title: New Mexico Man Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting 12-Year-Old Ohio Girl

body_text: CLEVELAND – Joseph Gunter, 41, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been sentenced to 28 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles E. Fleming, after pleading guilty in February to driving more than 1,600 miles from New Mexico to Ohio to sexually exploit a child and to transporting a minor with intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Gunter was also ordered to serve lifetime supervised release after imprisonment and to pay restitution in the amount of $5,000 to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act, which was established in 2018 to provide monetary assistance for victims of child sexual abuse. In addition, he was ordered to pay $10,000 to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which was established in 2015 to provide justice for victims of trafficking. Judge Fleming imposed the sentence June 30. According to court documents, on the morning of Sept. 21, 2023, a 12-year-old female was reported missing to local authorities in Ashtabula County. An interview with one witness revealed that the victim had been communicating with a person from Albuquerque, whom investigators were able to later identify as Gunter. Through a series of intensive and investigative efforts among, state, local, and federal agencies, Gunter’s vehicle was located in Gray County, Texas. Officers there conducted a traffic stop and found the victim in his car. Two firearms were also located inside the vehicle. In the original complaint and underlying affidavit, investigators learned that Gunter had been communicating with the victim through the Twitter cellphone application for a number of months. At one point, the 12-year-old deleted her account in an attempt to stop all communications with him. However, when she set up a new account, he found her soon thereafter and they became in contact again. The victim indicated that as she was out for a walk on the morning she was reported missing, Gunter had driven up next to her and threatened her with a gun if she didn’t get into his vehicle. He then transported the minor victim out of state with the intention of engaging in sexual activity with her. On the drive back to his home in New Mexico, they stayed in several hotels where he proceeded to physically assault and repeatedly rape her. This multi-state investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division, FBI Albuquerque, FBI Dallas, FBI Chicago, FBI Little Rock, Gray County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, and the Ashtabula (Ohio) County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Kane and Michael Sullivan . To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. About the Northern District of Ohio The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio covers the 40 northern-most counties in the state of Ohio, which is home to nearly six million people. The office operates from its main headquarters in Cleveland, with additional branches in Akron, Toledo, and Youngstown. The U.S. Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the District and oversees the prosecution of federal crimes and protects victims’ rights.


title: Four Individuals Charged in Northern District of Texas with Health Care Fraud Schemes Totaling over $210 Million as part of National Takedown

