title: Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Charges in Federal Court

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Phillip Plummer, 42, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty February 10, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, and another count of distributing methamphetamine. Evidence at the plea hearing showed that between 2022 and May 2023, Plummer and others conspired to distribute more than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. Plummer admitted to distributing methamphetamine on seven separate occasions to an individual cooperating with law enforcement, four of said occasions occurred within 1,000 feet of schools, namely, Mater Dei Elementary School and Hunt Elementary School in Sioux City. Evidence further showed that during a search warrant at Plummer’s residence in May 2023, law enforcement seized approximately one half-pound of meth, two (2) bags of medicated Jolly Rancher Gummies containing 600mg of THC and two (2) vape pens. Plummer intended to sell some or all of the controlled substances to others in the area. Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Plumer remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Plummer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4069. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on February 3, 2025. Arnold Dean Buck Elk Thunder, Jr., 57, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Buck Elk Thunder was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 7, 2024. Buck Elk Thunder was required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act as a result of a state felony conviction in May 2001 for Sexual Contact with a Child Under the Age of 16. On February 15, 2024, Buck Elk Thunder updated his registered address to a residence in Eagle Butte, on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation. In May 2024, Buck Elk Thunder moved from his registered address in Eagle Butte to Rapid City, South Dakota, before returning to the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation and residing in Cherry Creek, South Dakota. Buck Elk Thunder knew he was required to update his registration within three business days of changing his residence but failed to do so after leaving Eagle Butte. 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 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case. Buck Elk Thunder was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Rapid City Man Arrested on Federal Charges for Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man for Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. A federal grand jury indicted Jerry Lamont, age 60, in January 2025. He appeared before Daneta L. Wollmann on February 7, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction for receiving child pornography is a mandatory minimum term of five years up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, a mandatory minimum of five years up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count of conviction. Restitution may also be ordered. Between January and December 2024, Lamont is alleged to have uploaded at least four pictures and 22 videos of child pornography into his Dropbox cloud storage account. The child pornography depicted children, some as young as toddlers, being sexually abused. The charges are merely accusations, and Lamont is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 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 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox is prosecuting the case. Lamont was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A trial date has been set for April 15, 2025.


title: Connecticut Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Ammunition

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

body_text: BANGOR, Maine : A Connecticut man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court records, in December 2021, a Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office deputy on routine patrol in Greenbush noted that the license plates on a car pulled over on the side of the road did not match the vehicle. The deputy pulled the vehicle over as it started to move. The vehicle’s operator, who was arrested for operating after license suspension, stated that a passenger they identified as Yardley Davis , 39, had fled when the vehicle was pulled over. The driver further stated that Davis had two guns in his possession and before fleeing had said if he was caught with them he would go to jail. The following morning, law enforcement received a report from a nearby homeowner that they had found gloves, a black ski mask and a rope next to a barbed wire fence on their property. Davis was found in the woods following a search and flown to the hospital for treatment for hypothermia. A further search of the woods by a K9 unit led to the recovery of two 9mm handguns and 45 rounds of ammunition. A forensic analysis of the firearms by the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory revealed the presence of Davis’s DNA on both firearms. Davis is precluded from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a 2005 conviction in Connecticut Superior Court for robbery in the first degree. Davis faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine State Police. ###


title: Prison Officer Falsely Claiming Military Heroism Sentenced for Smuggling Methamphetamine into Hays State Prison and Taking Bribes

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Rome, Ga. -- Nicholas Grindle was sentenced today for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and bribery. During his sentencing hearing, Grindle was challenged for asking the Court for mercy based on false claims that he had been injured in combat during his military service. “Grindle violated his oath of office by smuggling drugs into a prison he swore to protect,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “He then compounded this crime by lying about his military service.” “It’s alarming to think that this prison guard was brazen enough to distribute dangerous drugs and other contraband,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “He must now face the consequences.” “The GDC does not tolerate actions of individuals who choose to bring discredit to the values of our agency and put their fellow officers at risk,” said Tyrone Oliver, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections. “We appreciate the support of our federal partners in ensuring that justice will be served, and we are proud of those officers involved who were diligent in stopping further introduction of dangerous contraband into one of our facilities.” According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: While employed as a guard at Hays State Prison, Grindle smuggled methamphetamine and other contraband to inmates for over a month in late 2023 and early 2024. Grindle was caught by fellow officers after they searched his locker and located methamphetamine, cell phones, and other contraband he planned to distribute within the prison. A review of his financial records also showed that he was receiving bribery payments from inmates to bring drugs and other contraband into the prison. Grindle had previously deployed to Afghanistan while in the United States Army. During his sentencing hearing Grindle falsely told the Court that, while in Afghanistan, he had been stabbed in the shoulder by a Taliban fighter and killed the fighter with his pistol. A review of Grindle’s military records as well as multiple letters submitted to the Court by former members of his unit demonstrated that his claims of heroism and sustaining an injury in combat were false. Grindle, 32, of Summerville, Georgia, was sentenced by United States District Judge William M. Ray, II, to 87 months of confinement, followed by three years of supervised release. Grindle was convicted on these charges on November 21, 2024, after he pleaded guilty. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Georgia Department of Corrections Office of Professional Standards, and the Lookout Mountain, Georgia, Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Calvin A. Leipold, III prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.


title: Passaic County Man Charged With Threatening Flight Attendants On An Airplane

