title: Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in the Bronx, N.Y. has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with his role in a fentanyl distribution hub in the Bronx that sent fentanyl laced with xylazine, a horse tranquilizer, to Massachusetts. Jairo Collazo, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Sept. 17, 2025. Collazo was charged by criminal complaint in April 2024 and later indicted. According to court records, Collazo operated a fentanyl distribution hub out of a basement in the Bronx, from which he distributed fentanyl to destinations including Boston, Mass.; Fitchburg, Mass.; Springfield, Mass.; Syracuse, N.Y; and the State of Vermont. Collazo and his coconspirators whom he called “employees” used the basement in the Bronx to package fentanyl into glassine wax paper bags for distribution. Collazo traveled to Massachusetts on two occasions, in December 2023 and January 2024, to distribute fentanyl to a witness working with law enforcement. On April 12, 2024, during a search of the Bronx basement, fentanyl packaged for distribution, materials used for cutting fentanyl with other substances and bottles of xylazine were recovered. Collazo used xylazine to cut the fentanyl and offered to sell it to the cooperating witness. More than 2 kilograms of fentanyl was seized from Collazo. According to court records, in 2021, Collazo pleaded guilty in New York Supreme Criminal Court to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (heroin) and was sentenced to two years incarceration. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Collazo lacks lawful status in the United States is subject to deportation after completion of any sentence imposed. 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. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Fitchburg Police Department and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman is prosecuting the case.


title: Tampa Man Sentenced To Prison For Threatening To Plant A Bomb In Member Of U.S. House Of Representative’s District Office

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Rigoberto Albizar Martinez (57, Tampa) to one year in federal prison, followed by a term of home confinement of one year, for threatening to plant a bomb in the district office of a member of the United States House of Representatives. A federal jury found Martinez guilty on December 12, 2024. According to court documents, on May 1, 2024, Martinez called the Tampa district office of a member of the United States House of Representatives and left a vulgar, racist, obscenity-laden voicemail. In the voicemail, he threatened to plant a bomb in the representative’s office. This case was investigated by the United States Capitol Police – Threat Assessment Section. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III and Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.


title: Convicted felon sentenced to five years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to five years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, on May 15, 2024, officers with the Richmond Police Department (RPD) were attempting to locate Rushion Leeper, 22, for an outstanding warrant for grand larceny of a firearm. RPD officers, assisted by Virginia State Police, were conducting surveillance near a gas station and observed and approached Leeper. Leeper noticed the officers, however, and fled on foot. Officers eventually detained Leeper and recovered a loaded firearm from Leeper’s pants leg. The firearm had been reported stolen to RPD on April 30, 2024. Leeper had been convicted previously of a felony hit and run and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, Leeper cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Col. Matt Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-170.


title: Bridgeport Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Third Federal Conviction

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that GAVIN HAMMETT, also known as “G” and “Silk,” 60, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for drug trafficking and firearm possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, in early 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Hammett as the member of a drug trafficking network that was distributing cocaine and fentanyl in the Bridgeport area. Between February and April 2024, investigators made controlled purchases of fentanyl from Hammett. Hammett was arrested on May 14, 2024. On that date, a court authorized search of his residence revealed approximately two kilograms of cocaine, approximately 39 grams of fentanyl, two handguns, two loaded gun magazines, and an empty gun magazine. Hammett has been detained since his arrest. On February 21, 2025, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. This is Hammett’s third federal conviction. In July 1997, Hammett was sentenced in the District of South Carolina to 105 months of imprisonment for distributing cocaine, and in October 2011, he was sentenced in the District of Connecticut to 240 months of imprisonment for distributing cocaine and crack. In October 2020, after he had served approximately nine years of his 20-year sentence, Hammett’s pandemic-related motion for compassionate release was granted by a federal judge and his sentence was reduced to time served. This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments. The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Business Burglary Conspiracy

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today for his role in a scheme in which the conspirators stole hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from beauty and liquor stores across six states. Gary Bailey, 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, to one count of conspiring to transport and possess stolen property and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property. By pleading guilty, Bailey admitted that between March 2023 and January 2024, he participated in burglarizing at least 23 stores across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Bailey and his co-conspirators brought the stolen product back to Kansas City, before either selling it, giving it away to family or friends, or consuming the product themselves. The loss to these 23 victim businesses exceeded $418,000. On April 22, 2025, co-conspirator Donald Bennett pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to transport and possess stolen property, one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, and one count of money laundering. As part of the plea agreement, Bailey must pay restitution to the victim businesses; the exact amount to be determined at his sentencing hearing. Under federal statutes, Bailey is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Constance. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Olathe, Kansas, Police Department, with assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office and the police departments of Derby, KS, Belton, MO, Blue Springs, MO, Columbia, MO, Creve Coeur, MO, Edwardsville, KS, Fairview Heights, IL, Kansas City, MO, Kansas City, KS, Lawrence, KS, Leawood, KS, Lee’s Summit, MO, Lenexa, KS, Liberty, MO, Olathe, KS, Omaha, NE, Overland, Park, KS, Papillion, NE, Parkville, MO, Plainfield, IN, Plano, TX, Platte City, MO, Shawnee, KS, Springfield, MO, St. Joseph, MO, Terre Haute, IN, Topeka, KS, and West Des Moines, IA.


title: Memphis Man Sentenced To Over 15 Years For Firearms Offense

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On May 15, 2025, Mario Delaine, 39, of Memphis, was sentenced to 188 months in prison by the Honorable Charles E. Atchley, Jr, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following imprisonment, Delaine will be on supervised release for five years. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Delaine agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with possession of a firearm as a felon, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1). Because Delaine had three previous convictions for violent felonies committed on occasions different from one another, he was subject to enhanced penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act, which requires a mandatory minimum 15 years imprisonment. According to filed court documents, in November 2022, Chattanooga Police Department Officers responded to reports of gunfire coming from a third-floor room of the Motel 6 on Williams Street. Upon arrival, officers heard and observed gunshots being actively fired out of a third-floor window. Officers entered the hotel, located the room, and ordered the occupant(s) to exit. As officers took cover, an additional gunshot was fired through the door into the hallway. Officers maintained their position and Delaine eventually exited the room and surrendered. Officers located a Glock 9-millimeter pistol, multiple spent 9-millimeter cartridge cases, and bullet holes in the exterior window and interior door. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee made the announcement. The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Chattanooga Field Office and the Chattanooga Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin T. Brown and Luke McLaurin represented the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ###


title: California man sentenced to 64 months in prison for online car sales scam that defrauded hundreds of victims out of more than $10 million

