title: Vallejo Man Sentenced to Over 16 Years in Prison for Selling Methamphetamine and Possession of Firearms

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Clarence Courtney, 58, of Vallejo, was sentenced today to 16 years and three months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a felon, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on three occasions in late 2020, Courtney sourced 100% pure methamphetamine to co-defendant Michael Renay Williams, 62, of Vallejo, who then sold the methamphetamine to an undercover agent. Courtney and Williams possessed more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine upon their arrest. Inside Courtney’s residence, law enforcement seized 200 rounds of ammunition, a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, and an AR-style sniper rifle with no serial number. Courtney, who has four prior felony convictions, was not permitted to possess firearms. This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Vallejo Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Desmond prosecuted the case. On March 30, 2023, co-defendant Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2024. This case was the result of Operation PEACE, an initiative launched in Vallejo in August 2020 in response to the increased number of homicides, nonfatal shootings, and other violent crimes. Operation PEACE leverages the strength of the federal and local law enforcement agencies by focusing enforcement operations on violent criminals, including those responsible for murders and shootings, and targets those involved in drug trafficking and firearms trafficking.


title: Hamilton man sentenced for defrauding investors of more than $700,000

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: BILLINGS — A Hamilton man who admitted devising a years-long scheme that defrauded investors in Hamilton and Billings of more than $700,000 was sentenced today to five years of probation and ordered to pay $722,808 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. The defendant, Richard William Brooks, 78, pleaded guilty in January to wire fraud. Under the terms of a plea agreement, the government recommended a probationary sentence. The government requested an aggressive payment schedule for restitution because of Brooks’ available disposable income. U.S District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court ordered Brooks to pay $722,808 restitution at the rate of $3,000 per month to two victims. The government alleged in court documents that as far back as 2016, Brooks orchestrated a scheme to defraud individuals of significant sums of money. Contending that he fell “on hard times,” Brooks, often using third parties as intermediaries, claimed that his daughter-in-law was scheduled to receive a large inheritance but for legal and court costs that were required to release it. Brooks deceptively assured multiple victims that if they provided him with money on an expedited timeline, he would return their funds in addition to a premium of between 25 percent and 100 percent. Brooks insisted his victims pay him in cash. When pressed by his victims about non-payment or supporting documentation, Brooks demurred or lied again. He claimed that the inheritance was under seal and that he was unable to provide any documentation. Brooks’ scheme lasted for years, and, in February 2021, law enforcement interviewed Brooks. Brooks contended that he intended to pay back this money, which he never did, and that he was going to receive a settlement in connection to his exposure to Agent Orange. He claimed to have documentation to support his theory that the funds were temporary loans. When law enforcement followed up for the documentation, Brooks ended the communication and never provided any materials to support his position. One of Brooks’ victims told the court that he lost his business of 10 years and his life savings because of Brooks’ scheme. Another victim told the court that she had been subjected to threatening phone calls, was displaced from her home and forced to sell treasured antiques to survive because of Brooks. “He did more than steal our money. He stole our peace,” the victim said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation. XXX


title: South Carolina Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Transporting Arizona Minor with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Timothy Mikell Schultheis, 26, of Hilton Head, South Carolina, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 27 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Schultheis also will have to register as a sex offender. Schultheis pleaded guilty to Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity on January 10, 2024. Schultheis, aka Jackson Oden, transported a 12-year-old minor, from Arizona to South Carolina, with the intent to engage in sexual activity. After using social media to meet and groom the minor, Schultheis drove from South Carolina to Safford to pick up the minor and drive her back to his South Carolina residence. The investigation revealed Facebook communications between the minor and then-24-year-old Schultheis, which included his travel plans and detailed his intention to participate in sexual conduct with her. When Schultheis was arrested at his apartment in South Carolina on March 30, 2022, the minor was found inside. “Our efforts to protect the public start with safeguarding our youth from predators on social media” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Defendant will have a long time in custody to reflect on his crimes, and upon release decades from now, his supervised release conditions will restrict his use of smart phones and encryption technology to further protect the community.” “This sentencing puts a stop to Timothy Schulthies and his repeated offenses. He can no longer hurt children or their families across the country,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to follow the evidence wherever it leads. We will use all tools available to bring to justice those who seek to harm children. We are extremely grateful for the swift actions of our law enforcement partners who worked nonstop to locate and apprehend Schultheis.” Schultheis had been previously arrested and released by South Carolina authorities for similar conduct involving a different 12-year-old and was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of his offense in this case. The plea agreement in this case required that Schultheis plead guilty to the South Carolina charges of Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Sierra Vista and the Graham County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carin Duryee, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00973-TUC-RM RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-071_Schultheis # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Muskogee Resident Sentenced To 35 Years For Kidnapping, Carjacking And Robbery

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Patrick Wayne McHenry, age 30, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 360 months for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping, 360 months for one count of Kidnapping, 180 months for one count of Carjacking, and 180 months for one count of Robbery in Indian Country. Those terms will be served concurrently. In addition, McHenry was sentenced to 60 months for Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. That term will be served consecutively. The charges arose from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Muskogee Police Department. On December 21, 2022, McHenry was found guilty of the charges by a federal jury at trial. According to investigators, on September 11, 2021, McHenry kidnapped an individual from a motel in Muskogee, on the Muscogee (Creek) Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and held the victim captive during an ordeal that lasted over two days. On September 12, 2021, McHenry, armed with a sawed-off shotgun, targeted, robbed, and carjacked a second victim from the same motel in Muskogee. “I applaud the work of law enforcement and prosecutors for their roles in holding McHenry accountable for his spate of violence,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. McHenry will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States at sentencing.


title: Georgia Man Pleads to Bank Fraud Charge for Stolen Check Scheme

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: An Atlanta, Georgia man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to conspiring to commit bank fraud. According to court records, in March 2022, Rasheed Colbert , 32, and a coconspirator, Mantavious Jones , stole checks from the mailboxes of local businesses then used the stolen checks to create counterfeit checks. Unhoused individuals who could provide identification were recruited for what they were told was a job in exchange for money. Counterfeit checks were made payable to the individuals, and they were provided with work-style clothing and driven to bank branches to cash the checks. Colbert and Jones netted just under $70,000 from the cashed counterfeit checks. Rasheed Colbert faces up to 30 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1 million, followed by up to five years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Mantavious Jones , 35, also of Atlanta, is currently serving 16 months in prison for his role in the scheme. The New England Cyber Fraud Task Force and Kennebunk Police Department investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Saco and Scarborough police departments. ###


title: D’Iberville Man Sentenced to over Eight Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: Gulfport, MS – A D’Iberville man was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison followed by 17 years of supervised release for possession of visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Benjamin Lee Poiroux, 40, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. Poiroux was also ordered to pay $74,000 in restitution and a $3,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018. According to court documents, Poiroux was encountered by FBI agents at the Gulfport Airport and gave consent for his electronic devices to be forensically searched. The search of his iPad, laptop, and cellular telephone revealed he possessed over 1,300 visual images and 75 videos of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, also known as child sexual abuse materials. Poiroux was indicted by a federal grand jury and pled guilty on February 22, 2024, to possession of visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Cyber Crime Division at the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Naval Commander Sentenced To Federal Prison For Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material And Retaining Classified National Defense Information