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey man was arrested for threatening flight attendants and crew members during an incident in which he refused to comply with flight attendant instructions, banged on the cockpit door, and called out and threatened the captain before being escorted off the flight by law enforcement to Newark Liberty International Airport, Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Luis A. Vaquero, 27, of Passaic County, New Jersey, was charged by complaint in Newark federal court with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants by assault or intimidation. He appeared before Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams in Newark, New Jersey federal court, and was released. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On February 9, 2025, shortly after taking off on a flight from Miami, Florida, Vaquero began threatening and harassing various passengers, including making threats of physical violence toward a disabled minor and mocking a group of Jewish passengers. Vaquero also threatened a flight crew member who declined to serve Vaquero alcohol after the beverage service window closed, telling her, “You better watch out, shit’s gonna happen to you.” Upon landing at Newark Liberty International Airport, flight attendants alerted law enforcement. After hearing the announcement that the airplane was awaiting the arrival of law enforcement, Vaquero forced his way to the front of the plane and began banging on the flight deck door, demanding, “I need the pilot to come outside!” When a flight attendant attempted to intervene, Vaquero yelled, “I will really break your fuckin’ jaw n***a!” Vaquero also yelled, “I wanna see that fuckin’ captain! Come outside you bitch ass n***a!” When the captain emerged, Vaquero continued to make threats to the captain while six inches from his face until law enforcement intervened. “The defendant is charged with threatening flight crew members and passengers while traveling to Newark. We are committed to keeping the skies safe for flying and will prosecute those who criminally interfere with the professionals responsible for ensuring passenger safety.” Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna “Over the course of a 3-hour flight, we allege Vaquero lost his temper and physically harassed not only the crew and captain, but passengers, making threats of physical violence toward a disabled minor and mocking a group of Jewish passenger.” Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said. “It all culminated in a terrifying attack and attempted breach of the flight deck when witnesses say he banged on the cockpit door and confronted the pilot. The harrowing flight and other similar incidents onboard airplanes recently are creating tension and fear for fliers and crew members. FBI Newark has a warning for those who think it may not be a big deal—they're breaking federal law, and they will be brought to justice.” The charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police Edward T. Cetnar, for its assistance. The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering & Recovery Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Adalgiza A. Nunez, Esq., Newark, New Jersey vaquero.complaint.pdf


title: Homestead Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Machinegun, Trafficking Drugs, and Other Offenses While on Federal Supervised Release for Prior Conviction; Plea Agreement Calls for Sentence of 35 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws and agreed that later this year he will be sentenced to 35 years in prison, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Erik Addison, 28, pleaded guilty to four counts before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan, including possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, possession of a machinegun, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on May 8, 2023, law enforcement in Pittsburgh attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Addison when he fled police and then abandoned and ran from the vehicle. Addison was pursued, detained, and arrested, with a police video camera recording the defendant in possession of a firearm later determined to be a Glock 19 9mm pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a Glock switch, intended to convert a weapon into a fully automatic machinegun. Investigators also recovered from Addison two cell phones, more than $3,200 in cash, and car keys. A search of the vehicle registered to Addison revealed a black bag containing 28 bricks of fentanyl, a 31 round 9mm Glock magazine, and Addison’s state ID card. The suspected fentanyl was confirmed, by laboratory testing, to consist of fentanyl as well as a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. Addison’s cell phone contained extensive evidence of Addison’s drug trafficking and knowledge of Glock switches, including entries in which he described having such firearms. At the time of the offenses to which Addison pleaded guilty, he was serving a term of supervised release following his conviction for a prior federal firearms offense in 2021. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. In addition to the federal charges, Addison is also facing charges in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas stemming from his conduct on May 8, 2023. On October 2, 2023, while detained at the Allegheny County Jail awaiting trial on his state and federal charges, Addison was found in possession of ABD-Butanica, a synthetic cannabinoid and Schedule I controlled substance. “Erik Addison’s blatant disregard for the law by possessing a dangerous firearm in connection with illegal fentanyl trafficking while on federal supervised release for a prior conviction and then, possessing another controlled substance while incarcerated on those charges, demonstrates the need to have dangerous criminals like him off of our streets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti. “Today’s plea is a testament to the good work of our law enforcement partners in helping to bring violent traffickers such as Addison to justice.” “Armed with fentanyl, heroin, and a pistol converted into a dangerous machinegun via an illegal ‘switch,’ this defendant was a deadly threat to his neighborhood,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Stopping criminals from endangering our communities with illegal firearms is a top ATF priority. We thank our local partners for their diligence and courage in this apprehension, as well as the United States Attorney’s Office’s support as we work to make our communities safer.” “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in moving this case to a resolution,” said Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns. “These violent incidents leave a lasting impact throughout our community, and only strengthen our commitment to work with our local and federal partners to keep dangerous, illegal weapons off our streets.” Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. As to the most serious offense, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years of imprisonment with a maximum possible sentence of life, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Brendan T. Conway are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The investigation and prosecution of Addison was the result of a collaborative effort between the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Police Department, and Edgewood Borough Police Department. 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: Illegal alien gang member and felon gets significant sentence for reentering US

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 48-year-old Mexican Mafia prison gang member has been ordered to federal prison after illegally being in the country again, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jose Luis Regalado-Solis pleaded guilty June 5, 2023. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now imposed an 84-month sentence. Not a U.S. citizen, Regalado-Solis is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court noted his prior federal felony convictions for transporting aliens and trafficking drugs in the United States, further commenting that he had also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to assault eight members of a rival gang at a detention facility in August 2023. Judge Saldaña noted that the assault was particularly serious because Regalado-Solis used a shank to commit it. “This is a clear example of why border security is so essential,” said Ganjei. “People with this type of criminal history and affiliation should not be allowed to illegally enter the country and establish themselves. We will be working diligently together with our partners to identify similar offenders, prosecute them and seek their removal from our country.” Regalado-Solis had most recently been removed from the United States March 2, 2021, after serving a sentence for a previous illegal reentry after removal conviction and violation of supervised release. However, authorities encountered him March 29, 2023, in the McKendrick Ranch area near Laredo. He has other convictions for illegal reentry, as well as possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute it and transporting an illegal alien for private financial gain, for which he had been previously sentenced and removed from the United States. He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing on his other case and ultimate transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose Homero Ramirez and Bryan Oliver prosecuted this case.


title: South Carolina Woman Sentenced for Money Laundering in Relation to COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Anna Marie Omar, 51, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including six months on home detention, and ordered to pay $23,410.60 in restitution for money laundering by engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. Omar admitted that she fraudulently obtained a $20,833 PPP loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 30, 2021, Omar applied for a PPP forgivable loan while living in Bluefield, West Virginia. PPP loans were available to qualifying independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Omar admitted that she falsely represented that she was an independent contractor, that she had earned $152,000 in gross income in that capacity during tax year 2020, that she earned that income while working for a water processing business, and that she had been in business since 2010. Omar further admitted that she obtained the COVID-19 relief money for her own personal use. A PPP lender approved Omar’s loan application and deposited $20,833 in loan proceeds into Omar’s personal checking account on May 17, 2021. Omar admitted that she transferred $12,216.70 of the loan proceeds from her personal checking account to her personal savings account the following day. United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), Homeland Security Investigations, the Horry County South Carolina Sheriff’s Office and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-36. ###


