title: Serial Armed Robber Sentenced to 49 Years in Federal Prison for 7 Midlands Armed Robberies

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Deveon Antonio Belk, 37, of Irmo, was sentenced to 49 years in prison after being convicted for a 2020 string of Midlands armed robberies. Belk was convicted following a multi-day trial in November of 2023. He was found guilty on 15 counts: seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery, seven counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of felon in possession of firearm and ammunition. Evidence presented to the court showed that in November of 2020, Belk began a spree of armed robberies across Richland and Lexington counties. The targets included gas stations, fast food restaurants, and drug stores. Belk would enter the store and often pretend as if he were going to purchase an item. When the cashier would open the cash register to finish his transaction, instead of paying, Belk would brandish a firearm and demand money. Belk would use physical force, including pressing the end of a handgun into his victims, and he would force them into locked rooms at their businesses. He also cocked the firearm at several victims, held his finger on the trigger during one robbery, and some victims reported believing they were going to be shot. During trial, 14 of the 22 identified victims testified, including a 16-year-old cashier. Every robbery, as well as Belk’s approach to and flight from many of the crime scenes, was recorded on surveillance video. Numerous people who knew Belk, including Belk’s wife, testified at trial that it was Belk on video committing the robberies. His DNA was found on clothing left near four of the seven robberies, and on the firearm used in every robbery. The Government produced evidence that Belk was responsible for at least 13 armed robberies, and law enforcement believes Belk was responsible for more, according to what was presented in court. Belk has 13 prior criminal convictions, including strong armed robbery, in a case that involved the theft of a vehicle and money while armed with a firearm; multiple criminal domestic violence convictions, including one involving physical violence against a woman while she was holding a child; grand larceny; failure to stop for police; and drug possession. Belk was also prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of prior felony convictions. “Dozens of people at businesses across the Midlands waited in fear wondering if they would be the next target of Belk’s armed robbery spree,” said Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Thanks to the relentless work of multiple law enforcement agencies, he will spend almost 50 years in federal prison.” “Belk’s violent crimes profoundly impacted the safety of our communities and caused long-lasting fear for his victims,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “This outcome underscores the FBI’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and taking violent offenders of the street.” “This sentencing is the result of law enforcement collaboration that ensures Deveon Belk will face federal consequences and can no longer commit additional crimes,” said Columbia Police Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook. “The resolution of this case is the direct result of strong relationships between multiple law enforcement agencies and prosecutors. This convicted robber is off the streets because we shared information and worked together to investigate at multiple offenses,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Our community is safer thanks to a spirit cooperation at the local and federal level.” United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Belk to 589 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. He was also ordered to pay $2,723.63 in restitution. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and the Columbia Police Department, with critical assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels, Lamar J. Fyall and Ariyana N. Gore prosecuted the case. ###


title: Jury Convicts Snyder Man of Attempted Enticement

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: A 38-year-old Abilene man who attempted to meet a “kid” for sex at a local park was convicted at trial, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Jose Luis Espinoza, Jr., 38, was indicted in February. In May, he pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant, Jr, but withdrew the plea before the District Court accepted it, citing intimidation by counsel. Following a two-day trial, a jury deliberated for just 30 minutes before convicting Mr. Espinoza of attempted enticement of a minor. At trial, a Synder police officer testified that Mr. Espinoza was caught in an undercover online investigation. On Feb. 5, the officer created a social media profile posing as a 13-year-old girl named “Maddi.” Later that day, Mr. Espinoza reached out to Maddi’s profile and immediately began discussing sexual activity and requesting photographs. After receiving a photograph of what appeared to be a 13-year-old girl (but was in actuality an age-regressed photo of the officer), Mr. Espinoza asked Maddie how old she was. “I am almost 14,” she replied. Mr. Espinoza continued to send lewd and lascivious messages, asking Maddi about her body and her sexual history and detailing what he wanted to do to her. “You really are a kid, aren’t you,” he wrote. “I’m a horny old guy… guys get locked up for talking to girls like you.” Two days later, Mr. Espinoza instructed Maddi to meet him at a park near her house. Mr. Espinoza promised the child Skittles and whisky and said he would bring a towel, as Maddi would likely bleed following intercourse. “Idk if I wanna do it I am scared,” she said. Mr. Espinoza responded with a laughing emoji, then told her she was “so whiny” and needed to “relax.” Mr. Espinoza was arrested at a park in Snyder on Feb. 7. Inside his car, officers found Skittles, whiskey, condoms, a towel, and a 9mm Glock handgun. He now faces not less than ten years and up to life in federal prison. The Snyder Police Department conducted the investigation with the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Redd, Callie Woolam, and Jeffrey Haag prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix presided over the trial.


title: Lane County Man Who Negotiated Guns-for-Drugs Trade Sentenced to Federal Prison

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.—A Lane County, Oregon man who negotiated the trade of methamphetamine for 17 firearms was sentenced to federal prison today. Mark Villanueva, 38, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. According to court documents, in August 2020, special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) obtained information that Villanueva was actively involved in distributing illegal narcotics, primarily methamphetamine, in and around Lane County, Oregon, and illegally possessed firearms as a convicted felon. In October and November of 2020, Villanueva sold methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer on five separate occasions. During the fifth transaction, Villanueva began discussing his interest in buying or selling ammunition and firearms. In December 2020 and continuing into January 2021, Villanueva negotiated the trade of multiple firearms for a large quantity of methamphetamine with his Los Angeles-based source of supply. However, on January 11, 2021, before Villanueva could complete the transaction, he was arrested in Florence, Oregon on an outstanding state arrest warrant. Despite his arrest, the guns-for-drugs trade moved forward and was completed on January 13, 2021, the same day Villanueva was released from state custody. Following his release was custody, Villanueva confirmed that 17 firearms had been traded for three pounds of methamphetamine with his source of supply in Los Angeles. On January 13, 2021, Villanueva was charged by criminal complaint with distributing methamphetamine. Later, on May 20, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Villanueva and three associates, including his then-wife and Los Angeles-based source of supply, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On February 16, 2023, Villanueva pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. This case was investigated by ATF with assistance from Eugene Police Department. It was prosecuted by Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: July Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments Announced