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan sentenced Gregory Edward McLean (40, Jacksonville) today to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material and 10 years’ imprisonment for unlawfully retaining classified national defense information. The sentences are to be served concurrently. McLean entered a guilty plea on December 6, 2023. According to court documents, state law enforcement in Rhode Island received a cyber tipline report that a user of a particular messaging application had shared videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. The investigation identified the user as McLean, who was at that time an active-duty officer in the U.S. Navy, with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and serving as the Executive Officer of a ship stationed aboard a Naval Station Mayport in Florida. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) continued the investigation and identified additional instances where McLean had distributed child sexual abuse material. On Nov. 4, 2021, agents executed a federal search warrant at McLean’s residence, during which they seized numerous electronic devices and storage media. A forensic review revealed that several of these items contained files depicting the sexual abuse of minors. The forensic review also identified a flash drive – which had been recovered from McLean’s kitchen counter – that contained approximately 150 documents containing national defense information classified at the Secret level and 50 documents containing national defense information classified at the Confidential level. An investigation by NCIS and the FBI revealed that throughout his service as a naval officer, McLean had access to classified information and held a Top-Secret security clearance. McLean had entered into various agreements with the United States regarding the protection and proper handling of classified information and was aware that his home was not an authorized location to store classified national defense information. In particular, court documents identify two documents McLean unlawfully retained which contained national defense information related to foreign governments and their combat aircraft and naval capabilities. Disclosure of this information could reasonably be expected to cause damage and, in some instances, serious damage to the national security of the United States. “Protecting our children from abuse and safeguarding our national security interests are of paramount importance to my office,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “The cooperation and diligent investigation by our law enforcement partners in this case ensured that both of those priorities were upheld through the successful federal prosecution of this case.” “The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is dedicated to combatting the exploitation of the vulnerable members of our community and protecting the integrity of classified national security information,” said Special Agent in Charge Barbara Jackson, NCIS Southeast Field Office. "This sentencing serves as an example that such behavior will not be tolerated within the Navy ranks.” “Gregory McLean’s retention of classified national defense information documents in an unauthorized location posed a significant risk to our country and military,” said Coult Markovsky, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “Let this sentence serve as a pledge to all Americans that the FBI and our partners will doggedly pursue those who exploit their position of trust and risk our national security. In addition, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify and hold those accountable who also pose a danger to the most vulnerable members of our society.” This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Rhode Island State Police, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Kirwinn Mike and Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Member of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Drug Trafficking Offenses

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston-area man pleaded guilty today to his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang. Devante Lopes, a/k/a “D-Lopes,” 30, of Boston and Quincy, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy); conspiracy to distribute marijuana; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Oct. 3, 2024. According to court documents, the Cameron Street gang is a violent criminal enterprise whose members and associates are involved in a variety of criminal activities – including murders, attempted murders, armed robberies, carjackings, home invasions, human trafficking, as well as drug and firearms trafficking, among other offenses – in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston and surrounding areas. It is alleged that Cameron Street members use violence against rival gangs and witnesses, typically with the use of firearms, to maintain and enhance their status and the overall reputation of the gang, as well as to protect the gang’s power, reputation and territory. Members engage in drug trafficking activity and distributed kilograms of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine), oxycodone and marijuana throughout Massachusetts. During the investigation, 21 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were allegedly seized from 11 of the defendants. Lopes was identified by several cooperating witnesses as a member of Cameron Street. From 2019 through 2020, Lopes regularly received large quantities of marijuana from California, for which he shipped packages containing between $40,000 to $50,000 in cash in exchange. During a search of Lopes’ residence in April 2022, 800 grams of cocaine was seized from inside a bench by his bed. Also discovered during the search were two hidden compartments in Lopes’ apartment, including one concealed inside a shelf that contained approximately $5,000 in cash, a box of ammunition and foam cut-outs for a firearm. The second hidden compartment was found inside a mirror and contained a foam insert. The charge of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute cocaine provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; United States Postal Inspection Service; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force 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 to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Philadelphia Man Who Robbed Armored Truck Sentenced To More Than Eight Years Imprisonment

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a Philadelphia man was sentenced yesterday to 97 months in federal prison for robbing an armored truck and stealing more than $100,000. The Honorable Richard G. Andrews, U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, imposed the sentence. According to court documents, Tayion Spencer, 32, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation after he robbed an armored truck used to collect and deliver U.S. currency in Wilmington, Delaware. Spencer previously worked for the armored truck company and wore his former employer’s uniform while committing the robbery. When Spencer brandished and aimed a firearm at the armored truck driver, a scuffle ensued. Spencer tasered the driver, stole the driver’s firearm, and drove away in the armored truck. After absconding to Florida, Spencer fled the scene of a traffic stop and, while being pursued by law enforcement, crashed into a marked police vehicle. Palm Beach Gardens Police recovered a loaded Glock semi-automatic handgun, a taser matching the one used during the Wilmington robbery, a ski mask, Spencer’s employment paperwork, and approximately $3,200. U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “The defendant’s brazen robbery and reckless flight from law enforcement endangered the lives of innocent civilians. Thankfully, law enforcement stopped him before anyone was hurt. I want to commend the Delaware State Police and the FBI for their tireless effort to bring the defendant to justice.” “Tayion Spencer’s aggressive crime spree and attempt to avoid justice put anyone who happened to be around him at risk. This sentence holds him accountable for his dangerous and violent actions,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “We want everyone to know the FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to help make Delaware safer.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Pierce. The case was investigated by the Delaware State Police and FBI's Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force with assistance from the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER .


title: Lone Grove Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Charge

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Danny Ray Gordon, III, age 33, of Lone Grove, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. The Indictment filed on March 13, 2024, charged Gordon with one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. At the plea hearing, Gordon admitted that on December 16, 2024, he was found in possession of a Colt, Model 1903, .32ACP caliber, semi-automatic pistol, and several rounds of ammunition. Gordon also admitted that at the time he possessed the firearm and ammunition, he knew he had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Gordon will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshall pending sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.


title: Foreign National Sentenced for Kidnapping and Assaulting U.S. Army Soldiers in Colombia

