title: U.S. Attorney's Office Collects $6,485,417.91 In Civil And Criminal Actions In Fiscal Year 2024

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – Acting U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami announced today that the District of Nevada collected $6,485,417.91 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $3,556,959.50 was collected in criminal actions and $2,928,458.41 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the District of Nevada worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $228,340.11 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $97,396.11 was collected in criminal actions and $130,944.00 was collected in civil actions. In June 2024, the District of Nevada recovered $2.1 million as part of the settlement from El Aero Services, LLC concerning the Sheep Creek Fire in 2018. The Sheep Creek Fire ignited on August 18, 2018, after a helicopter crashed in the Sheep Creek Range, north of Battle Mountain, Nevada. Following an extensive investigation, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) determined that El Aero Services, LLC was responsible for the fire, which required significant suppression efforts. The settlement covered the fire response, suppression and remediation costs incurred by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s BLM combatting the fire. “Thanks to the diligent efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys and professional staff in the District of Nevada’s Financial Litigation Unit and the Asset Recovery Unit, we have ensured the court-ordered restitutions and fines are fully recovered for victims of crime and taxpayers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Fahami. “Our office does not stop – and will not stop – working with our law enforcement partners to recover civil and criminal debts owed.” The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Additionally, the District of Nevada working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $5,438,595 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. ###


title: Lubbock Man Pleads Guilty to Cyber Stalking Ex-Girlfriend

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: An 29-year-old man who sent sexually explicit images of his ex-girlfriend to her father, brother, and employer pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, announced acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham. Huston Tyler McLearen, of Lubbock, was indicted in November 2024. He pleaded guilty Wednesday to cyber staking before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda “Amy” R. Burch. “Cyberstalking is a uniquely vicious crime with devastating impacts on its victims. And unfortunately, online intimidation and harassment can quickly escalate to physical violence,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “We applaud this victim for pushing past her fear and shame and reporting her experience to law enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas is proud to stand up for her.” "The defendant’s alarming behavior was countered by the bravery of his victim who so courageously reported him to law enforcement despite the threats he made to kill her," said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to do everything in our power to seek justice for victims and their families, hold perpetrators accountable and protect others from harm." According to court documents, in June 2024, Mr. McLearen’s ex-girlfriend – identified in court documents as Jane Doe – submitted a tip to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) stating that Mr. McLearen had been harassing her, her family, her friends, and her work colleagues. During an interview with law enforcement, Ms. Doe said that after she broke up with Mr. McLearen and moved out of their shared apartment, he hounded her with texts and calls urging her to kill herself and threatening to share sexually explicit photographs of her online. Cell phone records confirmed that Mr. McLearen called the victim as many as 39 times per day. Ms. Doe showed officers social media profiles Mr. McLearen created to share lewd images of her with the public. Officers later uncovered posts in which Mr. McLearen claimed Ms. Doe was “looking for a man that would pay for sex.” In a recorded phone call, Mr. McLearen admitted to an acquaintance that he also sent nude images of the victim to her own brother and father as well as her employer. In the same phone call, introduced into evidence at Mr. McLearen’s detention hearing, the defendant described women as devils who deserve to be tortured, killed, and raped, and remarked that if the conditions were right, he would kill Jane Doe. “It would be a bullet shot going through her window,” he said. Mr. McLearen now faces up to five years in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Tech University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt is prosecuting the case. The National Domestic Violence Hotline urges victims of cyberstalking to implement a safety plan. For more information, click here or dial 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).


title: Omaha Man Sentenced for Making a False Statement During Attempted Firearms Purchase

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

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Grant Clapp, age 21, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 29, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Clapp to 3 months’ imprisonment. This sentence will run concurrently to the 4-to-10-year sentence that Clapp is serving stemming from his conviction in Douglas County for two counts of First-Degree Sexual Assault. There is no parole in the federal system. After Clapp’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release. On June 30, 2022, the defendant, Grant Clapp, was charged by Information in the District Court of Douglas County, Nebraska with five counts of Sexual Assault in the First Degree in case number CR 22-2116. On August 1, 2022, Clapp was released on bond. On November 12, 2022, Clapp went to Cabela’s in La Vista, Nebraska and attempted to purchase a Savage Arms Canada Inc./Savage Arms, Inc. A22 .22LR Rifle bearing serial number 3974748. On the ATF Form 4473, Clapp was asked in Question 21.b. “Are you under indictment or information in any court for a felony, or any other crime for which the judge could imprison you for more than one year, or are you a current member of the military who has been charged with violation(s) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and whose charge(s) have been referred to a general court-martial?” Clapp answered “No.” Clapp signed the document thereby certifying “that my answers in Section B are true, correct, and complete. I have read and understand the Notices, Instructions, and Definitions on ATF Form 5573. … I understand that a person who answers ‘yes’ to any of the questions 21.b. through 21.k. is prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm…. I also understand that making any false oral or written statement, or exhibiting any false or misrepresented identification with respect to this transaction, is a crime punishable as a felony under Federal law, and may also violate State and/or local law.” The response from NICS or appropriate State agency was delayed and the firearm was not permitted to be transferred at that time. Clapp’s application was denied on November 15, 2022. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.


title: Nigerian Man, a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States, Sentenced to 75 Months & Ordered to Pay Over $342,000 in Restitution to Victims of Catfishing Scheme

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Edwin Okoronkwo, age 36, of Nigeria, was sentenced on January 29, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Okoronkwo to 75 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Okoronkwo will be placed on a 3-year term of supervised release and will be deported by immigration authorities. Okoronkwo was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $342,535.00 to seven victims as a result of his crimes. Edwin Okoronkwo, a citizen of Nigeria and a lawful permanent resident of the United States, and his spouse, Julie Okoronkwo, residing in Nebraska, used “catfishing” schemes to obtain money from victims via the Internet. In doing so, they convinced victims to send money using false online social media personas. In some instances, they claimed to be high-ranking members of the United States military on overseas missions. Through the “catfishing” schemes, victims from all over the country were tricked into sending money through the United States Postal Service (USPS) and other commercial carriers such as FedEx and UPS. The Okoronkwos used victims’ personal identifying information (PII) obtained from identity theft victims to open bank accounts and other online financial services accounts, including peer-to-peer digital payments platforms (e.g., PayPal and Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App). They directed the victims of the “catfishing” schemes to send money from the victims’ personal peer-to-peer digital payment platform accounts to the peer-to-peer digital payment platforms opened by the Okoronkwos using the names and PII of the identity theft victims. From those false accounts, the Okoronkwos would then transfer money into their personal bank accounts, to bank accounts opened using the names of identity theft victims but controlled by the Okoronkwos, or to cryptocurrency exchange platforms. Some of the money would also then be passed along to recipients overseas to Nigeria via international wire transfers through remittance services. Julie Okoronkwo contacted “catfishing” victims over the phone to further convince them of the legitimacy of their need for cash and obtained from her workplace – a hospital – victims’ means of identification, including their social security numbers and Nebraska driver’s license information. The means of identification were used by the Okoronkwos in furtherance of their “catfishing’ schemes. Julie Okoronkwo was previously sentenced to imprisonment for 25 months by U.S. District Judge Buescher on January 10, 2025. Judge Buescher stated at Edwin Okoronkwo’s sentencing hearing that the crimes were “truly a tragedy for the victims.” This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.