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the July Federal Grand Jury 2023-B Indictments. The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence. Pedro Balderas-Martinez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Balderas-Martinez, 40, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Aug. 2008 at or near Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-234 Dakota Austin Clark. Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Production of Child Pornography (superseding). Clark, 23, of Grove and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with possessing visual images depicting the sexual abuse of children including children under 12 years old. Clark is also charged with coercing and enticing a minor child under 18 years old to produce an image depicting sexually explicit conduct. The FBI and Grove Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-179 Christian Douglas Cook. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 1, 4, and 7 through 10); Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country (Count 2); Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding in Indian Country (Misdemeanor) (Counts 3, 5, 6 and 11) (superseding). Cook, 24, transient and a citizen of Choctaw Nation, is charged with intentionally assaulting six different victims from May 2022 through Dec. 2023 with a dangerous weapon. He is further charged with intentionally assaulting a victim with intent to commit murder. Additionally, Cook is charged with beating or striking four more victims. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-005 Alejandro Martinez-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Martinez-Lopez, 42, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Dec. 2013 at or near Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-233 Abner Asael Rivas-Aristondo. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Fraudulent Immigration Documents; Aggravated Identity Theft. Rivas-Aristondo, 22, a Mexican national, is charged with knowingly being an alien and unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition. Further, Rivas-Aristondo knowingly possessed a counterfeit U.S. Permanent Resident Card and unlawfully used an identification belonging to someone else. Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-232 Wendell Charles Roberson. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Roberson, 51, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl with intent to distribute. Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-225 Patrick Nile Starkey. Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device; Use of an Explosive to Commit a Felony; Destruction of a Letter Box and Mail; Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Starkey, 57, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing an unregistered explosive device. He is further charged with knowingly using an explosive device on a mailbox and willfully destroying a mailbox. Additionally, Starkey is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Osage County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua M. Carmel is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-226


title: Georgia Man Found Guilty Of Attempting To Entice A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity And Interstate Travel With Intent To Engage In Illicit Sexual Conduct

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Dustin M. Hatcher, 39, of Sale City, Georgia, was found guilty by a federal jury of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The guilty verdict returned yesterday afternoon, at the conclusion of a day-and-a-half trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Between February 15-17, 2024, multiple local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies conducted a proactive joint undercover investigative operation aimed at identifying and locating adults who were interested in engaging in sexual activity with minors. During this operation, an undercover investigator posted an ad on a website advertising that he and his (fictitious) 14-year-old niece—who another undercover investigator was posing as—were available for a sex encounter. The undercover investigator received messages from Hatcher indicating that he was interested in meeting and having sex with the undercover investigator and the (fictitious) niece. Hatcher agreed to meet up at a gas station in Tallahassee, Florida, where he was arrested by members of the Leon County Sheriff's Office and Homeland Security Investigation. Sentencing is scheduled for October 4, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Mark E. Walker. Hatcher faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of life imprisonment, followed by a term of 5 years to life of supervised release. This conviction was the result of a joint undercover investigative operation conducted by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Orlando Woman Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Commit Wire Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Wendy Cudemo-Gamez (47, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Cudemo-Gamez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the plea agreement, Cudemo-Gamez owned and managed a construction company which she registered with the State of Florida in May 2021. This company purported to supply construction services and labor to work for construction site contractors. In order to comply with Florida law, Cudemo-Gamez’s company was required to secure and maintain adequate worker’s compensation insurance coverage. Providers of worker’s compensation insurance based the premiums they charged and the amount of coverage they provided on the number of employees a company had and the total annual payroll of those employees. Cudemo-Gamez’s company had agreements with contractors and subcontractors to use workers purported to be Cudemo-Gamez’s employees at construction sites, and these workers were often undocumented aliens who were actually working for and under the daily supervision and direction of the contractors. Cudemo-Gamez or others would then regularly receive “payroll checks” from contractors that were cashed at various financial institutions to pay Cudemo-Gamez’s purported “employees” and other related expenses. During the time period charged in the criminal information, Cudemo-Gamez falsely and fraudulently represented in insurance applications that her company had a very limited payroll and a very limited number of employees who worked on construction jobsites. Cudemo-Gamez also falsely and fraudulently sent wire communications to numerous contractors representing that her company’s employees had full worker’s compensation coverage. In reality, Cudemo-Gamez’s company received and cashed more than $7.8 million in checks from various construction contractors for these purported “employees.” These payroll figures far exceeded the very limited payroll figures that Cudemo-Gamez had reported to her worker’s compensation insurance company. As a result, these employees of Cudemo-Gamez’s company, in reality the employees of other entities, performed work on jobsites without adequate insurance coverage. In addition, the insurers lost premiums they would have charged had they been aware of the true number of workers their policies were thus being manipulated to cover. As a result of these misrepresentations, Cudemo-Gamez’s company also disclaimed responsibility for ensuring that jobsite workers were legally authorized to work in the United States and that required state and federal payroll taxes were being paid for these workers. The contractors who actually paid these workers’ wages and used their services were able to avoid responsibility for those duties as well. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the State of Florida Department of Financial Services. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.


title: Founder of Casa Ruby Pleads Guilty to Stealing At Least $150,000 in COVID-Relief Funds for Personal Use

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ruby Corado, 53, the founder of Casa Ruby, Inc., a Washington D.C.-based non-profit that provided services to the LGBTQ+ community, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to diverting at least $150,000 in taxpayer-backed emergency Covid relief funds to private off-shore bank accounts for her personal use. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott of the Washington Field Office, and District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas. Corado was charged by complaint on March 1, 2024, with bank fraud, wire fraud, laundering of monetary instruments, monetary transactions in criminally derived proceeds, and failure to file a report of foreign bank account. Corado pleaded guilty today to a one-count information charging her with wire fraud today before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden, who scheduled sentencing for January 10, 2025. According to court documents, Corado, on behalf of Casa Ruby, received more than $1.3 million from the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. Instead of using the funds as she promised, Corado stole at least $150,000 by transferring the money to bank accounts in El Salvador, which she hid from the IRS. During 2022, when financial irregularities at Casa Ruby became public, Corado sold her home in Prince Georges County and fled to El Salvador. FBI agents arrested Corado on March 5, 2024, at a hotel in Laurel, Maryland, after she unexpectedly returned to the United States. Casa Ruby had claimed to provide housing services for homeless LGBTQ+ youth including transitional housing; to assist LGBTQ+ immigrants and connect them to attorneys; to provide social services such as case management and therapeutic mental health support for survivors of violence, and to assist with a wide array of services such as assisting with passport applications and certain visa applications. The non-profit’s website stated that Casa Ruby employed over 50 people and provided more than 30,000 social and human services to more than 6,000 people each year. At various times, Casa Ruby operated multiple shelters in Washington, D.C., that provided transitional housing. Casa Ruby effectively ceased operations in July 2022 when it shuttered its transitional housing, failed to pay its employees, and faced eviction from multiple properties for failure to pay rent. Wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. Corado’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the D.C. Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Borchert, Madhu Chugh, and Kathryn Rakoczy. 24cr266