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Obtains $162,500 Settlement Compensating Victim of Fair Housing Act Discrimination

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU - Kenneth M. Sorenson, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, announced a settlement of $162,500 resolving the United States’ lawsuit under the Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) against Kailua Village Condominium Association (“Kailua Village”), its Managing Agent, Associa Hawaii, the sellers of a Kailua Village condominium unit, and the sellers’ realtor. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants discriminated against an individual with paraplegia (the “Complainant”) who attempted to purchase a condominium unit at Kailua Village, a 54-unit condominium complex in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in or around October 2021. The Complainant was living at the condominium unit pursuant to an early occupancy agreement during the escrow period. According to the Complaint filed by the United States, the defendants unlawfully denied the Complainant’s requests for an accessible parking space, a temporary ramp to access his condominium unit, and installation of an accessible toilet at his own expense. This discrimination, as well as certain verbal harassment, allegedly caused the Complainant to withdraw from the purchase and move out of the condominium unit. The FHA makes it unlawful to discriminate in the terms and conditions of the sale or rental of, or to otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling based on the prospective buyer or renter’s disability. The FHA also mandates that reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, and services be provided when necessary to afford equal housing opportunities to persons with disabilities. The Complainant filed a discrimination complaint with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). HUD’s investigation determined that reasonable cause existed to believe that illegal discriminatory housing practices had occurred. The Complainant subsequently exercised his right to proceed to federal court with the dispute, thereby triggering the statutory requirement that the Department of Justice file suit on the Complainant’s behalf. The case was resolved by two Consent Decrees approved by the federal district court in October 2024 and January 2025. Pursuant to the Consent Decrees, the defendants will pay the Complainant $162,500 in damages and are required to complete FHA training. Additionally, Kailua Village is required to adopt a Department of Justice-approved reasonable accommodation and modification policy, and for a period of two years, Kailua Village and Associa Hawaii must comply with certain recordkeeping and reporting requirements to ensure FHA compliance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sydney Spector and Dana Barbata, in partnership with the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section of the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, litigated the matter. Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination may submit a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov , or may contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or www.hud.gov .


title: Queens Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Kill Federal Judge

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Kenneth J. Ward, Jr. pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with threatening to assault and murder a United States District Judge (the District Judge). Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge John P. Cronan sitting by designation. When sentenced, Ward faces up to 10 years in prison. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea. “The judges and other court officials who work every day to keep our country safe and uphold the rule of law should not have to fear for their lives for doing their jobs,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Threatening judges strikes at the very heart of our system. This Office has no tolerance for violence or threats of violence against public servants. We will prosecute offenders like the defendant to the fullest extent of the law.” Mr. Durham praised the outstanding work of the United States Marshals Service on the case. The charge is based on Ward’s threat at a telephone status conference in his pro se civil action, which was filed in federal court in Brooklyn. Ward’s civil case was assigned to the District Judge, who ultimately dismissed most of Ward’s claims. On July 15, 2024, Ward participated in a telephonic conference in connection with his case. During that conference, which was recorded, the defendant became angry and threatened to choke the District Judge “to death.” “And that’s on the f---ing – on the record,” Ward stated. At the plea hearing, Ward admitted that he made the threat in retaliation for the judge’s ruling against him in his civil case. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Trial Attorney Leonid Sandlar is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : KENNETH J. WARD JR. Age: 59 Glendale, Queens E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-401


title: Phobos Ransomware Affiliates Arrested in Coordinated International Disruption

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Note: View the superseding indictment here. Phobos Ransomware Group Alleged to have Attacked Over 1,000 Victims Worldwide The Justice Department today unsealed criminal charges against Roman Berezhnoy, 33, and Egor Nikolaevich Glebov, 39, both Russian nationals, who allegedly operated a cybercrime group using the Phobos ransomware that victimized more than 1,000 public and private entities in the United States and around the world and received over $16 million in ransom payments. Berezhnoy and Glebov were arrested this week as part of a coordinated international disruption of their organization, which includes additional arrests and the technical disruption of the group’s computer infrastructure. From May 2019, through at least October 2024, Berezhnoy, Glebov, and others allegedly caused victims to suffer losses resulting from the loss of access to their data in addition to the financial losses associated with the ransomware payments. The victims included a children’s hospital, health care providers, and educational institutions. 8Base Seizure Banner According to court documents, Berezhnoy, Glebov, and others operated a ransomware affiliate organization, including under the names "8Base" and "Affiliate 2803," among others, that victimized public and private entities through the deployment of Phobos ransomware. As part of the scheme, Berezhnoy, Glebov, and others allegedly hacked into victim computer networks, copied and stole files and programs on the victims' network, and encrypted the original versions of the stolen data with Phobos ransomware. The conspirators then allegedly extorted the victims for ransom payments in exchange for the decryption keys to regain access to the encrypted data by, among other things, leaving a ransom note on compromised victim computers and separately reaching out to victims to initiate ransom payment negotiations. As alleged, the conspirators also threatened to expose victims’ stolen files to the public or to the victims’ clients, customers, or constituents if the ransoms were not paid. The conspirators are further alleged to have established and operated a darknet website where they repeated their extortionate threats and ultimately published the stolen data if a victim failed to pay the ransom. After a successful Phobos ransomware attack, criminal affiliates paid fees to Phobos administrators for a decryption key to regain access to the encrypted files. Each deployment of Phobos ransomware was assigned a unique alphanumeric string in order to match it to the corresponding decryption key, and each affiliate was directed to pay the decryption key fee to a cryptocurrency wallet unique to that affiliate. The charges unsealed today against Berezhnoy and Glebov follow the recent arrest and extradition of Evgenii Ptitsyn, a Russian national, on charges relating to his alleged administration of the Phobos ransomware variant. In parallel with this week’s arrests, Europol and German authorities have announced an international operation involving the FBI and other international law enforcement partners to disrupt over 100 servers associated with this criminal network. Berezhnoy and Glebov are charged in an 11-count indictment with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, three counts of causing intentional damage to protected computers, three counts of extortion in relation to damage to a protected computer, one count of transmitting a threat to impair the confidentiality of stolen data, and one count of unauthorized access and obtaining information from a protected computer. If convicted, Berezhnoy and Glebov face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each wire fraud-related count; 10 years in prison on each computer damage count; and five years in prison on each of the other counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case. The Justice Department extends its thanks to international judicial and law enforcement partners in the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, France, Thailand, Finland, Switzerland, and Romania, as well as Europol and the U.S. Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, for their cooperation and coordination with the Phobos ransomware investigation. The National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided valuable assistance. Senior Counsel Aarash A. Haghighat of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. Former CCIPS Trial Attorney Riane Harper and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Jeffrey J. Izant for the District of Maryland provided substantial assistance. Additional details on protecting networks against Phobos ransomware are available at StopRansomware.gov , including Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Advisory AA24-060A . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Jury Finds Cousins Guilty of 2021 Mayfair Mansions Murder