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Leo Shimizu, 39, of San Francisco, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 64 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $10.6 million in restitution for leading a nationwide money laundering conspiracy involving the proceeds of fraudulent online vehicle sales. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio previously prosecuted four other co-conspirators in this scheme, including a Columbus man who helped lead the conspiracy. According to court documents, the online car sales scam cheated at least 850 victims around the country out of more than $10.6 million total. Co-conspirators were part of a network that attracted online customers through fraudulent postings for vehicle sales. Shimizu, who is also known as “Lil Droppy,” posted and directed other individuals to post listings on websites like Craigslist and Cars.com for vehicles they were alleging to sell. In truth, the co-conspirators did not have the vehicles they claimed they were selling. Shimizu and others communicated with victims through email and phone, posing as employees of eBay, and used third parties to open bank accounts in the names of shell corporations that appeared to be affiliated with eBay. They instructed victims to wire funds to various third-party bank accounts they set up. They claimed to be affiliated with eBay’s Buyer Protection Program, when in fact, no such relationship existed. Shimizu pleaded guilty in November 2024 to conspiring to commit money laundering. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation; announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case. Acting U.S. Attorney Norris recognized the assistance of United States Secret Service in Toledo, Ohio and Miami, Florida; the FBI’s Baltimore field office; United States Postal Inspection Service in Detroit; New York State Police; the Canton, Ohio, Butler Village, Ohio, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, Bloomfield Township, Michigan, Marlboro Township, New Jersey and Janesville, Wisconsin police departments; and the Walworth County, Wisconsin and Clarke County, Alabama sheriff’s offices. # # #


title: Defendant Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for the Murder of a Poughkeepsie Man During a Violent Drug-Related Robbery in Brighton Beach

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Marcus Ricketts was sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to 25 years in prison for causing death through use of a firearm. Ricketts pleaded guilty to the charge on April 4, 2024. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence. “My Office continues to work tirelessly to dismantle violent robbery crews that wreak havoc on communities throughout New York City, such as the one the defendant led,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s sentencing reaffirms that brazen and incorrigible violence will be severely punished. It also reconfirms our commitment to prosecuting defendants who are here illegally and commit violent acts to the fullest extent of the law.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the New York Field Office of the FBI. “For years, Marcus Ricketts led a violent robbery crew targeting victims across the city with firearms and threats of death, which was followed through on one occasion,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Despite a previous conviction and deportation, Ricketts continued to display little concern for the law with repeated attempts to unlawfully enrich himself and his cohorts. May today’s sentencing reflect the FBI’s steadfast commitment to crush violent crime and deter chronic recidivists from entering this country illegally determined to wreak criminal havoc in our communities. As set forth in the government’s sentencing memorandum, prior court filings, and statements during the sentencing, Ricketts led an armed robbery crew that targeted marijuana dealers throughout New York City. In addition to Ricketts, the crew included co-defendants Mark Goulbourne, Jonathan Goulbourne, Juvanie Crossgill, Chevonne Williams, Amari Webber, and Romeo Jonas. Between June 2020 and December 2021, after illegally returning to the United States following his deportation, Ricketts, a Jamaican citizen, perpetrated three armed robberies with the crew, one of which resulted in a shootout and a murder. Each time, the crew posed as marijuana dealers, arranged to meet the marijuana sellers for a purported purchase, and then robbed the dealers at gunpoint. In July 2020, Ricketts orchestrated the robbery of a victim selling marijuana from his store in the Bronx (Victim 1). Victim 1 was held at gunpoint while Ricketts stole approximately 40 pounds of marijuana. In October 2021, Ricketts orchestrated the robbery of a victim selling marijuana from his store in Staten Island (Victim 2). Victim 2 and his younger brother were ordered to the floor at gunpoint and threatened with death. The crew stole approximately 100 pounds of marijuana and Victim 2’s car. In December 2021, Ricketts and others orchestrated the robbery of a victim from Poughkeepsie (Victim 3) and his friend (Victim 4) who were selling marijuana. Ricketts and the crew met the victims at an Airbnb in Brighton Beach, posing as buyers for the approximately 165 pounds of marijuana brought into the Airbnb for the sale. While Ricketts, Mark Goulbourne, and others were inside the Airbnb with Victim 3 and Victim 4, a shootout erupted, killing Victim 3 and wounding Victim 4. Ricketts and Mark Goulbourne fled the Airbnb carrying guns, and Ricketts also carried a large duffle bag of marijuana. On a nearby street, Ricketts stole a Citi Bike from a passerby, which he attempted unsuccessfully to transport the marijuana. Ricketts was then picked up in Jonathan Goulbourne’s car, and they fled the scene. In the hours that followed, at Ricketts’s instruction, Crossgill returned to the scene several times to locate evidence the crew had left behind. Notably, this was not Ricketts’s first conviction for armed robbery. In August 2014, Ricketts organized a violent robbery of an individual in the Bronx, for which he was convicted and sentenced in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. On February 28, 2019, after serving his sentence, Ricketts was deported to Jamaica. By June 2020, he had illegally returned to the United States and was again orchestrating violent robberies in New York City. Previously, Webber and Jonas pled guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and conspiracy to commit the same and were sentenced to 108 months and 144 months’ imprisonment, respectively. Jonathan Goulbourne pled guilty to obstruction of justice and was sentenced to 81 months’ imprisonment. Crossgill and Williams both pled guilty and await sentencing. Mark Goulbourne has pled not guilty and is scheduled to start trial on June 16, 2025. The charges against Mark Goulbourne are merely allegations and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Tara B. McGrath, Chand W. Edwards-Balfour, Rebecca M. Schuman, and Francisco J. Navarro are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : MARCUS RICKETTS Age: 48 Jamaica E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-106 (LDH)


title: Former Electrical Company General Manager Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Keolis Commuter Services

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The former general manager of a Massachusetts-based electrical company was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a false invoicing scheme that defrauded Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis) of over $4 million. John Rafferty, 72, of Hale’s Location, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Rafferty was also ordered to pay $4,016,087 in restitution and a $893,227.93 forfeiture money judgment. In June 2023, Rafferty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Rafferty was charged in April 2023 and his alleged co-conspirator, John P. Pigsley, was charged in a separate case. Keolis has operated the MBTA commuter rail system since 2014 under an annual contract of $291–$349 million. Rafferty was the general manager of LJ Electric, Inc., an electrical supply vendor to which Keolis paid over $17 million between 2014 through 2021. Between July 2014 and November 2021, Rafferty and Pigsley defrauded Keolis of over $4 million through a false LJ Electric invoicing scheme. Specifically, Rafferty spent more than $3 million on items for Pigsley and others – including: at least nine trucks; construction equipment including at least seven Bobcat machines; at least $1 million in home building supplies and services; and a $54,000 camper. Rafferty then recovered the cost of these items by submitting false and fraudulent LJ Electric invoices to Keolis, which also included a percentage profit that Rafferty kept for himself. In April 2025 , Pigsley was sentenced to 70 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $8,580,311 in restitution to Keolis and $2,689,206 to the Internal Revenue Service, forfeiture of three real properties and a $7,687,083.70 money judgment. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent in Charge, Northeastern Region, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit and Raquelle Kaye of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the cases.