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Colombian national was sentenced today to 48 years and nine months in prison for his role in kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. Army soldiers who were on temporary duty in Bogota, Colombia. According to court documents, Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, 36, and his co-conspirators targeted, incapacitated, and kidnapped two U.S. soldiers in Bogota to rob them of their valuables. On the evening of March 5, 2020, the two victims went to an entertainment district in Bogota to watch a soccer game. They visited a pub, where Arango Castellanos incapacitated the two victims by putting drugs, including benzodiazepines, in their drinks. Arango Castellanos and one of his co-conspirators then escorted the victims into a waiting car driven by another co-conspirator, kidnapped them, and took their wallets, debit and credit cards and cell phones. Arango Castellanos and his co-conspirators used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money. The two victims lost consciousness until the following day, by which point they had been separated. In May 2023, Arango was extradited from Colombia to the United States pursuant to a U.S. extradition request. On Jan. 26, he pleaded guilty to kidnapping an internationally protected person, conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person, assaulting an internationally protected person, and conspiracy to assault an internationally protected person. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogota, and the U.S. Marshals Service provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendant. The United States also thanks Colombian law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila L. Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section prosecuted the case. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-20173. ###


title: Naval Commander Sentenced for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material and Retaining Classified National Defense Information

body_text: Gregory Edward McLean, 40, of Jacksonville, Florida, was sentenced today to 160 months for distributing child sexual abuse material and 120 months for unlawfully retaining classified national defense information. The sentences will be served concurrently. According to court documents, state law enforcement in Rhode Island received a cyber tipline report that a user of a particular messaging application had shared videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. The investigation identified the user as McLean, who was at that time an active-duty officer in the U.S. Navy, with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and serving as the executive officer of a ship stationed aboard a Naval Station Mayport in Florida. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) continued the investigation and identified additional instances where McLean had distributed child sexual abuse material. On Nov. 4, 2021, agents executed a federal search warrant at McLean’s residence, during which they seized numerous electronic devices and storage media. A forensic review revealed that several of these items contained files depicting the sexual abuse of minors. The forensic review also identified a flash drive which had been recovered from McLean’s kitchen counter that contained approximately 150 documents containing national defense information classified at the secret level and 50 documents containing national defense information classified at the confidential level. An investigation by NCIS and the FBI revealed that throughout his service as a naval officer, McLean had access to classified information and held a top-secret security clearance. McLean had entered into various agreements with the United States regarding the protection and proper handling of classified information and was aware that his home was not an authorized location to store classified national defense information. In particular, court documents identify two documents McLean unlawfully retained which contained national defense information related to foreign governments and their combat aircraft and naval capabilities. Disclosure of this information could reasonably be expected to cause damage and, in some instances, serious damage to the national security of the United States. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch and Special Agent in Charge Barbara Jackson of the NCIS Southeast Field Office made the announcement made the announcement. The FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Heather Schmidt of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David B. Mesrobian and Kirwinn Mike for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.


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

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BALTAZAR GARCIA-MENDOZA , age 33, was charged on May 24, 2024, in a bill of information, with reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to the bill of information, BALTAZAR GARCIA-MENDOZA reentered the United States after being previously deported on February 3, 2014. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: Local man sent to prison for trying to intimidate witnesses

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 20-year-old Mission man has been ordered to federal prison for obstructing justice by threatening communication and assault on a federal officer, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Hector Reyes Jr. pleaded guilty March 18,2024. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered him to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. “The Gulf Cartel is a brutal and violent organization, one that this office seeks to disrupt and dismantle,” said Hamdani. “So, there is no patience in my office when criminals, like Reyes, use the cartels to intimidate law enforcement and scare witnesses. We take such attempts seriously and will vigorously pursue those who, through such intimidation, seek to subvert our system of justice.” At the time of his plea, Reyes admitted he had uploaded a threatening message from Commandante Siete, a high-ranking member of the Gulf Cartel to SnapChat. This message was transmitted on handheld radios the Gulf Cartel used and warned certain people to stand down while they still “had time.” Reyes posted this message intending to intimidate individuals who were searching for his father and hoped that it would impede his arrest. He also wanted the message to intimidate those individuals intending to cooperate with the government. Reyes also admitted that after a detention hearing for another individual, he spit at a federal officer in the courthouse parking lot. Reyes also admitted that in a jail house phone call he had bragged to his father that the agent had gotten scared, in part because of the things that were said at the detention hearing. Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation with the assistance of local task force officers. 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. Attorneys Patricia Cook Profit and Ted Parran prosecuted the case.


title: Buffalo man pleads guilty to selling drugs that led to an overdose death

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Justin Hall, 33, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to distribution of cocaine, fentanyl, and para-fluorofentanyl, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1,000,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey N. Jacovetti, who is handling the case, stated that on April 18, 2022, Sweat sold cocaine to a regular customer identified as V.O. On April 20, 2022, law enforcement officers and emergency personnel arrived at V.O.’s residence and determined that V.O. was deceased. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be acute mixed drug intoxication, to include cocaine, fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, and tramadol. Subsequently, on May 19 and May 26, 2022, investigators made two controlled purchases of cocaine from Sweat. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, III, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. Sentencing is scheduled for October 18, 2024, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara. # # # #


title: Allen Park Man Sentenced to Over 5 Years in Prison for Pandemic Relief Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – An Allen Park resident was sentenced today for defrauding the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (MUIA) out of approximately $512,000 as part of a pandemic unemployment insurance fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. Niebel was also sentenced to a three-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay $512,000 in restitution to the MUIA. Ison was joined in the announcement by Daniel Loza, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Detroit Field Office and Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Julia Dale. Christopher Niebel, 46, was sentenced to 63 months in prison after having pleaded guilty in February 2024 to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft before United States District Judge Stephen J. Murphy III. According to court documents, at the beginning of the pandemic, Niebel owned and operated a tax preparation service (“Tax Guy Chris”) in Allen Park, Michigan. Niebel also worked seasonally as a manager for Party City, a retail chain selling party supplies. Through his employment at Party City, Niebel had access to the files of individuals who had worked or applied to work at the company. These files included the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s I-9 employment verification forms of Party City employees and applicants, in which the applicants documented their eligibility for employment in the United States. In approximately 2019, Niebel stole a number of these I-9 forms from Party City, which contained a substantial volume of personal identifying information of the applicants (including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth). Niebel filed these documents away for his future use. Once pandemic unemployment assistance funds became available, Niebel used the PII he had appropriated from Party City in a scheme to defraud the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency by submitting fictitious claims for those benefits. Specifically, Niebel submitted electronic applications seeking pandemic unemployment benefits using the personal identifying information of applicants for jobs with Party City, without the authorization, approval, or knowledge of those individuals. Niebel intentionally used the names and identifying information of individuals who were not from Michigan in submitting these claims, correctly surmising that such individuals would be unlikely to have submitted their own unemployment insurance claims in Michigan and thus making detection less likely. Niebel opened numerous bank accounts in Michigan in order to capture the pandemic unemployment assistance funds, which were wired to those accounts. After obtaining the funds from these fraudulent unemployment assistance applications, Niebel spent the money on a variety of personal expenses, including food, lodging, lottery tickets, casino gambling, and transportation. Over the course of the scheme, Niebel obtained approximately $512,000 in pandemic unemployment assistance funds to which he was not entitled. “Christopher Niebel stole over half a million dollars in funds intended to help unemployed Michigan citizens during an unprecedented pandemic. His theft of pandemic unemployment assistance followed his theft of the personal identifying information of numerous people from a previous employer,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “My office is committed to holding to account all of those who illegally obtained Covid relief funds for their private gain.” "Christopher Niebel filed fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims which caused him to receive UI benefits to which he was not entitled. He enriched himself by defrauding a program that was intended to assist struggling American workers during an unprecedented global pandemic," said Daniel Loza, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. "We and our law enforcement partners are committed to identifying and prosecuting the criminals who took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic by using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain pandemic-related UI benefits." “It’s astounding the selfish schemes fraudsters cook up to steal money meant for hard-working Michiganders,” said Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Julia Dale. “At the start of the pandemic, so many people needed help and all Chris Niebel thought about was how he could game the system for his personal gain. His actions – and those of more than 160 others who have been charged with unemployment fraud – erode the public’s trust. We are winning back the public’s trust with wide-ranging reforms that position the Michigan UIA as a national model for fast, fair, and fraud-free service.” “Today’s sentencing of Christopher Niebel sends a clear message to anyone who intends to commit criminal actions against the U.S. government and innocent taxpayers,” said Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Detroit Field Office. “Stealing innocent victims’ personal information to use in fleecing a government program created to help those in their time of need is reprehensible and CI is dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to root out these criminals and hold them accountable.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John K. Neal. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations Division.