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers. Demonstrating the significant return on investment that results from health care fraud enforcement efforts, the government seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets as part of the coordinated enforcement efforts. As part of the whole-of-government approach to combating health care fraud announced today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also announced that it successfully prevented over $4 billion from being paid in response to false and fraudulent claims and that it suspended or revoked the billing privileges of 205 providers in the months leading up to the Takedown. Civil charges against 20 defendants for $14.2 million in alleged fraud, as well as civil settlements with 106 defendants totaling $34.3 million, were also announced as part of the Takedown. Today’s Takedown was led and coordinated by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and its core partners from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The cases were investigated by agents from HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies. The cases are being prosecuted by Health Care Fraud Strike Force teams from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, 50 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, and 12 State Attorneys General Offices. “This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.” “These individuals lined their own pockets, egregiously stealing beneficiaries’ identities and pillaging the coffers of federal programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson. “We will never tolerate this behavior and will relentlessly pursue prosecution of these offenders to the fullest extent possible. We applaud the tremendous work of our law enforcement partners in this National Takedown, whose diligent efforts dismantled layers of complex financial transactions created by these bad actors attempting to conceal their fraudulent conduct.” “As part of making healthcare accessible and affordable to all Americans, HHS will aggressively work with our law enforcement partners to eliminate the pervasive health care fraud that bedeviled this agency under the former administration and drove up costs,” said Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services. “The scale of today’s Takedown is unprecedented, and so is the harm we’re confronting. Individuals who attempt to steal from the federal health care system and put vulnerable patients at risk will be held accountable,” said HHS-OIG Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins. “Our agents at HHS-OIG work relentlessly to detect, investigate, and dismantle these fraud schemes. We are proud to stand with our law enforcement partners in protecting taxpayer dollars and safeguarding patient care.” “The Criminal Division is intensely committed to rooting out health care fraud schemes and prosecuting the criminals who perpetrate them because these schemes: (1) often result in physical patient harm through medically unnecessary treatments or failure to provide the correct treatments; (2) contribute to our nationwide opioid epidemic and exacerbate controlled substance addiction; and (3) do all of that while stealing money hardworking Americans contribute to pay for the care of their elders and other vulnerable citizens,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Division’s Health Care Fraud Unit and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices stand united with our law enforcement partners in this fight, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the integrity of our health care programs for the American people.” “Health care fraud drains critical resources from programs intended to help people who truly need medical care,” said Director Kash Patel of the FBI. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who exploit the system for personal gain. With more than $13 billion in fraud uncovered, this is the largest takedown for this initiative to date. Together, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those accountable who steal from the American people and undermine our health care systems.” “The perpetrators of this fraud used deceptive tactics and their access to beneficiary information to personally profit off government-sponsored health insurance programs. These programs provide critical care and services to individuals in our communities that need it most,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify and investigate the pervasive health care fraud schemes that cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars annually.” Cases Charged in the Northern District of Texas As part of the 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, four defendants were charged by indictment in the Northern District of Texas with collective fraudulent billing of approximately $210 million submitted to federally-funded programs and other insurers, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. Those charged include: • Demitrious Gilmore , 46, of Lubbock, Texas, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with the submission of false and fraudulent medical claims for various benefits, items, and services that were ineligible for reimbursement, not medically necessary, not performed, or not provided. As alleged in the indictment, Gilmore, the owner of WM Wellness, LLC and Gilmorehands, Inc. d/b/a Work-Med, submitted the claims to the Department of Labor Office of Workers Compensation Program ("DOL-OWCP"), which administers workers’ compensation benefits to federal employees who suffered an injury, disease, or death in the performance of duty. Gilmore is alleged to have conspired with another physician and a former United States Postal Service employee and union official to submit the false and fraudulent claims. The alleged false claims include claims for knee braces, including several instances where "DOL-OWCP" was billed for multiple expensive custom knee braces for a single claimant; physical therapy, including an instance where "DOL-OWCP" was billed for multiple hours of physical therapy while the claimant was having knee surgery; as well as platelet rich plasma treatments and at-home ultrasonic devices that were not medically necessary, never provided, and/or not provided as represented. In all, Gilmore and his co-conspirators submitted approximately $19 million in false and fraudulent claims to "DOL-OWCP", of which at least approximately $17 million was paid. Over $1 million was seized from bank accounts controlled by Gilmore. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and DOL-OIG investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. • Gary Martin , 62, of McKinney, Texas, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to solicit or receive kickbacks for referrals to a federal health care program and solicitation and receipt of kickbacks in connection with the submission of over $73 million in false and fraudulent medical claims to Medicare for over-the-counter COVID-19 (“OTC COVID-19”) tests in 2023. As alleged in the indictment, Martin, the owner of medical clinics, conspired with health care providers and other individuals to pay and receive kickbacks based on Medicare reimbursements for OTC COVID-19 tests. In order to bill Medicare for the claims, Martin and his co-conspirators are alleged to have provided Medicare patient information, to which they had access, to co-conspirators without the Medicare beneficiaries’ knowledge or consent and/or notwithstanding that they had not requested any OTC COVID-19 tests. In fact, as alleged in the indictment, in numerous instances the beneficiary was deceased. Once Medicare paid the claim, Martin’s co-conspirator allegedly paid a kickback based on the reimbursement. Martin’s co-defendant, Damon Heath Roberts, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to pay or offer to pay kickbacks for referrals to a federal health care program in connection with the scheme and is awaiting sentencing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. • Khadeer Khan Mohammed , 44, a citizen of India, was charged by indictment with health care fraud in connection with a scheme to submit false and fraudulent medical claims to Medicare for genetic testing that was allegedly never requested, ordered and/or performed. As alleged in the indictment, Mohammed, the owner of American Premier Labs LLC, located in Richardson, Texas, used the personal identifying information of physicians with no relationship to the Medicare beneficiaries, and without the physicians’ knowledge or consent, to submit the false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. In all, Mohammed caused the submission of approximately $93 million in false and fraudulent claims, of which approximately $65 million was paid, including payment of approximately $13 million over a single ten-day period in 2023. Nearly $6 million was seized from bank accounts controlled by Mohammed. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. • Olatunbosun Osukoya , 67, of Plano, Texas, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with the submission of over $25 million in false and fraudulent medical claims to Medicare, TRICARE, and other insurers for electroencephalogram (EEG) testing. As alleged in the indictment, Osukoya, the owner of Ayo Biometrics, LLC d/b/a Cambridge Diagnostics, sought out individuals with insurance plans to undergo expensive EEG testing and recruited and paid kickbacks and bribes to physicians and others to refer patients to Cambridge Diagnostics. To conceal the scheme and to make it appear that the services were necessary, Osukoya and his co-conspirators allegedly falsified diagnoses and falsely labeled kickback payments as loans, medical directorships, and consultation fees, among other things. Osukoya, through Cambridge Diagnostics, was paid over $5 million for the claims and is alleged to have paid out over $450,000 in illegal kickbacks. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Hunter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. Additional charges across the country involved a variety of fraudulent medical billing schemes, as noted below: Transnational Criminal Organizations 29 defendants were charged for their roles in transnational criminal organizations alleged to have submitted over $12 billion in fraudulent claims to America’s health insurance programs. For instance, a nationwide investigation known as Operation Gold Rush resulted in the largest loss amount ever charged in a health care fraud case brought by the Department. These charges were announced in the Eastern District of New York, the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of California, the Middle District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey against 19 defendants. Twelve of these defendants have been arrested, including four defendants who were apprehended in Estonia as a result of international cooperation with Estonian law enforcement and seven defendants who were arrested at U.S. airports and the U.S. border with Mexico, cutting off their intended escape routes as they attempted to avoid capture. The organization allegedly used a network of foreign straw owners, including individuals sent into the United States from abroad, who, acting at the direction of others using encrypted messaging and assumed identities from overseas, strategically bought dozens of medical supply companies located across the United States. They then rapidly submitted $10.6 billion in fraudulent health care claims to Medicare for urinary catheters and other durable medical equipment by exploiting the stolen identities of over one million Americans spanning all 50 states and using their confidential medical information to submit the fraudulent claims. As alleged, the organization exploited the U.S. financial system by laundering the fraudulent proceeds and deploying a range of tactics to circumvent anti-money laundering controls to transfer funds into cryptocurrency and shell companies located abroad. The arrests announced today also include a banker who facilitated the money laundering of fraud proceeds on behalf of the organization through a U.S.-based bank. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team and its partners detected the anomalous billing through proactive data analytics, and HHS-OIG and CMS successfully prevented the organization from receiving all but approximately $41 million of the approximately $4.45 billion that was scheduled to be paid by Medicare. HHS and CMS intend to seek to return the $4.41 billion in escrow to the Medicare trust fund for needed medical care. The scheme nonetheless resulted in payments of approximately $900 million from Medicare supplemental insurers. To date, law enforcement has seized approximately $27.7 million in fraud proceeds as part of Operation Gold Rush. In another action involving foreign influence, charges were filed in the Northern District of Illinois against five defendants, including two owners and executives of Pakistani marketing organizations, in connection with a $703 million scheme in which Medicare beneficiaries’ identification numbers and other confidential health information were allegedly obtained through theft and deceptive marketing. The defendants allegedly used artificial intelligence to create fake recordings of Medicare beneficiaries purportedly consenting to receive certain products. According to court documents, the beneficiaries’ confidential information was then illegally sold to laboratories and durable medical equipment companies, which used this unlawfully obtained and fraudulently generated data to submit false claims to Medicare. Certain defendants controlled dozens of nominee-owned durable medical equipment companies and laboratories that allegedly submitted fraudulent claims for products and services the beneficiaries did not request, need, or receive. Certain defendants also allegedly conspired to conceal and launder the fraud proceeds from bank accounts they controlled in the United States to bank accounts overseas. In total, the defendants caused approximately $703 million in alleged fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which paid approximately $418 million on those claims. The government seized approximately $44.7 million from various bank accounts related to this case. Finally, a defendant based in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates who owned a billing company allegedly orchestrated a scheme to prey upon vulnerable individuals in need of addiction treatment by conspiring with treatment center owners to fraudulently bill Arizona Medicaid approximately $650 million for substance abuse treatment services. According to court documents, some of the services billed were never provided, while other services were provided at a level that was so substandard that it failed to serve any treatment purpose. As part of the conspiracy, treatment center owners allegedly paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for the referral of patients recruited from the homeless population and Native American reservations. The defendant received at least $25 million of ill-gotten Arizona Medicaid funds as a result of the conspiracy and is charged with a money laundering offense for his alleged use of those funds to purchase a $2.9 million home located on a golf estate in Dubai. Fraudulent Wound Care Charges were filed in the District of Arizona and the District of Nevada against seven defendants, including five medical professionals, in connection with approximately $1.1 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare and other health care benefit programs for amniotic wound allografts. As alleged, certain defendants targeted vulnerable elderly patients, many of whom were receiving hospice care, and applied medically unnecessary amniotic allografts to these patients’ wounds. Many of the allografts allegedly were applied without coordination with the patients’ treating physicians, without proper treatment for infection, to superficial wounds that did not need this treatment, and to areas that far exceeded the size of the wound. Certain defendants allegedly received millions in illegal kickbacks from the fraudulent billing scheme. “Today's unprecedented enforcement action demonstrates that CMS and our federal partners are united in our mission to protect the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid by crushing waste, fraud, and abuse," said Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz of CMS. "Every dollar we prevent from going to fraudsters is a dollar that stays in the system to serve legitimate beneficiaries. Through advanced data analytics, real-time monitoring, and swift administrative action, CMS is leading the fight to protect Medicare, Medicaid, and the trust Americans place in these vital programs. We're not waiting for fraud to happen—we're stopping it before it starts." Prescription Opioid Trafficking 74 defendants, including 44 licensed medical professionals, were charged across 58 cases in connection with the alleged illegal diversion of over 15 million pills of prescription opioids and other controlled substances. For example, five defendants associated with one Texas pharmacy were charged with the unlawful distribution of over 3 million opioid pills. As alleged, the defendants conspired to distribute massive quantities of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and carisoprodol, which were subsequently trafficked by street-level drug dealers, generating large profits for the defendants. This coordinated action is a continuation of the Health Care Fraud Unit’s systematic approach to stopping drug trafficking organizations and their pharmaceutical wholesale suppliers, which together have fueled an epidemic of prescription opioid abuse for nearly a decade. DEA also announced today that in the last six months, DEA charged 93 administrative cases seeking the revocation of pharmacies, medical practitioners, and companies authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances. “Health care fraud isn’t just theft — it’s trafficking in trust. Today’s announcement shows that when doctors become drug dealers and treatment centers become profit-driven fraud rings, DEA will act,” said Acting Administrator Robert Murphy of the DEA. “We’re targeting the entire ecosystem of fraud — from pill mills in Texas to kickback clinics exploiting Native communities. If you abuse your medical license to push poison or pad your pockets, we will hold you accountable.” Telemedicine and Genetic Testing Fraud In today’s Takedown, 49 defendants were charged in connection with the submission of over $1.17 billion in allegedly fraudulent claims to Medicare resulting from telemedicine and genetic testing fraud schemes. For example, in the Southern District of Florida, prosecutors charged an owner of telemedicine and durable medical equipment companies with a $46 million scheme in which Medicare beneficiaries were allegedly targeted through deceptive telemarketing campaigns and then fraudulent claims were submitted to Medicare for durable medical equipment and genetic tests for these beneficiaries. The Department continues to focus on eliminating health care fraud schemes that depend on telemedicine, including schemes involving fraudulent claims for genetic testing, durable medical equipment, and COVID-19 tests. Other Health Care Fraud Schemes The other cases announced today charge an additional 170 defendants with various other health care fraud schemes involving over $1.84 billion in allegedly false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies for diagnostic testing, medical visits, and treatments that were medically unnecessary, provided in connection with kickbacks and bribes, or never provided at all. For example, in the Western District of Tennessee, prosecutors charged three defendants, including business owners and a pharmacist, with a $28.7 million scheme to defraud the Federal Employees’ Compensation Fund by allegedly billing for medications for injured United States Postal Service employees that were never prescribed by a licensed practitioner and largely were not dispensed as claimed. And in the Western District of Washington and the Northern District of California, prosecutors charged medical providers with allegedly stealing fentanyl and hydrocodone, respectively, that was meant for the providers’ patients, including child patients in need of anesthesia. “VA’s Integrated Veteran Care Programs provide critical community-based health care to our nation’s disabled veterans and their dependents,” said Acting Inspector General David Case of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). “Robust oversight of VA’s health care system is one of VA-OIG’s highest priorities. VA-OIG is committed to holding accountable those who defraud government benefits programs intended to care for our nation’s heroes.” Breaking Down Silos in the Fight Against Health Care Fraud In connection with the coordinated nationwide law enforcement operation, the Department is announcing that it is working closely with HHS-OIG, FBI, and other agencies to create a Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center to bring together experts from the Department’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section, Health Care Fraud Unit Data Analytics Team; HHS-OIG; FBI; and other agencies to leverage cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to identify emerging health care fraud schemes. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team was established in 2018 to enhance the Unit’s ability to detect, investigate, and prosecute complex health care fraud schemes. Joining forces with data analysts from HHS-OIG, FBI, and other partners will increase efficiency, detection, and rapid prosecution of emerging health care fraud schemes. It will also implement the President’s Executive Order Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos (Exec. Order No. 14243, 3 C.F.R. 294 (2025)) by reducing duplicative data teams, increasing operational efficiency through a whole-of-government approach, and leveraging cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other agency resources. Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Jacob Foster, Assistant Deputy Chief Rebecca Yuan, Trial Attorney Miriam L. Glaser Dauermann, and Data Analyst Elizabeth Nolte, all of the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, led and coordinated this year’s Takedown. Four cases are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, in addition to those handled by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Columbia, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Maine, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nevada, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Western District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, District of North Dakota, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, District of South Carolina, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Washington, and Northern District of West Virginia; and State Attorneys General’s Offices for California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team used cutting-edge data analytics to identify and support the investigations that led to these charges. In addition to FBI, HHS-OIG, DEA, and CMS, HSI, VA-OIG, IRS Criminal Investigation, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Labor, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies participated in the operation. The Medicaid Fraud Control Units of California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin also participated in the investigation of many of the federal and state cases announced today. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Forces. Prior to the charges announced as part of today’s nationwide Takedown and since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which operates in 27 districts, charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively billed Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers more than $27 billion. An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The following materials related to today’s announcement are available on the Health Care Fraud Unit’s website: • Court Documents


