University of Michigan Police Department, worked relentlessly on this case to safeguard and protect our community.” If convicted, Weiss faces a maximum of five years imprisonment on each count of unauthorized access to computers and two years on each count of aggravated identity theft. Conviction on a count of aggravated identity theft triggers a two-year mandatory minimum sentence, to be served consecutive to the sentence imposed for the underlying offense. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. It will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Wyse and Patrick Corbett. The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Former Controller Indicted for Embezzling Over $1 Million from Fresno Fruit Wholesaler

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — On Feb. 27, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against Sergio Zacarias Lopez, 57, a Mexican citizen residing in Fresno, charging him with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment was unsealed following his arrest today. According to court documents, between January 2016 and June 2023, Zacarias Lopez abused his position as the accounting supervisor and controller to defraud a family-run Fresno fruit wholesaler. Zacarias Lopez would write multiple company checks payable to “cash” and then deposit them into his own personal bank account through local ATMs. He signed the fraudulent checks using the signatures of other employees with signatory authority, including one of the founders of the company. Through this scheme, Zacarias Lopez embezzled more than $1 million before he was eventually detected by one of the banks and terminated by the company. To secure his accounting role in the first place, Zacarias Lopez stole a valid social security number and used that along with other falsified employment documents to conceal his lack of legal status. The indictment also states that Zacarias Lopez was previously removed from the United States in 2000 and has not been permitted to return to the United States. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case. If convicted of bank fraud, Zacarias Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted of aggravated identity theft or illegal re-entry of a removed alien, he faces a penalty of two years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: New Orleans Man Charged for Being Felon in Possession of Firearms

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HAVEN PATTERSON (“PATTERSON”) , age 42, a resident of New Orleans, was indicted on March 13, 2025, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). According to the indictment, PATTERSON intentionally possessed firearms, a Smith & Wesson SD40, 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, loaded with ammunition; and a Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard 380, .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun, loaded with ammunition. PATTERSON is a convicted felon and, as such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law. If convicted, PATTERSON faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon of the of the Public Integrity Unit. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Former Salem County Man Sentenced To Over Nine Years In Prison For Bank Fraud And Conspiracy To Rob U.S. Post Office Employees

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A former Salem County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to an aggregate term of 111 months in prison for his role in multiple schemes, including bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and the robbery of two US Post Office letter carriers, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced. Dezhon McCrae, 25, formerly of Penns Grove, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, following his guilty plea to a six-count information charging him with two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, possession of a stolen postal key, possession of stolen mail, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From May 2018 through February 2020, McCrae was part of a “card cracking” conspiracy in which the conspirators obtained stolen checks from the mail and other sources. They then used the stolen checks to create counterfeit checks with the same routing and account numbers for deposit into area banks. Next, the conspirators posted advertisements on social media, seeking individuals who had bank accounts and were willing to give the conspirators access to their accounts. The conspirators then deposited the counterfeit checks into the compromised banks accounts. The conspirators transferred as much money as possible out of the accounts before the banks discovered that the deposits were fraudulent. The conspirators were able to defraud the victim banks of over $274,000. McCrae’s role in this scheme resulted in over $10,000 loss to the victim banks. Six other codefendants have already been sentenced in connection with this scheme and three additional codefendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. After being charged via federal criminal complaint for the “card cracking” scheme, McCrae engaged in a second scheme to commit bank fraud. From May 11, 2022, to July 27, 2022, McCrae participated in a nearly identical scheme to defraud another bank. This time, the victim bank suffered over $14,000 of loss due to McCrae’s offense. On August 18, 2023, while on pretrial release, McCrae was residing in Paulk County, Georgia. Police officers were dispatched to McCrae’s residence in response to eye-witness reports of a shooting. The investigation of the shooting led to the discovery of a stolen postal mailbox key and stolen mail in McCrae’s residence. During the investigation of the August 18, 2023 shooting at McCrae’s residence, police officers obtained a warrant to search McCrae’s cellphone. The cellphone was found to contain evidence that McCrae had manufactured a fraudulent New Jersey driver’s license in the name of a real person, but using the photograph of a conspirator. The cellphone evidence also showed that McCrae mailed the false ID to his conspirators in Camden in late June 2023. On July 3, 2023, the false ID was used in an attempt to cash a stolen check at a bank in New Jersey. The bank’s employees were suspicious of the fraudulent ID and the conspirator fled the bank before the stolen check was cashed. Finally, the search of McCrae’s cellphone also uncovered evidence of his role in a conspiracy to rob two U.S. Postal Letter Carriers in Cumberland County, New Jersey. The robbers targeted the letter carriers to steal their postal mailbox keys. The first robbery occurred in Fairfield Township on June 13, 2023, when a masked assailant assaulted the letter carrier and successfully stole the postal mailbox key. The second robbery occurred on July 3, 2023, in Vineland. During the second robbery, a masked assailant attacked the letter carrier from behind, striking him and spraying him with a cannister of bear repellant. The second robbery was unsuccessful in stealing the letter carrier’s postal mailbox key. In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced McCrae to five years of supervised release. McCrae was also ordered to pay $24,411.89 of restitution. U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, Philadelphia Division; and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation. U.S. Attorney Giordano also thanked the Paulk County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Department, the New Jersey State Police, the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, the Glassboro Police Department, and the Cherry Hill Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Johns of the Criminal Division in Camden. ### Defense counsel: Christopher St. John, Esq. (Cherry Hill, NJ)