title: Criminals Are Targeting Bank And ATM Customers In Maryland

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – The FBI and our local law enforcement partners are investigating a surge of armed robberies, known as “jugging” crimes, at financial institutions in Maryland. At least 21 bank and ATM customers have been victimized by these crimes just in the first week of July. A majority of the crimes have taken place in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties. “Jugging” refers to a crime in which a suspect, or group of suspects, targets customers believed to have large amounts of cash. The perpetrators either rob customers while in the parking lot of a bank, credit union or ATM or follow them to their next location. So far in 2024, the FBI Baltimore Field Office has received reports of around seven dozen jugging offenses with more than half of those incidents reported in June and July. “These assailants are brazenly targeting bank and ATM customers, posing a significant risk to the public of both physical and financial harm. FBI Baltimore’s Violent Crime Task Forces and our partners are working together to combat the alarming rise of these dangerous incidents,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno. "We will continue to pursue criminals with all our available resources and remain determined to eradicate violent crime from our streets." “The Anne Arundel County Police Department is grateful for the assistance of our federal, state and local partnerships as we focus intently on the violent criminals involved in the wave of armed robberies being committed against our innocent, hardworking community members throughout the region,” said Anne Arundel County Chief of Police Amal E. Awad. “The perpetrators of these violent robberies, known as “juggings”, prey on people who are trying to live out their daily lives peacefully. We will continue to dedicate the necessary resources to prevent these criminals from attacking innocent people and when they do, diligently and relentlessly use our investigative techniques to identify, arrest and bring them to justice. We share in the outrage of the many people and their families who have survived these terrifying encounters left feeling victimized, broken and traumatized at the hands of these heartless, lawbreaking criminals." “The Prince George’s County Police Department truly values our partnership with both the FBI Baltimore Field Office and local agencies on this regional issue. Our detectives regularly communicate with these law enforcement partners to share real-time information on these investigations which often cross jurisdictional borders,” said Deputy Chief Zachary O’Lare, Bureau of Investigation Prince George’s County Police Department. “Together, we intend to identify and arrest all criminals targeting victims who are simply stopping at a bank. This issue is a top priority.” “The Bowie Police Department is committed to collaborating with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible for these criminal acts,” said Bowie Police Chief Dwayne A. Preston. The FBI urges the public to remain vigilant and keep the following safety tips in mind. Be Aware of Your Surroundings: Always be vigilant when withdrawing or depositing money from a bank or ATM. Look around for anyone who appears suspicious or is loitering in the area. Pay attention to individuals backed into parking spaces who do not exit their vehicles to conduct business. Don’t leave your car or the building if you observe suspicious vehicles in the parking lot or parked nearby. Report any suspicious activities immediately . Conceal Your Cash: When leaving the bank, ensure your cash is not visible. Place it in a secure, inconspicuous location such as a pocket or a bag. Vary Your Routine: Avoid regular patterns in your banking habits. Change the times and locations you visit the bank. Drive Directly to Your Next Destination: If you suspect you are being followed, drive to the nearest police station or a crowded, well-lit area, and call 911. Avoid Distractions: Do not engage in activities that might distract you, such as using your phone, until you are in a safe place. If you have any information related to recent bank jugging incidents, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI or submit an anonymous tip through tips.FBI.gov. For more information on 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: Alabama Man Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Federal Prison for Setting Fire to his Father’s Connersville Home, Killing Family’s Dog and Cat

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- Tommy Lee Harrison Sr., 34, of Birmingham, Alabama, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to crossing state lines to commit arson. According to court documents, on October 28, 2021, Harrison left Birmingham, Alabama, with the intent to travel to Connersville, Indiana to set fire to the home where Harrison’s father lived with his wife, children, and the family’s pets. During the nearly eight-hour drive, Harrison stopped at a Walmart in Elizabethtown, Kentucky and purchased a can of black spray paint. At 1:40 am on October 29, 2021, Harrison arrived at his father’s Connersville home. Video surveillance from the area showed Harrison parking next door to the victim’s house, exiting the vehicle, placing a container on the ground, and driving away. Harrison returned approximately twenty minutes later, and repeatedly drove around the residence for approximately twenty minutes until he backed his car into the yard. Over the next hour, Harrison used gasoline to light the inside and outside of his family’s home on fire, destroying their master bedroom, rendering the bedrooms of the family’s children unlivable, and killing two of the family’s beloved pets, a cat and a dog. Harrison also used the spray paint he purchased to deface the property with a racial slur. Harrison departed the scene of the crime and returned to Alabama, where he was later arrested. “This defendant’s actions had a devastating impact not only on the immediate victims, but on the community of Connersville as well. His actions uprooted a family, destroyed their peace of mind, and shook the small town in which his father was a prominent community leader,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Crossing state lines to commit a violent crime is a serious offense that merits a serious federal prison sentence. Thanks to the talents and persistence of investigators at the FBI, the Indiana Fire Marshal’s Office, and our federal prosecutor, this arsonist was successfully identified and held accountable.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office investigated. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley P. Shepard, who prosecuted this case. ###


title: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who admitted to a federal judge that he made multiple purchases of cocaine that he later transformed into crack and then sold to others has been sentenced to six years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Juan Gonzalez, 46, pleaded guilty on January 25, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 72 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervised release. According to charging documents and information presented to the court, in early 2021, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force launched an investigation into the alleged drug trafficking activities of one William Mendez, 49, of Providence. The investigation included court-authorized interception of electronic communications over multiple telephones allegedly used by Mendez. According to charging documents, it is alleged that, during telephone phone calls monitored by law enforcement, Mendez allegedly revealed to Gonzalez that, on July 13, 2021, he took possession of between 500 and 1,000 grams of cocaine, some of which was subsequently sold to Gonzalez. The investigation further revealed that between July 13, 2021, and August 12, 2021, Gonzalez made repeated purchases of cocaine, also allegedly from Mendez, that Gonzalez then processed and sold as crack cocaine. William Mendez is currently detained in federal custody awaiting trial, charged by way of indictment with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute forty grams or more of fentanyl. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey A. Erickson. The matter was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, consisting of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, Rhode Island State Police, the Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, West Warwick, and Central Falls Police Departments, and the U.S. Marshals Service. ###


title: Defendant Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charge

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI – A Rhode Island resident whose IP address was determined to have been used to receive and distribute child pornography has pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha Haley Lynn Rose, known at the time of arrest as Anthony Ninfo, 43, of West Warwick, admitted to possessing more than 220 images and 30 videos of child pornography that were located on electronic devices owned by the defendant, who was arrested on April 28, 2021. According to information provided to the court, in September 2020, law enforcement in New Zealand executed a court-authorized search warrant and developed information indicating that an individual in Rhode Island was using a file-sharing account to make available and distribute child pornography. Further investigation determined that the IP address belonged to the defendant. On April 28, 2021, federal agents executed a court-authorized search of the defendant’s West Warwick residence and seized several media devices, a cellphone, and an external hard drive. A forensic analysis of the equipment revealed approximately 220 images and 35 videos of child pornography, including depictions of prepubescent children engaged in sex acts with adult males and females. The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on October 17, 2024. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams The matter was investigated locally by Homeland Security Investigations. ###


title: Burlington Man Sentenced to 121 Months in Prison for Robbing Multiple Spas at Gunpoint; Duct-Taped Victims