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – A Superior Court jury today found Deangelo Glover, 33, and Ronnie Wallace, 48, both of Washington, D.C., guilty of murder and other charges related to the January 19, 2021, murder of Tyrone Wright, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Wallace was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for Wright’s murder, plus one count of assault with intent to kill while armed for shooting a second victim, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. Glover was found guilty of one count of second-degree murder, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled sentencing for May 2, 2025. According to the government’s evidence, on Tuesday January 19, 2021, in a parking lot in front of 3804 Hayes Street NE within the Mayfair Mansions Apartment complex, Ronnie Wallace shot the decedent, Tyrone Wright on belief that Mr. Wright was one of the persons responsible for his brother Marcus Wallace’s murder. In the process, a bystander was shot a single time in the leg. Within moments of Wallace’s initial shots, his cousin and co-defendant Deangelo Glover, ran out of an adjacent building and shot Mr. Wright repeatedly, ending his life. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Coronado and Matthew Covert.


title: Three People Charged in Commercial Bribery Scheme

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Edward Joseph Chmiel, 49, Henry Lozano, 43, and Sabino Loera, 51, have been charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering arising out of a scheme to submit fraudulent invoices to a contractor providing services for a Colorado electrical utility. Loera and Lozano made their initial appearances in federal court on February 10. Chmiel is expected to have his initial appearance later this month. According to the criminal information, Chmiel and Loera worked for a company providing electrical contracting services to a utility company in Colorado. Lozano owned a company providing trucking and hauling services. In August 2018, the three agreed that Lozano’s company would provide those services in exchange for kickback payments to Chmiel and Loera. To generate the money that would pay the kickbacks, the three schemed to submit false invoices from Lozano’s company to Chmiel and Loera’s. Once Lozano was paid for those invoices, Loera would direct Lozano to issue checks to a network of 15 other people. Those people cashed the checks and then gave the cash to Chmiel and Loera. Between August 2018 and June 2020, the false invoices generated approximately $1,495,781.51 in kickback proceeds. The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the FBI Denver Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sonia Dave and Bryan Fields. Case Number: 25-cr-00024-RMR


title: Humboldt County Woman Charged With Embezzling Over $500,000 From Construction Company Employer

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Christina Ann Mobley, also known as Kris Mobley, 58, on charges that she defrauded her former employer, a construction company located in Fortuna, Calif. According to an indictment filed Feb. 5, 2025, Mobley was employed as the business manager for a Fortuna construction company. When the company’s bookkeeper retired, Mobley took on the accounting and bookkeeping duties, including inputting entries into the company’s accounting software and assisting with bill payments, payroll taxes, employee health benefits, government contracts, and other tasks. The company maintained an account at a bank and had several business credit cards through the bank for its employees. It also held a business credit card at another bank, where Mobley maintained at least two personal credit card accounts. The indictment describes that Mobley’s scheme to defraud took on several forms. Mobley allegedly directed checks mailed from the company’s bank account to be applied to the accounts for her personal credit cards; issued electronic payments of company funds to her personal credit cards; misused the company’s credit card for personal expenses such as cash advances at casinos and personal travel; wrote checks from the company to herself; inflated her vacation time, work hours, and bonuses in the company’s payroll system; and issued duplicate payroll checks and unearned bonus payments to herself. Between January 2022 and November 2024, Mobley allegedly embezzled more than $500,000 from her employer. The indictment charges Mobley with three counts of mail fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1341 and seven counts of wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Mobley made an initial appearance in federal district court in McKinleyville, Calif., this morning, and was released on bond with conditions set by the Court. Mobley is next scheduled to appear on Feb. 26, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer. United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dan Costin made the announcement. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Mobley faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 1343, a fine of $250,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transactions, and forfeiture and restitution. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Barry is prosecuting this case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. Christina Ann Mobley Indictment


title: Mexican National Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Possessing Heroin with Intent to Distribute

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Angel Beltran-Chaidez, 69, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to two years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, in January 2022, at the direction of his brother Antonio Beltran-Chaidez, 55, also a Mexican national, Beltran delivered more than 2 pounds of heroin to Jorge Calderon-Campos, 44, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, for distribution. However, when Calderon-Campos was unable to sell the drug, Beltran retrieved it from Calderon-Campos and was in possession of the heroin when stopped by a CHP officer for a traffic violation. Calderon-Campos and Antonio Beltran-Chaidez previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to eight years and one month in prison and three years and 10 months in prison, respectively. This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Three Members Of Museum Heist Crew Found Guilty Of Conspiracy, Theft Of Major Artwork, And Concealment/Disposal Of Major Artwork