title: Four Tax Preparers Sentenced to Combined 105 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: Four tax preparers convicted of defrauding the IRS of nearly $8 million have been sentenced to a combined 105 months in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. According to court documents, Festus Adenisimi, 65, of Mansfield, Texas, was the owner of FA Tax, a tax preparation business located in Grand Prairie, where he and other tax preparers prepared fraudulent tax returns for their clients, often causing the IRS to issue refunds to those clients. The estimated loss to the IRS from these false tax returns totaled more than $7.5 million. Adenisimi pled guilty in September 2024 to falsely preparing tax returns. As part of his plea agreement, Adenisimi also admitted to fraudulently obtaining two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling $760,415 under the Small Business Administration’s COVID -19 relief program. In March 2025, Adenisimi was sentenced to 57 months in prison by U.S. Senior District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn and ordered to pay $10,283,737.65 in restitution. Three additional tax preparers who worked for FA Tax also pled guilty to falsely preparing tax returns. Last week, on June 26, 2025, they were each sentenced by Judge Lynn: • Sunshyne Endurance Ogungbemi, 37, of Waxahachie, Texas, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in April and ordered to pay $7,533,550.84 in restitution. • Chris Mary Tijerina, 40, of Crandall, Texas, was sentenced to 15 months in prison in April and ordered to pay $7,560,661.69 in restitution. • Cynthia Bradley, 45, of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced to 15 months in prison in June and ordered to pay $5,768,106.28 in restitution. “The defendants orchestrated a multi-year tax fraud scheme that caused substantial loss to the government,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson. “We will continue to track down those who attempt to cheat the American people, and we will hold them accountable with prison time.” “I'm proud of the women and men of IRS-CI for their commitment to protect our tax system and their resolve to ensure that those who engage in fraudulent activities face the full extent of the law,” said Gerardo Gomez, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. “The 105 months of federal prison time for the members of FA Tax who falsified tax returns illustrate that tax fraud is not a victimless crime.” IRS-Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu prosecuted the case.