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Burlington, Mass. man was sentenced today in Boston federal court for his role in the armed robberies of multiple businesses in which he and two others beat, dragged and duct-taped victims. Alfeu Barbosa, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 121 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2024, a federal jury convicted Barbosa of two counts of robbery affecting commerce. Barbosa was arrested and charged in June 2022. His co-defendants, Li Wen Tang and Jonas Nunez, were later arrested and charged in August and September 2022. On June 12, 2022 at approximately 8:51 p.m., Tang entered the Balance Reflexology Spa in Brookline pretending to be a customer seeking a massage. Because the victim was the only employee in the spa that night, she locked the door before taking Tang into the back room to begin the massage. Tang asked the victim if there was anyone else in the spa and that if there was, he would like to see them. Almost immediately after the massage had begun, Tang claimed that he no longer wanted a massage because his stomach was upset and demanded a refund. The victim employee stated she had to call her boss to approve the refund. While the victim employee was on the phone in the lobby, Tang unlocked the front door and two masked men – later identified as Barbosa and Nunez – entered the business carrying firearms. One of the men hit the victim employee in the face, knocking her to the floor and put a gun to her head. Barbosa and Nunez then pulled the victim by her hair into the back hallway where they instructed her to be quiet. They proceeded to bind the victim’s wrists and ankles with duct tape and gag her. Barbosa and Nunez repeatedly yelled at the victim asking, “Where is the money?” The men ransacked the spa for roughly three minutes before locating and stealing approximately $500 along with the victim employee’s cell phone and then exiting. Surveillance footage revealed that all three men had arrived in the same vehicle parked nearby, which they drove away in together following the robbery. Later that evening, at approximately 10:19 p.m. on June 12, 2022, Barbosa, Nunez and an associate of Barbosa committed a similar robbery of May’s Spa Massage in Stoneham. Specifically, they entered the business wearing masks and firearms and duct-taped several victims who were in the spa at the time. In addition to stealing approximately $600 in cash from the business and victims, Barbosa, Nunez and Barbosa’s associate took three cell phones belonging to three of the female victims present during the robbery, as well as a victim’s license, gift cards and credit and debit cards before leaving in the same vehicle. At the time of the robberies, Barbosa was wearing a court-ordered ankle bracelet with GPS monitoring due to a suspended sentence for multiple prior convictions in Middlesex Superior Court of armed robbery and assault and battery for robbing the De Onzen Spa in Waltham in July 2021. During that robbery, Barbosa threatened employees and patrons at knifepoint, stole their phones and punched one victim in the face causing an orbital fracture. Barbosa was subsequently charged in the state for assault and battery and sentenced in April 2022 to two and a half years in prison. That sentence was suspended for three years. Also at the time of the offenses, Barbosa was on pretrial release in Suffolk Superior Court for charges of breaking and entering in the daytime with the intent to commit a felony and larceny from a building. Nunez pleaded guilty in January 2024 and, on April 18, 2024, was sentenced to 23 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Tang pleaded guilty on April 3, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 9, 2024. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Brookline, Stoneham, Boston, Wakefield and New York City Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke A. Goldworm and Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Three Twin Cities Men Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Machineguns on Snapchat

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – Three Twin Cities men have been sentenced to prison for operating a social media-based machinegun distribution ring, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, in March 2023, law enforcement learned of a Snapchat group called “BLICCS&STICCS3.” Members Rafael Carter Wesley, 19, Kyrees Darius Johnson, 22, and Avont Akira Drayton, 21, used the group to facilitate the trafficking of machineguns, firearms, and controlled substances in the Twin Cities and outlying areas. Law enforcement obtained screenshots and videos of several individuals in the group selling, promoting, and operating machinegun conversion devices (MCDs, also commonly referred to as “switches” or “auto sears”) that convert a semi-automatic firearm—either a pistol or a rifle—into a fully automatic machinegun. These devices are classified as machineguns and are regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA). According to court documents, on March 20, 2023, an undercover law enforcement officer began monitoring the group. The undercover officer posted a picture of a prop firearm to the BLICCS&STICCS3 group. Shortly thereafter, Wesley reached out to the undercover officer and asked if he wanted to trade the firearm for what is commonly referred to as a Glock “switch” or a “button.” On or about March 26, 2023, the undercover officer continued conversations with Wesley on Snapchat about potentially purchasing Glock “switches.” Wesley indicated “switches” would cost $700 for two or $900 for three. The undercover officer agreed to purchase three switches for $900 and indicated he would pay an extra $100 if Wesley drove up to St. Cloud to deliver the switches. On March 27, 2023, Wesley met the undercover officer in St. Cloud and sold him three switches for $1,000. On April 4, 2023, a second transaction was arranged through Wesley with a St. Paul meeting location. Johnson also arrived at the transaction with three switches, which Johnson and Wesley sold to the undercover officer for $900. At the time, Johnson had four prior felony convictions, which rendered him prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition. During the investigation, Johnson was observed by law enforcement posting images of large quantities of guns and MCDs to the Snapchat group and offering them for sale. Johnson also posted images and messages that showed him to be trafficking in controlled substances, including blue fentanyl pills. On April 13, 2023, undercover officers met with Wesley in Minneapolis to purchase an unserialized Glock 17 for $700. Following the transaction, the undercover officers asked Wesley to install the switch previously purchased from Wesley onto the Glock 17. Wesley agreed and installed the switch. That same day, Wesley separately coordinated a meeting during which undercover officers met with Drayton, another member of the BLICCS&STICCS3 Snapchat group, to purchase a 3D-printed drop-in MCD for an AR-style rifle for $550. During the transaction, Drayton showed the undercover officers a video on his phone of Drayton shooting a firearm with a drop-in MCD inserted. Drayton commented to the undercover officers that the drop-in made the firearm shoot “way too [expletive] fast.” On May 11, 2023, an undercover officer directly arranged to meet with Drayton at a location in Eagan to purchase two drop-in MCDs for $800. However, when Drayton arrived at the meeting location, he stated that he had only had one MCD and sold it to the undercover officer for $400. On June 9, 2023, undercover officers again met with Drayton and purchased a Glock pistol and a “switch” for $1,300. According to court documents, between March and June 2023, undercover law enforcement officers conducted approximately six controlled buys with multiple members of the BLICCS&STICCS3 group. All three defendants pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of machineguns. Johnson was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Donovan W. Frank to 95 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On July 10, 2024, Wesley was sentenced to 14 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On April 23, 2024, Drayton was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Dakota County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ruth S. Shnider and Jordan L. Sing prosecuted the case.


title: New Jersey Man Sentenced To 26 Months In Prison For Mailing Threatening Communications