title: Arizona Woman Sentenced for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Conspiracy

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Tijuana Johnson, age 39, of Phoenix, Arizona was sentenced on January 29, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for her role in a fentanyl and methamphetamine drug conspiracy. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Johnson to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Johnson is released from prison, she will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. On January 17, 2023, Omaha DEA received an anonymous tip that Robert Johnson (‘RJ’) was selling fentanyl pills and meth in the Omaha area. On April 19, 2023, a federal search warrant was executed on Johnson’s home in Omaha that he shared with codefendant Whitney Washington. Law enforcement recovered methamphetamine, a Taurus 9mm handgun, $7,000 in drug proceeds and narcotics trafficking paraphilia. All narcotics were sent to a forensic laboratory for testing and confirmed as to weight and substance. The investigation identified Tijuana Johnson as the mailer of several packages from Tempe, Arizona, to Johnson’s home address, each carrying meth, fentanyl or a combination of both. On December 17, 2022, Tijuana Johnson mailed a package containing controlled substances to Robert Johnson’s Omaha address. A January 23, 2023, search warrant was executed on a package addressed to Whitney Washington that contained approximately 3,900 grams of meth and 1,166 grams of fentanyl “M 30” blue pills. The meth tested at 93% pure and 1,079 grams fentanyl 4-ANPP. Codefendant Robert Johnson’s fingerprints were found on the exterior of the box. Video surveillance showed that Tijuana Johnson mailed the package and her license plate information was confirmed. Phone records and CashApp transactions revealed numerous contacts between Tijuana and Robert from 2022 through April 2023. Codefendant Robert Johnson pled guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute meth and use or possession of a firearm with drug trafficking. He will be sentenced March 19, 2025. Codefendant Whitney Washington pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and will be sentenced February 19, 2025. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service


title: Omaha Man Sentenced to 27 Months After Pawning Ammunition as a Felon

body_text: United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Scott Young, age 50, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 29, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for possession of ammunition by a felon. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Young to 27 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Young’s release from prison, he will begin a 2-year term of supervised release. On November 9, 2023, Young pawned 10 boxes of 12-gauge shotgun ammunition at Sol’s Jewelry and Loan in Omaha. Each box contained 25 live shells for a total of 250 shells. Surveillance footage from Sol’s confirmed Young went into Sol’s and sold the ammunition for $60. Fingerprint analysis confirmed Youngs prints on the ammunition. Young was a felon at the time and was therefore prohibited from possessing ammunition. This case was investigated by the Omaha Police Department.


title: U.S. Attorney Will Thompson to Announce Guilty Verdicts against Former West Virginia Correctional Officer

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Will Thompson is holding a press conference today , Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 10 a.m. following the federal jury trial of Chad Lester, the final former West Virginia correctional officer convicted in connection with a fatal March 1, 2022, assault of an inmate and subsequent cover-up. WHAT: Post-trial press conference WHEN: Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 10 a.m. WHERE: Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston, Fourth Floor, Suite 4000 A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. ###


title: Gun Traffickers Who Bought Guns in South Carolina and Sold Them in the Northeast Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. — Ruben Enrique Chavez-Muniz, 24, of Bronx, New York and Destiny Shannon Mercado, 28, and Daquasia Catherine Mercado, 25, both of Spartanburg, were sentenced for their roles in a gun trafficking conspiracy. Evidence presented to the court showed that, between January of 2020 and January 2021, Destiny Shannon Mercado purchased a large number of firearms (mostly handguns) from federal firearms licensees in South Carolina. Mercado then transported the guns to New York, where Chavez-Muniz, a gang member, would sell them for a significant profit. Destiny Shannon Mercado subsequently recruited her sister, Daquasia Catherine Mercado, who also purchased and attempted to purchase several guns for the traffickers. Over the course of the conspiracy, Destiny Shannon Mercado purchased at least 66 firearms and attempted to purchase five more. Daquasia Catherine Mercado purchased at least 12 firearms and attempted to purchase six more. To date, more than 25% of the firearms purchased by these traffickers have been recovered by law enforcement in New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Several of these guns have been found at crime scenes or recovered from prohibited persons, and two of the guns were recovered from juveniles. “Stopping the illegal flow of firearms to juveniles and criminal networks is a top priority for public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina, “We will continue to prosecute straw purchasers and traffickers like those sentenced in this conspiracy.” “Cutting off the supply of firearms to prohibited individuals remains a top priority,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “Firearms trafficking poses a danger to both local communities and communities across the country. Identifying and apprehending the individuals responsible for putting guns in the hands of prohibited individuals plays a major role in protecting public safety.” Chief United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced both Ruben Enrique Chavez-Muniz and Destiny Shannon Mercado to 42 months in prison, with their sentences to be followed by three-years of court ordered supervision. Daquasia Catherine Mercado was sentenced to five years of probation. There is no parole in the federal system. The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the New York Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Former Alabama Jail Administrator Charged with Federal Civil Rights Violation, Falsifying a Report and Making False Statements to Investigators

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama, unsealed an indictment yesterday charging former Crenshaw County Jail Administrator Christian Alexander Porter, 33, with assaulting a handcuffed and compliant inmate at Crenshaw County Jail. Porter was also charged with falsifying a report and making false statements to state and federal investigators. The indictment alleges that, on or about Oct. 12, 2021, Porter used unreasonable force on a pre-trial detainee while acting under color of law in violation of the 14th Amendment and falsified a use of force report to cover up his assault of the victim. The indictment also charges Porter with making false statements to state and federal investigators on Nov. 18, 2021, and June 28, 2022, respectively. Porter faces maximum penalties of 10 years in prison for the federal civil rights violation, 20 years in prison for falsifying the report and making false statements to state investigators, and five years in prison for making false statements to federal investigators. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Mobile Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Mobile Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Counts for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Lia Rettammel of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: BATON ROUGE WOMAN SENTENCED TO 13 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR COVID-19 FRAUD

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Gernesia Williams, 47, of Baton Rouge, to 13 months in federal prison following her conviction for knowing conversion of government funds. The Court further sentenced Williams to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $110,030.47 in restitution. According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, between approximately April 2020 and January 2023, Williams knowingly converted more than $100,000 in loan proceeds she obtained as part of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program for her own use. As a condition to obtaining the loans, she promised to use the proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Williams misspent at least $110,030.47 of the loan proceeds on herself and others, including more than $30,000 on jewelry and more than $20,000 on a destination wedding in Florida. Anyone with information about allegations of pandemic fraud can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Responsible for over $72 Million in Collections and Forfeitures in Fiscal Year 2024

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. announced that the Northern District of Georgia was responsible for collections and forfeitures of more than $72 million in Fiscal Year 2024. “Obtaining financial justice for victims of crime and United States taxpayers is a high priority for this District,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “These results for Fiscal Year 2024 reflect our commitment to leverage both criminal and civil enforcements to recuperate money for crime victims and the public through all available legal resources.” During Fiscal Year 2024, our office collected more than $36 million through the district’s Financial Litigation Program, which is responsible for the collection of civil and criminal debts, fines, and monetary penalties due to victims of crime and the United States. Specifically, our office obtained over $14 million in restitution, fines and/or assessments imposed against defendants in criminal cases. Federal law requires that defendants who commit certain crimes pay restitution to the victims of those crimes. Criminal fines and assessments paid by defendants go to the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. We also collected more than $21 million in affirmative civil enforcement cases. The United States initiates affirmative civil enforcement cases to recover government money lost to fraud or other misconduct, or to collect fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health care, safety, or environmental laws and controlled substance regulations, among other laws. In addition, the district deposited over $36 million into the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Fund and the Department of Treasury and Department of Homeland Security’s Forfeiture Fund through civil and criminal forfeiture actions handled by the office’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. Of the total amount forfeited, over $21 million was forfeited in civil forfeiture cases and more than $14 million was forfeited in criminal cases. The Department of Justice uses forfeited property to compensate crime victims as well as for a variety of other law enforcement purposes, and shares these proceeds with federal, state and local law enforcement partners. In Fiscal Year 2024, more than $1 million was returned to crime victims and over $3 million was shared with the district’s law enforcement partners. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Husband & wife sentenced for theft of deceased father’s Social Security benefits

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas couple was sentenced to prison for illegally taking proceeds from a relative’s Social Security and retirement benefits for years after his death. According to court documents, Lynn Ritter, 62, and Kirk Ritter, 62, of Overland Park pleaded guilty to wire fraud and theft of government funds. A federal judge sentenced Lynn Ritter to 12 months and one day in prison. Kirk Ritter was sentenced to seven months in prison. The couple lived with Lynn’s father in a single-family house in Overland Park with Lynn acting as his caretaker. On October 23, 2022, Kirk Ritter contacted the Overland Park Police Department. He advised that his father-in-law was deceased, and his body was in the residence. Officers found the body lying in a bed, in a mummified state. It was later determined the man died on or about July 1, 2016. The father had been receiving monthly Social Security and retirement pension payments as direct deposits to his bank account. After July 2016, $68,637 in pension payments and $147,429 in Social Security payments were deposited into the bank account. Lynn and Kirk Ritter did not report the death, and instead without authority, wrote checks on the deceased’s account and transferred funds into their bank accounts to use for their own personal benefit. The Ritters paid the funds back during their prosecution. Mark Underwood, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Kansas City Regional Office said, “These sentencings show the Labor Department is committed to ensuring that justice is served for those who steal from retirement plans.” The Overland Park Police Department, Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble prosecuted the case. ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $11,766,028.87  in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO, NC – Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon announced today that the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC) collected $11,766,028.87 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $10,606,536.43 was collected in criminal actions and $1,159,492.44 was collected in civil actions . The MDNC also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and Department of Justice components to collect $550.00 in criminal cases pursued jointly by these offices. “Collecting restitution and other criminal and civil debts is a vital part of our mission,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Galyon. “We will continue to prioritize collections in order to hold criminals accountable, collect debts owed to the government, and recover compensation for victims of crime.” In January 2024, the Middle District of North Carolina recovered $611,845.17 in restitution after garnishing the defendant’s retirement accounts in the case of USA v. Mouzon, 1:22CR200. On October, 2022, the defendant pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and was ordered to pay a special assessment of $100, restitution of $2,038,285.66 and a fine of $5,000.00. To date, a total of $805,305.28 has been recovered for the victim, including $193,610.82 from disposal of administratively forfeited assets. A request is pending to allow proceeds from the disposal of judicially forfeited assets to be applied to restitution. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the MDNC , working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,549,150 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund and Department of Treasury Seized Assets Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. ###


title: Former deputy sheriff heads to prison for drug trafficking

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A former deputy with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office has been ordered to prison following his conviction of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, announced acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. Baldemar Cardenas, 39, McAllen, pleaded guilty April 1, 2022. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Cardenas to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the his position as a deputy at the time of the offense and the serious issues with law enforcement authorities assisting drug traffickers. At the time of his plea, Cardenas admitted that in January 2020, he conspired with a drug trafficking organization. Members of the group would receive kilogram quantities of highly pure cocaine. They would then utilize small portions of the drugs to create sham cocaine with very low purity. Cardenas ensured authorities seized the fake bundles by providing information to local law enforcement agencies. The information would enable authorities to conduct the seizure of the low purity cocaine, allow co-conspirators to avoid responsibility for stealing the cocaine from their source of supply and the distribution of the stolen cocaine for profit. In order to further the scheme and in exchange for compensation, Cardenas provided information to local law enforcement in January 2020 in order to effectuate the seizure of approximately 33 kilograms of sham cocaine bundles. Cardenas falsely claimed a confidential source provided the information. Based on the information he gave, law enforcement seized the multi-kilogram sham bundles of cocaine in Mission. Laboratory testing on the bundles revealed a cocaine purity level of only 1.5%. Cardenas was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and Mission Police Department. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez Jr. prosecuted the case.


title: Eight Trey Crip Gang Member Sentenced to Over Eight Years in Prison

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A Rocky Mount man, Qadarius Grimes, 25, was sentenced to 105 months in prison after law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence and located multiple firearms. According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Rocky Mount Police Department (RMPD) received information about the sale of crack cocaine from a residence in Rocky Mount in January 2024. On January 31, 2024, the RMPD executed a search warrant at the residence. Upon entering a room in the middle of the home, officers found multiple individuals, including Grimes. They discovered 6.7 grams of crack cocaine, 6.55 grams of marijuana, three boxes of ammunition, numerous 12-gauge shotgun shells, two digital scales, and two empty Glock handgun boxes in the room. Additionally, officers found a hole in the floor of the room, where they recovered three more firearms, including a .40 caliber handgun equipped with a switch and an extended magazine. Forensic testing completed on April 2, 2024, revealed Grimes's DNA on two of the three firearms recovered. On April 19, 2024, law enforcement used GPS monitoring to locate Grimes at his residence in Rocky Mount. Upon searching the residence and surrounding premises, officers seized four firearms, including a .38 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number. Furthermore, on April 25, 2024, Grimes provided a statement to law enforcement in which he admitted to owning another 9 mm firearm that he claimed to have given to a family member. Grimes is a validated member of the Eight Trey Crips gang. He pled guilty to the offense on September 3, 2024. The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing. Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The RMPD and the Federal Bureau of Investigations investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Leonard Champaign prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-28-BO-RJ-1. ###


component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama, returned an indictment charging former Crenshaw County Jail Administrator Christian Alexander Porter, 33, with assaulting a handcuffed and compliant inmate at Crenshaw County Jail. Porter was also charged with falsifying a report and making false statements to state and federal investigators. The indictment alleges that, on or about Oct. 12, 2021, Porter used unreasonable force on a pre-trial detainee while acting under color of law in violation of the 14th Amendment and falsified a use of force report to cover up his assault of the victim. The indictment also charges Porter with making false statements to state and federal investigators on Nov. 18, 2021, and June 28, 2022, respectively. Porter faces maximum penalties of 10 years in prison for the federal civil rights violation, 20 years in prison for falsifying the report and making false statements to state investigators and five years in prison for making false statements to federal investigators. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Mobile Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Mobile Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Counts for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Lia Rettammel of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Honduran National Sentenced For Illegal Reentry Into The United States

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Richard A. Lazarra has sentenced Jonathan Javier Godoy-Pivaral (29, Honduras) to over 5 months in prison for illegal reentry into the United States by a removed alien. Godoy-Pivaral pleaded guilty on November 6, 2024. According to court documents, on February 26, 2018, Godoy-Pivaral was removed from the United States. At some time thereafter, he unlawfully reentered the United States, and was arrested for burglary of an unoccupied conveyance on June 19, 2024, in Hillsborough County. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.


title: Ocala Man Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison For Attempting To Meet A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Rickey Lee Miller, Jr. (45, Ocala) to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a life term of supervised release, for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Miller entered a guilty plea on September 6, 2024. According to court documents, on July 27, 2024, a detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office posed as a 15-year-old girl on an online messaging platform. Miller contacted the undercover detective’s account and initially asked if she wanted to “hang out.” Miller then engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the detective. During that conversation, Miller asked the detective if she would be interested in having “some fun” with Miller and a female friend. He also asked, “[W]ill you tell my friend your 18[?] I really don’t want her to know your real age.” When Miller subsequently drove to a predetermined location with his friend to meet with the minor for sex, he was arrested by law enforcement. The cellphone located in Miller’s vehicle was confirmed to be the phone communicating with the undercover detective. “Attempting to entice a minor into harmful activity is a serious crime, and this prosecution underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “Alongside our partners at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Chiefland Police Department, we will work tirelessly to hold offenders accountable and ensure that our children are safe from those who seek to exploit them.” This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Chiefland Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Appling County man sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison for drug trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BRUNSWICK, GA: An Appling County man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to a drug trafficking charge. Cornelius Denzel Butler, a/k/a “Big Juicy,” 30, of Baxley, Georgia, was sentenced to 140 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, and Marijuana, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered Butler to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Every community deserves protection from those who would profit from the sale of dangerous illegal drugs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “We’re grateful to our law enforcement partners for their work in identifying and removing drug traffickers from our neighborhoods.” As described in court documents and testimony, investigators from the Appling County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration in 2023 identified Butler as a drug distributor operating in the Baxley area. Investigators searched Butler’s residence and seized large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, along with multiple firearms, cash, and paraphernalia associated with drug trafficking. As part of his plea agreement, Butler forfeited five handguns, an assault-style rifle, and nearly $20,000 in cash. “This case represents the continued commitment of the DEA to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority.” The case was investigated by the Appling County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley R. Thompson.


title: Nebraska Man Pleads Guilty to Violent Carjackings in Minneapolis

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Nebraska man has pleaded guilty for two violent carjackings, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to court documents, on June 16, 2024, Nathan Mathias Sughroue, 31, approached his first victim and told her to get out of her black Hyundai Elantra. He then reached inside to physically remove her from the vehicle and threatened her with a knife. Shortly afterwards, a Shakopee Police Department officer spotted the black Elantra and attempted a traffic stop by activating his siren, but Sughroue evaded arrest. Sughroue then drove the stolen Elantra to a gas station in Bloomington, Minnesota, where he told his second victim to give him the keys to his Nissan Murano SUV. The second victim refused, and a fight ensued. Sughroue stabbed the second victim multiple times, left him bleeding profusely on the pavement, and drove away in the Nissan Murano. Sughroue pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury in U.S. District Court yesterday before Judge John R. Tunheim. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Shakopee Police Department, Robbinsdale Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Classen is prosecuting the case.


title: Fort Belvoir woman pleads guilty to brutally beating her 10-year-old child

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fort Belvoir woman pled guilty yesterday to assault with a dangerous weapon; assault by striking, beating, and wounding; and cruelty to children. According to court documents, on Oct. 8, 2024, China Ashley Charles, 38, was enraged at her 10-year-old child because his bedroom was messy. She struck him with a chair, dresser drawers, a hot iron, a charging wire, a hairbrush, and a large serving spoon. She attempted to strike his face with the iron, but he blocked it with his hands. When Charles hit the child with the charging wire, his finger was cut and began bleeding. Charles tried to hide her crime by making the child sit in a cold bath and splashing cold water on his face. The child dropped onto the roof from his second-floor bedroom and then jumped down from the roof and fled. He was recovered by police with substantial bruises, abrasions, a knot on the back of his head, and a cut and bleeding finger. The child was transported to the emergency room at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital by ambulance. Law enforcement recovered numerous items from China’s residence, including the iron, chair, hairbrush, spoon, multiple dresser drawers, and a sweater and a shirt with “I’M ON PUNISHMENT” written on them in black marker. Several of these items appeared to have blood on them, and further examination confirmed that the child’s blood was located on the iron and at least one dresser drawer. The child’s sister reported that China had been beating him for the past four years. Charles is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9 and faces up to 16 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jake Cameron, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys April N. Russo and Marc J. Birnbaum and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire M. Horrell 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-248.


title: Three-time Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm, a ‘Ghost Gun’

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Brennan Holloman, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 51 months in prison for illegally possessing a loaded “ghost gun” despite being previously been convicted of a felony offense. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Holloman pleaded guilty September 25, 2024, to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. In addition to the 51-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper ordered Holloman to serve two years of supervised release. According to court documents, on October 11, 2023, members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Fifth District Crime Suppression team in a police cruiser were patrolling the 1500 block of Maryland Avenue Northeast in Washington, D.C. They observed a group standing at the top of the stairs in front of a building on the 1500 block of Maryland Avenue, Northeast. When the officers approached, they noticed a member of the group with a handgun in his pants. The officers recovered a loaded 9-millimeter black and grey Polymer80 privately made firearm. The Polymer80 was not marked with a serial number. It was loaded with one round in its chamber and seventeen rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition in its extended magazine. On December 15, 2023, Holloman was arrested for his October 11, 2023, possession of the ghost gun firearm and ammunition. As law enforcement made the arrest, they discovered Holloman was in possession of a Bryco .38 caliber firearm loaded with one round in its chamber and three rounds of ammunition in its magazine. Holloman previously had been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, including a September 4, 2018, conviction in Superior Court. In that case, Holloman was sentenced to a term of 18 months in prison, with all but 9 months suspended. When Holloman possessed loaded firearms on October 11, 2023, and December 15, 2023, he knew that he previously had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term longer than one year. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney. 23cr0407


title: Greensboro Laboratory and Owner Agree to Pay $850,000 to Resolve Allegations of False Claims for Urine Drug Testing

body_text: GREENSBORO, N.C. – Substance Abuse Treatment Labs, located in Greensboro, and its owner, Paul Fribush, have agreed to pay $850,000 to resolve civil allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by billing North Carolina Medicaid for medically unnecessary urine drug screening tests (UDT), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Randall Galyon. The United States and the State of North Carolina alleged that, between January 2018 and January 2022, Substance Abuse Treatment Labs and Fribush submitted false claims for the highest level of urine drug testing to Medicaid. These claims, which reimbursed providers at the highest dollar amount for urine drug tests, were submitted to Medicaid despite clear signs that the tests were not medically necessary. “Protecting taxpayer dollars used to provide medical benefits to those who need it most is essential to this Office’s mission.” said Acting United States Attorney Randall Galyon. “We will continue to identify and hold accountable those providers that seek to enrich themselves off taxpayers through submitting such false claims. I am thankful for our partnership with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office to assist us in this mission in pursuing justice on behalf of Medicaid.” “Submitting false claims to Medicaid undermines the program’s integrity and wastes valuable taxpayer dollars,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG remains dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid and protecting the people these programs serve.” The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort among the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina; the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office; and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Counsel to the Inspector General. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Mayer and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Petracca. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: Mobile Man Sentenced To 37 Months For Illegally Possessing A Firearm

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Umar Abdul Waheed also known as Terry Evans, a Mobile man, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The sentence was imposed by United States Chief District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock. According to court documents, in June 2024, Waheed reported to the Mobile County Community Corrections office in Mobile, Alabama. At the time he reported, Waheed had outstanding state warrants related to threats he made with a firearm to coworkers at a local construction company’s jobsite a few days prior. After Waheed was taken into custody on the outstanding warrants, officers located a firearm in the vehicle Waheed drove to Community Corrections. Waheed is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. At sentencing, Judge Beaverstock imposed a 37-month sentence of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release upon Waheed’s discharge from prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $11,714,277 in Civil and Criminal Actions  in Fiscal Year 2024

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee announced today that the Western District of Virginia collected $11,714,277 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $3,267,062 was collected in criminal actions and $8,447,214 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the Western District of Virginia worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $ 19,802,736 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $ 19,545,011 was collected in civil actions. “As these numbers demonstrate, the United States Attorney’s Office will use every tool to ensure that those who violate federal law do not profit from their actions,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “My office is committed to seeking justice, both civilly and criminally, in order to protect the interests of the United States and its citizens throughout the Western District of Virginia.” The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Western District of Virginia, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $ 54,015,848 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes. ###


title: Gunman Sentenced to Prison for Drug Trafficking Crime that Killed Two People

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Rafael Antonio Torres, 21, of West Jordan, Utah, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, and five years’ supervised release for a January 2023 shooting in which two people were shot and killed. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Kimball, represents the mandatory minimum sentence allowed by law. Torres was originally charged by indictment in March 2024. According to court documents and statements made at his change of plea and sentencing hearing, Torres admitted to discharging a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Information presented at sentencing revealed that on January 31, 2023, Torres and a relative had met in the parking lot of a Taylorsville apartment complex with a potential customer seeking to purchase THC vape cartridges. Shortly before midnight, Taylorsville police responded to multiple calls of “shots fired” and located two deceased men in a vehicle that had crashed into a snowbank. Witnesses described a third person, later identified as Torres, fleeing from the vehicle’s rear seat. In a statement to police shortly after the incident, Torres admitted to having been the rear seat passenger, and confirmed that he had been armed with a handgun. Torres further admitted that he fired at least one round at the front seat passenger. According to court documents, Taylorsville Police recovered THC cartridges and two firearms from the crashed vehicle, one firearm with each of the deceased men. Forensic tests later determined that the two men had shot and killed each other. Further forensic testing confirmed that a third gun had been fired inside the vehicle. The third firearm, belonging to Torres, was not recovered until months later when a citizen located it under heavy brush and reported it to Taylorsville Police. “This case is a tragic reminder of the deadly consequences of mixing drug trafficking with firearms. Two young men lost their lives and a third must now be imprisoned,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute gun crimes, particularly when they result in a loss of life. I commend the outstanding work of the Taylorsville Police Department and prosecutors for their work in bringing this case to a resolution.” “We appreciate the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office in prosecuting this case, thereby giving some sense of justice to the victims’ families and the community,” said Detective Kevin Barrett of the Taylorsville City Police Department. “As law enforcement partners, the Taylorsville City Police Department and U.S. Attorney's Office will continue to stand together fighting neighborhood drug crimes, especially when they involve violence.” The case was investigated by the Taylorsville Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.


title: Federal Jury Convicts Former West Virginia Correctional Officer of Conspiracy, Witness Tampering, and False Statements Crimes

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – After four days of trial, a federal jury convicted former West Virginia correctional officer Chad Lester, 35, of Odd, on Monday, January 27, 2025, of conspiracy to engage in witness tampering, witness tampering, and making false statements in connection with an assault by other correctional officers that resulted in the death of an inmate, identified by the initials Q.B, on March 1, 2022. Evidence at trial proved that while a lieutenant at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, Lester conspired with other officers to cover up the use of unlawful force on Q.B. Lester instructed correctional officers to provide false statements to state investigators and added false and misleading information to a correctional officer’s official jail incident report. On or about October 5, 2023, Lester made false statements to the FBI about the circumstances surrounding Q.B.’s injuries and death. “Mr. Lester was the ringleader of the effort to cover up this horrific beating and keep the truth from the light of justice. He obviously failed at that,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “I grew up with a strong sense of conviction to protect people who were being taken advantage of by people who were stronger, more powerful or smarter than they were. I always felt that if I could make things right, I should. This is a case where I got that opportunity, with the assistance of the investigators, the trial team and all those who helped hold Mr. Lester and the other defendants accountable.” Evidence at trial showed that on March 1, 2022, correctional officers used unreasonable force while restraining Q.B. after he tried to push past officers and leave his assigned pod. Several officers then conspired to violate Q.B.’s civil rights by unlawfully punishing Q.B. to retaliate against him for his attempt to push past officers and leave the pod. As a part of that conspiracy, officers brought Q.B. to an interview room knowing it was a “blind spot” at the jail — meaning, there were no surveillance cameras to record what happened inside the room. Officers used unreasonable force against Q.B. in the interview room, all while Q.B. was restrained, handcuffed and posed no threat to anyone. Officers continued to use unreasonable force on Q.B. while transporting him from the interview room to the jail’s A-Pod, during which time he became limp and was unable to walk on his own. Lester instructed correctional officers to include false information in their incident reports, as well as to leave out relevant, truthful information about the assault. Lester retaliated against officers he suspected of having provided truthful information to state investigators by threatening to assault them and by giving them difficult and undesirable work assignments at the jail. Lester also threatened a correctional officer, stating that he would assault anyone who provided truthful information about the circumstances of Q.B.’s injuries and death. Lester also provided false statements to the FBI about the circumstances surrounding officers’ unlawful use of force against Q.B. Lester is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison. Lester is among six former Southern Regional Jail correctional officers indicted in connection with the assault and death of Q.B. and the subsequent cover-up. Lester’s co-defendants previously pleaded guilty: Ashley Toney, 25, of Fairdale, and Jacob Boothe, 27, of Rainelle, each pleaded guilty on August 8, 2024, to violating inmate Q.B.’s civil rights by failing to intervene to protect Q.B. from the use of unreasonable force by other correctional officers. Toney and Boothe each pleaded guilty to a criminal information in lieu of the offenses charged in the indictment. Toney is scheduled to be sentenced on February 19, 2025, and Boothe is scheduled to be sentenced on February 18, 2025. Mark Holdren, 40, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on November 13, 2024, to conspiring with other officers to violate inmate Q.B.’s civil rights by using unreasonable force against Q.B., resulting in his death. Holdren is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2025. Johnathan Walters, 33, of Rainelle, pleaded guilty on November 18, 2024, and Cory Snyder, 30, of Shady Spring, pleaded guilty November 19, 2024, each to conspiring with other officers to violate inmate Q.B.’s civil rights by using unreasonable force against Q.B., resulting in his death. Walter and Snyder are scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2025. Prior to the indictment, on November 2, 2023, former Southern Regional Jail correctional officers Steven Nicholas Wimmer, 25, of Bluefield, and Andrew Fleshman, 22, of Shady Spring, each separately pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to violate the civil rights of inmate Q.B. by using unreasonable force against him. Wimmer and Fleshman are scheduled to be sentenced on February 7, 2025. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the jury trial. Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-188. ### A video of the post-trial press conference is available on the office’s YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/CyfBRNXRAiw?si=LLriktDRYhnxnd2q .


title: Former West Virginia Supervisory Correctional Officer  Found Guilty Following Jury Trial on Conspiracy and Obstruction Charges

body_text: Following a four-day jury trial, Chad Lester, a former lieutenant at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, was found guilty yesterday of conspiracy, witness tampering, and giving false statements to the FBI. The charges arose out of a staff assault of an inmate named Quantez Burks, who later died from injuries he suffered during the assault. Seven correctional officers pleaded guilty in connection with the assault of Burks; several of those former officers testified against the defendant during the trial. The defendant faced charges related to his efforts to obstruct the investigation into the assault. According to the evidence presented at trial, the defendant conspired with other officers at the Southern Regional Jail to tamper with witnesses to cover up the assault of Burks. The evidence showed the defendant directed a subordinate correctional officer to leave truthful information out of his report related to the circumstances of Burks’ death. The defendant directed another officer to include in his report false information about Burks. The defendant told a third officer that he would beat him if he discovered that the officer was providing information about the assault to investigators. Finally, the defendant provided false information relating to the assault of Burks to the FBI during an interview. Lester is scheduled for sentencing on April 16 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency, investigated the case. Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.


title: Olathe Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Kansas man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in an overdose death. Jacob A. Block, 27, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Monday, Jan. 27, to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Block to forfeit to the government $10,000, which represents the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. On Feb. 1, 2024, Block pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and to one count of distributing fentanyl. Block admitted that he delivered 10 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) to a confidential informant. Block possessed an additional 150 to 300 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) at the time of this transaction. Block also admitted he sold a co-defendant approximately seven grams of powder fentanyl and 50 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl) five to seven days a week, for six or seven months. All 13 defendants in this case have pleaded guilty. Block is the ninth defendant to be sentenced. Co-defendant Dmitry Cattell, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to 21 years in federal prison without parole for leading the drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing a firearm. Evidence was presented at Cattell’s sentencing hearing related to the delivery of fentanyl, the use of which caused the death of another person on May 18, 2020. The victim of the fatal overdose is not identified in court documents. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Brackett and Stephanie Bradshaw. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Platte County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Kearney, Mo., Police Department, the Olathe, Kan., Police Department, Lenexa, Kan., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Riverside, Mo., Police Department. KC Metro Strike Force This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.


title: Bronx Man And Former Postal Employee Admits To Stealing Valuable Trading Cards And Sports Memorabilia From The Mail

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Bronx man formerly employed by the United States Postal Service as a sorting clerk admitted to theft of mail, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Shelby Dozier, 34, of the Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas to an Information charging him with theft of mail by a postal service employee. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In August 2022, Dozier was hired by the United States Postal Service as a sorting clerk and assigned to the Clifton Main Post Office. Shortly after Dozier started his employment, numerous parcels destined for a consignment auction house located in Clifton (“Company-1”) went missing. Company-1 specializes in the sale of trading cards and sports memorabilia that it receives from customers around the world. Between September 2022 and December 2022, Dozier stole the contents of at least 10 parcels that were mailed to Company-1. The stolen parcels contained valuable trading cards and sports memorabilia that Dozier sold to either individual customers or sports collectible stores. As part of his plea agreement, Dozier agreed to pay restitution to the victims in the amount of $108,692.49. The theft of mail by a postal employee charge carries a maximum potential sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine equal to the greatest of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for April 22, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modaferri in the North East Area Field Office; and postal inspectors from the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen with the investigation leading to today’s plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark. 25-023 ### Defense counsel: Areeb Salim, Esq. dozier.information.pdf


title: Kansas man sentenced for assault on federal officer

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for deliberately ramming his vehicle into a federal law enforcement officer who was attempting to take the passenger of the vehicle into custody. According to court documents, Diego Almaguer, 19, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of forcible assault of a federal officer. On February 23, 2024, members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force went to a home in Kansas City, Kansas, to execute an arrest warrant. They watched the person they were seeking and Almaguer get into a vehicle that had been backed into the driveway with Almaguer in the driver’s seat. Agents pulled up in their law enforcement vehicles with emergency lights flashing. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer, wearing a ballistic vest with police markings, positioned himself in front of the vehicle. Almaguer struck the officer causing him to bounce over the windshield before hitting the ground. Almaguer led law enforcement on a high-speed chase across the state line into Missouri, at times reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour. He and the second person were ultimately arrested in Kansas City, Missouri, hiding in an outbuilding behind a residence. The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case. ###


title: Arizona Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Distribution Of Fentanyl  Resulting In Death

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Davon Anthony Beckford, age 30, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on January 24, 2025, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to 240 months’ imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Beckford relocated from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to Phoenix, Arizona in or about January 2020. Once settled in Arizona, Beckford developed a relationship with an Arizona source of supply for fentanyl pills. Beckford then established a drug trafficking network with drug associates formerly known to him throughout Luzerne County. He began to distribute hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills via the U.S. Postal Service to those drug associates. In February of 2021, a 27-year-old female ingested one pill, overdosed, and died. The fentanyl pill ingested by the female had been distributed by Beckford to one of his drug associates in Wilkes-Barre, who sold it to the female. Beckford was indicted by a grand jury in Scranton on February 15, 2022. He appeared in federal court in Scranton on March 1, 2023, and plead guilty to the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The charges stem from a joint investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Scranton, and the Wilkes-Barre Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses. 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. ###


title: Two Sentenced And A Third Individual Pleads Guilty For Armed Robbery Of A U.S. Postal Service Mail Carrier

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Jordan Murray (20, Tampa) to nine years and six months in federal prison for armed robbery of a postal mail carrier and brandishing a firearm in relation to that crime. Jordan Brown (21, Tampa) was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the theft of a postal key and that a firearm was used during that crime. The court also ordered $1,531.99 in restitution be paid to the mail carrier. A third co-defendant, Darine Underwood, a/k/a “Droc” (Tampa, 20), has pleaded guilty to armed robbery of a postal mail carrier and brandishing a firearm in relation to that crime, and is awaiting sentencing. According to court documents, on September 5, 2023, a United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier was delivering mail at an apartment complex in the Tampa area when he was approached by Murray and Underwood who were wearing masks and gloves. Murray and Underwood forcefully took the mail carrier’s postal keys while brandishing a firearm. Murray and Underwood then fled to a vehicle, driven by Brown, to leave the crime scene. The investigation revealed that Brown was going to be paid to drive them to and from the robbery and Murray and Underwood were going to sell the postal keys. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Hillsborough County Sheriff Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.


title: St. Augustine Man Sentenced To More Than Five Years In Federal Prison For Illegally Possessing A Firearm

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy D. Berger has sentenced Derrick Walden (42, St. Augustine) to five years and six months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Walden pleaded guilty on August 2, 2024. According to the court documents, on January 18, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Walden’s residence as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation. Inside Walden’s bedroom, resting against his nightstand, was a loaded semi-automatic rifle with an extended magazine. When Walden was questioned about the rifle, he admitted that he had purchased it on the “street.” Law enforcement also seized multiple rounds of ammunition, a Kevlar bullet resistant vest, and drug paraphrenia from inside the residence. Walden is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his extensive criminal record, including at least seven felony convictions. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Columbia Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for the sexual exploitation of a minor and on additional charges related to child pornography. William Lee Nichols, 53, was charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. Today’s indictment charges Nichols with two counts of using the internet and a cell phone to attempt to persuade a minor victim to engage in illicit sexual activity. Those offenses allegedly occurred between June 1, 2019, and Feb. 6, 2023. Nichols is also charged with one count of attempting to use the minor victim to produce child pornography from Jan. 1, 2021, to Feb. 6, 2023; one count of distributing child pornography on Sept. 16, 2021; and one count of possessing child pornography on March 16, 2023. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Former Government Employee Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Theft for Billing Same Hours to Two Employers

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: WASHINGTON – Idris Ahmad, 53, of Maryland, pleaded guilty in DC Superior Court yesterday to two counts of second-degree fraud and two counts of second-degree theft for submitting fraudulent timesheets to the D.C. Department of Health (DOH) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. for the District of Columbia, and District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas. The Honorable Robert R. Rigsby accepted Ahmad’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for February 11, 2025. According to court documents, Ahmad accepted a job in 2017 as a pest control supervisor with DOH while maintaining a second job with DoD as a pest controller on a night shift at the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB). However, when he was later moved to a day shift at JBAB, he continued working for both employers despite his new shift substantially overlapping with his daily shift at DOH. Ahmad admitted in court that beginning in September of 2020, and continuing through June of 2021, he submitted timesheets to both employers for substantially identical hours and lied to both employers about this double-billing in order to keep collecting paychecks from each one. This case was investigated by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Defense. The case was prosecuted by the late Special Assistant United States Attorney Bayly Leighton, Special Assistant United States Attorney Micah Bluming, and Assistant United States Attorneys Caroline Huether and Anna Forgie.


title: Crime spree sends young carjacker to prison

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 19-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for stealing a car that was later used in an alien smuggling scheme, announced acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. Jesus Jonathan Rodriguez pleaded guilty to carjacking Sept. 23, 2024. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 42 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard that Rodriguez stole the car in order to use it in an alien smuggling attempt. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ramos noted the seriousness of the offense. On May 19, 2024, Rodriguez and Christian Hardy arranged to steal a Ford Fiesta in order to carry out an alien smuggling scheme. Outside a convenience store in Edinburg, they approached the driver of the car, and while Rodriguez spoke to the driver, Hardy climbed into the car. Rodriguez brandished a gun and threatened the owner of the car and both men drove away in the Ford. The following day, Rodriguez and Hardy approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint driving the Ford. Authorities had discovered the vehicle had been reported stolen and referred them to secondary inspection. There, they found two illegal aliens in the trunk. Law enforcement also found a firearm on Rodriguez upon his arrest. Hardy, 18, Richmond, also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Rodriguez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol and the Edinburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.


title: Jamontay Brister Imprisoned for Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont announced that Jamontay Brister, 29, of Queens, New York, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to 54 months of imprisonment following his guilty plea to charges that he conspired to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Chief U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered that Brister serve a three-year term of supervised release following completion of his prison sentence. Brister has been detained without bail since his arrest last July. According to court records, in June 2024, Burlington Police Department drug investigators and DEA Task Force officers made three controlled purchases of fentanyl from Brister utilizing a confidential source. In July, officers obtained a state court warrant to search the Burlington apartment within which Brister had rented a room. They executed the warrant on the morning of July 17 and arrested Brister, who was alone in a locked bedroom. During the search of Brister’s bedroom, officers recovered more than 950 grams of cocaine, more than 150 grams of fentanyl, about $10,000 in cash and a handgun. Brister is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has a prior attempted robbery conviction in New York state. This case was investigated by the Burlington Police Department’s Narcotics Unit and the DEA Task Force. Brister is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples. 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Albany Woman Indicted for Money Laundering

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Drasana Johnson, age 27, of Albany, has been indicted for laundering over $850,000 in stolen government funds, approximately $200,000 of which she used to purchase a residential property. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Northeast Region, made the announcement. The indictment alleges that from May 25, 2023, through June 30, 2023, Johnson conducted seven monetary transactions each of a value greater than $10,000 and derived from the theft of government property. According to a previously filed criminal complaint, Johnson laundered federal funds that Asjid Parvez stole from a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that helped struggling farmers pay off their loans. The charges in the indictment and complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The money laundering charges carry a maximum term of 10 years in prison, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Parvez, of Albany, was sentenced in May 2024 to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to theft of federal funds. The FBI has already seized $516,974.54 traceable to the federal funds that Parvez stole, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery Unit has filed a civil action seeking the forfeiture of a residential property in Albany that Johnson is accused of purchased using approximately $202,675 in stolen funds. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the USDA Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Paulbeck is prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Conger is representing the United States in the asset forfeiture action.


title: West Mifflin Felon Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Prison for Firearms and Drug Trafficking Violations

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 200 months of imprisonment on his conviction of violating federal firearms and narcotics trafficking laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Giante Hilliard, 32, on January 27, 2025. According to information presented to the Court, Hilliard—who previously had been convicted of a number of felony offenses in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, including aggravated assault, possession of unlicensed firearms, and terroristic threats—was involved in an exchange of gunfire outside of a McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, bar on March 28, 2023. Video of the incident shows that, moments after Hilliard and another individual left the bar and started to drive off, a third person shot at the car they occupied. Hilliard returned fire from the vehicle’s passenger seat, with several muzzle flashes visible in the video. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. In a second incident, Hilliard was the passenger in a vehicle that law enforcement attempted to stop on May 8, 2023. Rather than complying, the driver rammed three law enforcement vehicles—allowing one of the officers to observe Hilliard with a black firearm—and sped off. Shortly after, law enforcement located the disabled vehicle abandoned near a convenience store. Nearby surveillance video showed the driver and Hilliard leaving the disabled vehicle together, and then splitting up, with Hilliard holding a black bag that he attempted to conceal under a dumpster. The black bag was recovered by law enforcement and found to contain a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun and approximately 300 doses of what laboratory results later confirmed was a heroin and fentanyl mixture. Ballistic testing of the handgun against nearly a dozen 40 caliber casings from the March 28 shooting determined the firearm to be a match with the one used by Hilliard in that earlier incident. Hilliard’s fingerprints were found both on the firearm ’s magazine and on some of the paper in which the narcotics were wrapped. The gun previously had been reported stolen. Based on evidence recovered in connection with this May 8 incident, including analysis of cell phones seized from within the disabled vehicle, the government obtained an arrest warrant for Hilliard. In a third incident, on May 31, 2023, Hilliard posted on social media a video of himself with another firearm. Based on information from that video and other evidence gathered during the investigation, the government obtained a search warrant for a residence where Hilliard was hiding out and the vehicle that he had been seen driving. Law enforcement surrounded the house, but Hilliard refused to come out until several hours after officers fired multiple rounds of tear gas into the home. A subsequent search of the residence resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of controlled substances that laboratory testing later confirmed to be a heroin and fentanyl mixture. In the vehicle, investigators also discovered another loaded firearm—a “ghost gun” without a serial number. Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Douglas C. Maloney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and numerous other police departments for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hilliard.


title: New Orleans Man Charged With Commodity Exchange Act Violation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that MICHAEL BRIAN DEPETRILLO, (“DEPETRILLO”) , age 43, from New Orleans, was charged, on January 27, 2025, in a bill of information with violating Title 7, United States Code, Section 13(a), the Commodity Exchange Act. According to the bill of information, DEPETRILLO was not properly registered as a Commodity Pool Operator (“CPO”) or an Associated Person (“AP”) of a CPO with the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). DEPETRILLO , through various companies including, Meteor, LLC; NOLA FX Capital Management, LLC; ELC Enterprise Solutions, LLC; and Argosapolis, LLC, acted as a CPO and AP of a CPO and embezzled client funds in violation of federal law. DEPETRILLO , while acting as an AP of unregistered CPOs, represented to victim investors that their funds would be pooled and invested in the NOLA FX FUND, that would be used to trade foreign currency pairs on a leveraged, margined, or financed basis (“retail forex”). DEPETRILLO told investors that pooling their funds would be beneficial to them. DEPETRILLO further represented to certain investors, that either METEOR or NOLA FX CAPITAL managed the NOLA FX FUND. In at least one representation, however, DEPETRILLO identified “NOLA FX Capital,” not the NOLA FX FUND, as the pooled investment vehicle. DEPETRILLO lured investors by claiming he was investing their funds by trading in the foreign currency exchange, gold futures options, stocks, and cryptocurrency. Instead of trading as promised, DEPETRILLO misappropriated pool funds. DEPETRILLO then used these misappropriated pool funds to: (1) make lulling payments to existing pool participants; (2) pay his personal expenses, such as rent, private air travel, and online gambling; and (3) trade in his personal trading accounts. To conceal DEPETRILLO’s misappropriation, he created and issued fictitious account statements in the names NOLA FX FUND and NOLA FX CAPITAL. The fictitious account statements purported to show that: (1) DEPETRILLO had traded forex using pool participant funds, and (2) the NOLA FX FUND and NOLA FX CAPITAL had achieved significant trading returns for pool participants because of his profitable forex trading. In fact, DEPETRILLO never deposited pool participant funds into trading accounts belonging to NOLA FX FUND or NOLA FX CAPITAL, and he never achieved the trading returns represented on the false account statements. DEPETRILLO also did not set up the forex pool in the manner required by the regulations, did not receive pool participant funds in the name of the forex pool, and commingled pool participant funds with his own funds. DEPETRILLO took in approximately $9.2 million in investor funds from approximately 60 victim investors during a seven-year period. If convicted, DEPETRILLO faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, plus the amount of any proceeds, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans stated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”). The FBI is seeking information that may help identify potential victims of DEPETRILLO’s fraudulent scheme. FBI encourages the public to report any information to http://fbi.gov/depetrillovictims . The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit and Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.