title: High-speed pursuit results in 52-month sentence for alien smuggler

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 37-year-old Alamo resident has been ordered to federal prison for transporting illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Margarito Llanes pleaded guilty April 22. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Llanes to serve 52 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the risk Llanes created by engaging in a lengthy, high-speed pursuit and how his conduct was consistent with his violent criminal conduct, which includes indecency with a child, robbery and alien smuggling. In handing down the sentence Judge Crane also emphasized the seriousness of Llanes’ conduct and how everyone is lucky the outcome wasn’t more dire. On Jan. 18, a group of illegal aliens loaded into a vehicle near the Rio Grande River in Granjeno. Llanes was driving. As law enforcement approached, he sped away and engaged in a 1.5-mile pursuit with speeds reaching over 70 mph over unpaved roads. The chase ended when he crashed the vehicle into a tree, seriously injuring nearly all eight passengers. Llanes admitted to driving the vehicle, noting he was lucky he did not die from the crash. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Fry prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: Canadian Man Arrested and Detained for Role in Deadly Alien Smuggling Conspiracy at the U.S.'s Northern Border

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Note : View the indictment here and detention letter here . WASHINGTON — A dual Canadian American citizen was arrested on Sunday, June 15, for his role in a deadly human smuggling conspiracy that left a family of four, including two children under the age of three, dead in the St. Lawrence River. Oakes was arrested as he attempted to enter the United States via the Massena, New York, Port of Entry. Timothy Oakes, 34, from the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation (AMIR), Canada, was previously arraigned on numerous human smuggling offenses in the Northern District of New York District Court and had his detention hearing earlier today and will remain detained. Oakes was indicted on April 9 for conspiring with others to engage in alien smuggling, four counts of alien smuggling for profit, and four counts of alien smuggling resulting in death. United States based co-conspirators Dakota Montour, 31, and Kawisiiostha Celecia Sharrow, 43, both of Akwesasne-Mohawk, New York, and Janet Terrance, 45, of Hogansburg, New York, entered guilty pleas on Jan. 23, Oct. 8, 2024, and March 6, respectively. “As alleged, Oakes and his co-conspirators profited from a human smuggling operation with a singular, cold-hearted aim: making money by bringing illegal aliens into the United States, regardless of the danger to human life involved,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their greed resulted in the deaths of a mother, a father, and two small children, as well as one of the defendants’ own brothers. The Criminal Division will continue to disrupt and dismantle these organizations and bring justice to smugglers whose actions result in senseless deaths.” “This case shows the terrible perils of illegally crossing the border,” said U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III for the Northern District of New York. “Four family members died because a smuggling network put them in harm’s way. My office is proud to partner with Joint Task Force Alpha to continue to combat dangerous human smuggling and trafficking organizations that operate on our northern border.” “Oakes’ arrest comes as part of our nearly two-year long investigation into a transnational criminal organization responsible for the large-scale smuggling of aliens from Canada into the United States,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan. “ICE HSI leverages its full range of authorities to combat and dismantle the heinous networks of greedy criminals who illicitly sell dangerous, sometimes fatal, passage through our nation’s northern border. We are extremely grateful for a multitude of law enforcement agency partners on the Border Enforcement Security Taskforce who join us in this fight to bring smugglers to justice." “Two toddler aged children and their parents were the tragic victims of an alien smuggling attempt gone horribly wrong,” said Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector. “Their deaths were a direct result of callous smugglers who exploited the vulnerable. Due to unrelenting perseverance and investigative efforts by multiple law enforcement agencies, those responsible will be held accountable. Our pursuit of justice persists until justice is served.” According to court documents, Oakes was a key facilitator in a human smuggling organization (HSO) that smuggled aliens from Canada into northern New York. Oakes, working with the HSO, routinely smuggled aliens into the United States by piloting boats across the St. Lawrence River. Additionally, Oakes used his home as a staging area for aliens before the HSO smuggled them into the United States. Oakes earned approximately $1,000 for every alien whom he smuggled across the St. Lawrence River into the United States. In March 2023, Oakes housed a Romanian family of four, together with other aliens, for about 24 hours. He then transported the family and a boat to a public boat launch. His brother, Casey Oakes, attempted to use the boat to smuggle the Romanian family into the United States, but the boat capsized, killing all four members of the family, as well as Casey Oakes. Terrance, Montour, and Sharrow admitted in their plea agreements that in late March 2023, they were employed to illegally transport a Romanian family of four — a mother, father, one-year-old boy, and two-year-old girl — from Canada into New York. Specifically, Montour admitted that he was aware of the dangerous weather conditions on the day of the tragedy — high winds, freezing temperatures, and limited visibility — yet another co-conspirator still loaded the family of four into the small boat to attempt to cross the St. Lawrence River. HSI Massena engaged in an extensive years-long investigation of the case, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, New York State Police, Canada Border Services Agency, Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Cornwall Police Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support with foreign legal assistance requests. The defendant’s vehicle with light blue boat in tow on March 29, 2023, at 9:29 p.m., consistent with the boat found in the river during recovery efforts. The investigation is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations and eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating within the Americas that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border, including the Northern District of New York. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 380 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 340 U.S. convictions; more than 290 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. The investigation is being conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities. Trial Attorney Jenna E. Reed of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods .


title: National Health Care Fraud Takedown Results in Charges Against 324 Individuals, Including 13 in Northern District of Illinois

component: Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

body_text: CHICAGO — Thirteen defendants in the Northern District of Illinois are facing federal criminal charges as part of the largest national health care fraud enforcement action in Department of Justice history–and the largest ever in the Northern District of Illinois. The Administration has identified health care fraud as a top priority for white-collar enforcement. More than 320 defendants were charged nationwide for allegedly participating in various health care fraud schemes involving more than $14.6 billion in intended losses. The government seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets as part of the national enforcement effort. The takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represented an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit both patients and taxpayers. In the Northern District of Illinois, the 13 defendants are charged with various crimes related to health care, with some allegedly participating in fraud schemes involving more than $1.83 billion billed to government programs and private health insurers. The fraud schemes caused the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Medicare, and other insurers to pay more than $865 million in fraudulent reimbursements. The nationwide takedown was led and coordinated by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and its core partners from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The cases were investigated by agents from HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies. The cases are being prosecuted by Health Care Fraud Strike Force teams from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, 48 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, and nine State Attorney Generals’ Offices. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is proud to partner with the Department of Justice and multiple law enforcement agencies in the largest health care fraud takedown in our District’s history,” said Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “Health care fraud is an insidious crime that siphons off hard-earned tax dollars meant to provide care for people of limited means as well as the vulnerable and disabled. It leads to increased health care costs, including higher insurance premiums and taxes, as well as potentially jeopardizing the quality and safety of treatment. At nearly $2 billion, the alleged combined fraud at issue in these cases is staggering. This type of criminal conduct not only undermines the very fabric of our health care system, but also can lead to mistrust between patient and health care provider, especially when the criminal conduct is committed by medical professionals in a position of trust. Our Office will continue to vigorously pursue those who seek to exploit these critically important health care programs by placing greed and profits above patient care.” “This record-setting health care fraud takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake–this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.” The thirteen defendants in northern Illinois were charged in five cases filed in the Northern District of Illinois: U.S. v. Charolia, et al RUKNUDDIN “RICK” CHAROLIA, 43, AAMIR ALI ARIF, 32, SHEARYAR ARIF, 28, and FIZZA FARID, 29, all foreign citizens, were indicted for their alleged participation in a $700 million health care fraud scheme in which false and fraudulent claims were submitted to Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans for over-the-counter Covid-19 test kits, durable medical equipment products, and genetic tests that were not requested, not medically necessary, and/or not provided to the beneficiaries. As alleged in the indictment, Charolia and Aamir Ali Arif operated a call center in Pakistan called Hello International Marketing Solutions (“HIMS”), that obtained Medicare beneficiary information, including Medicare beneficiary identification numbers, through theft and deception. HIMS then purportedly contacted beneficiaries to obtain patient consent for the durable medical equipment products, Covid-19 test kits, and genetic tests, even though the products and services were often not requested or medically necessary. The purported consent for the Covid-19 test kits was sometimes even faked through artificial intelligence. Charolia, Aamir Ali Arif, Shearyar Arif, and Farid allegedly caused the durable medical equipment providers and laboratories to submit approximately $703 million in fraudulent claims for products and services that were not requested, not medically necessary, or not provided to beneficiaries, receiving at least approximately $418 million from Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans. Additionally, Charolia, Aamir Ali Arif, and FAIZAN SALEEM, 28, also a foreign national, were charged for their alleged participation in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Anti-Kickback Statute for their sale and distribution of Medicare beneficiary information, including Medicare BINs, to durable medical equipment providers and laboratories in the United States. All five defendants were also charged with participating in a money laundering conspiracy in which fraud proceeds were transferred to various U.S. accounts controlled by the defendants in an effort to conceal the source, location, ownership, and control of the funds. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kelly M. Warner and Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Midwest Strike Force, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmina Vajzovic of the Northern District of Illinois. U.S. v. Ahmed, et al ANOSH AHMED, 41, formerly of Chicago and Houston, Texas, MOHAMED SIRAJUDEEN, 53, of Chicago, MAHMOOD SAMI KHAN, 36, of Houston, Texas, and SUHAIB AHMAD CHAUDHRY, 34, of Houston, Texas, were indicted for their roles in an alleged $894 million fraudulent Covid-19 testing scheme. As alleged in the indictment, Ahmed, Sirajudeen, and Khan caused clinical laboratories in Illinois and Texas to submit false and fraudulent claims to the U.S. government’s HRSA Covid-19 Uninsured Program seeking reimbursement in the amount of approximately $894 million for Covid-19 testing, of which approximately $293 million was paid. According to the indictment, Ahmed was a physician who used patient information obtained from a variety of sources, including a patient list from a hospital where he previously worked, to generate false claims that were submitted through a laboratory in Illinois. Dr. Ahmed allegedly falsely represented that the identifiers were associated with uninsured individuals who had submitted biological samples for Covid-19 testing, knowing that the purported patients had not submitted any samples. Ahmed allegedly also submitted false claims through labs in Texas that he owned but which were not operational. According to the indictment, Ahmed, Sirajudeen, Khan, and Chaudhry then laundered the fraud proceeds through various bank accounts to conceal the origin of the funds. Ahmed and Khan were charged with wire fraud and, along with Chaudhry, with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Ahmed was also charged with conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, obtaining individually identifiable health information without authorization and for commercial advantage, and money laundering. Sirajudeen was charged with money laundering. The government has seized approximately $100 million in assets in this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheri Mecklenburg and Kelly Guzman of the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Midwest Strike Force. U.S. v. Elkoussa JAMIL ELKOUSSA, 35, of Orland Park, Ill., was charged with five counts of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. government’s HRSA Covid-19 Uninsured Program. As alleged in the indictment, Elkoussa operated Meridian Medical Staffing, which purported to collect samples for Covid-19 tests at numerous sites in Illinois and Florida. Elkoussa allegedly caused a laboratory to submit approximately $233 million in fraudulent claims to the HRSA Uninsured Program for Covid-19 test specimens purportedly collected from patients, even though he knew that such test specimens had not been collected from the purported patients, and many of those patients did not exist. According to the indictment, Elkoussa’s fraudulent conduct resulted in approximately $154 million in HRSA payments to the laboratory, for which Elkoussa received more than $60 million. Approximately $6 million in assets have been seized in this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Claire Sobczak Pacelli of the Midwest Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Guzman of the Northern District of Illinois. U.S. v. Muhammad, et al MINHAJ FEROZ MUHAMMAD, 37, and SUFYAN FEROZE, 34, both of Naperville, Ill., were charged in connection with their involvement with FZ Medical Inc., d/b/a Next Labs Inc., which allegedly submitted more than $72 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois for Covid-19 laboratory testing services that were not provided to insureds. According to the indictment, the lab was paid more than $9.7 million for these claims. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kelly M. Warner, with substantial assistance by former Trial Attorney Victor B. Yanz of the Midwest Strike Force. U.S. v. Farley CHER FARLEY, 52, of Earlville, Ill., was charged in connection with her acquisition of foreign-sourced drugs labeled as Botox and Sotox, and the subsequent dispensing of those drugs without a prescription. As alleged in a criminal information, Farley caused foreign-sourced Botox and Sotox without proper labeling to be introduced into interstate commerce from China and dispensed without a prescription to multiple victims. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly of the Northern District of Illinois. ~~~ The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which works in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. Prior to the charges announced as part of today’s nationwide takedown and since its inception in March 2007, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force, which operates in 27 districts, charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively billed Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers more than $27 billion. The public is reminded that charges are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. elkoussa_indictment.pdf muhammad_et_al_indictment.pdf farley_information.pdf charolia_et_al_indictment.pdf ahmed_et_al_indictment.pdf


title: Fourth of Five Sentencings in Burglary of Dozens of Firearms from a Maryland Pawn Shop