title: Department of Defense civilian employee pleads guilty to taking classified documents

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A civilian electrical engineer for the Department of Defense pled guilty today to unauthorized removal and retention of classified material. According to court documents, Gokhan Gun, 51, of Falls Church, was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and is a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States. Through his employment, Gun possessed a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and received training on the proper handling and storage of classified information. Beginning in May 2024, Gun, without permission, removed at least five classified documents from his Department of Defense workspace with the intent to retain them at his primary residence, which was not an approved facility for the storage of classified information. On Aug. 9, Gun was scheduled to depart the United States on a morning flight to Mexico. However, FBI agents observed a ride share service arrive at the defendant’s residence and approached Gun. Agents observed inside Gun’s residence a backpack inside which they located a Top Secret document and a notebook with handwritten notes that mirrored a Top Secret report. In the dining room, agents located additional classified documents, one of which Gun printed on August 7, 2024, just two days before his scheduled departure. Gun is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 and faces up to five 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; Supervisory Official Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Phillip E. Bates, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office; and Lee M. Russ, Executive Director of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) Office of Special Projects, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the plea. The FBI and AFOSI Office of Special Projects are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Gibbs for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Adam L. Small and Chantelle Dial for NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-199.


title: Two California Doctors Agree to Settlements Totaling $375,000 to Resolve Allegations of Fraud Schemes Related to “Electroacupuncture” Devices

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Zachary J. Lipman MD, of Chico, has paid $290,000 to the United States and Michael Woo-Ming MD, of Murrieta, has agreed to pay $85,000 to the United States to resolve allegations arising from a fraud scheme that caused the submission of hundreds of false claims to Medicare, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Both settlements relate to a fraud scheme orchestrated by Riverside County chiropractor Kevin Brown , in which Brown used various companies he owned to seek and receive reimbursement from Medicare for surgically implanted neurostimulators at multiple locations within and beyond California, even though the companies did not perform surgery or implant neurostimulators. In a prior settlement with the United States, Brown stipulated that he and his companies instead taped a disposable “electroacupuncture” device called “Stivax” to their patients’ ears. Stivax devices do not require surgical implantation and are not reimbursable by Medicare. The United States alleges that this scheme violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute. With respect to the settlement with Dr. Lipman announced today, the United States had alleged that Lipman solicited and received unlawful kickbacks from Brown in return for Lipman referring his patients to Brown for the furnishing of Stivax devices paid for by Medicare. The settlement with Dr. Woo-Ming resolves allegations that his companies Revive Medical of San Diego, which Woo-Ming co-owned with Brown, and Medical Wellness Group submitted false claims to Medicare for surgically implanted neurostimulators. “These physicians took part in a fraud scheme at the expense of hardworking taxpayers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “My office is committed to working with our partners to address fraud schemes like these that divert funds from important federal health care programs like Medicare.” “Improper financial arrangements can compromise medical judgment, adversely influencing the medical decision-making process,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of federal health care programs and those served by those programs.” The investigation was conducted with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emilia P.E. Morris handled the case for the United States. The settlement agreements can be found here: lipman_settlement_agreement_executed_10.25.24.pdf woo-ming_settlement_agreement-executed_3.5.25.pdf brown_settlement_agreement-_executed_07.10.24_0.pdf


title: York County Tax Preparer Indicted for Submission of Fraudulent  PPP Loan Applications and Destruction of Records