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that NIKOLAY LEVINSON was sentenced today to 26 months in prison for mailing threatening communications. LEVINSON previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos, who imposed today’s sentence. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Nikolay Levinson sent vile racist, anti-Semitic, and anti-Muslim threats for the sole purpose of instilling fear in innocent members of our community. This sentence should serve as a reminder that we will never stop protecting the community from such disturbing, hateful conduct.” According to the Indictment, other public filings, and statements made in court: From June through November 2022, shortly after his release from prison for similar offenses, LEVINSON mailed six threatening letters to five victims in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, New York, and at least 35 other anonymous, threatening, hateful, racist, anti-Semitic, and anti-Muslim letters to victims in the greater New York City area. LEVINSON sent the letters, which often contained racial epithets and Nazi imagery, to businesses, schools, synagogues, and individuals. * * * In addition to the prison term, LEVINSON, 41, of Palisades Park, New Jersey, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division and Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman is in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Hampshire Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – Member of a nationwide drug trafficking ring was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston. Throughout the investigation over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled. Andre Watson, 47, of Nashua, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In April 2024, Watson pleaded guilty to one count of a second superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Watson was charged in a superseding indictment in September 2021 with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The superseding indictment also charged 10 other defendants with controlled substance offenses, firearm offenses and money laundering offenses. In approximately October 2020, investigators received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Boston area. In late 2020, Reshat Alkayisi was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to multiple co-conspirators throughout the New England area. Watson was identified as one of Alkayisi’s methamphetamine distributors. In May 2021, Alkayisi distributed approximately four pounds (or 1.8 kilograms) of methamphetamine to Watson. In July 2021, Watson was arrested and multiple weapons were seized from his vehicle, along with a loaded firearm from his residence. Watson is the first defendant to be sentenced. All the defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and the Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Sand Springs Couple Sentenced for Sexually Abusing  Two Minor Children

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell ordered Shawn William Gossett, 34, to 360 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Gossett will be required to register as a sex offender. Gossett’s wife, Amanda Nicole Bynum, 36, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, was sentenced in May and ordered to 120 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. In September 2023, Gossett pled guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 in Indian Country and Child Abuse in Indian Country. He admitted to having sexually abusive contact with two separate child victims who were under the age of 12. Gossett further admitted to physically abusing one of the child victims by kicking and choking the child. Bynum pled guilty in August 2023 to Child Neglect in Indian Country and Enabling Child Abuse in Indian Country. She admitted to not ensuring the health, welfare, and safety of the two child victims in her care. Additionally, Bynum admitted to enabling and witnessing Gossett sexually abusing the two child victims. Both child victims are citizens of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Gossett and Bynum will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and the Creek County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Stephanie N. Ihler prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Illinois Carjacker Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White on Wednesday sentenced a man who helped carjack a woman in St. Louis to 96 months in prison. Brandon Best, of Cahokia, Illinois, and at least two others drove from East St. Louis to the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis on the evening of July 11, 2022, to steal cars. Shortly after midnight, a woman walked from a residence to her 2011 Kia Optima. A sedan pulled up, Best got out and ran toward the victim and her car. The victim was able to get in her car and close the door, but Best re-opened the door and either pulled her out or ordered her out as a second carjacker got into the driver’s seat. The second carjacker was armed with a pistol and Best admitted that he knew that fact. The victim told investigators that the second carjacker pointed the gun at her and that someone told her not to move and demanded her keys. About 15 minutes later at a gas station roughly one mile away, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted the stolen Kia. Best and the other carjacker fled in the car to Illinois. The chase ended back in St. Louis, where Best got out near Interstate 44 and Jefferson Avenue and ran across the interstate to try and elude officers. He was arrested behind a home with his 9mm pistol nearby. Best, 21, pleaded guilty in April to a carjacking charge and a charge of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. These cases were investigated by the FBI and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel 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.


title: Laurens County drug trafficker sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: AUGUSTA, GA: A Laurens County man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges. Ricky Rich , 42, of East Dublin, Ga., was sentenced to 228 months in prison after pleading guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen also ordered Rich to pay a $2,500 fine and to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. “Ricky Rich is a career offender with a long history of distributing illegal drugs in the middle Georgia area,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This substantial prison sentence holds him accountable while protecting the community from his criminal activity.” As described in court documents and testimony, investigators from the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, identified Rich as a prolific drug distributor. Investigators found large amounts of drugs at Rich’s home and that of a relative, including deadly fentanyl and drug paraphernalia. Rich was on parole for prior state drug trafficking charges at the time he entered federal custody. As part of his plea agreement, Rich forfeited ownership of 19 illegally possessed firearms and ammunition seized during the searches. He also faces prosecution for related state charges. “Last year, we lost approximately 110,757 people to drug poisonings – a majority from synthetic opioids such as fentanyl,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA will continue to bring to justice drug traffickers who drive addiction and destroy communities.” “This sentence sends a clear message: We will not tolerate any person that brings poisonous drugs, like fentanyl, into our communities,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to remove illegal drugs from our streets.” “As sheriff of Laurens County, it is my pleasure to work hand in hand with federal, state and local law enforcement to rid our community of dangerous drug traffickers,” said Laurens County Sheriff Larry Dean. “I commend each person involved in this investigation and thank them for a job well done. I have always said I will do everything in my power to eliminate illegal drugs in Dublin and Laurens County and I will continue to do so.” The case was investigated by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office, the Savannah Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Harper III.


title: Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down New York Tax Preparer

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal court in the Eastern District of New York issued a permanent injunction yesterday against a Brooklyn, New York, tax return preparer. Melinda Jacob, individually and on behalf of her business Melinda Jacob Tax Services LLC, consented to the injunction, which permanently bars her and her business from preparing federal tax returns for others. On Feb. 5, Jacob pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. As part of her guilty plea, Jacob also agreed to be permanently barred from preparing or filing tax returns for others. According to the Justice Department’s civil complaint, from 2019 through 2023, Jacob prepared more than 500 returns per year, which included returns that falsely claimed credits, deductions or refunds for customers which improperly reduced their tax liability or inflated their refund. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Jacob falsely claimed residential energy credits and education credits on her customers’ tax returns, even though those customers did not qualify for the credits. The complaint also alleges that Jacobs claimed false filing status and fictitious dependents on customers’ returns to generate a larger refund to which the customers were not entitled. As a result of the court’s order, Jacob must send notice of the injunction to each person for whom she prepared federal tax returns, amended tax returns or claims for refund between Jan. 1, 2019, to the present. Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement. Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard their personal information. In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details. Jacob Order_0.pdf


title: South Bend Woman Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay Over Half a Million Dollars Restitution

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Robin Hood, 59 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Hood was sentenced to 12 months in prison, 1 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $549,000 in restitution to the victim of the offense. According to documents in the case, between 2016 and 2021, Hood embezzled at least $549,000.00 from her employer. Hood issued checks to herself and transferred money to herself from her employer’s accounts for funds to which she was not entitled. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Guilty Plea for  Felony Assault within Navajo Nation