title: Second Owner of Local Real Estate Investment Company Pleads Guilty for Role in Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—The owner of a local real estate investment company pleaded guilty today for his role in an $18 million fraud scheme, joining his business partner and co-owner of the company who pleaded guilty in March 2025. Robert D. Christensen, 55, of Sherwood, Oregon, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Previously, on March 11, 2025, Christensen’s partner and co-owner of the investment company, Anthony M. Matic, 55, of Damascus, Oregon, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to court documents, from approximately January 2019 through June 2023, Christensen and Matic devised and carried out a scheme wherein they convinced individual investors to fund the purchase and renovation of undervalued residential real estate properties. After renovating the properties, Christensen and Matic claimed they would rent the properties to generate income and then refinance them to extract their increased value from the renovations. The pair further misled investors into believing they would be repaid their full principal investment along with interest as high as eight to fifteen percent and a large lump sum payout, all within periods as short as 30 to 90 days. Christensen and Matic’s scheme failed to generate the promised returns almost immediately and they began using new investments to repay earlier investors to keep their business afloat. When they were unable to raise enough money from new investors, Christensen and Matic devised a separate scheme to defraud commercial lenders. By December 2020, the pair began submitting loan applications with false financial information to different commercial lenders and, based on their misrepresentations, received millions of dollars in loans. In total, Christensen and Matic’s two schemes defrauded individual investors out of more than $11 million and commercial lenders out of more than $7 million. Conspiracy to commit wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Money laundering in punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Both charges may also result in fines of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gains or losses resulting from the offense. Christensen and Matic will both be sentenced on October 14, 2025. This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Trisotto.


title: Sioux City Man Sent to Federal Prison for  Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A Sioux City man was sentenced May 15, 2025, to more than 7 years in federal prison. Uriah Jordan Buffalo Chief-Torrez, II, 36, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 21, 2025, guilty plea to receipt and possession of child pornography. At the sentencing hearing, evidence showed Buffalo Chief-Torrez was found to be in receipt of and possession of child pornography. In September and October 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children submitted to law enforcement six CyberTip reports from Synchronoss showed Buffalo Chief-Torrez uploaded approximately 56 files containing child sexual abuse material. In an interview with law enforcement, Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted individuals on several social media platforms had tried to show and sell him child pornography. Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted that individuals on Telegram would sell him “CP” for $65. Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted that he viewed 15 or 16 videos of child pornography. Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted he downloaded child pornography on nine separate occasions and had streamed child pornography on social media. Forensic analysis of defendant’s phone showed he possessed 24 images and 56 videos of child pornography. The images and videos contained material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or the sexual abuse and exploitation of infants and toddlers. Buffalo Chief-Torrez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Buffalo Chief-Torrez was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay $4,200 in restitution and assessments. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Buffalo Chief-Torrez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-4029.


title: Thirty Gang Members and Associates Indicted on Racketeering, Murder, Drug Trafficking, Fraud, and Firearm Charges

body_text: An eight-count indictment was unsealed in the Southern District of Georgia charging 30 defendants – all alleged Sex Money Murder (SMM) gang members and associates – with crimes including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and related firearm and drug trafficking crimes. According to court documents and statements in court, SMM members and associates engaged in extreme violence to retaliate against fellow members for perceived violations of gang rules. For example, SMM members killed one member who wanted to leave the gang and attempted to kill another by repeatedly stabbing him for alleged homosexual activities while in jail. SMM members profited from trafficking large amounts of deadly drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, throughout the Savannah metropolitan area. They also made money participating in sophisticated fraud schemes targeting federal COVID-19 relief and unemployment benefit programs that resulted in intended losses of over $850,000. “As alleged, the Sex Money Murder gang, a derivative of the nationally known Bloods gang, brutally enforced its purported rules, killing a 18-year-old member, and engaged in rampant drug trafficking and federal program fraud to enrich themselves,” said Matthew Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will not rest until every criminal organization like SMM that wreaks havoc on our streets and prison systems and exploits programs meant to support vulnerable populations are dismantled. Thank you to every federal, state, and local law enforcement agency that came together to dismantle this criminal enterprise.” “Today’s indictment is an important step in ending gang violence on our streets and in our prisons,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons for the Southern District of Georgia. “My office will continuously work with our law enforcement partners to ensure public safety.” “The violence and crime this gang committed across our region contributed to an epidemic in our nation.” said Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office. “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families who suffer because of this gangs’ activities. The FBI works with our law enforcement partners every day to crush violent crime in Georgia and our nation.” “This case demonstrates the relentless coordination and commitment among our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent criminal enterprises like Sex Money Murder,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). “ATF is proud to have played a critical role in targeting the illegal firearms and narcotics trafficking that fueled this gang’s deadly reach both inside and outside prison walls.” “This indictment represents a significant step forward in our continued efforts to dismantle violent criminal enterprises operating within Georgia communities and correctional facilities,” said Director Chris Hosey of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). “The GBI remains committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to hold gang members accountable and protect the safety and wellbeing of all Georgians.” “The use of contraband cell phones as a tool to carry out gang activity and other crimes from behind prison walls will not be tolerated and we are proud of our Agents for their role in assisting our law enforcement partners in stopping these individuals from jeopardizing the safety of the public and the operations of our facilities,” said Commissioner Tyrone Oliver of the Georgia Department of Corrections. “This indictment is a great example of partnerships at every level, ensuring the job of public safety remains paramount.” According to court documents, on Feb. 24, 2020, Byron Hopkins and other SMM members intercepted a young victim a few hours after he stepped off his school bus. They drove him to a rural residential neighborhood where Hopkins shot him to death. The victim had reportedly expressed a desire to leave the gang after accusing Hopkins of having sexual relations with a minor female who became pregnant. To lure the victim, his, “big brother” in the gang – a person he trusted – sent him a text message claiming there was an important gang meeting he needed to attend. Believing this, the victim willingly got into the vehicle, unaware he was being taken to the site of his execution. This is just one example of SMM’s deadly violence against a member that questioned authority or violated gang rules. According to court documents and statements made in court, SMM is a subset of The Bloods gang, which originated in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. The SMM subset has spread from the Bronx and New York to areas across the East Coast, including Georgia, where it operates inside and outside prisons and jails. The indictment alleges an extensive criminal enterprise in which SMM members, including inmates within the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDOC), orchestrated numerous crimes, including murders, attempted murders, attempted robberies, drug trafficking within and outside of GDOC facilities, and wire and bank fraud. Seven of the defendants allegedly committed or ordered the charged crimes from prison. If convicted, the defendants face penalties including up to life in prison or death for the murder in aid of racketeering and using a firearm in the commission of a murder; up to life in prison for the racketeering conspiracy and drug conspiracy; up to 30 years for the wire fraud conspiracy; and up to 20 years for the conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Georgia Department of Corrections are investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Georgia State Patrol, Hinesville Police Department, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Chatham County Police Department, Chatham Couty Counternarcotics Team, Savannah Police Department, McRae-Helena Police Department, Police Department, DeKalb Police Department, Brunswick Police Department, and Richmond Hill Police Department. Trial Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Pennington III for the Southern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case. The indictment is a result of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations. The OCDETF mission is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency task force approach. OCDETF synchronizes and incentivizes prosecutors and agents to lead smart, creative investigations targeting the command-and-control networks of organized criminal groups and the illicit financiers that support them. Additional information about the OCDETF Program may be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: United States Attorney’s Office Recognizes National Police Week