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Dombek, age 54, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Damien Boland, age 48, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, and Joseph Atsus, age 48, of Roaring Brook, Pennsylvania, were convicted on February 7, 2025, for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property, as well as multiple related substantive offense, following a four-week jury trial before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Dombek, Boland, and Joseph Atsus were part of a larger nine-person conspiracy which lasted over 20 years and whose goal was to break into multiple museums and other institutions and steal priceless works of art, sports memorabilia, and other objects. Those objects include the following: A Christy Matthewson jersey and two contracts signed by Matthewson stolen in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pennsylvania; “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania; Ten (10) World Series rings, seven (7) other championship rings, and two (2) MVP plaques all belonging to Yogi Berra, worth over $1,000,000 stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls, New Jersey; Six (6) championship belts, including four belonging to Carmen Basilio and two belonging to Tony Zale, stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York; The Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy belonging to Roger Maris, stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo, North Dakota; The U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to Ben Hogan, stolen in 2012 from the USGA Golf Museum & Library; Fourteen (14) trophies and other awards worth over $300,000, stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York; Five (5) trophies worth over $400,000, including the 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York; Eleven (11) trophies, including four (4) belonging to Art Wall, Jr., stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club located in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania; Three antique firearms worth a combined $1,000,000, stolen in 2006 from Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey; An 1903/1904 Tiffany Lamp stolen in 2010 from the Lackawanna Historical Society in Scranton, Pennsylvania, “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, worth approximately $500,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey; Two antique firearms worth over $300,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey; $400,000 worth of gold nuggets, stolen in 2011 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey; Various gems, minerals, and other items stolen in 2017, from the Franklin Mineral Museum in Franklin, New Jersey; An antique shotgun worth over $30,000, stolen in 2018 from Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey; Various jewelry, rings, and other items from various antique and jewelry stores in New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. Five additional co-conspirators pled guilty pursuant to felony informations and are awaiting sentencing. Former co-defendant Alfred Atsus was acquitted of the three counts against him at trial. After stealing the above-described items, the conspirators would transport the stolen goods back to northeastern Pennsylvania, often the residence of Dombek, and melt the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars. The conspirators would then sell the raw metal to fences in the New York City area for hundreds or a few thousands of dollars, significantly less than the sports memorabilia would be worth at fair market value. Dombek burnt the painting “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, valued at approximately $500,000, to avoid the painting being recovered by investigators and used as evidence against the members of the conspiracy. The whereabouts of many of the other paintings and stolen objects are currently unknown, however, several antique firearms stolen from the Space Farms Zoo and Museum and the Ringwood Manor Museum, both in New Jersey, were recovered by investigators. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the New York State Police, the New Jersey State Park Police, the Newport Police Department (Rhode Island), the Fargo Police Department (North Dakota), the Chester Police Department (New York), the Exeter Borough Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Scranton Police Department, the Franklin Police Department (New Jersey), the Village of Goshen Police Department (New York), the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.), the West Milord Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Montclair Police Department (New Jersey), the Saratoga Springs Police Department (New York), the Canastota Police Department (New York), the South Abington Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Bernards Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Salisbury Township Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Montclair State University Police Department (New Jersey), the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania), the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (New York), and multiple other local law enforcement agencies from across the country. Assistant United States Attorneys James M. Buchanan, Jenny Roberts, and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case. Sentencing is not yet scheduled. The defendants face a maximum penalty of imprisonment for a term of five years for the conspiracy conviction and maximum penalties of ten years’ imprisonment for each additional count of conviction, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. # # #


title: Mississippi Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud Conspiracy and Violating Supervised Release

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOHN SPOSATO (“SPOSATO”), age 73, a resident of Kiln, Mississippi, was sentenced February 6, 2025 by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1344. Separately, United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced SPOSATO to 6 months in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed by Judge Fallon, for violating the terms of his supervised release from a prior conviction in United States v. Sposato , 15-134 (E.D. La.). According to court documents, SPOSATO began serving a three-year period of supervised release after his release from prison because of his previous conviction on about August 9, 2022, in United States v. John Sposato , 15-134 (E.D. La.). While on supervised release, SPOSATO claimed to be President of several companies, including Pegasus Consulting and Development, LLC (“Pegasus Consulting”). These companies neither performed work nor generated income. SPOSATO opened a financial account at Keesler Federal Credit Union in the name of Pegasus Consulting and on March 27, 2023, attempted to deposit a $10,000.00 check he received from a co-conspirator, knowing it to be counterfeit. The check was purportedly drawn on the financial account of an all-volunteer, non-profit, tax-exempt organization that supported a Florida public library. SPOSATO’s attempted deposit placed Keesler at risk of both civil liability and financial loss. When asked about the check, SPOSATO falsely told a United States Probation Officer that the check was compensation for consulting work he performed, both directly and through an associate named “Jack Morgan,” for the non-profit entity. In fact, SPOSATO knew he was not entitled to the check and had never performed work for the non-profit. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Probation Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug and Firearm Offenses

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROBERT BALL (“BALL”) , age 45 of New Orleans, was sentenced on February 6, 2025 to a total of 248 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, after previously pleading guilty to one (1) count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), one (1) count of Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), as well as one (1) count of Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(a). BALL was sentenced to 188 months imprisonment on Counts 1 and 2, followed by an additional 60 months on Count 3 to run consecutive. Judge Morgan also ordered that BALL serve five (5) years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay a $300 mandatory special assessment fee. According to the indictment, law enforcement in Ontario, California intercepted a package suspected of containing methamphetamine that was enroute to New Orleans. Further investigation revealed that Felipe Garcia had mailed two similar packages from the same United Parcel Service store in California to New Orleans. After determining the intercepted package in California contained methamphetamine, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) intercepted the second package before its delivery to a New Orleans address. It was later determined that BALL was the intended recipient of this drug package. BALL had previously been arrested by the Louisiana State Police after a traffic stop led to the discovery of methamphetamine and firearms in his possession. 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. United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, and the Ontario California Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Convicted Felon Who Fired Weapon At New Orleans Police Officers Sentenced To 188 Months Imprisonment

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –DANTE FRAZIER (“FRAZIER”) , age 45, was sentenced on February 6, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 188 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release, along with a $200 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C); and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). According to court documents, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers responded to an emergency call and found FRAZIER passed out in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. After becoming aware of NOPD’s presence, FRAZIER drove onto the Saint Claude Avenue neutral ground, struck a median, and then drove into a gas station parking lot before fleeing on foot. While fleeing, FRAZIER fired five shots from a Mossberg International Model 715P, .22 caliber handgun, at NOPD, before hiding beneath a nearby house. Soon after the pursuit, NOPD officers located FRAZIER, and his vehicle containing over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 14 grams of cocaine, that FRAZIER intended to distribute. Before this shooting incident, FRAZIER had been convicted of three counts of armed robbery and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: United States Postal Employee Indicted for Mail Theft

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on February 6, 2025, KANISHA FLORENCE (“FLORENCE”) , age 28, a resident of New Orleans, was indicted for theft of mail by a postal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709. According to the indictment, on February 6, 2023, FLORENCE removed a gift card from an article of mail that had come into her possession as an employee of the United States Postal Service. If convicted, FLORENCE faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was investigated United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Possessing Stolen Car and Drug and Weapons Violations

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –MERVYN LUCAS (“LUCAS”) , age 33, was sentenced on February 6, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 75 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, along with a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a car stolen from the Norfolk Southern Railyard, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 659. According to court documents, law enforcement tracked a brand new, $80,000 Ford F-150 Raptor stolen from the Norfolk Southern Railyard to LUCAS’s residence. The vehicle had a fraudulent temporary license plate and inside the residence, in an envelope addressed to LUCAS ,there was a second fraudulent plate. Law enforcement also found over 10 pounds of vacuum-sealed marijuana in LUCAS’s residence that he intended to distribute. Additionally, they found a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco AK-47-style firearm, loaded with over 40 rounds of ammunition, that LUCAS possessed in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Mexican National Indicted For  Illegal Re-Entry of Removed Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that FELICIANO SOLANO-OLEA (“SOLANO-OLEA”) , age 42, a native of Mexico, was indicted on February 6, 2025 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to the indictment, on December 10, 2024, SOLANO-OLEA reentered the United States after being previously deported on July 20, 2011. For this offense, SOLANO-OLEA faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.


title: U.S. Postal Employee And Co-Conspirator Receive Prison Time For Stolen Check Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A U.S. Postal Service employee and a co-conspirator were sentenced to prison yesterday for a scheme involving stolen checks worth over $24 million, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A third co-conspirator was previously sentenced for his role in the scheme. Nakedra Shannon, 30, and Desiray Carter, 30, both of Charlotte, were sentenced to 60 months and 54 months in prison, respectively, followed by two years of supervised release. On July 18, 2024, Donell Gardner, 28, also of Charlotte, was sentenced to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The defendants previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and theft of government property. The defendants were also ordered to pay $113,333.87 in restitution, jointly and severally. According to court records, from March 2021 to July 2023, Shannon was employed by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as a mail processing clerk at a distribution center in Charlotte. As Shannon previously admitted in court, from April to July 2023, she conspired with Gardner and Carter to steal incoming and outgoing checks from the U.S. mail, which Gardner and Carter then sold to other individuals, including using the Telegram channel OG Glass House. The co-conspirators stole checks totaling more than $24 million, which includes over $12 million in stolen checks that were posted for sale on the Telegram channel OG Glass House, and more than $8 million in stolen U.S. Treasury checks. The defendants obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in criminal proceeds of the mail theft scheme. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked U.S. Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: Former Federal Juror Sentenced to 30 Days for Contempt of Court

body_text: Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant, Gregorio Concepcion Tyquienco, age 72, was sentenced on February 4, 2025, in the District Court of Guam to 30 days imprisonment followed by one year of supervised release for Contempt of Court, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 401(3). The Court ordered Tyquiengco to pay $1,537.04 as restitution (representing the fees and mileage paid to him as a juror during a trial), a $2,000 fine, and a mandatory $25 special assessment fee. Tyquienco was a juror in the trial of United States vs. Raymond John Martinez and Juanita Marie Quitugua Moser in the District Court of Guam. Between October 11, 2018, and December 27, 2018, Tyquienco knowingly disobeyed the Court’s instruction not to discuss the case with anyone outside of the jury’s deliberative process. During the trial, and prior to jury deliberation, Tyquienco discussed what verdict he would render with brothers William Topasna Mantanona and John T. Mantanona, aka “Boom.” Tyquienco knew Boom was working as a member of the defense team. He knew Boom previously but did not disclose the association to the Court. Tyquienco was asked by William and Boom to be the jury foreman and to issue a “Not Guilty” verdict regardless of the evidence. These discussions violated the clear and specific daily orders of the Honorable Frances Tydingco-Gatewood, Chief Judge, District Court of Guam. After a mistrial was declared, Boom met with Tyquiengco and gave him $1,100 in cash. “Jury tampering is an affront to the Rule of Law,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Our citizens and the accused expect fair legal proceedings that result in justice. Jurors and witnesses make great sacrifices to fulfil this important civic duty. This case sends a message that the Department of Justice will hold accountable those who violate this public trust.” “The integrity and impartiality of jurors and their deliberations are essential to our criminal justice system,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “Those who tamper with this important civic responsibility attempt to deny our communities the justice they deserve. As reflected by this investigation, the FBI is committed to protecting our legal processes and will bring to justice those who act to corrupt it.” The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosetta L. San Nicolas in the District of Guam.


title: Tampa Man Indicted For Possessing Firearms As A Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Denzel Ingram (27, Tampa) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Ingram faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ingram that the United States intends to forfeit a Shadow Systems firearm and a Smith & Wesson firearm, which were used in the commission of the offense. According to the indictment, on or about June 23, 2024, Ingram knowingly possessed a Shadow Systems firearm and a Smith & Wesson firearm. Prior to his possession, Ingram knew that he had been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, throwing a deadly missile, and fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang. This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Chinese National Restaurant Owner Pleads Guilty To Establishing A Commercial Enterprise For The Purpose Of Evading Immigration Laws

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Hua Yao Ke (38), of Jacksonville has pleaded guilty to establishing a commercial enterprise for the purpose of evading a provision of the immigration laws. Ke faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. According to the plea agreement, Ke owned and operated the Kamiya 86 Sushi and Thai restaurant located in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. At the restaurant, he employed workers who were unlawfully present in the United States. Contrary to federal law, Ke did not require the workers to provide documents to establish that they could legally work in the United States. Ke also owned a residence at which he provided free housing to the undocumented workers, and he provided the workers with free transportation between the house and the restaurant. He also paid the workers in cash and did not withhold taxes and other payments from the workers’ wages. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Border Patrol, with assistance from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.