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty in federal court to assault charges arising from a 2020 assault and theft of a motor vehicle within the Navajo Nation. According to publicly available court documents, on May 17, 2020, the victim, John Doe, was parked in his car at the Gulf Gas Station in Shiprock when Daryl Levi , 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, attacked Doe and took his vehicle. Doe suffered bodily injury including bruises and contusions. In his plea agreement, Levi admitted that he participated in the assault with the intent to take John Doe’s motor vehicle. He will remain in custody pending sentencing which has not yet been set. At sentencing, Levi faces a mandatory term of incarceration of no less than thirty-seven months up to a maximum of no more than forty-six months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Levi will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement # # #


title: Jury Finds Man Guilty of Aggravated Assault While Armed in Northwest D.C. Attack

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Darren Buchanan, 54, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday by a Superior Court jury of aggravated assault while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The verdict follows a four-day trial. Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe has scheduled sentencing for September 20, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, on July 2, 2019, the victim was riding on a Metrobus on Georgia Ave. NW when he kicked the defendant’s daughter. After the victim got off the bus, the defendant’s daughter called her mother—the defendant’s wife—to tell her about what happened. They all agreed to meet at a nearby establishment. Buchanan and his wife got into a taxi, and while they were on their way to meet their daughter, the defendant noticed an individual who matched the description of his daughter’s attacker. Buchanan exited the taxi, grabbed a large tree branch, and hit the victim with the tree branch multiple times. The victim —who was unarmed—began running from the defendant and eventually entered the market of a gas station located approximately ten minutes away from the location of the initial assault. Buchanan followed the victim for several blocks. As seen on video surveillance, the defendant peered through the window of the gas station market, saw the victim on the ground sweating and talking to himself, and entered. He then kicked the victim once in the chest and stomped on his head seven times. As a result, the victim was rendered unconscious, was transported to the hospital, and has been receiving treatment at a rehabilitation center, since the attack, for injuries related to the traumatic brain injury he suffered. After the defendant assaulted the victim, he boasted about his assault to law enforcement personnel during a police interview. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sabena Auyeung and Matthew Goldstein, who prosecuted the case.


title: Serial fraudster sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for scamming student insurance program

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria woman was sentenced today to two years and two months in prison for repeatedly submitting fraudulent health insurance claims and illegally collecting $128,748 in payments to which she was not entitled. According to court documents, in 2018, Khin Phoo Ngon, aka Karen Ngon and Kyaw Zaw Ni, 27, was a student at George Washington University and enrolled in a study-abroad program in Sydney, Australia. Ngon purchased a health insurance policy through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI), a company that provides health insurance for study-abroad students and educational travel groups. Under CISI’s policies, when students pay out-of-pocket for health-related costs abroad, they can submit claims for reimbursement along with an image of the claim and proof of payment. On Nov. 13, 2018, Ngon submitted a fraudulent claim for reimbursement for an appendectomy, purportedly performed at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, along with a forged invoice for $107,368.31 in Australian currency (approximately $79,715 U.S.). The claimed dates of service were Oct. 28-29, 2018, during which time Ngon was in the United States. CISI paid the claim. In 2019, Ngon enrolled in another study-abroad program, this time in Zurich, Switzerland. Ngon traveled to Switzerland, but withdrew from the program and returned to the United States on June 10, 2019. Prior to returning, however, Ngon submitted a fraudulent claim to CISI for treatment for a “minor heart attack,” along with a forged invoice from University Hospital of Zurich for 48,670 Swiss francs (approximately $49,029 U.S.). Ngon received treatment at University Hospital of Zurich, but the actual payment was 800 Swiss francs. CISI paid the claim, and Ngon used proceeds from the second reimbursement to pay restitution in a prior criminal case in which she committed fraud and identity theft. Ngon later purchased a second policy through CISI. On July 23, 2019, she submitted a fraudulent claim, asserting that she had had her appendix removed again at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, along with a forged invoice for $152,368.31 Australian (approximately $106,606 U.S.). The claimed dates of service were July 14-15, 2019, and, again, Ngon was in the United States on the purported dates of service. This time, CISI denied the claim. On Dec. 18, 2019, Ngon submitted a fourth claim, this time for emergency dental care in Brussels, Belgium, along with forged records indicating she had paid €15,175 to a dentist and €3,719 to a pharmacy (approximately $21,040 U.S.). The claimed date of service was Dec. 16, 2019, on which date Ngon was in the United States. CISI denied this claim as well. Additionally, Ngon recently pled guilty to fraud and identity theft charges in the District of Columbia in connection with a scheme she engaged in to defraud a pandemic relief program. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the District of Columbia implemented the STAY DC program, a means-tested program to provide financial relief to qualifying renters experiencing financial hardship. Beginning in 2021, Ngon submitted fraudulent applications for relief through the program, four times in her own name and three times in the names of others, including one person who did not live in Washington, resulting in program payouts that cost the District of Columbia more than $246,000. On April 23, Ngon pled guilty in the D.C. Superior Court to six charges related to the fraud on STAY DC. Sentencing in that case is set for Aug. 9. After Ngon pleaded guilty to the charges in the Eastern District of Virginia and in Washington, D.C., she directed her sister to create websites in her own name with false information about her educational, professional, and philanthropic history. One of the websites purported to be for a fictitious charity founded by the defendant to provide food and other aid to the people of Myanmar, and advertised “partnership opportunities,” including the opportunity to make “financial contributions.” At sentencing, Ngon acknowledged this additional deceptive conduct. Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-62.


title: Davenport Man Sentenced to 162 Months in Federal Prison for Selling Drugs While Under Federal Supervision

body_text: Davenport, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 162 months in federal prison for selling cocaine while under federal supervision. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Dedrick Montez Jones, 44, during 2023, while Jones was under federal supervised release on a prior federal drug case, officers received information that Jones was selling cocaine. In December 2023, officers searched Jones’ residence and located approximately 45 grams of cocaine. Jones eventually admitted to selling cocaine. At sentencing, the Court also found Jones had violated the terms of his federal supervised release for a prior conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and imposed a 42-month term of imprisonment, for a total of 162 months in federal prison. After completing his term of imprisonment, Jones will be required to serve eight years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bettendorf Police Department, Drug Enforcement Agency, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Davenport Police Department, and Scott County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Roswell Escrow Manager to Be Sentenced for Fraud Scheme


title: Harrisburg Man Sentenced for Sending an Interstate Communication Containing a Threat

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Thomas West, age 44, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner for sending an interstate communication containing a threat. West had been in custody for over 5 months and was sentenced to time-served and a 1-year term of supervised release. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, West previously admitted that on February 9, 2024, he sent a series of emails to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) threatening to kill and injure employees of OPM and their relatives. In one email, West threatened to show up at an OPM office “with an A.R. 15 assault rifle that’s been converted to fully automatic.” The case was investigated by the Federal Protective Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case. # # # .