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont - In honor of National Police Week, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, county, and local law enforcement officers in Vermont. This year, the week is observed from Sunday, May 11 through Saturday, May 17, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher stated “The men and women of law enforcement regularly risks their lives to keep our communities safe. We invite all Vermonters to honor those with the courage to do such dangerous work for such an important purpose -- not only during National Police Week but every day.” In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Based on data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 148 law enforcement officers died in the line-of-duty in 2024. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty and the U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages Vermonters and citizens across the country to remember and honor those who gave their lives so the rest of us can live safely. As stated on the NLEOMF’s website, the names of all officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C. and read aloud during the annual Candlelight Vigil that was held on the National Mall, in Washington, D.C on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website . ## Reference to any specific organization or service(s) offered by an organization is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Department of Justice.


title: Story City Man Conspiring to Distribute Meth and Fentanyl  Pleads Guilty in Federal Court

body_text: A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl pled guilty May 8, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City. William Clark, Jr., 40, from Story City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. At the plea hearing, Clark, Jr. admitted that from January 2024 through April 27, 2024, he and others conspired to distribute at least ½ pound of methamphetamine and more than 1700 pills of fentanyl. On April 21, 2024, Clark, Jr., along with two others were headed to Colorado to pick up more methamphetamine and to sell fentanyl pills. They attempted to elude law enforcement in a high-speed vehicle chase. Clark, Jr. also made a “false” 911 call to law enforcement in an attempt to assist his attempted eluding and avoid their capture with evidence of drug trafficking. Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Clark, Jr. remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Clark, Jr. faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Ida and Sac County Sheriff’s Offices, the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Iowa DCI Laboratory Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4042. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for Defrauding United States Department of Veterans Affairs and Social Security Administration

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt , Maryland – Marvin Deboulet, 51, of Catonsville, Maryland, pled guilty to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain Veterans Affairs and Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits in federal court. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Special Agent in Charge Nate Landkrammer, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of the Inspector General (VA-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Colleen Lawlor, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) – Philadelphia Field Division. According to the guilty plea, Deboulet enlisted in the U.S. Army in February 2010, and officially entered duty for basic training, on May 5, 2010. Then on December 2, 2010, Deboulet went absent without official leave of duty (AWOL) from military service. On June 6, 2011, Deboulet was charged by summary court martial with a period of desertion ending on March 22, 2011. The U.S. Army formally discharged Deboulet “under conditions other than honorable” on November 18, 2011. Prior to and after 2010, Deboulet never served in any branch of the U.S. military. In June 2012, Deboulet sought care from a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center in Loma Linda, California. On his application for treatment, Deboulet indicated that he was discharged honorably and checked a box stating that he was a purple heart recipient. Additionally, Deboulet submitted documents falsely claiming that he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and suffered combat-related mental and physical injuries during military service from 2003 and 2005. Deboulet also falsely stated that he was the sole survivor of a Humvee bombing in Kosovo. As a result of Deboulet’s misrepresentations, the VA provided Deboulet with medical care and associated costs that he was not entitled to. Then, in October 2014, Deboulet sought SSA benefits in Hagerstown, Maryland. Deboulet again provided false information, specifically that he served in the U.S. Marine Corps from February 26, 1994, until November 23, 2005. Based on its rules as of June 2012, the SSA determined Deboulet was disabled based on information he provided, and a pending claim that he referenced with a VA medical facility. As a result of its findings, the SSA awarded Deboulet and his son benefits. Deboulet fraudulently received $143,128.27 in benefit funds that he was not entitled to. Deboulet faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for wire fraud. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the VA-OIG and SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who is prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: California man appears on drug charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BILLINGS – A California man accused of possessing methamphetamine and cocaine appeared today for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant, Heriberto Eddie Garcia, 45, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, Garcia faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of life, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Tim Cavan presided. Garcia was released pending further proceedings. Count one of the indictment alleges that in May 2023 and continuing until January 2024, Garcia knowing and unlawfully conspired with others to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Count two of the indictment charges that on January 22, 2024, Garcia knowingly and unlawfully possessed, with the intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The DEA, Montana Highway Patrol and Laurel Police Department conducted the investigation. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). PACER case reference. 25-16. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl .


title: Texas, Virginia, And Florida Residents Charged In Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Esequiel Maldonado (46, Texas), Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. (46, Fort Myers), Ron Ramirez, Jr. (23, Texas), and Schuyler Jordan Thompson (31, Virginia) with conspiracy, distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, and use of communication facilities in the commission of drug trafficking crimes. If convicted on all counts,Esequiel Maldonado and Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr., because of their prior convictions for serious drug felonies, face a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Ramirez and Thompson each face a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 44 years, in federal prison. According to court documents, each of the charged individuals played a distinct and critical role in the conspiracy. Esequiel Maldonado was the Texas-based leader of the drug trafficking organization (DTO). He authorized sales of kilogram-quantities of cocaine, served as the DTO’s broker, and set cocaine prices. Ramirez handled logistics and communications. On behalf of Esequiel Maldonado, Ramirez recruited and paid a courier, Thompson. Ramirez arranged for Thompson to fly to Florida and get cocaine supplied by (according to Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr.) Los Chapitos, known to law enforcement as a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, and to deliver it to Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. The cocaine was then distributed by Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. in the Middle District of Florida. Martin DeJesus Maldonado, Jr. also arranged for drug proceeds to be paid back to Esequiel Maldonado. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: India-based Amazon scam leads to almost a $1 million dollar loss for elderly victim in Missoula