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dommonick T. Chatman, age 49, of York, Pennsylvania, was indicted on twenty counts of bank fraud and one count of destroying records in a federal investigation. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Chatman either submitted or caused to be submitted false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications and supporting documentation in order to obtain funds for his clients and kickback payments to himself. The PPP program was created by the March 2020 CARES Act, as part of the United States government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s health and economic well-being. The PPP program was designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP funds were offered in forgivable loans, provided that certain criteria are met, including use of the funds for employee payroll, mortgage interest, lease, and utilities expenses. According to the indictment, Chatman operated a business located in York, PA, known as The Chatman Group, LLC, through which he offered tax-preparation services. It is alleged that Chatman discussed the PPP and funds available through the PPP with existing and prospective clients of his company. If the clients decided to move forward with PPP loan applications, Chatman prepared a PPP loan application for and on behalf of a client or directed an employee of The Chatman Group to prepare an application using information that he provided. Chatman then knowingly inserted false and fraudulent information into clients’ applications and supporting documentation. For example, several loan applications were supported by a Schedule C—an official IRS tax form for the reporting of business income by a sole proprietor—claiming over $100,000 in gross receipts when, in reality, the taxpayer either did not file a Schedule C for the corresponding tax year or filed a Schedule C reporting gross receipts of less than $15,000. A financial institution, including at times an unnamed financial institution headquartered in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, then approved such loans in reliance on the documentation submitted to it. The indictment contains twenty individual charges of bank fraud, each of which is based on an allegedly false and fraudulent PPP loan application filed during March and April 2021. Most of the applications were for a requested amount of approximately $20,833, which was the maximum possible amount for a sole proprietor with no employees. The indictment also alleges that in November and December 2022, after being contacted and interviewed by members of federal law enforcement, Chatman knowingly destroyed records—including electronically stored PPP loan applications of clients and a hard copy list of PPP loan applications of clients—with the intent to obstruct a federal grand jury investigation. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for bank fraud is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The maximum penalty for destruction of records in a federal investigation is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . 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 . # # #


title: Boyd County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland, Ky. man, Jere Rason Black, 31, was sentenced on Wednesday, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 70 months for three counts of distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine. According to his plea agreement, law enforcement received information that Black was distributing methamphetamine in the Greenup County area. Using a confidential informant, agents conducted three controlled purchases from Black, who distributed a total of 145.23 grams of methamphetamine. Under federal law, Black must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Black’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Director Scott Hardcorn, Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by DEA, and the Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. — END —


title: Conviction Affirmed for Man Who Kidnapped, Murdered 80-year-old Horry County Woman

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the 2022 conviction of Dominique Devonah Brand for kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder. In a written opinion, the court affirmed Brand’s convictions following a multi-day bench trial in September 2022. Evidence presented at trial established that on Sunday, March 28, 2021, Brand entered the Nichols, South Carolina, home of Mary Ann Elvington, a retired elementary school teacher and stalwart in her church and community. In the days prior, Brand had burglarized another nearby residence, stealing a shotgun, in addition to burglarizing and vandalizing a local church. Brand forced Ms. Elvington to drive him from her house to Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, and back into South Carolina. During this trip, Brand sat behind Ms. Elvington with the shotgun before forcing her into the back seat and driving her to a remote crossroads in Marion County. Once there, he marched her behind an abandoned grocery store, held the shotgun to the back of her head, and pulled the trigger, executing her. Brand then drove Ms. Elvington’s car to Marion, where he hid it behind an abandoned club. Ms. Elvington’s body was located the following evening. During a post-arrest statement to authorities, Brand denied committing the murder, but his guilt was proven at trial with DNA evidence, cell phone analytics, and crime scene analysis. “We are pleased that the Fourth Circuit has affirmed the convictions we proved beyond a reasonable doubt in the senseless kidnapping and murder of Ms. Mary Ann Elvington,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “This has been a painful ordeal for her loved ones, and we send our continued support to Ms. Elvington’s family.” United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over the trial and imposed two concurrent life sentences for the carjacking and kidnapping convictions, plus 10 consecutive years for using a firearm during the commission of these offenses. Brand, now 33, is in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons at USP Hazelton in West Virginia. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office with significant assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Horry County Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion Police Department, Lake View Police Department, and Nichols Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett McMillian and Kathleen Stoughton prosecuted the case along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson, who also serves as the Deputy Solicitor for the 15 th Judicial Circuit. ###