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Tyjuan McNeal, 28, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 84 months in federal prison for participating in the December 2023 burglary of 34 firearms from a Maryland pawn shop. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. McNeal pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. In addition to the 84-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered McNeal to serve three years of supervised release. According to the court documents, on December 13, 2023, McNeal and at least four co-conspirators drove from Washington, D.C. to the A&D Pawn Shop, a Federal Firearms Licensee in Glen Burnie, Maryland. McNeal was wearing an ankle monitor that he had wrapped in aluminum foil. At the pawn shop, one of the co-conspirators used a portable saw to cut the locks on a pull-down security gate. Another co-conspirator then used a crowbar-type tool to pry open the main door. Once inside, the quintet grabbed an array of rifles, shotguns, and pistols from the shelves and display racks and fled with at least 34 of the firearms. They later used social media to advertise the sale of the stolen guns. McNeal was arrested on March 22, 2024, with a Glock 29 pistol and has been detained since. Co-defendant Juwon Markel Anderson, 22, was sentenced to 84 months in prison. Vincent Lee Alston, aka “Vedo,” 23, was sentenced to 84 months. Niquan “Stickz” Odum, 23, was sentenced to 48 months. Sentencing is pending for Cy'juan Hemsley, 20, who pleaded to conspiracy to commit theft from a firearms licensee and to possession of stolen firearms. This case was investigated by the ATF Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Baltimore Field Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar with valuable assistance from former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes.


title: Doctor Arrested For Multimillion-Dollar COVID-19 Insurance Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: The Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, Sean Buckley, and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced the arrest of ALI RASHAN on charges of health care fraud. As alleged in a five-count Indictment unsealed on June 25, 2025, RASHAN, a medical doctor, was the CEO and founder of ClearMD, a provider of COVID-19 testing services in New York City which fraudulently billed insurance companies for approximately $24 million for COVID-19 testing and submitted fraudulent medical records in furtherance of this fraudulent scheme. RASHAN was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses on June 25 and the case has been assigned to Judge Paul A. Engelmayer. “While New Yorkers were doing their best to get through a public health crisis, Ali Rashan was allegedly cashing in on it,” said Attorney for the United States Sean Buckley. “Our Office will not tolerate those who exploit the city’s pandemic response for personal profit.” “Ali Rashan allegedly facilitated an elaborate scheme using fabricated medical records to steal more than $24 million,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “This defendant allegedly violated his dual authorities as a medical doctor and CEO to receive reimbursement from thousands of illegitimate claims. The FBI remains dedicated to investigating any individual who selfishly exploits our health care system for their personal benefit. According to statements made in court and publicly filed documents in this case: [1] From at least 2021 until in or about 2023, RASHAN, the founder and owner of ClearMD, a provider of medical testing services, agreed to submit and caused to be submitted to insurers fraudulent claims that billed for unperformed and unrequested services purportedly provided to patients who sought testing for COVID-19 and fraudulent medical records in support of these fraudulent claims. For example, RASHAN directed ClearMD to submit or cause the submission of thousands of claims that billed for evaluation and management (“E/M”) services that were never performed. Furthermore, at times during the relevant period, RASHAN directed ClearMD to submit claims to insurers billing for two to four COVID-19 testing codes, even though ClearMD had administered only a single COVID-19 test to patients. Thereafter, in response to requests from insurers for documentation supporting its claims for reimbursement, RASHAN instructed ClearMD staff to write a software program to generate false medical records to support ClearMD’s fraudulent billings. RASHAN directed ClearMD to submit these fabricated medical records to insurers to deceive them about the services that ClearMD had provided and to justify ClearMD’s retention of amounts paid to ClearMD in response to fraudulent claims. This scheme resulted in losses of at least approximately $24 million. * * * RASHAN, 41, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to make false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of false statements relating to health care matters, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Buckley praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. Mr. Buckley also thanked the Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration for their assistance in this investigation. The charges announced today are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in alleged false billings and over 15.6 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. In connection with this nationwide health care fraud takedown, the Government seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here . This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rushmi Bhaskaran, Timothy Capozzi, and Jaclyn Delligatti are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. u.s._v._rashan_indictment.pdf


title: Brockton Man Detained After Allegedly Attempting to Purchase 15 Kilograms of Cocaine

body_text: BOSTON – A Brockton man was ordered detained pending trial in federal court in Boston on June 24, 2025, on drug charges. Jose Perez, 47, is charged via a criminal complaint with one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. He was arrested on June 11, 2025 and following an initial appearance and detention hearing in federal court in Boston, the Court ordered Perez detained pending trial. According to court documents, in May 2025, Perez communicated with undercover law enforcement about purchasing 15 kilograms of cocaine. It is alleged that Perez agreed to meet on June 11, 2025 in Framingham for the drug deal. On June 11, 2025, Perez was allegedly observed traveling from his residence in Brockton to his autobody shop, JP Auto Body in Dorchester, and then back to his Brockton residence, before travelling to meet the undercover officers in Framingham for the drug deal. It is alleged that upon arriving at the agreed-upon meeting location, Perez removed $150,000 from a hidden compartment in his vehicle and provided the cash to undercover law enforcement in exchange for 15 kilograms of cocaine. The narcotics provided to Perez was sham cocaine. Perez then allegedly placed the kilograms of sham cocaine into the hidden compartment in his vehicle before being taken into custody. The charge of attempted possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Boston, Framingham, Brockton, Bedford, Waltham, Braintree, Middleborough, Lynn, Lowell and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Alleged Member of Mexican Drug Trafficking Organization Extradited to El Paso