title: ST. FRANCISVILLE MAN SENTENCED TO 240 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR ASSAULT OF A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE IN PERFORMANCE OF OFFICIAL DUTY

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Lionel Haile, age 31, of St. Francisville, Louisiana, to 240 months in federal prison following his conviction for assaulting a U.S. Postal employee with a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury. Haile must serve three years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment. As the evidence at trial demonstrated, on December 31, 2021, Haile attacked a U.S. Postal employee with a sharp object as she was delivering mail to an apartment complex in Zachary, Louisiana, inflicting a stab wound on her right leg. The victim fought against Haile’s repeated attempts to stab her on her upper body and legs. She escaped Haile, ran towards a vehicle as it was exiting the apartment complex, jumped inside the vehicle, and rode off with her rescuer. Haile fled the scene. Authorities arrested Haile on January 6, 2022, following the publication of his photograph on CrimeStoppers. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Zachary Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Robert W. Piedrahita.


title: Parrish Man Indicted For Possessing Multiple Firearms  As A Convicted Felon

body_text: Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Jason Peterson (29, Parrish) with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Peterson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Peterson that the United States intends to forfeit a Smith & Wesson firearm, a Bauer firearm, and a Rossi firearm, used in the commission of the offense. According to the indictment, between on or about July 1, 2024, and on or about November 16, 2024, Peterson knowingly possessed a Smith & Wesson firearm and a Bauer firearm. Additionally, on or about October 24, 2024, Peterson knowingly possessed a Rossi firearm. Prior to his possession of each firearm, Peterson knew he had been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including resisting an officer with violence, delivery of a controlled substance, felony littering, and two separate convictions of battery on a law enforcement officer. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang. This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: New York Man Sentenced to 34 Months In Prison for Wire Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Marquis Windsor, age 33, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced on February 5, 2025, to 34 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for wire fraud conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen goods. According to Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, between November 14, 2017 and October 12, 2022, Windsor and multiple co-conspirators defrauded nearly 60 businesses across 23 states and the District of Columbia via a fraudulent scheme in which they used fictious names, sham email addresses, and fake credit cards to rent sound production (or audio) equipment from businesses. Instead of returning the rented audio equipment, Windsor and his co-conspirators sold the merchandise using online marketplaces, such as eBay, Facebook, OfferUp, and Reverb. Windsor’s conduct caused a loss of $1,077,651.84. Judge Wilson further ordered Windsor to pay restitution in the amount of $984,919.66. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lancaster Police, Lower Paxton Police, Cincinnati Police, Rockville (MD) Police, Detroit Police, Atlanta Police, Madison (Wisconsin) Police, and Falls Township (PA) Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney David C. Williams prosecuted the case. # # #


title: FATHER AND SON DUO SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR  DISTRIBUTION AND RECEIPT OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

body_text: United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Bobby Glenn Wall, Jr., age 46, of Parchman, Mississippi, to 192 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution and receipt of child pornography. Wall, Jr. must serve fifteen years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment and ordered to register as a sex offender upon his release. According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on December 14, 2021, while using the Facebook Messenger application on a cell phone in the Wilkinson County Jail in Mississippi, Wall, Jr. knowingly transmitted five images of child pornography to his father, Bobby Glenn Wall, in Denham Springs Louisiana, with each image depicting a prepubescent female. Wall Jr. had access to, at a minimum, 100 images of child pornography that he sent to his own Facebook Messenger account, five of which he then sent to his father in Denham Springs via Facebook Messenger. His father, Bobby Glenn Wall, age 68, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to 160 months in federal prison following his conviction for the same incident involving distribution and receipt of child pornography. Wall must serve five years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment and ordered to register as a sex offender upon his release. According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Wall knowingly received five images of child pornography on his Facebook Messenger application, from his son, Wall, Jr. Wall received one image of child pornography from his son, and, after telling his son “to keep them coming,” received 15 additional images of child pornography, to include images depicting masturbation and sex acts. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.


title: Beechview Resident Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on February 6, 2025, to a charge of child exploitation, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Michael J. Close Jr., 53, of the Beechview neighborhood of Pittsburgh pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on at least four occasions from May 16, 2022, through July 6, 2022, Close purchased and received from an online Russian vendor compressed and encrypted video and still image collections depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent. Close created a cryptocurrency account and, using a cryptocurrency exchange platform, transferred payment to the vendor in bitcoin. Once payment was received, the vendor provided Close with a password to access and view the encrypted videos and still images. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the Court remanded Close to the custody of the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. Homeland Security Investigations in Pittsburgh and Portland, Maine, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Close. 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.justice.gov/psc .


title: Johnstown Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Crack Cocaine and Violating Supervised Release

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on February 6, 2025, to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Daniel Culmer, 57, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to Count One of the Superseding Indictment and to violating conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around April 2021 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Culmer conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base, in the form commonly known as crack. Culmer was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drug that he distributed to others. At the time of the offense, Culmer was on supervised release from a prior federal conviction in 2018 in the Western District of Pennsylvania for distributing heroin. Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $2 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Culmer. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Returns $328,573 to Victim of Computer Support Scam