title: Elizabeth Man Sentenced To 60 Months In Prison For Illegally Possessing A Gun

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – An Elizabeth man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced. Stanley Claiborne, 28, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin to an Indictment charging him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Judge Padin imposed the sentence in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On the morning of July 14, 2022, members of the United States Marshals Service apprehended Claiborne near Market and Broad Streets in downtown Newark based on two unrelated arrest warrants. Claiborne was in possession of a loaded gun at the time of his arrest. Claiborne was previously convicted of unlawful possession of a handgun in New Jersey Superior Court, among other felony convictions, and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin sentenced Claiborne to 3 years of supervised release. “This case is an excellent example of state and federal authorities partnering together to aggressively combat illegal gun possession in New Jersey" U.S. Attorney John Giordano “The arrest of Stanley Claiborne and prosecution for possessing an illegal firearm is a testament to the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Attorney’s Office commitment to justice and safety for our communities throughout the state,” said Juan Mattos Jr., U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey. U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Newark Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the United States Marshals Service (USMS), under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. The investigation was also conducted as part of the USMS’s New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force (NY/NJ RFTF). The NY/NJ RFTF was formed in 2002 and has made an extraordinary impact on the investigation and apprehension of the region’s most dangerous and violent fugitives. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clara Kim and Thomas S. Kearney of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, Verona, New Jersey


title: Colombian National Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Conspiring To Transport Hundreds Of Kilograms Of Cocaine Into The United States

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Colombian citizen was sentenced to 12 years in prison for conspiring to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Colombia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced. Edgar Ruiz-Gomez, a/k/a “Gono,” 57, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to Count One of an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From 2016 through January 2020, Ruiz-Gomez and others conspired to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine. Ruiz-Gomez acknowledged holding a managerial role in this conspiracy, which involved more than five individuals. In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Ruiz-Gomez to five years of supervised release. “My office is fully committed to employing its considerable resources to prosecuting dangerous drug organizations,” said U.S. Attorney John Giordano. U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, New Jersey, as well as special agents and task force officers with the DEA operating in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. He also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section Judicial Attachés in Bogotá, Colombia; Colombian law enforcement authorities; and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.


title: Final Defendant Sentenced in Meth Conspiracy Tied to Officer’s Murder

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – The final defendant who participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine tied to the murder of Big Stone Gap, Virginia Police Officer Michael Chandler, was sentenced this week in federal court. Brian Carroll, 43, of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 108 months. Previously sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy were: Timothy Ray Jones - 235 months; Charles Ryan Bowman - 120 months; Elicia Amber Burns - 172 months; James Brian Mullins - 180 months; Justin Dwayne Skaggs - 132 months; Anthony Curtis Steven Holmes – 130 months; Tyler Lee Westmoreland - 54 months; Hailee Dietz and Paul Jones, each sentenced to 121 months; James Ray Worley - 120 months; Kacie Lynn Werner - 36 months; Amanda Nicole Blanton - 36 months; Lucille Vanover - 24 months and 17 days; Christopher Adam Dewayne Bates – 78 months; Misty Lynn Ward – 30 months; Keri Leann Corbin – 24 months and 19 days; and Tiny Westmoreland - 60 months. Michael White was sentenced to 100 years for his murder of Officer Chandler in furtherance of the drug conspiracy. A total of 19 defendants were charged and convicted of conspiring to distribute in total more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as heroin and fentanyl. According to court documents, beginning in August 2021 and continuing until their arrest, the 19 defendants participated in a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine from Tennessee and other states into southwest Virginia, and then further distribute it throughout Wise County, Virginia. Tragically, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on November 13, 2021, Officer Chandler responded to a welfare check call at 2505 Orr Street in Big Stone Gap, known locally as “the red house.” Upon arriving at the Orr Street address, Officer Chandler encountered a vehicle outside the residence and was immediately shot by Michael Donivan White. Officer Chandler died later that evening from his injuries. White was later located at a motel in Kingsport, Tennessee, and a subsequent search of the motel room revealed a Taurus, 9mm pistol. Further testing ultimately proved this firearm to be the same one that fired the shots that killed Officer Chandler. Michael Donivan White was indicted on federal and state charges for killing Officer Chandler and has since pled guilty and been sentenced to 100 years of active incarceration in both cases. Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement. The investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Virginia Police Department, the Kingsport Tennessee Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the East Tennessee Drug Task Force, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Virginia State Police, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, City of Norton Police Department, and Big Stone Gap Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lena L. Busscher and Danielle Stone are prosecuting the case.


title: CEO Of Georgia HVAC Company Charged With Illegally Importing Harmful Greenhouse Gases Into The United States

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – The chief executive officer of a Georgia-based HVAC company has been charged with illegally importing 500 cylinders of potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Peru, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced today. This case is the second prosecution in the United States under the AIM Act, and the first prosecution of a corporate executive. William Randolph Hires a/k/a “Randy Hires,” 57, of Woodstock, Georgia and Lima, Peru, is charged by complaint with violating the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) by unlawfully importing 500 cylinders of HFCs. Hires appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court. HFCs include refrigerants used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems commonly known as “Freon.” The global warming impact of an HFC can be hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. Because of this, in 2020 Congress enacted the AIM Act, which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs by 85 percent over time. “The defendant’s actions in this case not only violated the AIM Act and created a threat to the environment they also unfairly disadvantaged other law-abiding U.S. businesses,” said Dan Meyers, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. "Today’s charges send a clear message: Enforcement of the law protects our air, land, and water, ensuring a brighter future for our citizens and a level playing field for American businesses and workers.” “Hires disregarded our nation’s environmental laws and put our country at risk with shipments containing potent greenhouse gases,” said ICE HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “HSI Newark successfully conducts investigations into violations of U.S. import and export laws to ensure national security and protect the public’s health and safety. We will hold individuals and corporations accountable for violating global trade regulations.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In April 2022, on behalf of his company, Hires purchased 500 cylinders of HFCs in Peru. Over the next several months, EPA officials explained to Hires’s employees that, under the AIM Act and its implementing regulations, Hires’s company could not lawfully import the HFCs to the United States because it did not have the required EPA-issued allowances. In a July 22, 2022 email to one of Hires’s employees, an EPA official stated, in substance, “it is not possible to import bulk HFCs without consumption allowances.” Hires’s employees conveyed this information from the EPA to Hires on several occasions. On one occasion, an employee forwarded to Hires an email that the employee had received from an EPA official which stated, “[t]he HFC you listed (R-410A) is a regulated substance. So if you do not have allowances, you cannot import those bulk HFC refrigerants.” In another email exchange between Hires and an employee, the employee informed Hires that, based on a video conference the employee had with EPA officials, shipping without the necessary allowances would violate import laws so “[i]t is out of our hands.” Hires nevertheless instructed his employees to illegally import the HFCs into the United States. In a July 28, 2022 email, Hires stated to his employees: “[y]eah you have to be careful what agencies you’re reaching out to because the EPA . . . can create a hassle and they can hold our stuff up in customs there[.]” In a subsequent email, Hires instructed his employees to “get [the HFCs] on the ship and get it out to sea . . . don’t care what it takes[.]” Hires later instructed his employees via email: “Do not call the EPA please do not.” The violation of the AIM Act with which Hires is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Divisions, under the direction of Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dan Meyers; special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; and officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Francis J. Russo, Director of Field Operations, New York Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s charge. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Bernard J. Cooney of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit, in Newark, and Trial Attorney Ronald A. Sarachan of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. hires.complaint.pdf