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MISSOULA – A man originally from India accused of stealing almost $1 million from the elderly appeared in federal court on charges on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Zabi Ullah Mohammed, 29, had an initial appearance on a complaint charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and impersonating a federal agent. If convicted, Mohammed faces a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Mohammed was detained pending further proceedings. The government alleged in the criminal complaint that in April 2025 Mohammed and others called an elderly victim in Missoula, Montana, posing as an Amazon representative and inquiring whether the victim purchased computer equipment. When the victim said she did not purchase any equipment, the Amazon representative claimed the victim’s identity was stolen and transferred the victim to the “Social Security Department” and the “U.S. Marshal.” The “U.S. Marshal” said the money from the victim’s bank accounts needed to be “legalized,” and an agent showed up on multiple occasions to pick up cash and gold from the victim’s residence. Law enforcement caught Mohammed when he returned to the victim’s house a final time. After searching Mohammed’s vehicle, law enforcement found airline tickets, car rental documents, and a bag containing approximately $68,987 in cash. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon is prosecuting the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. A complaint is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. PACER case reference. 25-40. The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html . To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl


title: Tennessee man sentenced to 5 years of probation for selling unapproved drugs

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA – A Greenville, Tennessee man who admitted selling unapproved drugs made from ingredients purchased from China was sentenced today to five years of probation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Tyler Jordan Hall, 31, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to introduction of unapproved drugs in interstate commerce. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. “Tyler Hall manufactured unapproved drugs in an unregulated lab using ingredients he bought from China. And he sold those drugs to unwitting customers based on his false claims that the products were approved by the FDA. That behavior, which can result in serious health problems for users, will not be tolerated. I want to thank the FDA for investigating and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Clarke for prosecuting the matter as we continue to strive to protect Montanans and other Americans from this kind of deceitful and dangerous conduct.” U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. “Illegally manufacturing and selling unapproved drugs outside the legitimate U.S. supply chain can present serious health risks to those who buy and use them,” said Robert Iwanicki, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “Furthermore, knowingly misleading customers and the FDA by making false claims about the nature and legitimacy of the products shows a reckless disregard for FDA regulations and for the lives and well-being of consumers. FDA will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who would disregard and jeopardize public health and safety by selling misbranded drugs.” The government alleged in court documents that from June 17, 2020, through March 2022, Tyler Hall operated a business known as Rat’s Army, LLC, which imported, created, bottled, and labeled drugs. Hall marketed the substances to individuals in the bodybuilding and fitness community to increase muscle mass, reduce body fat, and counter the unwanted side effects of other bodybuilding drugs. Many of the substances were not safe for human consumption except under the supervision of a practitioner licensed to administer prescription drugs. Some drugs were of similar composition to FDA-approved drugs that require special boxed warnings in their labeling emphasizing serious potential side effects, including pulmonary embolism. During the timeframe noted above, Hall obtained proceeds from Rat’s Army of approximately $3.8 million. The income was generated, at least in part, from the sale of unapproved drugs, including Raloxifene, Tamoxifen, and Pramipexole. Hall knowingly took steps to mislead and defraud United States regulatory agencies, including the FDA, about the true nature of the products he was selling on the Rat’s Army website. Specifically, he attempted to conceal the nature of his products by falsely portraying them as “research chemicals” and “not for human consumption,” despite knowing and intending that the products were for ingestion by humans to affect the structure and function of their bodies. Hall also took steps to mislead and defraud the consumers to whom he was offering the sale of these drugs by posting misleading Certificates of Analysis on the website to convince consumers Rat’s Army was manufacturing products which were legitimate and safe to consume. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Clarke prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation.


title: Anaconda man sentenced to  1.5 years in prison for illegally possessing firearm

body_text: MISSOULA – An Anaconda man who admitted to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm was sentenced today to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Keegan Allan Strelnik, 42, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The government alleged in court documents that on September 26, 2019, Strelnik was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in federal court in Montana. Strelnik was sentenced to 41 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release. That federal drug conviction prohibited Strelnik from possessing firearms or ammunition. On November 24, 2023, Strelnik went hunting in Granite County, Montana. He was captured on a game camera in possession of a hunting rifle. Strelnik attempted to remove the camera’s memory card. A witness later submitted a written statement that during the hunting expedition, Strelnik possessed the rifle, including using the rifle to fire at an elk. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF, U.S. Probation Office, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Two Men Sentenced for Real Estate and Tax Fraud

component: Tax Division

body_text: Two men were sentenced to prison today for a wire and tax fraud scheme to obtain title to a $1.3 million home in Roanoke County, Virginia. Herman Estes Jr. of Fieldale Virginia was sentenced to 84 months in prison; his co-conspirator Daniel Heggins of Charlotte, North Carolina was sentenced to 24 months in prison. The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Herman Estes filed a false amended income tax return for 2021 claiming he was entitled to a refund of $18.3 million. In March 2023, Estes made a $1.3 million cash offer for a property on Old Mill Plantation Road in Roanoke County. To legitimize this offer, Estes provided the parties to the transaction with a proof of funds letter that Estes created using an online form. Estes also provided the real estate agent with Heggins’ contact information and claimed Heggins was his trust manager with authority to approve the cash offer. When the real estate agent contacted Heggins, Heggins purported to approve Estes’s use of his trust funds to purchase the house. As payment for the property, Estes tendered a fraudulent cashier’s check in the amount of $1,307,199.43 signed by him and purportedly drawn off a Federal Reserve Bank. Funds in that amount were debited to the settlement company’s trust account before the check was flagged as fraudulent. In March 2023, Estes filed another false tax return claiming he was entitled to a $2.9 million refund. In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth K. Dillon for the Western District of Virginia ordered Estes to serve three years of supervised release and Heggins to serve three years of supervised release. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Brett for the Western District of Virginia prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Johnson for the Western District of Virginia assisted in the investigation and prosecution.


title: District Man Indicted for Felony Assault on a Senior Citizen at Navy Yard Metro Station Prior to Nationals Game