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national charged with four counts in a 14-count indictment was extradited to the Western District of Texas following his arrest in Mexico last week. According to court documents, from January 2016 through August 2019, Hector Adrian Rojero Ramos aka Teto, 54, allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to import heroin and fentanyl from Mexico to destinations in Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois and elsewhere in the United States. Rojero Ramos was arrested in Mexico June 25 and made his initial appearance in a federal court in El Paso on June 27. Rojero Ramos is charged with one count of conspiracy to import a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and two counts of aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Rojero Ramos. The Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Luis Acosta is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Durable Medical Equipment Owner Sentenced to 12 Years for $61 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

body_text: A Florida man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to defraud Medicare with false reimbursement claims for durable medical equipment (DME). He was also ordered to pay $21,195,540.18 in restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $2,514,040. According to court documents, Peter Roussonicolos, 64, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida, owned and operated five DME suppliers as a silent partner. Roussonicolos hid his involvement in the companies from Medicare because he had one or more felony convictions, making him ineligible to enroll with the government program . To further conceal his involvement, he recruited and paid co-conspirators to serve as nominee owners of the DME suppliers and caused others to falsify Medicare enrollment forms, bank records, and other documents to conceal the true ownership and control of the DME suppliers. He also knew that a co-conspirator paid kickbacks and bribes to patient recruiters in exchange for beneficiary referrals. As part of the scheme, the DME companies submitted approximately $61.5 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary DME that was ineligible for reimbursement and were paid approximately $26.7 million of these claims. “Through lies and deceit, the defendant and his co-conspirators orchestrated a $61 million fraud on Medicare,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant’s fraud drained critical government resources that could have been used to help vulnerable Americans. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the Department’s steadfast commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring accountability for those who seek to defraud our health care programs.” "Today’s sentence underscores HHS-OIG’s firm commitment to thoroughly investigating individuals who engage in illegal kickback schemes to prescribe medically unnecessary durable medical equipment for their own personal financial gain,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “We remain steadfast in our mission to protect the integrity of Medicare and other federal healthcare programs as well as the people served by those programs.” “This defendant and his co-conspirators orchestrated an elaborate scheme to steal millions from Medicare through kickbacks and sham billing,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who exploit our healthcare system for personal gain will be held accountable. The FBI is committed to working with our partners to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure the integrity of healthcare programs.” In November 2024, Roussonicolos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorney Jennifer Burns and Assistant Chiefs Jamie de Boer and Emily Gurskis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Trial Attorneys Joanna Bowman and Lindita Ciko Torza of the Special Matters Unit assisted in the prosecution. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www. justice. gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Seven Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing and Trafficking 240 Firearms from Indianapolis Shipping Center

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— The following seven individuals have been sentenced for their roles in a firearms theft and trafficking conspiracy: Defendant Charge(s) Sentence Zackary Doss, 27 Conspiracy to Receive, Possess, Store or Sell Stolen Firearms Possession of a Firearm by a Felon 2.5 years imprisonment 3 years of supervised release Dominique Ellison, 37 Possession of a Firearm by a Felon 1.5 years imprisonment 3 years of supervised release Antonio Grant, 33 Conspiracy to Receive, Possess, Store or Sell Stolen Firearms Possession of a Firearm by a Felon 3 years of probation Ryan Hurt, 30 Conspiracy to Receive, Possess, Store or Sell Stolen Firearms Possession of Stolen Firearms 4.5 years imprisonment 3 years of supervised release Kevin Jones, Jr, 23 Conspiracy to Receive, Possess, Store or Sell Stolen Firearms Possession or Sale of Stolen Firearms 3.5 years imprisonment 3 years of supervised release Malyk Mendez, 32 Conspiracy to Receive, Possess, Store or Sell Stolen Firearms 1.5 years imprisonment 1 year of supervised release Bruce Williams, 33 Conspiracy to Receive, Possess, Store or Sell Stolen Firearms Possession of a Firearm by a Felon 9 years imprisonment 3 years of supervised release According to court documents, Bruce Williams and Ryan Hurt—then employees at an Indianapolis shipping facility—masterminded a scheme to steal firearms and sell them for profit, utilizing accomplices Malyk Mendez and convicted felon Antonio Grant, among others. Firearms were ultimately sold to individuals including Kevin Jones, Jr., and convicted felons Dominique Ellison and Zackary Doss. Jones and Doss, in turn, then sold the firearms to numerous other individuals. Between January and March 2022, the group made off with 240 firearms from four separate shipments headed for different states. The conspiracy began to unravel when ATF agents noticed a disturbing pattern: firearms sent through the Indianapolis terminal were missing key inventory. A breakdown of stolen firearms, varying in make and models, is as follows: 9 mm semi-automatic handguns (174) .38 caliber revolvers (13) .22 caliber revolvers (2) .45 caliber semi-automatic handguns (38) semi-automatic rifles (5) 10mm semi-automatic handguns (8) Williams and Hurt kept some firearms from the thefts for themselves but recruited others, including codefendants, to assist in locating buyers for the stolen guns. Williams also personally sold a substantial number of the stolen firearms. Of the 240 firearms that were stolen, only 61 firearms have been recovered as of May 5, 2025; over three years since the thefts occurred. Five of those firearms were recovered from Williams and Hurt upon their arrests. The other firearms recovered have been found in a wide array of criminal activity and locations; Indianapolis, Lafayette, Gary, Chicago, Florida, and Oklahoma, to name a few. The criminal activity has included felons possessing firearms, drug trafficking, domestic violence incidents, vehicle pursuits, shootings, carjackings, and homicides. “Stolen firearms are a major source of crime guns for violent offenders and pose a serious threat to public safety,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we’re committed to stopping gun traffickers, recovering stolen weapons, and keeping them out of the hands of dangerous individuals.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson. Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Pamela S. Domash and Bradley P. Shepard, who prosecuted this case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. ###


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing With Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Freddie Anthony Curry, 54, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division. In May 2024, the FBI and DEA began investigating Curry in connection with suspected fentanyl and cocaine trafficking in the Baltimore area. During their investigation, they verified Curry’s vehicle and residence. Authorities then executed federal search warrants on Curry’s residence and vehicle. During the search, investigators recovered approximately 980 grams of fentanyl, 1,040 grams of cocaine, digital scales, drug-packaging materials, and a Glock 19 9-millimeter handgun. Curry is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case is part of a Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Baltimore Strike Force is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle violent drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations to reduce drug-related and/or gang violence in the Baltimore metropolitan and surrounding areas. The Baltimore Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Maryland Transportation Authority, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and DEA, for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins who is prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Drug Dealer Found Guilty of Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl Hidden in Stuffed Animals Sentenced to 120 Months Imprisonment

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL, Minn. – Robiel Lee Williams was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and five years’ supervised release for his role in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Drug dealers are endlessly creative in finding new ways to smuggle their deadly poison into Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Williams and his co-conspirators hid their deadly fentanyl in stuffed animals—literally children’s toys. We should all be appalled. Williams will rightly spend the next decade in federal prison.” Court documents note that, between August 2022 and December 2023, Robiel Lee Williams, 25, along with several others, conspired to distribute fentanyl across the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. As part of their operation, Williams and his co-defendants traveled to Phoenix to acquire fentanyl pills from suppliers, concealed the drugs inside stuffed animals, and mailed the packages to various addresses in the Twin Cities area. A joint investigation by law enforcement agencies in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties led to the discovery and seizure of six packages containing more than 30,000 grams of fentanyl pills. According to court documents, fingerprints belonging to Williams and several co-defendants were found on the seized packages. Williams was sentenced on June 30, 2025, in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan. Judge Bryan sentenced Williams to 120 months’ imprisonment followed by five years’ supervised release. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigation, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Washington County Drug Task Force, and the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.