title: Austin Felon Indicted for Alleged Drug Trafficking and Firearm Possession After Ramming Police Cruiser

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

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment charging a felon with three counts related to his alleged drug trafficking and firearm possession. According to court documents, Cliofa Delacruz, 34, is a four-time convicted felon who was arrested by Austin Police officers after allegedly ramming a law enforcement vehicle while evading. Delacruz is alleged to have possessed methamphetamine and loaded firearm inside his vehicle. Delacruz is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of felon in possession of firearm, and one count of possession of firearm in drug trafficking. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Austin Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Gardner is prosecuting the case. 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: Kindred and Related Entities Agree to Pay $19.428 Million to Settle Federal and State False Claims Act Lawsuits Alleging Ineligible Claims for Hospice Patients

body_text: PROVIDENCE, RI - Gentiva, successor to Kindred at Home, has agreed to pay $19.428 million to resolve allegations that Kindred at Home and related entities (“Kindred”) knowingly submitted false claims and knowingly retained overpayments for hospice services provided to patients who were ineligible to receive hospice benefits under various federal health care programs, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. Gentiva’s hospice operations, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, include entities that previously operated Kindred at Home hospice locations under the names Avalon, Kindred, SouthernCare, and SouthernCare New Beacon, to include a facility in Warwick, Rhode Island. “My office remains determined to ensure that federal funding for essential health care, like the hospice care at issue in this investigation, goes to the patients who need it, rather than to health care companies who seek to exploit those patients for profit,” said Zachary A. Cunha, United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island. “Today’s result reflects a concerted effort by this Office and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices around the country, working alongside the Fraud Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and our law enforcement partners, to help to guarantee that Medicare funds are directed where they belong and that high-quality hospice care is available for patients and their families in the future.” “The hospice benefit under Medicare and other federal health care programs provides critical services to some of the most vulnerable patients,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will ensure that this important benefit is used to assist those who need it, and not as an opportunity to line the pockets of those who seek to abuse it.” The settlement resolves allegations made by the United States and the State of Tennessee in a consolidated complaint filed in 2021 against certain Kindred related entities alleging that, from 2010 until February 2020, the defendants knowingly submitted or caused to be submitted false claims for hospice services provided to Avalon hospice patients in Tennessee who were ineligible for the Medicare or Medicaid hospice benefit because they were not terminally ill. The settlement also resolves the complaint’s allegations that the defendants improperly concealed or avoided Avalon’s obligation to repay those hospice claims. In addition, the settlement resolves allegations that certain Kindred, SouthernCare, and SouthernCare New Beacon hospice locations knowingly submitted, or caused to be submitted, false claims for hospice services provided to patients who were ineligible for hospice benefits under Medicare and other federal health care programs because the patients were not terminally ill. Those hospice locations were Kindred’s locations in Warwick, Rhode Island, Beaumont, Texas, and Independence, Missouri; SouthernCare New Beacon’s location in Demopolis, Alabama; and SouthernCare’s locations in Daphne, Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, South Bend, Indiana, and Youngstown, Ohio. The settlement also resolves allegations that those Kindred, SouthernCare, and SouthernCare New Beacon locations knowingly and improperly concealed or avoided obligations to repay the foregoing hospice claims. Further, the settlement resolves allegations that SouthernCare New Beacon allegedly violated the Anti-Kickback Statute by willfully paying renumeration to a consulting physician, between October 1, 2016 and October 1, 2022, to induce hospice referrals of Medicare beneficiaries to its Gadsden, Alabama location. The settlement of those allegations stems from a voluntary self-disclosure made by New Beacon Healthcare Group LLC d/b/a SouthernCare New Beacon Hospice. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded health care programs. It is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients. “Hospice provides vital care and support for terminally ill patients and their families. Medicare’s and TennCare’s eligibility requirements ensure that federal and state health care money is properly used to support hospice programs,” said Henry C. Leventis, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We are committed to holding accountable health care companies and providers who prioritize profits over patient care by ignoring these requirements.” “This office remains committed to safeguarding public monies,” said Michael A. Bennett, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “I commend the work of all those in the Department who have made this successful settlement possible and truly appreciate the strong working relationships that exist between the United States Attorneys’ Offices, the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, and our law enforcement partners.” “Hospice care is special end-of-life care intended to provide comfort for terminally ill patients. The decision to provide hospice services should be prompted by a patient’s terminally ill medical diagnosis, not a hospice provider’s desire to increase profits,” said United States Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “The continued work of the Department and our law enforcement partners is critical to the integrity of these important programs. I appreciate the work of all involved in this significant case.” “Our office is committed to protecting federal healthcare programs like the Medicare hospice benefit from false claims” said U.S. Attorney Sean Costello for the Southern District of Alabama. “We will hold accountable any providers that abuse taxpayer dollars.” “The integrity of hospice care is critical to the millions of patients receiving these services,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to ensure that providers who focus on personal financial gain rather than providing medically necessary, high-quality hospice care will be held accountable.” The Medicaid program is funded jointly by the state and federal governments. As a result of the settlement announced today, the federal government will receive $18,956,151.32, the State of Tennessee will receive $448,800, and the State of Ohio will receive $23,618.68. The settlement includes the resolution of claims in nine lawsuits brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by various current and former Kindred employees. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The share of the settlement to be received by the whistleblowers has not yet been determined. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Rhode Island, Middle District of Tennessee, the Western District of Kentucky, the District of Kansas, the Southern District of Mississippi, the Southern District of Alabama, and the Southern District of Ohio, with assistance from the HHS-OIG, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General, and the Office of the Ohio Attorney General. The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The matters were handled by Trial Attorney William E. Olson in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Love Hubbard for the District of Rhode Island, Wynn M. Shuford for the Middle District of Tennessee, Jessica R.C. Malloy and William F. Campbell for the Western District of Kentucky, Jon P. Fleenor for the District of Kansas, Deidre Lamppin Colson for the Southern District of Mississippi, Nina T. Herring for the Southern District of Alabama, and W. Hunter West and Michael J. T. Downey for the Southern District of Ohio. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offense

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Bradley Michael Coleman, 39, of Strausstown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., to 10 years’ imprisonment, 10 years of supervised release, and $35,000 in restitution on a child pornography-related charge. Coleman was charged by information and entered a plea of guilty to one count of access with intent to view child pornography, on April 22, 2024. After having been previously convicted in Berks County for possessing child pornography, Coleman used digital currency to attempt to purchase access to child sexual abuse material on the Darkweb. Forensic analysis revealed evidence of nearly 900 images of child pornography on Coleman’s electronic devices, including images depicting very young victims. “After having been convicted and imprisoned for this vile behavior once before, Bradley Coleman again sought out horrific images of young children being sexually abused,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “If consumers of child pornography can’t or won’t stop acquiring it, which only perpetuates the sexual exploitation of child victims, we and our law enforcement partners will gladly step in and stop them.” “HSI’s expertise in the evolving cyber currency domain has proven crucial to investigating the exploitation of children by criminals operating online,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Sara Bay. “Through our outstanding partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, we continue to investigate and prosecute those individuals who prey on our children.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ . The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca J. Kulik and Priya T. DeSouza.


title: Convicted Felon Accused of Committing a Drive-By Shooting in Salt Lake County is Facing Federal Charges

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a convicted felon with gun and drug crimes. The charges come a month and a half after the defendant allegedly committed a drive-by shooting in Salt Lake County, Utah, and fled from police the following day. According to court documents, Cody Charles Burningham, 30, of Salt Lake City, is accused of committing a drive-by shooting on June 3, 2024, in Millcreek, Utah. The next day, multiple law enforcement agencies witnessed Burningham driving a vehicle in Kearns, Utah. Detectives attempted to stop Burningham, but he fled, driving through residential areas at a high rate of speed. After detectives were able to spike the tires of the vehicle, he took off on foot. Burningham was taken into custody without incident. Shortly after the chase, a loaded HS Produkt XD45 .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol was recovered. According to the complaint, prior to June 4, 2024, Burningham was convicted by the Utah Third District Court for multiple crimes including possession of a firearm by a restricted person. Burningham is charged with felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of Alpha PHP (bath salts) with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is July 18, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. United States Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by a West Valley City Police Detective and a Task Force Officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Cameron P. Warner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Northampton County Man Indicted for Distribution of Child Pornography

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Wei Fu, age 38, of Northampton County, PA, was indicted on a charge of distribution of child pornography. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Fu distributed child pornography on January 8, 2024 and January 9, 2024. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security-RAC Allentown and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case. 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." Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.


title: Large Scale Methamphetamine Trafficker and Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: BOISE – Sergio Cisneros-Guzman, a/k/a Salomon Hernandez Medina, 49, a Mexican citizen residing in Nampa, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and maintaining a drug-involved premises, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. According to court records, the FBI-led Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force began investigating reports that Cisneros-Guzman was trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine and firearms out of his landscaping nursery, Rolling Hills Nursery, in Nampa. Law enforcement conducted six undercover controlled buys at Cisneros-Guzman’s nursery totaling approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine and also purchased an AR-style rifle with a high-capacity magazine. A search of Cisneros-Guzman’s nursery resulted in the seizure of an additional 100 grams of methamphetamine, eleven firearms, and $117,264 in cash. The government presented evidence at Cisneros-Guzman’s sentencing that when he sold the AR-style rifle with a high‑capacity magazine along with a half-pound of methamphetamine, he told the undercover officer, “One thing is for sure, if you are involved in a massacre, don’t tell no one who sold it to you. If you want to use it, make sure to clean your fingerprints from the rifle and the ammo.” U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Cisneros-Guzman to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Cisneros-Guzman, who pleaded guilty to the offenses, agreed to forfeit to the United States the Rolling Hills Nursery, $117,264 in U.S. currency, eleven firearms, magazines and high-capacity magazines, and miscellaneous ammunition. Because Cisneros-Guzman is a Mexican citizen who was illegally present in the United States, he will be deported after serving his 16-year sentence. At sentencing, Judge Brailsford stated that Cisneros-Guzman’s criminal activity involved all the major threats currently facing the United States: illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and illegally possessed and trafficked firearms. “Removing this defendant from our community is a win for Idaho and reflects the strong partnerships between our office and federal and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We will not tolerate criminals illegally entering our country and then enriching themselves by distributing dangerous drugs and trafficking firearms in Idaho.” “Cisneros-Guzman operated with blatant disregard for the law and for the safety of all Idahoans,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Drugs and violence have devastated too many families in the Treasure Valley. When law enforcement combines resources and expertise, we can take back our communities from dangerous drug traffickers like Cisneros‑Guzman.” “This is another example of the criminality happening in our community that has direct ties to Mexico and the Transcontinental Criminal Organizations that operate with impunity in Mexico and have seriously infiltrated communities throughout the United States,” said Canyon County Sheriff and National Sheriffs’ Association President Kieran Donahue. “Thankfully, here in the Treasure Valley, we have the METRO Task Force and other partnerships with local and federal law enforcement that focus on rooting out this type of criminal behavior.” U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force for its efforts in this case. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local agencies, including the FBI, the Caldwell Police Department, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, the City and County Narcotics Unit, the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office, the Idaho Department of Correction, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Nafzger and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey Manweiler. The Special Assistant U.S. Attorney was hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. This case was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. ###


title: Drug Dealer Sentenced for Possessing a Smith & Wesson .45 While Distributing PCP, Crack, and Marijuana

body_text: WASHINGTON – DeCarlos Wilkins, 24, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for distributing PCP, crack cocaine, and marijuana while in possession of a Smith & Wesson M&P .45 caliber handgun, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Wilkins pleaded guilty on March 13, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth to possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the five-year prison term, Judge Lamberth ordered Wilson to serve five years of supervised release. According to court documents, on March 3, 2023, about 6:25 p.m., MPD officers were patrolling on the 1800 block of Benning Road, NE when they observed Wilkins kneeling down weighing an unknown substance on a digital scale. Officers recognized this to be consistent with a drug transaction, i.e. a drug dealer measuring the quantity of a drug immediately prior to a sale. When officers exited their vehicle to investigate, Wilkins fled on foot. Officers found Wilkins hiding in a residential yard in a nearby alley. Police recovered 92 small vials of PCP from Wilkins’ jacket pocket and a Smith & Wesson M&P .45 from inside Wilkins’ pants near his kneecap, underneath a layer of compression shorts. Officers also seized 6.8 ounces of marijuana, 120 grams of cocaine base, and $149 in cash. Watkins has three prior convictions involving the distribution of illegal drugs, and three prior convictions involving the use of illegal firearms. At the time of his arrest in March 2023, he was on supervision after the release from a prior firearms offense conviction, he was also awaiting sentencing for attempted possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Schneider. 23cr098


title: Clinton County Man Indicted for Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Felix Trepanowski, age 23, of Clinton County, PA, was indicted on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Trepanowski received child pornography on December 31, 2022 and April 27, 2024 and possessed child pornography on May 21, 2024. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation-RAC Williamsport and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case. 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. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.


title: Columbia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Meth

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Michael Wright, 46, of Columbia, was sentenced to 1o years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Evidence presented to the court showed that Wright contacted an agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) over social media about the sale of methamphetamine. The agent and Wright agreed to meet. Wright sold the agent 28 grams of pure methamphetamine. Following this sale, ATF used the same agent and bought methamphetamine from Wright four additional times purchasing more than 700 grams of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Wright to 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case. ###