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to 10 Years  For Assaulting and Strangling Nurse Practitioner

body_text: DETROIT – A Detroit man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for assaulting, strangling, and injuring a nurse practitioner in a federal detention facility, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, FBI Special Agent in Charge. Tyjuan Gray, 24, was sentenced by United States District Judge Terrence G. Berg. According to court records, in July 2023, Gray, an inmate at FCI Milan, attacked at a nurse during a routine medical visit. Gray grabbed the nurse’s throat, hitting her head against the wall. Gray held the nurse’s wrists so that she was unable to radio for help or defend herself. When the victim fell to the floor, Gray kneed her in the stomach while restraining her and strangling her. Just as she was nearing unconsciousness, another inmate pulled Gray off the victim, allowing her to activate her alarm. Afterwards, the victim required medical treatment from the effects of strangulation. “This defendant perpetrated an unprovoked, egregious assault on a healthcare professional providing him with medical care. His actions not only caused her physical injury but took away her ability to feel safe at work and left her with emotional scars that will last a lifetime. The prosecution and sentence in this case should send a strong message that we will address violence wherever it occurs,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “The defendant’s assault of his nurse was unjustifiable and completely unacceptable, considering the defendant was receiving routine medical care,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “This sentencing reflects the seriousness of his despicable actions and hopefully provides the nurse with a bit of solace knowing justice was served." This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Hindelang.


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to Over Ten Years for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm

body_text: DETROIT – A Detroit man, who shot at a victim during the course of a robbery, was sentenced to over ten years in prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today. Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Joshua Fordham, 30 was sentenced to 121 months in prison after having pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before United States District Judge David M. Lawson in February 2024. According to court records, in February 2023, Fordham followed a man out of a deli in Detroit. Surveillance video captured Fordham following the man to the parking lot, where Fordham took the man’s wallet at gunpoint. The man, who had a concealed pistol license, shot at Fordham, striking Fordham in the chest. Fordham fired a shot back at the man but did not strike him. Fordham was a convicted felon at the time and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. “This defendant’s actions put everyone in that public parking lot in serious danger that day, and we are fortunate that no one was killed,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “Today’s sentence appropriately reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct, and our continued commitment to keep our community safe by removing the drivers of violence.” "Mr. Fordham, a convicted felon, demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law by possessing an illegal firearm which enabled him to carry out a violent attack against the victim outside a Detroit establishment," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "His sentencing significantly contributes to reducing the number of violent crimes in Michigan involving illegal weapons. I commend the FBI's Detroit Violent Gang Task Force for their outstanding commitment to apprehending offenders who continue to terrorize our communities with illegally possessed firearms." This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.


title: Fourteen People Charged in International Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Scheme

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 30, 2024 SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury has charged 14 people with participating in an international multi-million-dollar cocaine trafficking and money laundering scheme. According to an indictment unsealed today, plus additional information in a related search warrant, the alleged leader of the trafficking organization, Jesus Ruiz-Sandoval, managed the smuggling and distribution of large quantities of cocaine from Tijuana into the United States, and the movement of cash proceeds back to Mexico. Ruiz is a United States citizen who fled the U.S. for Mexico several years ago, in violation of his terms of supervised release for a prior federal drug-trafficking crime (Case number 08-cr-00713-DSF in the Central District of California). The search warrant said Ruiz worked closely with other co-conspirators, including John Joe Soto and Esteban Sinhue Mercado, who are also U.S. citizens currently residing in Mexico. The alleged conspiracy involved smuggling large multi-kilo quantities of cocaine from Tijuana through San Diego to Los Angeles. From there, commercial trucks transported the cocaine from Los Angeles to the Mid-Atlantic for distribution in the Eastern United States. Commercial trucks also transported cash proceeds from the cocaine sales back across the United States to Los Angeles, where it was packaged and loaded into cars that couriers drove through San Diego and into Tijuana, delivering the proceeds to Ruiz there. To date, investigators have seized more than $5 million in cash proceeds and more than 130 kilos of cocaine. “This office targets sophisticated international trafficking cells by hitting them where it hurts — their wallets,” said U.S. Attorney Tara K. McGrath. “Following the money takes you to the heart of a trafficking organization and this prosecution aims to drive a stake through it.” U.S. Attorney McGrath expressed her gratitude to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Hawthorne Police Department, which provided invaluable partnership in this investigation. “One of the pillars of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is to identify and dismantle international drug trafficking organizations who poison our communities,” said Christopher Davis, Acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. “Throughout this investigation and with the unwavering support from our law enforcement partners, we further discovered their involvement in a money laundering scheme. This indictment serves as a warning to those believing they can remain undetected by HSI – our message is clear. You will be found and you will be brought to justice.” “This indictment marks a significant milestone in our relentless pursuit of justice against transnational criminal organizations. By leveraging collaborative efforts, CBP alongside our partner agencies are able to target the root causes of crime and dismantle organized criminal enterprises,” said Sidney K. Aki, Director of Field Operations for San Diego Field Office. “Ultimately, this unified approach promotes public safety, reduces the flow of illegal drugs and laundered funds, and strengthens the resilience of communities against these threats.” This investigation is one of two into Ruiz. Several months after a grand jury in San Diego first indicted Ruiz, a separate grand jury in the Central District of California indicted him and others for a separate, but similar, international trafficking scheme. See United States v. Sandoval et al., 24-CR-008 AB (C.D. Cal.). The prosecutions of Ruiz and others indicted in both cases will proceed in coordinated fashion. Another defendant, Ricardo Miranda-Beltran (aka Ricardo Miranda-Benitez), appeared Tuesday for his initial appearance on the indictment. Miranda was arrested in the Eastern District of California and ordered detained, and then ordered to appear in San Diego on these charges. DEFENDANTS Case Number 23cr1574 AJB *Jose Ruiz-Sandoval Age: 45 Mexico *John Joe Soto Age: 43 Mexico *Esteban Sinhue Mercado Age: 24 Mexico Brittany Mangrum Age: 36 Van Nuys, CA Liliana Ruvalcaba-Gonzalez Age: 25 Anaheim, CA Yessenia Lazo Age: 23 Los Angeles, CA Ricardo Miranda-Beltran Age: 57 Bakersfield, CA Edwin Rafael Hernandez Age: 32 Pasadena, CA *Denotes fugitives who are not in custody **Additional defendants’ names are redacted and not listed here SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a) & 846 Maximum Penalty: Life in custody, $10 million fine, and a life term of supervised release Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952, 960, and 963 Maximum Penalty: Life in custody, $10 million fine, and a life term of supervised release Consp. to Launder Monetary Instruments – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(2)(B)(i) & (h) Maximum Penalty:- Twenty years in custody, $500,000 fine or twice the laundered amount, and a 3-year term of supervised release Bulk Cash Smuggling – Title 31, United States Code, Section 5332 Maximum Penalty: Five years in custody, $250,000 fine, and a 3-year term of supervised release AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations Customs and Border Protection Los Angeles Police Department, Transnational Organized Crime Section Hawthorne Police Department *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Utica Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Money Laundering Charges

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Willie Alvarado, Jr., age 33, of Utica, New York, pled guilty yesterday to attempted possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine, and money laundering. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New York Division made the announcement. In pleading guilty, Alvarado admitted that, as early as October 2022, he began using the United States Postal Service to receive drug parcels from Puerto Rico. In May of 2023, law enforcement intercepted a package shipped from Puerto Rico and intended for Alvarado which contained two kilograms of cocaine. Alvarado intended to distribute the cocaine upon receipt of the package. Alvarado further admitted that, in September of 2023, he used another individual to launder at least $9,940 of his drug proceeds in an attempt to hide the true source of that money. At sentencing, Alvarado will face a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. 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. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case with assistance from the New York State Police, Utica Police Department, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, Syracuse Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, and Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica N. Carbone is prosecuting the case.


title: Mobile Man Sentenced To 30 Months For Illegally Possessing A Firearm

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Kelvontae Brown, a Mobile, Alabama man, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The sentence was imposed by Senior United States District Judge Callie V. S. Granade. According to court documents, in January 2024, Kelvontate Brown plead guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. In March 2023, concerned neighbors called 911 because Brown was acting erratically and was in the street with a firearm. When members of the Mobile Police Department arrived, they located Brown, took him into custody, and collected the Glock pistol he had attempted to hide nearby. Brown admitted he had possessed the firearm and that he had hidden it. Brown has prior convictions for domestic violence and theft offenses and was on state probation at the time of this firearms offense. At sentencing, Judge Granade imposed a 30-month sentence of incarceration and a three-year term of supervised release upon Brown’s discharge from prison. Brown will also be required to undergo mental health evaluation upon release. The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives 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: Defendant Pleads Guilty to Threatening a Congressional Staff Member and Making 12,000 Harassing Telephone Calls to Members of Congress

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON - Ade Salim Lilly, 35, of Queens, NY, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in threatening to kill a Congressional staff member and for making repeated harassing phone calls to members of Congress, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief J. Thomas Manger of the U.S. Capitol Police. Lilly pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly to two federal charges: interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure and repeated telephone calls. The threat charge carries a maximum sentence of five years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine; the count of repeated phone calls carries a maximum of two years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. A federal judge will determine Lilly’s sentence based on the federal guidelines determined by Congress. Judge Kelly scheduled sentencing for August 28, 2024. “Threatening another person’s safety or life is a crime, not protected speech,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “This case should send a clear message that while people are secure in their rights to express themselves, they are not allowed to threaten people and those who do will be held accountable.” According to court documents, beginning about February 1, 2022, and continuing until his arrest in this case in Puerto Rico on November 8, 2023, Lilly made over 12,000 telephone calls to approximately 54 offices of Members of Congress across the country, both in district offices located in various U.S. States and to offices located in Washington, D.C. Of the calls to congressional offices, more than 6,526 were made by Lilly to offices within the District of Columbia. Lilly placed the calls while he was in Maryland or Puerto Rico. Most of these phone calls were answered by congressional staff members or interns. In some of these telephone calls, Lilly became angry and use vulgar and harassing language towards the individual who answered the phone. Congressional staff repeatedly asked Lilly to refrain from calling. U.S. Capitol Police informed Lilly on multiple occasions that his phone calls were unwanted, and due to a harassing nature, were prohibited by law. To avoid detection and to trick congressional staff to answer his phone calls, Lilly masked his phone number. Lilly made at least one phone call during which he threatened to kill or injure the person who answered. On October 21, 2022, Lilly called into a congressional office in Washington D.C., threatening a staff member. “I will kill you, I am going to run you over, I will kill you with a bomb or grenade,” Lilly told the employee. In addition to the threatening phone calls, Lilly repeatedly called Congressional offices. For example, during two-days in February 2023, Lilly called one congressional representative more than 500 times. In response, Lilly was indicted, and the U.S. Capitol Police deployed agents to arrest Lilly on November 14, 2023, in Puerto Rico. This case was investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police with valuable assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander R. Schneider. 23cr0384


title: Extradited Bloomington Fugitive Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Producing Sexually Explicit Images and Videos of Minors

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Bloomington man has been sentenced to 480 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempted production and production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, between October 2020 through March 2023, Ibrahim Ghassan Sleyman, 31, used Snapchat and other messaging apps to solicit sexually explicit material and sex acts from minor girls and boys, some as young as nine years old. Additionally, Sleyman groomed and enticed a minor victim to produce child pornography and engage in sexual activity with Sleyman by providing the minor with drugs and gifts. Once Sleyman became aware of law enforcement’s investigation, he fled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on September 6, 2022. While Sleyman was a fugitive in the UAE, he continued to use Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit conversations with minors in the United States, and he attempted to obstruct justice by contacting minor victims to influence their actions in the ongoing investigation. On September 15, 2023—one year after Sleyman fled to the UAE—UAE authorities returned Sleyman to the United States. Upon his return, he was taken into federal custody by the FBI. To date, the United States has identified at least 22 minor victims who Sleyman solicited and used to produce and receive child pornography and attempted to entice to engage in unlawful sexual acts. On December 14, 2023, Sleyman pleaded guilty to one count of attempted production and production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of enticement of a minor. As a part of his plea, Sleyman admitted to criminal conduct relating to 22 minor victims. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Donovan W. Frank, who remarked that he has presided over “hundreds of child pornography cases,” and that Sleyman’s case was “distinguishable” from many of those prior cases, in part, due to the severity of the offenses and hands-on sexual abuse. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Elk River Police Department, and the Pleasant Hill, Missouri Police Department, with assistance from the St. Paul Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the State Department, the Ministries of Justice and Interior of the United Arab Emirates, UAE Interpol, Abu Dhabi Airport Police and Abu Dhabi International Airport – Airport Security provided significant support and assistance in Sleyman’s extradition from the United Arab Emirates. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor prosecuted the case.


title: Tennessee Man Sentenced to Over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Crop Insurance Fraud

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – A Lafayette, Tennessee, man was sentenced yesterday to 3 years and 6 months in federal prison for defrauding the federal crop insurance program. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis of the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General, Administrator Marcia Bunger of the United States Department of Agriculture, Risk Management Agency (RMA), and RMA Special Investigations Division, and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement. According to court documents, David Garrett Manion, 61, was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $3.5 million in restitution, for defrauding the federal crop insurance program between 2016 and 2022. Manion also has a prior 2016 conviction for defrauding the federal crop insurance program. As part of that 2016 case, Manion agreed to a five-year debarment from the federal crop insurance program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency. While that case was being resolved, however, Manion devised a scheme under which other family members applied for and received crop insurance for tobacco that was farmed by and belonged to Manion. In addition to $3.5 million in criminal restitution, Manion agreed to pay the Risk Management Agency nearly $5.5 million to resolve other outstanding issues. There is no parole in the federal system. The case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency, Special Investigations, and the FBI Bowling Green Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Weiser prosecuted the case. ###


title: Child Predator Found Guilty of First-Degree and Second-Degree Child Sexual Abuse with Aggravating Circumstances

body_text: WASHINGTON – Gary Bellinger, 61, of Maryland, was convicted today of one count of first-degree child sexual abuse and one count of second-degree child sexual abuse. The verdict, announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Pamela A. Smith, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), follows a four-day trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan scheduled sentencing for August 30, 2024. According to the evidence and testimony presented at trial, in 2015, Bellinger sexually abused a female relative who was 15 years old at the time. Bellinger faces the potential of life imprisonment without the opportunity of release. If he were to be released, Bellinger would be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti and Kathleen Houck.


title: Former Corrections Officer Charged With  Sex Offense And Smuggling Contraband At FCI Milan

body_text: DETROIT - A federal grand returned an indictment yesterday charging a Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Milan corrections officer with having sex with an inmate and smuggling contraband into the prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Midwest Region. According to the indictment, on September 26, 2023, Cara Wozniak, 33, of Milan, Michigan, while serving as a corrections officer, engaged in sexual intercourse with an inmate who was under her custodial authority at FCI Milan. Wozniak was also charged with providing contraband to an inmate from April through November of 2023. Federal law and prison rules prohibit all sexual interaction between staff members and inmates, as well as the introduction or possession of contraband in prison. Contraband is defined as prohibited materials which can reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or adversely affect the security, safety, or good order of the institution. Wozniak is charged with committing a sex act with a ward which carries a maximum sentence of up to 15 years’ imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. Wozniak is also charged with the misdemeanor offense of providing contraband in prison, which carries a sentence of up to six months in prison. United States Attorney Ison said, “Every day, federal corrections officers display uncompromising integrity in carrying out their duties and maintaining the safety and security of our federal prisons. Unfortunately, the allegations in today’s indictment reflect a failure on the part of one corrections officer to maintain that standard. Sexual misconduct by prison officials compromises the safety and security of the whole institution and is completely unacceptable at Milan or any other correctional facility.” "We trust correctional officers to act with integrity. Instead, Wozniak allegedly abused her authority, sexually abused an inmate, and smuggled contraband into the prison,” said William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Midwest Region. The investigation of these cases was conducted by the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown. An indictment is only a charging document and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Disbarred Attorney Pleads Guilty to Promoting $9.5M Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A disbarred California attorney pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to operate a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded victims of more than $9.5 million. According to court documents, David Kagel, 85, formerly of Beverly Hills, conspired to fraudulently induce victims to participate in a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme. Kagel and his co-conspirators promoted investment programs that falsely guaranteed high-yield profits and promised to use artificial intelligence trading bots to trade victims’ investments in cryptocurrency markets. The Ponzi scheme promoter falsely told victims that Kagel, as the promoter’s attorney, held Bitcoin then equivalent to approximately $11 million in escrow that guaranteed victims’ investments against loss for any reason. To create a false sense of security and trust, Kagel provided letters to victims on his firm’s letterhead to fraudulently confirm the promoter’s false statements. Kagel admitted that he and his co-conspirators used victims’ funds for their own personal benefit. “David Kagel abused his position as an attorney to earn the trust of investors and to endorse false statements about a purported cryptocurrency investment that was, in fact, a scam. Kagel and his co-conspirators defrauded their victims out of millions of dollars and used the victims’ money to line their own pockets,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When lawyers lend a veneer of legitimacy to fraudulent schemes, it can lead to devastating losses for victims. The Criminal Division and its law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue such fraudsters and hold them to account.” “Kagel preyed on trusting individuals through a complex scheme to separate people from their hard-earned money,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “IRS-CI is the best in the business at following the money to find the necessary evidence to bring charges against those who seek to prosper on the backs of their victims.” Kagel pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit commodity fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. David Gilbert Saffron, 51, of Australia, and Vincent Anthony Mazzotta Jr., 52, of Los Angeles, were charged by a federal grand jury in a superseding indictment in December 2023 for their roles in the same cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, and are awaiting trial that is scheduled to begin on Aug. 13. Saffron and Mazzotta allegedly promoted the investment programs under various names including Circle Society, Bitcoin Wealth Management, Omicron Trust, Mind Capital, and Cloud9Capital. Rather than investing victims’ funds in cryptocurrency, Saffron and Mazzotta allegedly misappropriated victims’ funds to pay for personal expenses including private chartered jet flights, luxury hotel accommodations, private mansion rentals, a personal chef, and private security guards. IRS-CI is investigating the case. Trial Attorney Theodore Kneller of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case. If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov. To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas .


title: International Gun Traffickers Who Acquired Guns in South Carolina Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: GREENVILLE, S.C. — Marlon Michael Bruff, of Fairburn, Georgia, Ramaro Alsworth Higgins, of Los Angeles, California, and Reuben Dunn, of Anderson, South Carolina, were sentenced to federal prison for helping to run a gun trafficking operation, which bought guns in multiple southern states and smuggled them into Canada. Bruff and Higgins were also convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Four other defendants have also been convicted and sentenced in connection with the case. Evidence presented to the court showed that in June of 2021, an officer with the Duncan Police Department stopped a Sprinter van traveling north on Interstate 85. A search of the van revealed suitcases containing 73 pistols, including 39 guns with obliterated serial numbers. The driver of the vehicle claimed that she was transporting personal protective equipment (PPE) for APA Logistics, a company owned by Bruff, which was used as a front for criminal activities. Investigators also discovered hidden compartments in the van, which contained marijuana. Bruff was driving alongside the van in a separate vehicle and was not initially arrested. Over the course of a multi-year investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), law enforcement learned that Bruff, Higgins, Dunn, and several others were involved in a scheme to buy guns in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina and to smuggle them across the border into Canada, where several of the guns have been recovered in connection with violent crimes. Members of the conspiracy also obtained marijuana from Canada, which was sold in the United States and used to fund the purchase of additional guns. Bruff and Higgins recruited straw purchasers and traveled throughout the United States to transport the guns and traffic marijuana. In May of 2021, they were stopped in North Carolina with over 20 pounds of marijuana and over $37,000.00 in cash. Dunn assisted the organization by acquiring guns, which the smugglers picked up from his home in Anderson, South Carolina. “South Carolina will play no part in illegal gun trafficking,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Our office will continue to work to ensure the safety of our community and our neighbors.” “Illegal firearms trafficking is a serious threat to communities everywhere,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “ATF and our law enforcement partners continue to make the prevention of illegal firearms sales a top priority. Stopping illegal firearms sales and disrupting gun trafficking networks plays a critical role in preventing violent gun crime and keeping neighborhoods safe.” United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Bruff to 120 months in prison, Higgins to 48 months in prison, and Dunn to 27 months in prison, with all of the sentences to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. 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 Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Duncan Police Department, and several Canadian law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schoen is prosecuting the case. *Note: an earlier version of this release included reference to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in error. It has been removed.


title: Sex Offender Convicted on Sex Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Maurice Fitzgerald Alexander, Jr., 33, of Memphis, Tennessee, was convicted last week by a federal jury of various counts involving Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking of a Minor Using Force, Fraud, or Coercion; Transportation with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity; and Production of Child Pornography. Alexander also faces an additional 10 years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence of imprisonment, for committing these offenses while being required to register as a sex offender. The guilty verdicts came after a three-day trial before United States District Judge James A. Soto. Alexander’s sentencing is set for August 14, 2024. On October 4, 2021, officers from the Tucson Police Department responded to a 911 call from the victim and learned she had possibly been trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The investigation determined Alexander trafficked the victim, who was 14 years old at the time, through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado between August 19, 2021, and October 4, 2021. Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents and Task Force Officers later arrested Alexander in Tucson on October 21, 2021. In addition, a review of Alexander’s cellular phone showed that Alexander also forced the minor victim to create photos and videos depicting sexually explicit conduct that were later used in advertisements on social media and various other websites commonly used for prostitution. A conviction for Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud, or Coercion carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, but no less than 15 years. A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking of a Minor Using Force, Fraud, or Coercion carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison. Transportation with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, but no less than 10 years. A conviction for Production of Child Pornography carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison, but no less than 15 years. This case was a joint investigation between the Tucson Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Monica E. Ryan, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02972-JAS-EJM RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-070_Alexander # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Fayetteville Group Sentenced to More Than 54 Years Combined in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - Arkansas, Western

body_text: FAYETTEVILLE – The final member of a Northwest Arkansas drug trafficking group was sentenced late last week for crimes related to the distribution of methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in Fayetteville. According to court documents, beginning in October 2022, agents with the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating out of the Fayetteville Division responsible for the distribution of methamphetamine in the Northwest Arkansas area. During the course of their investigation, investigators identified five individuals who were responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine throughout the Western District of Arkansas. Those members of the drug trafficking organization indicted federally have been sentenced as follows: Joe Chantharath: age 42, Springdale, Arkansas – Distribution of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine – 135 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release, plus an additional 24-month term of imprisonment to run consecutively to new sentence as a consequence of his federal supervised release being revoked. Anthony Chantharath : age 35, Springdale, Arkansas – Possession of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute - 137 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release. Kevin Michael Burke : age 37, Bryant, Arkansas – Distribution of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine -235 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release. Ryan Seth Bruce: age 35, Clinton, Arkansas – Distribution of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine– 72 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release. Destiny DeAnne Satterfield : age 25, Springdale, Arkansas – Possession of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute – 77 months imprisonment and 3-year term of supervised release. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Eaton prosecuted the case. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov .


title: Farmington Couple Charged with Assault

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington couple was charged by indictment with assault charges, including using teeth as a dangerous weapon during an alleged attack on three of their daughters. Renauldo Sandoval , 39, and Lisa Sandoval , 39, both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge this week. Lisa will remain in third-party custody and Renauldo will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to the indictment, or July 28, 2023, the defendants assaulted Jane Doe 1, and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury. Renauldo additionally assaulted Jane Doe 2, after having been convicted in state court of two prior domestic assaults. In addition, Lisa assaulted Jane Doe 3 with a dangerous weapon, specifically her teeth, with the intent to cause bodily harm. If convicted, Renauldo and Lisa both face up to 10 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case. View the Indictment An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: 911 S5 Botnet Dismantled and Its Administrator Arrested in Coordinated International Operation

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Remote video URL A court-authorized international law enforcement operation led by the U.S. Justice Department disrupted a botnet used to commit cyber attacks, large-scale fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats, and export violations. As part of this operation, YunHe Wang, 35, a People’s Republic of China national and St. Kitts and Nevis citizen-by-investment, was arrested on May 24 on criminal charges arising from his deployment of malware and the creation and operation of a residential proxy service known as “911 S5.” According to an indictment unsealed on May 24, from 2014 through July 2022, Wang and others are alleged to have created and disseminated malware to compromise and amass a network of millions of residential Windows computers worldwide. These devices were associated with more than 19 million unique IP addresses, including 613,841 IP addresses located in the United States. Wang then generated millions of dollars by offering cybercriminals access to these infected IP addresses for a fee. “This Justice Department-led operation brought together law enforcement partners from around the globe to disrupt 911 S5, a botnet that facilitated cyber-attacks, large-scale fraud, child exploitation, harassment, bomb threats, and export violations,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As a result of this operation, YunHe Wang was arrested on charges that he created and operated the botnet and deployed malware. This case makes clear that the long arm of the law stretches across borders and into the deepest shadows of the dark web, and the Justice Department will never stop fighting to hold cybercriminals to account.” “Working with our international partners, the FBI conducted a joint, sequenced cyber operation to dismantle the 911 S5 Botnet—likely the world’s largest botnet ever,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We arrested its administrator, Yunhe Wang, seized infrastructure and assets, and levied sanctions against Wang and his co-conspirators. The 911 S5 Botnet infected computers in nearly 200 countries and facilitated a whole host of computer-enabled crimes, including financial frauds, identity theft, and child exploitation. This operation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to working shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners to protect American businesses and the American people, and we will work tirelessly to unmask and arrest the cybercriminals who profit from this illegal activity.” According to court documents, Wang allegedly propagated his malware through Virtual Private Network (VPN) programs, such as MaskVPN and DewVPN (torrent distribution models that he operated) and pay-per-install services that bundled his malware with other program files, including pirated versions of licensed software or copyrighted materials. Wang then managed and controlled approximately 150 dedicated servers worldwide, approximately 76 of which he leased from U.S. based online service providers. Using the dedicated servers, Wang deployed and managed applications, commanded and controlled the infected devices, operated his 911 S5 service, and provided paying customers with access to proxied IP addresses associated with the infected devices. “As alleged in the indictment, Wang created malware that compromised millions of residential computers around the world and then sold access to the infected computers to cybercriminals,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These criminals used the hijacked computers to conceal their identities and commit a host of crimes, from fraud to cyberstalking. Cybercriminals should take note. Today’s announcement sends a clear message that the Criminal Division and its law enforcement partners are firm in their resolve to disrupt the most technologically sophisticated criminal tools and hold wrongdoers to account.” “YunHe Wang created and administered a residential proxy service—a botnet known as 911 S5—that affected millions of computers all over the world,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “He will now be held accountable. Proxy services like 911 S5 are pervasive threats that shield criminals behind the compromised IP addresses of residential computers worldwide. Successfully tackling a problem of this scale is only possible with strong collaboration and exceptional investigative work between our law enforcement partners at home and abroad, and we stand ready to hold accountable anyone—no matter where they are located—who exploits our telecommunications infrastructure for their own criminal purpose.” Cybercriminals then used proxied IP addresses purchased from 911 S5 to conceal their true originating IP addresses and locations, and anonymously commit a wide array of offenses. These offenses including financial crimes, stalking, transmitting bomb threats and threats of harm, illegal exportation of goods, and receiving and sending child exploitation materials. Since 2014, 911 S5 allegedly enabled cybercriminals to bypass financial fraud detection systems and steal billions of dollars from financial institutions, credit card issuers, and federal lending programs. 911 S5 customers allegedly targeted certain pandemic relief programs. For example, the United States estimates that 560,000 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims originated from compromised IP addresses, resulting in a confirmed fraudulent loss exceeding $5.9 billion. Additionally, in evaluating suspected fraud loss to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, the United States estimates that more than 47,000 EIDL applications originated from IP addresses compromised by 911 S5. Millions of dollars more were similarly identified by financial institutions in the United States as loss originating from IP addresses compromised by 911 S5. The 911 S5 client interface software, which was hosted on U.S.-based servers, enabled cybercriminals located outside of the United States to purchase goods with stolen credit cards or criminally derived proceeds, and illegally export them outside of the United States contrary to U.S. export laws, such as the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The 911 S5 client interface may also contain encryption or other features which subject it to export controls detailed in the EAR. Accordingly, downloads of the 911 S5 client interface software by certain foreign nationals without a license may constitute violations of the EAR. “The disruption, seizure, and arrest of the perpetrator(s) responsible for the 911 S5 cybercriminal enterprise demonstrates the forward leaning posture of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Cyber Field Office,” said DCIS Director Kelly P. Mayo. “This investigation showcases the critical import of identifying and pursuing emerging threats and technologies targeting our warfighters, and the industrial base that supports them. Today’s announcement illustrates the magnitude of cooperation within federal law enforcement and our foreign partners pursuing criminals in the rapidly evolving cybercrime arena.” The indictment further alleges that from 2018 until July 2022, Wang received approximately $99 million from his sales of the hijacked proxied IP addresses through his 911 S5 operation, either in cryptocurrency or fiat currency. Wang used the illicitly gained proceeds to purchase real property in the United States, St. Kitts and Nevis, China, Singapore, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates. The indictment identifies dozens of assets and properties subject to forfeiture, including a 2022 Ferrari F8 Spider S-A, a BMW i8, a BMW X7 M50d, a Rolls Royce, more than a dozen domestic and international bank accounts, over two dozen cryptocurrency wallets, several luxury wristwatches, 21 residential or investment properties (across Thailand, Singapore, the U.A.E., St. Kitts and Nevis, and the United States), and 20 domains. Law enforcement initially focused on 911 S5 during an investigation of a money laundering and smuggling scheme, where criminal actors in Ghana and the United States used hijacked IP addresses purchased from 911 S5 to place fraudulent orders using stolen credit cards on the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) online e-commerce platform known as ShopMyExchange. Although approximately 2,525 fraudulent orders valued at $5.5 million were submitted, credit card fraud detection systems and federal investigators were able to thwart the bulk of the attempted purchases, reducing the actual loss to approximately $254,000. “The conduct alleged here reads like it’s ripped from a screenplay: A scheme to sell access to millions of malware-infected computers worldwide, enabling criminals over the world to steal billions of dollars, transmit bomb threats, and exchange child exploitation materials—then using the scheme’s nearly $100 million in profits to buy luxury cars, watches, and real estate,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “What they don’t show in the movies though is the painstaking work it takes by domestic and international law enforcement, working closely with industry partners, to take down such a brazen scheme and make an arrest like this happen.” Wang is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud, substantive computer fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted on all counts, Wang faces a maximum penalty of 65 years in prison. This operation was a coordinated multiagency effort led by law enforcement in the United States, Singapore, Thailand, and Germany. Agents and officers searched residences, seized assets valued at approximately $30 million, and identified additional forfeitable property valued at approximately $30 million. The operation also seized 23 domains and over 70 servers constituting the backbone of Wang’s prior residential proxy service and the recent incarnation of the service. By seizing multiple domains tied to the historical 911 S5, as well as several new domains and services directly linked to an effort to reconstitute the service, the government has successfully terminated Wang’s efforts to further victimize individuals through his newly formed service Clourouter.io and closed the existing malicious backdoors. On May 28, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued financial sanctions against Wang, Jingping Liu, and Yanni Zheng, for their activities associated with 911 S5, and three entities for being owned or controlled by Wang. The FBI Dallas and Denver Field Offices, DCIS Cyber Field Office, and BIS Office of Export Enforcement’s Dallas field office are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Candy Heath and Lydia Lichlyter of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camelia Lopez and William Tatum for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The Department appreciates the significant assistance provided by the Attorney-General’s Chambers of Singapore, Singapore Police Force (SPF), Royal Thai Police, and the Office of the Attorney General and the Anti-Money Laundering Office of the Kingdom of Thailand. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section provided crucial support to this operation. The Treasury Department’s OFAC also provided support to this operation. Additionally, the Department offers its thanks to Chainalysis, the Shadowserver Foundation, and Microsoft for the assistance provided by each during the investigation and the operation. For more information or to determine if you are a victim of 911 S5 malware, please visit www.fbi.gov/911S5 . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Indictment Domain Seizure Warrants