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Te’Vaughn Brown, 20, of the District, was indicted yesterday by a grand jury in the Superior Court for assault with significant bodily injury on a senior citizen, a felony charge, in connection with an unprovoked attack on an elderly man last summer at Navy Yard Metro Station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. View indictment here. The case is currently scheduled for a jury trial to begin on July 14, 2025. Brown is also currently pending trial in a separate case in Superior Court where he is facing misdemeanor charges for simple assault and theft. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:30 p.m., on Aug. 9, the victim exited a train at the station and encountered Brown sitting on the stairs leading from the platform to the mezzanine level. The victim attempted to maneuver around the defendant to ascend the stairs when he suddenly felt Brown grab his leg. The defendant proceeded to repeatedly punch the victim in his head and face before fleeing the scene. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for multiple injuries, including a fractured nasal bone, a broken tooth, a contusion on his scalp, and a laceration in the inside of his mouth that required twenty stitches. Brown will be arraigned on the felony charge before the Honorable Judge Jennifer Di Toro. If found guilty, the defendant faces a potential enhanced penalty for a crime of violence against a victim who was 65 years of age or older at the time of the offense. The enhancement allows for a punishment of a fine of up to 1 1/2 times the maximum fine otherwise authorized for the offense and a term of imprisonment of up to 1 1/2 times the maximum term otherwise authorized for the offense, or both. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Lieberman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Honduran National Sentenced To Six Years For Illegally Reentering The United States

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Angel Antonio Trochez-Cruz (39) to six years in federal prison for illegal reentry by an aggravated felon. Trochez-Cruz pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025. According to court records, Trochez-Cruz is a native and citizen of Honduras. He was initially removed from the United States on August 8, 2014, following his release from a state prison sentence for robbery. Trochez-Cruz subsequently reentered the United States. On December 21, 2023, federal immigration authorities encountered Trochez-Cruz after he had been arrested on state charges. The case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.


title: Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ronald Robinson, 55, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 15, 2024, Robinson sold a quantity of a substance containing methamphetamine to a confidential informant. As part of his plea agreement, Robinson admitted to the transaction and further admitted to selling a substance containing methamphetamine on two other occasions in October 2024. Each transaction occurred in Parkersburg. On October 16, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a motel room where Robinson was staying and seized approximately 40.307 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine and approximately 7.368 grams of a substance containing a mixture of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Officers also seized $501 including recorded currency from the controlled buys. Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. At the time of this offense, Robinson was serving terms of supervised release as a result of his convictions on July 12, 2004, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, in the form known as crack, and on March 28, 2017, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, both in United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force, the Police Department, and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer D. Gordon and Francesca C. Rollo have prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-11. ###


title: Inmate Sentenced to 20 Years' Imprisonment for Attempted Kidnapping of Family Member of Retired Law Enforcement Officer

component: USAO - Arkansas, Eastern

body_text: LITTLE ROCK—Houston Gregory, a convicted murderer with a violent criminal history, was sentenced to twenty years’ imprisonment to run consecutive for his role in the attempted kidnapping of a retired law enforcement officer’s family member. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr. A federal grand jury indicted Gregory, 49, who is from North Little Rock but currently imprisoned and serving a sentence of life imprisonment for murder in Florida, in a one count indictment on April 5, 2023. Gregory was charged with attempted kidnapping. On January 28, 2025, Gregory pled no contest to the charge in the indictment. In November 2022, law enforcement learned that Gregory was attempting to solicit the kidnapping of the family member of a retired detective who assisted in Gregory’s prosecution and conviction for capital murder, aggravated robbery, and theft in Arkansas. Gregory is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for those convictions and has a prior conviction for possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. He is serving his life sentence in Florida after he helped fellow Arkansas Department of Correction inmates plan an escape. Throughout December 2022 and early January 2023, Gregory communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) via contraband cell phone and/or tablet from a Florida prison. Gregory solicited the assistance of the UC in the kidnapping of the detective’s family member with the proposed plan to hold the family member hostage until the detective provided a false affidavit stating that the detective lied in his testimony against Gregory. Gregory instructed the UC to be prepared to hold the family member hostage for up to 30 days. Gregory provided personal information about the family member to the UC and offered the UC money for the UC’s participation. On January 6, 2023, Gregory sent the UC a photo of a piece of paper with Gregory’s demands and threats written on it, which were to be conveyed to the retired detective. In addition to the twenty-year federal sentence, Judge Moody also sentenced defendant to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the ATF. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR


title: Nashville Man on Probation Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm After Allegedly Shooting at Police

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

body_text: NASHVILLE – Emmanuel Orr, 18, of Nashville, has been charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We will not stand for violence against our citizens or our men and women in law enforcement,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “Those convicted of violent offenses, and especially those on probation for such offenses, cannot possess firearms and put citizens and our police officers at risk. Our Operation Bond Watch program seeks to hold those who do accountable for their actions.” According to court documents, on April 30, 2025, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (“MNPD”) officers responded to a report of a shooting in Nashville. They discovered a victim who had been shot in the leg. The victim reported being shot by a man who was approximately 19 years old, had short black dreads, and was wearing a tan jacket and black jogging pants. The victim also reported that the shooter had pulled out a pistol, possibly a Ruger, and showed it to the victim. Shortly after suspect’s description was broadcast to other officers, an officer observed a young male with a shirt draped over his shoulder, wearing black pants, and having short black dreads walking west on Westchester near Dickerson Pike. The officer gave the suspect commands to show his hands and stop, but the man kept walking away and did not respond. The man then abruptly turned towards the marked police cruiser, raised a pistol with both hands, and fired two shots at officers before fleeing on foot, dropping the firearm as he ran away. The suspect fled into a nearby restaurant and hid in the bathroom, where he was subsequently taken into custody by officers without incident. The man identified himself as Orr, and after being advised of his rights, admitted to firing the firearm at the MNPD officer, but he refused to discuss the shooting victim. The victim later positively identified Orr from a photo lineup as the shooter. A Ruger model LC9S 9mm pistol was recovered from the area where Orr was seen dropping a firearm after shooting. MNPD also recovered a spent 9mm shell casing and an intact 9mm round in the area where the victim reported being shot. Just over ninety days ago, on February 6, 2025, Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk records show that Orr was convicted of Reckless Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and received a two-year sentence that was suspended to probation. If convicted, Orr faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Hinkle is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # # #


title: Additional 12 Defendants Charged in RICO Conspiracy for over $263 Million Cryptocurrency Thefts, Money Laundering, Home Break-Ins

body_text: WASHINGTON – A four-count superseding indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, charges 12 additional people – Americans and foreign nationals – for allegedly participating in a cyber-enabled racketeering conspiracy throughout the United States and abroad that netted them more than $263 million. Several were arrested this week in California, while two remain abroad and are believed to be living in Dubai. The superseding indictment and the arrests were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Washington, D.C. Field Office. The defendants, listed below, face charges that include RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and obstruction of justice. The superseding indictment adds charges originally brought against Malone Lam on Sept. 19, 2024 . According to the superseding indictment, the enterprise began no later than October 2023 and continued through March 2025. It grew from friendships developed on online gaming platforms. Members of the enterprise held different responsibilities. The various roles included database hackers, organizers, target identifiers, callers, money launderers, and residential burglars targeting hardware virtual currency wallets. Database hackers hacked websites and servers to obtain cryptocurrency-related databases or purchased databases on the darkweb. Organizers and target identifiers organized and collated information across the databases to determine the most valuable targets. Callers cold-called victims and used social engineering to convince them their accounts were the subject of cyberattacks and the enterprise callers were attempting to help secure their accounts. Money launderers received the stolen crypto currency and turned it into fiat U.S. currency in the form of bulk cash or wire transfers. According to the indictment, members and associates of the enterprise used the stolen virtual currency to purchase, among other things, nightclub services ranging up to $500,000 per evening, luxury handbags valued in the tens of thousands of dollars that were given away at nightclub parties, luxury watches valued between $100,000 and $500,000, luxury clothing valued in the tens of thousands of dollars, rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons, and Miami, private jet rentals, a team of private security guards, and a fleet of at least 28 exotic cars ranging in value from $100,000 to $3.8 million. According to the indictment, members of the enterprise laundered stolen cryptocurrency proceeds by moving the funds through various mixers and exchanges using “peel chains,” pass-through wallets, and virtual private networks to mask their true identities. The indictment alleges that in one instance on Aug. 18, 2024, Malone Lam and contacted a victim in D.C. and, through the communications with that victim, fraudulently obtained over 4,100 Bitcoin -- worth over $230 million at the time. In another instance in July 2024, Malone Lam and others are accused of stealing over $14 million in cryptocurrency from an additional victim. The indictment alleges that members of the enterprise also committed home break-ins. As alleged in the Indictment, Marlon Ferro traveled to New Mexico in July 2024 and broke into a victim’s home to steal their hardware virtual currency wallet while Lam monitored the victim’s location by logging into his iCloud account. The superseding indictment also alleges that the enterprise engaged in significant money laundering activity. Kunal Mehta, Hamza Doost, Joel Cortez, and Evan Tangeman are alleged to have engaged in unlicensed crypto-to-cash services for the enterprise, obtained luxury rental homes for members of the enterprise using fake identity documents, booked private jet travel with stolen cryptocurrency for the enterprise, concealed ownership of exotic cars by registering them in shell company names, and shipped bulk cash through US mail to members of the enterprise hidden in squishmallow stuffed animals. Following his arrest in September 2024 and continuing while in pretrial detention, Lam is alleged to have continued working with members of the enterprise to pass and receive directions, collect stolen cryptocurrency, and to have enterprise members buy luxury Hermes Birkin bags and hand deliver them to his girlfriend in Miami, Florida. This ongoing investigation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office. Significant investigative and operational support was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles and Miami field offices. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Rosenberg, Acting Deputy Chief of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. If found guilty, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Defendants NAME, AGE, & ALLEGED ROLE AKAs HOMETOWN CHARGES Malone Lam, 20, Social Engineering, Organizer “King Greavys,” “$$$,” “7,” “Kg,” “Anne Hathaway” Miami, Florida, Los Angeles, Calif., Singapore RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments Marlon Ferro, 19, Money Laundering, Residential Burglary “Marlo,” “GothFerrari” Santa Ana, California RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments Hamza Doost, 21, Money Laundering “Scyllia” Hayward, California RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments Conor Flansburg, 21, Database Hacker, Caller, and Organizer “O O,” “Green Room,” “@d0uu0b” Newport Beach, California RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Kunal Mehta, 45, Money Laundering “Papa,” “The Accountant,” “Shrek,” “Neil” Irvine, California RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments Ethan Yarally, 18, Caller “Rand,” “15%” Richmond Hill, New York RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Cody Demirtas, 19, Caller “KO,” “Kody” Stuart, Florida RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Aakash Anand, 22, Caller, Money Laundering “Light,” “Dark” N/A RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments Evan Tangeman, 21, Money Laundering “E,” “Tate,” “Evan | Exchanger” Newport Beach, California RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments Joel Cortes, 21, Money Laundering “J” Laguna Niguel, California RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments First Name Unknown-1 , Last Name Unknown-1, Database Hacker “Chen,” “Squiggly” Unknown RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments First Name Unknown-2 , Last Name Unknown-2, Database Hacker “Danny” “Meech” Unknown RICO Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments John Tucker Desmond, 19, Destroyed Evidence - Huntington Beach, California Obstruction of Justice 24cr417


title: Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, Steven Lee, 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking in federal court. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). According to the guilty plea, on April 17, 2024, Lee and co-conspirator Cedrick Brinkley agreed to sell firearms to an ATF undercover agent. The undercover agent explained that the purpose of buying the firearms was to resell to an individual in New Jersey. Additionally, on April 17, law enforcement observed Brinkley and Lee sitting in a vehicle at the location where they planned to meet the undercover agent. Brinkley exited his vehicle, met with the undercover agent, and exchanged five 9-millimeter pistols for $6,100. On April 24, 2024, Brinkley and Lee arranged to sell additional firearms to the undercover agent. Prior to the transaction, law enforcement observed Brinkley and Lee meeting in a public parking lot. Brinkley retrieved a black bag from Lee’s vehicle, re-entered his vehicle, and then drove to the meeting location. Lee did not physically attend the meeting with the undercover agent. At the meeting with the undercover agent, Brinkley brought the black bag, removed five firearms from the bag, and handed them to the undercover agent. The undercover agent wanted to negotiate a better price, so Brinkley called Lee on speakerphone to discuss prices with the agent directly. During the call, Lee described the firearms in detail, including one of the firearms that had a machinegun conversion device affixed to it. The undercover agent reiterated to Brinkley and Lee that the purpose of buying the firearms was to resell them for profit. Then the undercover agent paid Brinkley $7,800 for five firearms, which included pistols of various calibers; one of which had a machinegun conversion device attached to it. In total, the coconspirators sold 10 firearms to the undercover agent; three of them were previously reported stolen. On July 2, 2024, authorities executed a search warrant for Lee’s Baltimore residence. During the search, law enforcement recovered a Taurus PT709 pistol loaded with six rounds of ammunition from Lee’s bedside table. Law enforcement also recovered additional ammunition from Lee’s residence and vehicle. Due to a previous felony conviction, Lee is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Lee faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, at 10 a.m. Brinkley’s trial date is pending. 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. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James O’Donohue who is prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach .


title: Two Foreign Nationals Arrested in Vermont Border-Crossing Event

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 13, 2025, Emmanuel Pierre Andre Irene, 26, and Erika Brezault, 23, citizens of Haiti, were arrested by the United States Border Patrol in the town of Troy, Vermont. Both were charged by criminal complaints—Irene with illegally entering the United States as an alien, and Brezault with transporting Irene in furtherance of his illegal entry. Irene and Brezault both appeared on May 14, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Brezault be released on conditions of pretrial supervision pending further proceedings. Judge Doyle accepted Irene’s plea of guilty to illegal entry and sentenced Irene to a time-served sentence. According to court records, around 1:00 am on May 13, 2025, one individual was observed walking south in Canada on a road that reaches the United States border; later, at approximately 3:30 am, one individual was observed walking south in the United States in an area close to that Canadian road, approximately a half-mile south of the international border. U.S. Border Patrol agents and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents responded to the scene to search for the suspected illegal entrant in the area of Mud Creek, approximately two miles east of the village of North Troy, Vermont. At approximately 9:23 am, an HSI agent made contact with a Massachusetts-plated vehicle that had been pulled over to the side of Bear Mountain Road, and he spoke with the two occupants. The driver was later identified as Brezault, and the passenger was later identified as Irene. They told the agent they were from Haiti and were now living in Worchester, Massachusetts. A uniformed Border Patrol agent joined the HSI agent, and they spoke with Brezault and Irene, who both claimed to have Temporary Protected Status in the United States. After an agent pointed out Irene’s wet, muddy clothing and informing them of the camera images of the male subject approaching and then being south of the international border, Irene admitted to entering the United States from Canada by walking through the woods. Brezault also admitted to picking up Irene after he crossed into the United States. Both defendants were detained and later charged with the respective offenses. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Brezault is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Brezault faces up to five years’ imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Lasher. Brezault is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon, and Irene was represented by Karen Shingler, Esq. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Missouri Woman Admits International Embezzlement that Cost Employer $3.8 Million

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A Missouri woman on Thursday admitted embezzling at least $3.8 million from her employer with the help of co-conspirators in China. Bridget Thebeau, 45, of St. Charles County, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to five counts of wire fraud. She admitted embezzling from her employer from roughly January 2015 to March 2024 via more than 200 fraudulent purchase orders. Thebeau struck a deal with some of her employer’s suppliers in China in which she caused the company to pay the suppliers for products that the company did not need and never received. In exchange, Thebeau’s co-conspirators in China shared the proceeds of the scam with her. Thebeau tried to hide her crime with fraudulent shipping labels and fraudulent bills of lading issued by the China-based suppliers, fraudulent invoices that she created and claimed she had issued to the company’s customers and false information she supplied to the company’s owner and accountants. Ultimately, Thebeau triggered fraudulent payments of at least $3,821,152 to the company’s China-based suppliers, and in return her co-conspirators wired her more than $2 million. Thebeau was hired in 2002 by the family-owned company. Her crime resulted in substantial financial hardship to the company’s owner, who is no longer able to retire due to her embezzlement, the plea agreement says. Thebeau is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 11, 2025. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine. The U.S. Secret Service and the Chesterfield Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.


title: St. Louis County Man Admits Seeking Nude Pictures from Children Online

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Thursday admitted soliciting nude images of children that he’d approached online, and receiving images of one 12-year-old victim. Alsaphone Hunt, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of distribution of child pornography. Hunt initiated communications with an 8-year-old girl in Maryland via Facebook Messenger in February of 2021. After an initial exchange of messages, the girl’s mother took over the phone. Hunt asked if the girl wanted to “see something that you like to see on a boy.” He asked to see her genitals, and then sent a photo of his. The mother stopped responding and contacted local police after Hunt sent images containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Police officers identified Hunt and forwarded their findings to the St. Louis County Police Department. On March 1, 2021, a St. Louis County Police Department detective pretending to be a 10-year-old girl “friended” Hunt on Facebook. Hunt then contacted the detective via Facebook Messenger. Hunt became increasingly sexually explicit and sent CSAM and photos of male genitals. On March 5, 2021, police arrested Hunt at the fast-food restaurant where he worked. He admitted sending CSAM and a picture of his genitals and allowed investigators to search the phone he’d been using to communicate with the 8-year-old and the detective. A search of the phone revealed the presence of 65 video files and 165 image files containing CSAM as well as 55 image files containing child erotica. Investigators also learned that Hunt had coerced or enticed a 12-year-old into sending him CSAM that she produced. Hunt is scheduled to be sentenced on August 21. Both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Hunt’s lawyers have agreed to recommend 15 years in prison. The St. Louis County Police Department, the Montgomery County (Maryland) Department of Police, the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes 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 Department of Justice 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Oakhurst Man Charged with Stalking Fresno Woman

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Preston Nelson-Kestner, 21, of Oakhurst, charging him with stalking, distribution and possession of images of child sexual exploitation, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, between October 2023, and Feb. 13, 2024, Nelson-Kestner used social media applications including OnlyFans, Instagram, and TikTok to engage in a course of conduct that caused, attempted to cause, and would be reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress to an adult victim in Fresno. Nelson-Kestner used the social media apps to send threatening messages to the victim and sent videos and images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department with assistance from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Nelson-Kestner faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for stalking, a minimum of five years in prison up to 20 years in prison for distribution and a 10-year maximum sentence for possession of images of child sexual exploitation. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Laotian National Arrested for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted Felon and Possessing a Firearm as an Illegal Alien

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A convicted felon from Laos was arrested this morning for the unlawful possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Vongpasith Khamvongsa, 45, a Laotian national unlawfully residing in Somersworth, was indicted on charges of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He appeared in federal court today. The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. 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. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Somersworth Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Tulsa Resident Pleads Guilty To Theft In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tommy Allen Winkler, age 37, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Theft in Indian Country. The Information alleged that on November 16, 2022, and continuing until June 14, 2024, Winkler took and carried away, with intent to steal and purloin, money and personal property of three victims with a value exceeding $1,000.00. The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, 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. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Winkler was released on bond pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.


title: Agua Prieta Man Charged with Attempting to Smuggle Over 6,000 Rounds of Ammunition into Mexico

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Jose Herrera Daniel, 56, a man residing in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint on May 14, 2025, for attempting to illegally export ammunition from the United States into Mexico. The complaint alleges that Daniel attempted to smuggle 6,399 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition through the port of entry in Douglas, Arizona on May 13, 2025. During a search of Daniel’s vehicle at the port, a United States Customs and Border Protection K-9 officer, who was trained to detect weapons, ammunition, and currency, alerted to the vehicle. Officers then sent Daniel’s vehicle through a scan that revealed anomalies in the driver and passenger side rocker panels. In a subsequent physical search, officers found thousands of rounds of ammunition in plastic bags hidden in the vehicle. A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-9008-JEM RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-077_Daniel # # # 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.