component: Criminal - Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has returned approximately $328,573 to the victim of a computer support scam. A computer support scam is a type of fraud scheme where an alert appears on the victim’s computer imitating a customer support alert, tricking the victim into contacting the bad actors. When the victim contacts the scammers, the scammers then take remote control of the computer and either directly transfer money from the victim to the scammers or trick the victim into sending money to the scammers. According to the complaint ( 3:24cv840 ), in February 2024, an elderly woman who was tricked by a computer support scheme that mimicked Microsoft customer support transferred approximately $550,000 to the scammers in two wire transfers. Within two days of the transfers, the victim and a family member reported the incident to the Simsbury Police Department, who then partnered with HSI to investigate the crime. Fortunately, one of the wire transfers, in the amount of $221,000, was reversed by the bank and returned to the victim. HSI traced the remaining money, totaling approximately $328,573, and seized it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then filed a civil asset forfeiture action to forfeit the money to the government, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI then worked with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) to return the money to the victim. MLARS initiated the return of the money on February 4, 2025. Generally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office first forfeits the money, then returns it to the crime victims, so that the crime victims have clear title to the property without risk of further litigation. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to helping victims of crime, and civil asset forfeiture is a powerful tool that allows the government to return money to victims of fraud schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman. “As we continue to pursue criminal prosecution of the individuals responsible for this and other computer crimes, it is equally important to ensure that the government uses all of its tools to minimize, and in this case, undo, the financial impact these crimes have on victims. This case represents the best case scenario, where nearly every dollar taken from the victim was returned to her. While it can be difficult to come forward and admit that you have been victimized by online scammers, know that federal law enforcement and our state and local partners stand ready to help you to the fullest extent possible.” “Cyber scams run by foreign malign actors are becoming more common and more sophisticated every day,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Krol. “The victim in this case contacted authorities quickly resulting in the recovery of most of her money by the bank and by HSI – a best case scenario and rare result. It is essential for victims of these kinds of cybercrimes to come forward as soon as possible. We want the public to know that help is available and to reach out immediately if they’ve been victimized by international scammers.” If you think you have been a victim of a computer support scam, immediately contact your bank or financial institution to request a recall or reversal as well as a Hold Harmless Letter or Letter of Indemnity, and contact local law enforcement. Additionally, file a detailed complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov . The Internet Crime Complaint Center is run by the FBI and serves as the country’s hub for reporting cybercrime. Visit www.ic3.gov for updated information regarding cyber fraud schemes. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.


title: Mexican National Admits To Trafficking Cocaine After Illegally Re-Entering The United States After Multiple Previous Deportations

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Mexican national admitted on Tuesday to trafficking cocaine and illegally re-entering the United States after previously sustaining an aggravated felony conviction, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Anastacio Santiago Chaparro, aka Arnoldo Urquidez, 41 of Mexico pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and illegal reentry by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On November 6, 2023, Santiago Chaparro was caught by law enforcement transporting a backpack that contained over 10 kilograms of cocaine. Santiago Chaparro admitted that the cocaine was intended for distribution. Additionally, Santiago Chaparro had been deported from the United States to Mexico three times and previously sustained a conviction for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, an aggravated felony. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The charge of illegal reentry by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, and from the Drug Enforcement Administration New York, under the direction of Frank A. Tarentino, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chana Y. Zuckier of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit in Newark. Sentencing is scheduled for June 9, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. ### Defense counsel: Victor A. Afanador chaparro.indictment.pdf


title: Roanoke, Alabama Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison Following Federal Drug Conviction

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: Montgomery, Ala. – On February 6. 2025, a federal judge ordered 41-year-old Clifford Lane Brown, from Roanoke, Alabama, to serve 228 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the illegal drug, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. The judge also ordered that Brown remain on supervised release for five years following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. According to Brown’s plea agreement and other court records, on June 3, 2021, deputies with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office went to a home in Roanoke to make contact with an individual residing there concerning an investigation unrelated to Brown. When deputies arrived, they observed a vehicle parked near the home’s front porch. There were two occupants inside the vehicle — one was a female, the other was Brown. As officers approached the vehicle, deputies saw that Brown was holding a handgun. Deputies ordered Brown to put the firearm down, and Brown complied. Investigators searched the vehicle and found a backpack containing six plastic bags of methamphetamine, a small glass jar of marijuana, a hypodermic needle, and multiple rounds of ammunition. Brown has previous felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) analyzed and weighed the methamphetamine. The DEA lab determined that there was a total of 76 grams of methamphetamine seized with a purity level of 98 percent. On October 28, 2024, Brown pleaded guilty to possessing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the illegal drug. The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case, with assistance from DEA. Assistant United States Attorney Justin L. Jones prosecuted the case.


title: Bucks County Man Sentenced To 30 Months In Prison For Possession Of  Unregistered Firearm

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Joseph Weikel, age 50, a resident of Quakertown, Pennsylvania was sentenced on February 6, 2025, to 30 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, for possession of an unregistered firearm. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on or about June 28, 2021, Weikel possessed two improvised explosive devices inside his former residence in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. After manufacturing the devices, Weikel concealed them behind the ceiling tiles in his apartment, abandoning them when he was evicted. The devices were discovered on May 31, 2023, by maintenance workers. Following their discovery, law enforcement agents disassembled the devices. They were subsequently analyzed at the FBI Laboratory and identified improvised explosive devices. Under federal law, it is illegal to manufacture or possess a destructive device without proper authority. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—Allentown Field Office and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson prosecuted the case. # # #


title: Oak Park Gang Members and Drug Suppliers Charged with Drug and Firearm Offenses

body_text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 15-count indictment Thursday against Sacramento residents Kevin Antonio Parker, 38; John Kevin Parker, 45; Veronica Brooks, 42; Xavier Surita, 36; Raymundo Escobar, 27; Marcelino Escobar, 23; and Devon Nelson, 33, charging them with various drug trafficking and firearms offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. A second related indictment Thursday charged Sacramento resident Maurice Collins, 34, with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, in November 2023, law enforcement began investigating two high-ranking Oak Park Bloods gang members. Over the course of the investigation, Kevin Parker and his associates sold fentanyl powder, fentanyl pills, more than 15 pounds of methamphetamine, and 12 firearms, including privately manufactured firearms and a firearm equipped with a machine gun conversion device. Kevin Parker was charged with multiple drug offenses involving methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful dealing in firearms, and the possession and transfer of a machine gun. John Parker, Brooks, Raymundo Escobar, Marcelino Escobar, and Nelson were charged with various drug conspiracy and distribution offenses, and Raymundo Escobar was additionally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. During the investigation, law enforcement officers made multiple purchases of methamphetamine and guns at Sacramento stash houses. On Jan. 28, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at one such stash house and found Collins residing there and in possession of a firearm. Collins is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his prior felony convictions. These cases are the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Special Services Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily G. Sauvageau and Nicole Vanek are prosecuting the cases. If convicted, the defendants in the first indictment each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. Collins faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.