title: Chadwick Elgersma Named Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick Elgersma has been appointed as the Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Wisconsin in this role,” said Mr. Elgersma. “For however long I serve as United States Attorney, my primary objective will be to keep Wisconsin residents safe through the vigorous enforcement of Federal law. Under my leadership, the United States Attorney’s Office will do its part to protect national security and to stem the unlawful flow of people and drugs into our country. We will also not lose sight of our responsibility to combat financial and violent crime, gang activity, child predators, and to zealously advocate on behalf of the United States’ civil interests.” Mr. Elgersma was raised in Waupun, Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. He earned his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law in 2005. In 2006, Mr. Elgersma joined the FBI as a Special Agent. In 2017, he joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin and was sworn in as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2019. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Elgersma prosecuted a myriad of criminal matters including interstate drug conspiracies, firearms offenses, Hobbs Act robberies, child exploitation cases, complex white-collar fraud, government program fraud, tax evasion, arson, and immigration-related offenses. As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Elgersma will be responsible for overseeing federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the Western District of Wisconsin. The Western District of Wisconsin encompasses the Western 44 counties in Wisconsin.


title: Norman Man Sentenced to Serve 10 Months in Federal Prison for Falsely Claiming Dependents to Fraudulently Receive Nearly $27,000 in Veteran's Benefits

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – GORDON BELLAMY , Jr. , 45, of Norman, has been sentenced to serve 10 months in federal prison for falsely claiming dependents to fraudulently receive nearly $27,000 in Veterans disability benefits to which he was not entitled, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Veterans disability benefits are intended to support injured patriots who make incredible sacrifices to defend our country,” said U.S. Attorney Troester. “Mr. Bellamy’s false claims are not only criminal, but offensive. We remain committed to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who defraud and steal the benefits honestly earned by our veterans.” On March 19, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned an 11-count Indictment against Bellamy, charging him with theft of public money, making a false statement, and nine counts of making a false representation of a Social Security number. According to public records, from March 1, 2020, through January 31, 2024, Bellamy willfully and knowingly received thousands of dollars’ worth of disability compensation through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to which he was not entitled. The Indictment alleges that Bellamy submitted VA applications for disability benefits with a number of fraudulent dependents, causing his monthly disability award to be falsely inflated. In all, Bellamy fraudulently received $26,940.13 from the VA. On August 19, 2024, Bellamy pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment and admitted he knowingly made a false statement to the VA by submitting an application for VA benefits on which he falsely claimed to be the biological father of a child that was not his. At the sentencing hearing on June 27, 2025, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Bellamy to serve ten months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Goodwin also ordered Bellamy to pay $26,940.13 in restitution to the VA. In announcing his sentence, Judge Goodwin noted Bellamy’s history of financial crimes, including his second federal prosecution for conduct involving dishonesty. Public record reflects that Bellamy has a previous conviction for computer access fraud in the Western District of Oklahoma, case number CF-22-350, for which he was sentenced to serve 20 months in federal prison. This case is the result of an investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle London prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Armed Bank Robbery Lands Arkansas Man in Federal Prison for a Decade

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – BRIAN KEITH MAYS , 58, of Arkansas, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for committing armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On January 21, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Superseding Indictment, charging Mays with armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On March 13, 2025, after a three-day trial, a federal jury found Mays guilty of both counts. According to evidence presented at trial, on July 5, 2024, Mays brandished a pistol at the FNB Community Bank in Harrah, Oklahoma, and demanded money from the tellers. The tellers complied, and Mays left the bank with $12,123.00. Agents with the FBI reviewed surveillance footage from the bank and an adjoining store, where they viewed Mays flee the scene. An eyewitness was able to obtain the tag number of the get-away vehicle, and an investigation into that car led authorities to Mays. At the sentencing hearing on June 30, 2025, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Mays to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted the dangerous nature and circumstances of the robbery as well as the impact such an offense has on the victims. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City and Fort Smith Field Offices, Harrah Police Department, Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Gridley and Drew E. Davis and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laney Ellis (SAUSA) prosecuted the case. SAUSA Ellis is an attorney with City of Oklahoma City whose position is funded by a federal Project Safe Neighborhoods grant awarded to the City of Oklahoma City to enhance efforts to address and reduce violent crime. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: PENSACOLA MAN SENTENCED FOR POSSESSION OF LOADED FIREARM AS A CONVICTED FELON

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Christ’Avian X’Zayvia Rayshon Sheard, 19, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. According to court records, on April 2, 2024, Sheard was located in a vehicle parked at Sanders Beach. Sheard was in possession of marijuana as well as a loaded Taurus 9 millimeter pistol. Sheard was a convicted felon at the time, with a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault by threat with a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Operation Take Back America is a promise by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi that we will do everything in our power to stop those who are victimizing our communities, and keeping a violent felon like this one off the streets is exactly what they meant. I am proud of the work of our brave state and federal law enforcement partners who investigated this case, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these offenders to keep our communities safe.” “Pensacola Police is committed to reducing guns crimes and will continue to work with our federal law enforcement partners to hold everyone accountable that chooses to illegally possess a firearm in our city,” said Chief Randall of the Pensacola Police Department. The case involved a joint investigation by the Pensacola Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Farmington Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Farmington man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to the possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces. Michael F.J. Murphy, age 45, pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro scheduled Murphy’s sentencing for October 14, 2025. According to the charging documents and statements made in court, in December 2023, the defendant shared a video depicting CSAM with law enforcement using a file-sharing platform. The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment, but if any image of child pornography involved in the offense involved a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, the maximum penalty is increased to 20 years of imprisonment. The statute provides for a supervised release term of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Idaho Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit led the investigation. The New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the United Kingdom South East Regional Crime Unit, and the Farmington Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 . ###


title: Two Men Sentenced After Robbing Dispensary with a Firearm

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Ronald Buckley, Jr. , 39, for Robbery in Indian Country and Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and Terrance Vohn Morrow , 41, for Accessory After the Fact to Obstructing, Delaying, and Affecting Commerce by Robbery. Buckley was ordered to serve 150 months' imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Morrow was ordered to serve 21 months' imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Their sentences will be served in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In May 2024, Tulsa Police officers were dispatched to a robbery at a marijuana dispensary. Officers spoke with witnesses who described the suspect producing a handgun, demanding money, and weed. Surveillance footage captured the robbery and the suspect leaving in a vehicle that was waiting for him. Law enforcement discovered that Buckley had robbed the dispensary, and during the robbery, he had discharged the handgun. The investigation further revealed that Buckley was seen getting into Morrow’s vehicle. After Buckley was arrested, Morrow moved his vehicle into a heavily wooded area, attempting to hide it. During the robbery, court records show that Buckley was under the supervision of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for a previous robbery. He is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The FBI, Tulsa Police Department, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Flynn and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .